16 November 1956 “Dreaming of Christmas”

I have been in the “Christmas Mood” of late, so just a few fun Christmas videos.
Toys for the young ones:

Christmas images:

Maybe mother will get a new “Frigidaire” under the tree this year. ( I like how they mention that now mother can shop only once a week!)

This last video is from here in Massachusetts, in Quincy at the Christmas Parade. It is fun to see the young girls getting ready (some in their dungarees). The ladies in their head scarves watching the parade. The school of Nursing, so proud in their lovely white uniforms, navy capes and nurses caps.

Get that Christmas Spirit going and Happy Homemaking.

15 November 1956 “Pin Money Weekend and War Time Mentality”

  This weekend I felt a bit of a ‘Working Woman’. My friend and I made up some batches of jams, cookies and candies and participated in a local craft sale.
Here is my partner in crime with our booty for sale. We even took the time to print up labels and made aprons to wear with our ‘logo’. We wanted to make it seem more professional. I think it did help as we almost sold out of everything. Here is the little logo we had ironed on our bib aprons. We used a similar one for our tags to label our jam and candies. I found, this past week, a new joy in candy making. It was my first time trying it and loved it. The science of it was rather fun. Here are two pans of my brittle waiting to set.A fun closeup ‘landscape’ of the stuff.And a little bag all prepared for the sale. I made quite a few fun varieties and the recipe I made from trying a few different versions and tweaking it until I liked the taste. My little sample dishes sold the product for everyone who popped in a taste immediately bought one.
What I discovered, this weekend, quite by chance was the temptation and lure of working outside the home. Quite without any forethought, I had actually thrust myself into a little mini-experiment. I took a contented 50’s homemaker (me) and suddenly placed her in a business setting where I received money for my work.
My hubby and I consider the money he earns to be ‘our money’ as I work just as hard (harder according to him) at home, so therefore I am earning that money as well. I also consider my work here, on my blog and site, as ‘unpaid’ work in that I enjoy it and I do it for others as well as myself. It is my ‘ladies' club work’ similar to committee and voluntary work a middle class homemaker would have fit into her schedule. Of course, this would have been unpaid work, as it is for me.
So, having been so long removed from that ‘work world’ where where does a specific task and then is given money, it was odd, really. Here, at the end of it, I find myself thinking of our 1940’s sisters. And, in fact, my own marriage would have happened during the war and so I most likely would have found myself in the working world while hubby was off defending the country. To many women, this was a much appreciated freedom. Yet to some, like me I think, it would be an unexpected one.
I love my homemaking. I find I have been my most fulfilled in this career and I have had many before this, so I do feel I have some form of comparison. Yet, having been ‘at home’ for the past two years, it suddenly felt quite real, as if I was an old time homemaker suddenly in a working environment. The comradery of the other women, for it was mostly women at this craft fair, the gossip and coffee in between sales. The chatting to complete strangers about your day and your wares and then receiving money from them and letting it stack up in your little envelope. It was, rather, thrilling really.
Now, here is what I found in my mini-experiment of two days: At first I rather thought, ‘hmmm, I could surely do this a bit more. The extra money would be lovely for sure.” Yet, by the end of yesterday I had found myself already planning out spending this as of yet un-earned money. Then hubby and I sat down and also figured out how much he had spent.
You see, though normally I am prepared with things ahead of time, the rush of candy making mixed with logo design, apron making and decals, preparing for the sale, it ate into my homemaking time. In two days of hubby having to get his own lunch at work and one breakfast out he spent half of his weekly cash allowance. I also ‘splurged’ and bought myself lunch as well, because I was too busy to bother once I got home and had to prepare for the next day.
You could see, how easily our modern lives get into that cycle. We must both work, so there is no specific chore set for anyone, so much of homemaking is left on the wayside. Both are tired and yet delusional that thinking two incomes are better than one, so both spend more on eating food bought and car fare and ‘treats’. I saw how easily, were I to take a job outside the home, I would need to really sit down and re-adjust my schedule so I could both do my homemaking and my outside work.
This lead to my next realization: Why did I instantly think it was my job to do both? I think many working women today find themselves more the homemaker than their hubby yet they make work just as much or even more than their hobby's outside the home? Why is this? Surely, after so many centuries of being the homemaker, when women were suddenly thrust into the work place during WWI and then WWII again, when the peace time came and some women continued to work, it just sort of happened. What is interesting to me is many women today write to me and tell me they are working women and they still do more than 90 % of the home and child care. In a way, what a raw deal for we ladies. Surely, we should be able to work in any thing we choose, I don’t want to give up women’s freedom, but have we taken on a new shackle of servitude by simply thinking, “Oh well, I guess I do the house things and work” without wondering why?
I still wonder, too, if many women who currently work could actually become a one income family (obviously one needs a partner for this of course). I recall one follower telling me she and her hubby lived a year with her working but not using any of her income for anything but savings to see if they could manage with just his salary. A very sound plan and a good way to ease one into a single salary lifestyle.
Now, back to our wartime sisters. Here they are, the little dears, content little homemakers, very little contact with the outside world save the grocers and shop keepers and other stay at home ladies. Suddenly they are thrust into an environment that really is much out of their control. I don’t care what anyone says about the cage or oppression of a Homemaker, we have almost total control over our days. WE decide when and how things get done. We might be the worker, but we are also the boss. So, to suddenly have an actual boss, and most likely a strange older man, telling us when and where to be and how to do something must have felt strange and odd. Also, the rush out of the house in the morning and the return in the evening exhausted.
I felt last night, after only two days out, how lovely it would have been to come home to my own homemaker, a warm meal, a smile and nice conversation. A clean home and no worries of the dishes. I certainly appreciated what I do EVEN more after just this weekend of working out and coming home to have to only ‘catch back up’.
Those women, then, with their new freedom of work and comradery amongst other ladies and men who were not their husbands or relatives, what an odd change it must have all been. To many, it was as freedom they were happy to keep. Some, I am sure, were unhappy to give it up after the war, but the men did deserve their jobs back, as they had literally risked their lives while away. But, I think there must have been some ladies who enjoyed their time out in the working world, but found their being at home again even more wonderful. The joy of again having control over one’s own day, the quiet and simple comforts of the home. And, really, the less chaotic home life as time spent with family was fun and not ‘rushing about to catch up all the time’. Certainly, one cannot argue that vanishing of a stay at home mother has really made home life completely different from once it once was. Many people may complain that their children won’t or couldn’t enjoy more time at home or more ‘family time’ but really, why should they? They have never really had it as they were growing up. Day care, school at earlier ages, play groups, sports and outside ‘classes’. All of these things make them busy little people who do need their own palm pilot to keep their schedules in order. To suddenly expect such busy little child ‘executives’ to be happy at home of a Sunday evening playing snakes and ladders after a crazy week of day care, video games at friends, trips and classes and I don’t know what, is probably not realistic.
Now, I am not saying this is good or bad. It is simply different. The very nature of the nuclear family has changed greatly since the 1950’s. Yet, even that was a new thing at the time. Before the War, many families still lived in the ‘old way’ in which extended family, such as grandparents, married couples and their children and unmarried aunt’s, uncles, or cousins would often make up a household had suddenly stopped. The new increase in money and building allowed the nuclear family we associate with the mid century to be born. Yet, it seemed short lived. Now, we have the same make up of parents and children, but much more time is spent outside the home. We moved further and further from the supportive concept of relatives to just  a parent group and now even that parent group is outdated and children are often more raised by others and machines. What is the next step, I wonder?
I think what is sad about the loss of the old pre 1950’s system was how much more economical and good it was all round. Surely relatives got on one another’s nerves all living together, but Grandma and Grandpa felt needed and helped raised the grandchildren (no day care costs and no wonder as to how the children are being raised) This also was nice for the elderly as opposed to simply living in old people facilities we have today. We just, for whatever reason, have become more and more separated from one another since the post WWII days. It is rather sad, really.
So, I found myself tempted by the outside ‘working world’. I began tallying up my ‘earnings’ before I received them and soon was planning away my days further away from my hubby and my home. It happens so quickly and so easily. Yet, back at home, catching back up from this weekend, putting my home to rights and sitting here in my little sitting room, makes me realize for me at least, Home is where my heart AND my work is. While I may still do a craft fair here and there to sell some candy and take orders, it will be pin-money only work. I will squirrel it away for a rainy day and be happy for it. But, I don’t think I could go back to the old rhythms of my life. The flow and structure of homemaking these past two years have become far too interesting and rewarding to me to find myself on the rocks lulled by the Siren song of the workplace. I gladly put on my apron and return to the kitchen, for to me it is a choice and one I cherish and am thankful for having the choice to make.
I do recommend, though, to any of you who could try it or would like to have a go at it with some ‘talking into’ with your hubby, it is worth a go. You may, at least, find yourself even happier to work outside the home again, not wanting to be a drudge at home. Or, you might find yourself blossoming and finding all theses skills and abilities you’d never thought you had appearing like buds in a Spring garden.
Well, back to my own home and have a lovely day. Happy Homemaking.

12 November 1956 “Busy Gal”

You simply can’t imagine the number of dishes and kitchen to-doing there is when one is knee deep in peanut brittle, toffee, Jams, and sticker making. Well, most likely you can, especially you mother’s who are probably constantly at war with dishes and mess piling up. But, even an organized (well more so than two years ago) 50’s gal can get a little behind.

I have been busily making candies and jam for a sale this weekend I am doing with a friend. It is hardly an excuse to not do a proper blog post, but there it is. Wish me luck on my sale and have a good Saturday, I shall return Sunday Evening with a Q & A or maybe just a good gossip about the sale.

Happy Homemaking.

11 November 1956 “I Want Candy”

Candy in the 1950’s, and earlier, was often a treat to a child. The level to which sugar is available to children today was only just beginning in the mid 1950’s.
After war-time rationing of sugar, candy (with many other products) had a boom. And a new market: The child themselves. While mummy and Granny may recall tootsie rolls and penny candy  amid jars of candy sticks and penny candy, it was a sometimes treat. By 1950’s this same treat was made much more appealing to its target audience.

The bright shiny plastic world of children's candy really started in this decade.
  Here are the first pez, introduced in 1955. They featured a full bodied robot or Santa.
And not only were candies more exciting and placed for children’s reach in stores, they also began to be specifically marketed to them. From 1949 –1952 Snickers was the sponsor of the Howdy Doody show. Other candy was also advertised at this time. What is interesting is how commercials once began in the late 40’s early 50’s, as part of the programming rather than a separate commercial break, is what many advertisers are now going back to. Here is Howdy and friends extolling the wonderment of the Three musketeers bar

Soon sugar, er that is, Candy began sprining up in all sorts of places. Sure, one could have a coke, but they could be expensive, but if you wanted that sugar rush in a glass, why not get mummy to buy Fizzies! These would be introduced next year, 1957. Made by the bromo company, that used to offer ‘upset stomach relief’ now they were a kids treat.

And, to be more adult, one had candy cigarettes. Even I recall these as a child in the late 70’s. I remember there were both candy and gum cigarettes. We always preferred the gum variety, as they were coated in powdered sugar under the paper wrapper, and one could blow out and it was like a puff of smoke. Of course, the gum’s flavor suffered for its sugar loss, but we didn’t care. It was fun to play ‘movie star’ and be glamorous. This, however, never made me want to smoke in real life. I have, on occasion, smoked filter less cigarettes for fun, but never more than possibly three individual cigarettes in one month, so I think I could safely say I was not addicted.
Candy even influenced our music. Candy Floss by British Terry Dene. Though somewhat lost on US audiences, as we call it “Cotton Candy”, at least we did in the 1950’s.

And the lovely Chordettes with Lollipop

Now, while searching for the Chordettes version of Lollipop, I found this modern version of a song called lollipop by Lil Wayne. I just put the link as you can decide if you want to watch it. HERE IT IS. I suggest, if you watch it, be cautious of your children in the room. It isn’t as racy as some, but what is amazing to me is the blatant objectification of women. What really burns me is how so many will go on and on about how women were ‘so oppressed’ in the 1950’s and yet feel fine that their teenage sons and daughters watch a rapper as he shows his great wealth. Why look at all he owns, many diamonds (which always surprises me when you consider the amount of young African children who literally die to mine them) big cars and, of course, tons of women, just for him. What a great message for our daughters, you value is in your looks, the amount of possessions you can get from your man. I would put Gentleman Prefer Blondes up against this any day, at least that has a cute moral ending. 
I honestly feel for the current and coming generations. I wish they could have the innocence and the beauty of the old days. Some may think having a door held for one is oppression, I think it good manners. And having a date feel the need to dress up and take you dancing, dancing where you can talk and where beautiful gowns,not bumping and grinding in a loud club that is so boring one needs overt amounts of alcohol and drugs to deal with it.
It might not seem cool now, but I know a girl would love to be treated like that. Why do you think the Disney Princess and the Vampire novels where the young man has ‘old fashioned ways’ and can’t actually do anything to you are so popular? Girls miss romance, but don’t realize it because there is no romance left in the world. They can’t really see it but somehow feel it missing. And the ‘romance’ of modern ‘chick flicks’ are often false tales of some ‘bad boy’ or someone who just happens to ‘turn himself around’. When, really, there are plenty of actual gentlemen in the world that girls could consider right off, but they may not be ‘cool’.
With good manners and consideration, women have lost their place of courteousness in men’s eyes. It is good that we can be seen to be equal in the work place, let’s not go away with that, but this subtle woman as object or something to be conquered attitude that silently permeates our society is rather scary, I think. I don’t know how I would feel if I had a teenage daughter, rather worried I would think.
I promised myself to try and stop the comparison of then and now and continue to focus on only the good of the old days, but in a way, its the good I find that makes the bad today seem so wretched. And somehow it all seems so propagated by a few simply to make money and keep us wanting more. But, I digress…
My point to mention candy today was to do a two or three part post in which I talk about candy making. Something I am now doing, to sell at a local fair with a friend. So, all of that to get to some fun candy recipes tomorrow. My mind does go off on tangents!
Well, tomorrow I will share some recipes and fun images of candy making. Get your candy thermometers out ladies and gents…
Happy Homemaking.

9 November 1956 “Early American and Realizations”

I came across this advertisement for Big Top Peanut butter and thought it fun to share. As you can see it comes in a reusable glass. Such promotions as these were becoming common in the 1950’s as it would encourage you to buy their brand, as you intended to collect up the glasses. I rather liked it because it describes the Sherbets and Goblets in the ‘Early American’ design.
I have spoken of this little known movement before. While many think 1950’s was all Eames chairs and wall to wall carpeting, the movement and look towards ‘Early America’ or Colonial was happening. Though, in true 1950’s fashion, they were not trying to fool you into thinking they had actual antiques, but rather pieces inspired by the early days.
This dining room set is an example of this. It is certainly Early American, even by the definition of the description in the magazine. Yet, the piece is obviously modern and look at the clever ‘pass through’ from the kitchen that appears to be part of the hutch. Those chairs, many people propbably recall, as they lasted well into 1970’s design.
I have been becoming increasingly partial to this mid-century movement, as my own house, which is in fact actual Early American, that is built in the American Colonial Days, is quite happy with these pieces.
This is a great shot of a lovely hall in Colonial/Early American. Here they show the wallpaper is meant to appear antique and certainly the grandfather clock is old. Yet the little hall piece with the ivy could be Drexel Heritage. The wood floors and rag rug show that it wasn’t all orange shag carpet and plastic floors back then.
 Though even in a more modern kitchen such as this you see the Early American influence. This wallpaper, which is quite bold and graphic, is Early American in its scene. The old wood cook stove and the vignette of the ‘early days’ becomes modern in its use of color, scale, and how it is placed on the feature wall in this bright modern kitchen.
I love that about the movement: that is didn’t take itself too seriously. I think in modern design there can be a bit too much seriousness. I mean, we are meant to live in and enjoy our homes. I like a formal/colonial style, but I will have an old bust on my mantle wearing one of my vintage hats or a strand of old shell bead necklaces that were once in a keepsake box of an old relative. I think the introduction of the personal with style and humor is really important. I think that is also important in life as well.
I think in some aspects I was beginning to lose that this past year. My realization as time went on to how our country has changed and in what way it has changed has hardened me in a way. It sort of took my humor and made me a bit dour and sad. I couldn’t really help it, as I felt almost lied to by our country from what we once had and could have made into what sad state of affairs we have got. Yet, I am one little sad voice in a sea of much more powerful voices, so I think I have sort of come from those ashes, phoenix style, ready to just be happy again.
I cannot change the world. I have only just, in the past two years, learned how to change myself for the better. So, I had better stick to that and be happy in it. Be content in my little house, puttering about my garden and messing about with my chickens. Enjoying my further research and study into the past. Sometimes we need a break from our ideas before they become so heavy we can move for them.
I hope you enjoy the Early American style. I do have a Flickr Group dedicated to trying to gather these images together if you would like a look or to join. I shall add these images to it as well.
I hope all are having a lovely day and Happy Homemaking. Now, I am off to make candy. I have promised a friend to do a craft/food fair with her this weekend and there is brittle and toffee to be made. I will share recipes and pictures after it has happened.

8 November 1956 “Morality Article Two”

Here is the remainder of the morality article. I must say I don’t agree with all it says. I find that we must, I assume, adjust our morality as time moves forward. It, like society, seems an elastic being to take the form of the time.
I love much of the ‘old days’ for the freedom of knowledge for the homemaker, the skill the average person elicited, as well as the amount of time one had towards things other than entertainment. I think there is much there to learn and to gain control over our own thoughts and decisions. I do not, however, think that on average individuals were freer. I think what is good about being aware of our past is to take and learn the good and be glad to have got rid of the bad. I don’t want a strict moral code that seems to force its view upon others, but what I want is for individuals to feel their self worth enough to know that though sex is a part of life, there is much more. That while fashion is fun, it does not have to be overtly sexualized. In fact, the more one has to work with the more exciting and greater style allowed to women.
I am not in favor of forcing any set value system on the world, for who should decide this system? But, I want personal awareness and self-worth to lead those who have a choice to make those choices for their betterment and happiness. Not just to be ‘with the crowd’ or ‘like the people on the tv/computer/movie screen’. I suppose, then, that I want the impossible.
So, here is the rest of the article, take it as it is meant to be: an article written over 50 years ago. I have found that to try and force or coerce someone to do as you are told is the fastest way to have them do it. I have come to find that to lead by example and to teach by action rather than words is the best way for anyone from parent, teacher, to statesmen and government.

7 November 1956 “Q & A Sunday: The Coffee Cake”

I actually received a few questions about my coffee cake. Two people, overseas readers, asked how I made the recipe without yeast and letting it rise. So, I thought this lovely breakfast or tea-time cake deserved some good answers.
First lets address the old fashioned recipe which does include yeast and a rise time. This recipe also makes lovely buns, very like cinnamon buns. This is the recipe I use from my Fannie Farmer Boston Cooking School book from 1955. (note for this recipe, when it refers to yeast cake on pg 67, it is merely telling you to dissolve your yeast in 1/4 warm water.)

This is really a rather easy recipe, but the wait time and messing about with yeast can be an issue for some or for any new bakers. I know I first approached yeast with some trepidation and fear, wondering if mad scientists or movie-type explosions would result.
There are ‘easier’ or no yeast versions of both Coffee Cakes and Kuchen in my other cookbooks. In fact Kaffee Kuchen shows up most times on the same page as Coffee Cake in most of my vintage cookbooks as well as various magazines of the time. They all are about the same. The difference with a Kuchen versus the Cake, is in the kuchen the yolks are added separately and then the whites are beaten stiff and folded in. My recipe in my Better Homes also includes a ‘Topper’ which is the usual brown sugar, flour, butter made into a crumble. However I have also seen Kuchen recipes that simply have you add a well beaten egg, not separating the whites. But, by and large, the Kuchen tends to use the beaten egg whites.
The basic Coffee Cake recipe I use is basically either of these two. One is from Better Homes and Gardens the other from Betty Crocker. They are basically identical. I, however, use melted better rather than oil or shortening or margarine.
You can see they are basically the same recipe. I usually make the Streusel filled coffee cake found on the Quick Breads page. This mixes the streusel in the middle and on top, quite yummy.
This is very easy to mix up and does not require your mixer. Just some bowls and a wooden spoon is all I use.
Here is the sugar, melted butter ( I use stove but you could easily pop butter in the microwave to melt it, even in the same bowl-less clean up), and egg. See what a lovely color it is.
Here it is after the dry ingredients have been added. I don’t even sift my drys for this, I merely measure it straight in and stir away. A coffee cake is very forgiving. You can see the crumble made up in the bowl next it. Those are my fresh chicken’s eggs, they started laying on my birthday!
Here you see I have put in half the batter (you can spread this batter with a spoon, it is not runny like a traditional cake, making it rather easy to manipulate). And here it is before baking with remainder of the batter and the rest of the crumble.
And, finally, fresh from the oven: And straight to the breakfast or tea-time table. Look at those delicious bits of crumble and warm golden cake, mmm…
So you can see, it is rather easy and sets up nicely. It is a nice cake to have about for a quick snack and it packs wonderfully.
Coffee cake is also a good tea cake. It has the firmness that allows one to eat it with their fingers while holding cups of tea, much like an English Sponge. In fact, I find that an English Sponge, a Victoria sponge and so on, are rather similar to our Coffee cake.
Now a coffee cake can also mean, quite literally, a cake which contains coffee. Today that usually means instant coffee, but I am sure using fresh brewed could work but you would need to adjust it to your liquid ingredients.
The sponge (sponge cake) served with English tea can be a Coffee Sponge. Thus, a Coffee Cake, in that it contains coffee.  Every recipe I have seen for a Victoria sponge seems rather similar to a basic no yeast coffee cake, with varying degrees of complications, such as having to stir in each ingredient in a certain order, to serving the cake layered with jam and cream and dusted with confectioners sugar. Any UK readers out there, please give more information. When you eat ‘coffee cake’ ,if you do, is it a coffee sponge? Or do you eat the ‘coffee cake’ that is the yeast risen similar to our coffee rolls? Do let us know.
Here is a very easy Victoria Sponge recipe. It’s base, much like the coffee cake, seems a great vehicle to make any various forms of cake by simply mixing in. This cake, as well, is usually cut in half frosted with jam and dusted with confectioners sugar, yummy!
Victoria Sponge (if you click the image you will get the recipe in metric measurements, we Americans refuse to let go of our Imperial)
Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch pan. Sift the flour and baking powder into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a medium bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time mixing thoroughly with each addition. Slowly stir the flour mixture in with the butter, sugar, and eggs. Beat in the milk and vanilla until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. This cake is traditionally served unfrosted, just cut in two horizontally and filled with jam or custard and dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Here, then, is a recipe for a ‘coffee cake’ that is a sponge with coffee in. It comes from HERE.
1 Cup Caster Sugar
1 Cup Self raising flour
3 Eggs
2 Tbsp Camp Coffee
For filling:
Butter 3oz
Icing Sugar 3oz
Coffee (to taste)

• Beat together sugar and eggs until light and fluffy

• Add coffee then fold in flour

• Pour into two 8 inch sandwich tins and bake at 180 degrees C for about 20 minutes

• For the filling: beat together equal quantities of butter and icing sugar, till well mixed

• Add coffee to taste

• Sprinkle a little icing sugar on top when put together and finished

So, here is to a wonderful Sunday morning and a nice hot piece of Coffee Cake, Kaffee Kuchen, Sponge, or whatever you like to call it. Happy Homemaking!

6 November 1956 “1950’s TV Drawing School & Site Day”

As some of you may know, my new schedule has Saturday’s as my site day. I am working on making it more functional and so on. In the future this can be the day I simply continue to sort blog post content into a more usable stored reference materials.
And for any of you who have signed up for my monthly newsletter, I will try and get that out tomorrow. For those of you who don’t know what I am talking about, if you go to the main page of the WEBSITE on the right hand side under my bio is a ‘sign up for newsletter’ button. Simply click that and do whatever it says, I think it just asks for your email, and you will receive it. I want to give some info and scanned vintage images that won’t necessarily be on the website. Sort of a fun, ‘let’s check the mail and see what we have’. I would love to do an actual newsletter, but that I know would be too expensive and far too much trouble with stamps and all.
In the future it will come to your email first of the month, but again, I am but one person. I know based upon my continuing experience of adding more to my schedule, that in time it will become normal and simply be ‘part of my day’. That is what I increasingly love about my two year project, that I can keep pushing myself, setting the bar high, and then achieving that aim. Almost making up for all the lost time of my modern youth of aimless rote and mindless entertainment. Though I do still enjoy a good movie or show now and again, and of course reading and vintage fun times with my friends. But, I digress…
So, for Saturdays, rather than just leave you with boring info on what I am working on the site, I will share some fun video with you.
Today we are going to see a video of a 1950’s TV program with Jon Gnagy, a self taught artist. His show was the not only the first of its kind on early television, but  On May 16, 1946, Jon Gnagy was the first "act" on the first program broadcast from the antenna atop the Empire State Building. HERE is a quick biography of his interesting life.
You can also watch more of his fun and helpful videos on my APRON TV simply go on the right under playlists and scroll down until you see Vintage Educational Tv and click on that. It will open many videos of his 50’s art show, enjoy and Happy Homemaking.
Here is the intro to his show followed by an episode.

5 November 1956 “1950’s: America’s Moral Crisis”

Today we are going to look at the beginning of an article in one of my 1957 issues of Better Homes & Gardens. I know it is not 57 yet, but I found it an interesting article. Simply click to enlarge. It is about the continuing discussion of sexuality and moral decline in happening as the post WWII years wane.

I think one thing I find interesting is that with the number of generations behind us since sexual liberation, wouldn’t things become less sexually centered? It seems if one has taken off the veil of taboo and stripped the shock and awe of it all, why on earth has it become almost the be all end all?
I don’t find myself a prude. I know sexuality is important to the human mind and body, but it is hardly the entire package. I wonder why, since we have lost such restricted codes of morality, that we still seemed to be So focused on it. In a way that one has little to think of BUT it. One would think, ‘hey sexuality, no big deal. Let’s spend more time on art, literature, talking, other subjects”. This, however, seems to be the opposite of what has happened since WWII to today and really since WWI.
I think the main cause of this is not our own ‘animal attitudes’ but in fact: Advertising. We live in a world today, even more so than 1950’s, where advertising is literally in every aspect of our life. Our clothes are walking billboards. Our phones send images and texts with little logo’s “Sent by PalmPre” or “Sent to you by Apple I-Pad”. The very post-it-note society we have made in which we glibly tell one another the shopping list of our lives, “At the doctors, had a baby, in the hospital, bought new shoes” are lumped together and had delivered with the bow of marketing stamped right on.
Even the shows we watch on TV/internet are basically now advertisements disguised as entertainment. Shows, due to the ability to ‘shut off’ the commercial, have literally written into them the ads for the product. Also, what a star wears, talks on, drives, listens to, it is all for sale. Christmas music at stores at the holidays, happy background music? Nope, that’s for sale too, there is the compilation cd 9.95 please pay at the register with your purchases.
So, sometime in the mid 1960’s Madison avenue began to realize that the intense hippy/sexual revolution was a wonderful gift of a selling point. Though the original hippys were actually counter-culture in that they were not wanting to BUY and be PLUGGED IN, this was quickly replaced by the sleek quick way sex was sold to a generation. Want to be hip and cool and counter culture? Well, buy these products, this lifestyle.
And lifestyle branding began and with that the underlying power of sexuality has remained. And why has it? Because, despite ‘Revolution’ having happened decades ago, it is still a hot-point. And anything that draws attention, rather good or bad, is the perfect tool to sell. Why do you think salesmen used to wear the loud sports coat and the slick hair? They became a joke of a style but it caught your attention, rather good or bad, you were talking about it, responding to it.
I think the only way that ‘sexuality’ as an “in your face” atitude will go away, is if we literally thought about and acted differently in our day to day life. The very concept of how we buy, shop, entertain, talk, converse, live,  is so imbedded with it all, how could it end? And now with the internet, it has fanned the fuel of the fire. Even if we believe one thing and tell our children, “no” they are still getting a text or a sext the next second, bombarded with it all online and tv and then we, the parents, are just as much plugged in. “Do as we say not as we Do”: we know how well that philosophy works.
Now for me, I have no children, so I don’t have to worry about their distorted view of sexuality. This is honestly how I see much of what is feed to kids, tweens, teens, and youth today. And again, it isn’t that I am a prude. But, I also think things such as Art, Books, Innocence, Imagination, Science, learning, and just general fun (hiking, fishing, horses what have you) are just as important as sexuality. Yet what is the percentage of those things compared with the percentage of sexuality shown and bombarding young people today?
Is there some evil agenda that is out to want to ‘take over our kids’? Some bad guy in a black hat rubbing his hands together and twisting his handlebar moustache, waiting to tie our children to the rail road tracks? No, and the real ‘evil villain’ is sadly , the very consumer society we all buy into and don’t want to let go of, because quite frankly it is easy.
People may want to blame various groups, or aspects of society, but we all contribute to the over all society of marketing and consumerism and that is where the devil really lies. The big stores, the oil companies (all of which petroleum is needed for everything including the computer screen you are now reading this one, the plastics that make up the computer and most of your home and cars, and of course all the electricity to power the whole kit and caboodle). We can rant and rave about various issues but honestly, the only way we could really be more in control of what our children do and experience is to have more to do with our own world. We would have to unplug some, pay more attention, turn away from that and to each other. But will that happen, most likely not. It is much easier to just stay plugged in and go forward.
To really address the  issue and face it head on we would have to allow ourselves to become not only a little uncomfortable, but to really look at ourselves in the mirror. It is much easier, I know, to want to blame others. We always want a scape-goat, its easier. It’s that political parties fault. Its the president, its the schools, its' tv. But, in my own opinion, all of that  is part of the make up our current society and this  goes hand in had with the ‘moral decline’ in sexuality.  The very way in which we live is part of the many problems in which we always complain. The very twisted view of constant overtly sexualized imagery (often quite negative towards women) is part and parcel with a plugged in, consuming life. We may be on this side or that on taxes, republicans, democrats, and so on, but that is all encompassed in the very overly commercialized world in which we live. Even the 1966 Charlie Brown Christmas special shows the writing on the wall of our commercialization. It is funny that this simple message now only stands as a way to sell more items. “Yeah, I get it, poor Charlie Brown…Oh, a plastic Charlie Brown Tree, oh decorations with the characters on it, gimme gimmme”. The irony, when we look round, is every where to see.
Even the lessening in people’s general attitude towards religion, rather Christian or what have you, has really been replaced by advertising. The TV, the Media and Shopping IS the new religion.  It is the focal point of community, what we talk about, where we meet, what we do. Even if some were very religious you can bet that they are still very much a part of that system which, in a sense, has been replacing the church/synagogue/religious meeting house for generations. If they shop, text, and support the system that uses overseas labor/materials at the expense of our own, it still is adding to what they may not like about the society in which they live. And it still supports the increased sexualized behavior, as that will continue to be the main selling point in advertising.
Every person has his or her own view of what sexual morality may be. Even un-religious parents still have a standard of what they feel is appropriate for what their child sees, hears and then reacts to. I think the sad point is that all that separates all the ‘groups’ on issues such as these are merely there and reinforced by the very society that needs these separations. Having more ‘groups’ = a larger customer base. And groups anger and hatred towards one another = free advertising. Because advertising is merely talking about it, noticing it, bringing it up. Even our ‘news programs’ and I use that term VERY loosely, are simply platforms for shouted opinions all the while creating a marketing stream to the various sites to buy things to support whatever side of the fence you are on. While we are wearing the labels of the companies we are supporting on our clothing, shoes, our children, and fighting with one another, we are also paying into and supporting that very system. It is making money off our passionate feelings either for or against various topics, including sexuality.
I think what makes me sad about most issues such as this, is the hypocrisy of the system which both supports and then pretends to be appalled by it. This allows the fanning of the flames of both sides and collecting up our money from the subsequent reactions. It makes me feel as if most of us really, rather we have different religious or ethnic bases, really do want the same thing. Yet we can’t ever meet on realistic ground to do so. And because of that will continue to be separated only to make it easier to be sold to.
As many of my readers know I often get a rant going and can’t help but get on my soapbox. But I am finding, as this second year of  1950’s living ends, my passion for it wane. It isn’t that I don’t care, but I am beginning to see again how even my outrage and discussion of it is merely a part of a larger problem. It has made me sort of step back AGAIN (I continue down this rabbit hole of self-discovery) and view my outrage with a sad smile. I believe in my desire for a changed world, but I also now see some of the futility of it. That in a way, our outrage and heated discussions are merely all fed into that same system that has us simply buying away our  values, pride, and ideals of a human community. Charlie Brown can be discouraged by the plastic shining commercialized world around him, but are we all prepared to do, as the other children did at the end, and come to realize it ourselves? I don’t know, maybe not. And if so, what does that mean for me? Feeling even more disconnect with the world around me, greater fear and sadness for my own country, which I love but feel slipping away; I’m not sure.
Well, I hope you enjoy the first part of this article from 1957 and I will include the rest in my next post (Monday, as tomorrow is site-day and Sunday is Q & A day).
And as always, Happy Homemaking.

4 November 1956 “Party Pics and Home-made Christmas Gifts: Never Too Early To Start”

I had a fine birthday yesterday. Here is a real snapshot of we gals on a vintage late 50’s instamatic camera. I believe it is the Polaroid land camera. My friend’s boyfriend (the girl on the far right in vintage hat) collects these old cameras, fixes them and even resurfaces the outside with new naugahyde and leather. The one he brought has my favorite 50’s blue where you see the green on this version below.
I had meant to take a picture of his camera, but forgot. I shall do so again to show all of you. He has quite a collection.
I am not sure where he gets the black and white instant film, but it is wonderful. He points, clicks, pulls it out and in a minute or so we have these wonderful pictures. This shot, though not on the old Polaroid, is our posed ‘bunny-hop’, let’s just say there was silliness had by all. I am lucky that my friends often dress very vintage for my get togethers. It makes a gal feel happy and rather ‘in the moment’. I have become so spoiled with 1950’s life that I often get a sad shock when I venture out to the ‘real world’ and wonder why everyone is dressed so ‘odd’.
Here is the lovely cake my friend made me.
You can see it is shining in all its 1950’s glory and it is home-made to boot. When asked what type of cake I would like I suggested banana walnut with cream cheese frosting. I got it and it was wonderful and completely made from scratch.
My friend said, “For anyone else it would have been a box cake, for for you I know I couldn’t do that”. She said she had never made a banana walnut cake before and at first was intimidated, but then was glad she did it.
“I even smashed the bananas by hand,” she beamed with pride. It was so wonderful and three layers! I send you all a virtual piece to enjoy. She then confided, “I had no idea how easy it was to make cream cheese frosting, I won’t ever buy it pre-made again”. So true, so true, we always found out the joy of home-made, the ease and the better taste.
Among my various gifts, I received a darling vintage silk scarf ( a gal can never have too many), my friends went in and got two new white-wall tires for my vintage bike (I shall ride on!).
I also received this record album, which I played while we played cards. When the can-can came on, we all wanted to dance and toss our petticoats, I can tell you.
I also was so happy when I opened a box to find this vintage chip-n-dip. It is styled very much the way I like. It has the “Early American” sensibility in the pattern, but the modern flair of the teak handles in little rocket-like lozenge shapes and all done up in brass. Here is a close up of the pattern and the pretty green (much prettier in person) It will look lovely at Thanksgiving, as the gold will match my good china (also trimmed in gold).
Such a wonderful day and I want to thank all of you for your warm and happy birthday regards on the blog, emails, and letters. So kind of all of you and I really appreciate it so much, I am very lucky indeed.
Now, I thought I might share with you some ‘home-made’ Christmas gift ideas. I have quite a few 50’s Christmas magazines. It is not too early to begin thinking about it if you are going to make any hand made items. So, for that perfect true vintage gift, I will share with you, over the next month, some fun ideas. 
Now with these gift ideas and the subsequent ‘instructions’ we must remember that vintage magazines for the homemaker assumed a certain level of skill. Or, I think, they gave the homemaker the benefit of the doubt that they were intelligent and able to follow written directions and take an abstraction and make it tangible. These items shown give you an array of ideas and tell you what they used to make the pattern. They DO NOT have pictorial step by steps to show how to literally do it.
What is interesting to me about this is that one assumes they are talking to adults. Now, I don’t mean that to sound patronizing or rude, but in fact, simple written directions paired with a finished product was deemed enough information for an adult to ‘figure it out’. I think today we modern people are so ‘led’ by our passive life styles that we really expect a long drawn out series of steps, with video, pictures and etc. In fact, we want an hour long show to demonstrate to us what one page of this magazine expects you to understand.
I think the step by step guides,though helpful, would seem almost babyish or elementary to the 1950’s homemaker or even home DIY’er. And, really, when you think about it, if you want to make some of these items, how hard should it be? If you want to make the blouse, for example, you can surely use a pattern for a blouse you already have, buy a pattern for a blouse to use again or use a ready made plain blouse. The instructions in using the flattened tea strainer and thimble are simple but one can figure out the placement by the photo or, better yet, make your own design.
The clothespin bag, for example, shows no pattern. Yet, we can see that it is made over a wire coat hanger. Therefore, take a wire coat hanger (or whatever hanger you prefer) lay it down on some paper and draw around it the shape you like. Remember to leave at least 1/2 an inch allowance (that is to say draw 1/2 inch bigger around than you want it to be when done) so it fits after being sewn. I think this a darling item and I want one! I love the vintage 50’s orange pink with the black old fashioned clothespin motif.  An apron in this color and pattern along the hem and maybe two clothes pins ‘crossed’ on the pocket with black ric rac on the edge would be adorable.
I have to say I LOVE the affect of the potato masher pattern on the draperies. These would make a great pattern on simple pillows to sew up for Christmas or hostess gifts, don’t you think?
Who will be trying any hand-made gifts this year? Do you like to receive such gifts?
Happy Homemaking.