13 January 1957 “A Do It Yourself Coffee Table and Clowns:Once The Darling of The 1950’s”

I thought I would share this lovely little ‘Do-it-yourself’ idea from one of my magazines. It is a very clever mid-century modern design for a coffee table, utilizing a door. I think it could also be made more Early American by some clever painting or decoupage techniques. Or, simply paint it a solid color. I think it would be fun to attach some metal office baskets underneath (you could do this easily when it is turned upside down) so you could store magazines and things underneath out of sight, but easy to get to.
In the 1950’s and earlier, the clown was seen as an endearing character. Usually funny and jovial, though sometimes a sad clown, it represented the fun and excitement of the circus.
Here is a kid’s show featuring a Clown from the early 1950’s:

Clowns played a major role in graphic arts/advertising, children’s books, fabric, wrapping paper, even household items such as lamps and chairs. Even Food was often given these delightful creatures as a theme.
These battery operated toys were very popular during the 1950’s. And of course, the clown played a major role here as well.

The fear of clowns must have come after the 1970’s because I recall, as a small child in the late 70’s, having one of these type of Jack in the box with the clown face.
  These Hazel Atlas Milk Glass tumblers and Cookie jars are Kitsch today, but the bright colors exemplify the 1950’s kitchen palete of red/pinks, soft blue/teal, yellow and red.   They show that the clown was not meant only for children. Many a homemaker would have been proud to have these in her kitchen. These, to my modern sensibilities, are a bit more menacing. Before Ronald, Clowns were still considered good fodder to sell food.And toy clowns abound during this decade. This McCall’s pattern features one as part of this sew your own toy collection. To my old modern sensibilities he almost has a sinister grin, but I think this is due to my modern view of clowns.
Certainly Clowns played a major role as a ‘go-to character’ in arts and crafts. (This thanks to Kitschy Kitschy Koo)  And toys such as these would have been happily received and possibly wrapped in papers such as this.
Today, many of us have a very different view of the clown. We often view them as kitsch or sometimes even menacing and evil. That is probably due to the Poltergeist films where a toy clown attacks the family. There is also the horror writer Stephen King to thank for menacing clowns as well. I am not sure why they recieved that eventual position in the collection of frightening creatures. That is of course unless those children of the 1950’s (who King and Spielberg certainly were) had nightmarish moments as children with toys or bedroom furniture.
Though this looks darling to me it might have frigtened King or Speilberg late at night, with the long shadows cutting across it. Or perhaps the moonlight hit this just so, and nightmares ensued.
We do know that the Clown was one of the major choices for children’s Halloween costumes, both in the happy variety and the clown’s wayward cousin, the HOBO .
Even the art world was subject to these characters as we see in this 1955 painting by the artist Bernard Buffet. He was a French Expressionist and was a member of the anti-abstract group "L 'homme Témoin”. I suppose the irreverence of representational art in the form of the clown was their way to counter the growing popularity of Abstraction in the 1950’s.
Since that time, the clown has made many appearances in art, often with much irony or again with the ability to menace either out of fear or fear of good taste.
Any way you slice it, the clown elicits some response. There is no middle ground for these bright characters. You either coil in fear, raise your nose in disgust of Kitsch, or hold out your arms in a ‘Gimme Gimme’ stance, wanting to take them home with you.
I have a love hate relationship now after living two years in the 1950’s. My once clean cut hatred has become a see saw response of joy and disgust. Again, a response for sure, no hum-drum indifference.
How do clowns make you feel?

12 January 1957 “TV Bloopers, Saturday Evening Post, and Transfers”

Addendum to this POST: I don’t know how I didn’t see this before, but I just found out that I had over 100 comments that were awaiting moderation. Now, I don’t know how this happened as I have no moderation on. I think there may be a new moderation for spam that is just now standard with blogger. But, when I saw so many lovely comments just sitting there waiting, I really felt bad. I don’t know how to turn that off, so any help with that would be great. Thanks and sorry if your comment never appeared on a post.
I thought this mildly amusing. This year, on the “To Tell The Truth” show, there was a blooper. Shows at this time are filmed lived in front of a studio audience. So, of course, there is no ‘cut and do-over’. In some ways this almost lent a more ‘reality’ to TV at the time. While today our ‘reality TV’ is heavily scripted and edited, but I digress.
Now, to understand this blooper you must understand this segment of the show. Three individuals each give the same name. One of them would, of course, be this person, often someone somewhat famous (as in this blooper episode Mickey Sullivan-A well known football coach)  Then the celebrity guests are given an affidavit of the real person and  have to try and guess who is ‘Telling the Truth”. In this clip the first fellow apparently gave his REAL name, not the false name. So, of course, Hilarity ensued.

I see this cover of last weeks (January 5 1957) Saturday evening post has mention of the Hungarian Revolt. I spoke of it briefly at the end of 56, never quite finding the right way to do the entire subject justice. Knowing what I do from the over seas newsreels of the time, I wonder how American received it. If it, in any way, made them feel more joyous of their own freedoms at the time and if it also began to worry them to try and keep an eye on those said freedoms. I don’t own this magazine, so cannot read the article. Maybe I can get my hands on a copy sometime.
Also, the illustration is adorable. I love the slim sheath dress of the surprised hostess and that, presumably, men wore suits to dinner parties. I also love the wallpaper in the room. It looks to be a sort of Plum background with Hydrangea’s or lilacs and paired with the greenish yellow doors, wow, they knew how to use color in the 1950’s.
 Speaking of color, this 1957 McCall’s of iron on transfer/appliqués are adorable. The bright color and simple shapes are such a part of this decade. I also love how perspective is always played with. The little cakes’ odd football shape contrasting the circular plate. These are the types of images I have been immersed in the past two years and so, of course, are highly influencing my own art. My current Children’s book being heavily influenced by color and odd perspective. It is rather freeing, actually.
These little designs must have been darling used as in the picture, on bedspreads, clothing or as wall art. I also noticed, again here, how clowns were perceived much differently than today. Today there seems to be a general consensus that clowns are either creepy, kitsch, or nightmare fodder. Perhaps  much of that is owed to the Poltergeist movies and Stephen King. But, sublimely ignorant of such things here in 1957, I have begun to look at clowns a little differently.
That will have to wait until tomorrow, because as technology often does to me, I had just inserted many clown images and text and it randomly shut down not saving any of it. It is very frustrating indeed! So, tomorrow: Clowns.

Now to close with, I am not sure if any of you would be interested to follow along, but this is the actual calendar days for 1957. Thought it might be mildly interesting to compare.
Happy Homemaking.

10 January 1957 “Gay Little Dots, Spritz Cookies, and The Art of the Book Continues”

I thought I would start today with this lovely ad from my 1956 Better Homes and Gardens. It is for an Armstrong floor. First of all, to some it might see a bit ‘icky’ perhaps like something someone grew up with and loathed. To me it has a very Doris Day movie set feel.
There are two things I love about this ad: First I really adore that floor! A lovely 50’s Grey (not the bland darkened sad sea gray we see so often today. I believe Pam at Retrorenovation.com calls it Graige-which it is!) I am sure this is that grey I often see if fabrics, lampshades, upholstery on vintage items, somewhere between a fine men’s flannel suiting (think The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit) and a soft bunny. Now add to this good background pink and blue and white dots and you are in heaven. Well, at least I would be in Heaven. I was thinking how lovely this would be with robins egg blue (as pictured) but still punctuated with Reds and Butter yellows. It could be a dream. And those swirly brackets might seem rather Three’s company (decade’s away) I think they are rather fun. If we decorate with things that might not seem ‘in’ but are joyous to us, then we never have to change them or feel we aren’t quite ‘keeping up’. There is much to be said about consistency and constancy. Particularly in today’s rapid changing world where even our phones are not expected to live out the year!
Now, the second think I love about this ad is the word ‘gay’. I have tried, here and there, to incorporate more 50’s words into daily usage. My favorite is the word, “fine”. If you pay attention to speech in movies from the 30’s to the 50’s you will often hear things such as:“Well, fine, just fine” for something being good, or alright or ‘cool’.
Therefore, the use of the word ‘Gay’ to mean fun, happy, darling I am trying to bring back. When I was young the term “Gay” meant two things, one being a person with that life choice OR mostly to young kids, dumb or stupid. Such as, “Those pink legwarmers are so Gay, you should get the neon green” or some such. You get the idea.
Now when I read in my books, magazines or see on my TV (which is no tv at all but simply old shows sometimes played or old commercials) the word “gay” it means the polar opposite. It is fun, wonderful.
“What a lovely gay print that fabric is, won’t it make darling curtains?” And so on.
So, to all you vintage lovers out there, why not try to re-introduce the word for its original meaning and see how many people join you after awhile.
These don’t look that amazing, but they were rather good. Yesterday I used one of my Christmas gifts, my cookie press, and made some spritz cookies. I love these cookies and always have. My own mother used to make these in every concievable shape and style and had them dipped in chocolate or coated in bright sugars. They were the perfect tea cookie for bridge parties, teas and holidays. I recall getting to help turn the dial on the press when I was young. Of course, I never learned to make the cookies, as I never learned any Homemaking skills. I believe my mother just thought it was a different time (the 80’s) and I didn’t need to know. So, I never bothered.
I am glad to say they are rather easy to make and a joy to create. My head is spinning with the ideas of ways to make these cookies. There is a thin and ridged disc that makes long thin cookies great for dipping or for halves to sandwich cream frosting in between. I imagine gay little pistachio flavored green cookies (ah ha, see ‘gay’ meaning darling, I told you…)and robins egg blue half dipped in dark chocolate. Oh, the cookies I shall make.
Here is the Recipe I used from my Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book.
Now, as you may or may not know, a big part of this year for me is Art & Craft. This month and next I have set myself the task to create, write, and illustrate a children’s book. I showed a few sketches before. This is a sample page. It is not done, by any means, but you can see the various layers. The little girl, Imogen, needs more layers as does the background. This scene will have flowers, fence, building and of course, the Hen, Buttons. I was excited to find the font I would like to use, as you can see here in the sample text, as it is a very classic children’s book text.
I cannot help but be influenced by the art and children’s illustrations of the 1950’s. In fact, I want to be, my only fear is that I am so immersed into it, it will only seem derivative of that time rather than original work. We shall see what we shall see. But, I really enjoy the process and style and I love working with colors. So, all round for me, it is fun but VERY challenging. There is much that goes into a book such as this, but since I have made sure that some part of each day goes to it, I hope to follow through with this first big Art & Craft task.
Again, let me know what you think. This is not a finished page by any means. It needs many more layers but I know some of you have wanted to see the process of build up of how I work, so there you go.
I hope all are having a lovely day and Happy Homemaking.

9 January 1957 “Q & A Sunday: How Far Have We Come?”

Today I feel compelled to offer the question to my own Q & A. The recent events with the Arizona Congresswoman has even broken through the time barrier here in 1957. I am, to say the least, stunned.
First off, I want to preface this with saying I don’t think either Democrats or Republican’s have our best interest at heart. I think the time when politicians may have tried to stand for the rights of all has passed. As many who don’t like to accept it, the truth is the Big Government AND Big Business are one in the same. Both sides claim a separation, when in reality they are simply two sides of the same coin. It seems to matter little what way it is flipped.
Since the 1950’s the growing power of the Company (the large company) over the good of the small business, small farmer, and small town has increased. In fact, much of what happened in our country after WWII is the complete opposite of what happened in Europe. While they were concerned with the welfare of all and yes, even Socialism in the sense of healthcare and education was important to them. The real kicker is that our country was over there helping them to set up these governments, while in our own, we focused on aiding big business. That is why the ‘glory days of the 50’s’ could only last as long as it did. The first swing into it still saw Mom and Pop stores able to exist. Today, farming, business, food, clothing, even oil and banking happens outside our country.
I am not sure what side of the current Healthcare program I am on. To be honest, I try to stay as much in 1950’s as possible, so pay little attention. I do know that many seem to think Healthcare for all is Socialism, yet Medicaid and Social Security healthcare for the poor is NOT socialism. This, of course, is simply those who have it don’t want to call it that and don’t want to share it with others. I don’t want this to be about Healthcare.
I think what really has hit me today is how dis-enchanted I am becoming with my own country. It almost matters little to me what the arguments are even about, this person’s lifestyle is wrong, this person can or cannot do this with their body, this person can or cannot have affordable healthcare, or even, this town or city cannot have jobs or production. I have got to the point where it is all so frustrating to me that when I conjure up the image of the modern heartless American screaming their values and saying “IF you don’t like it get out” I almost want to take their advice.
But, and here is the rub, to where would I go? I would, if I could, go to Europe. Then I hear of all the marches and troubles in England over the prices of education (however you do see how they are upset enough to voice their opinion while we happily allow our college students to go away, sign up for thousands in school loan debt and then get thousands more in credit cards.)
I guess I just feel used. I feel like the machine which really began with the Industrial Revolution, but honestly really gained speed here in our country after WWII has just used us all like so much fodder.
And, people’s behavior today, people in positions of power, is appalling to me. Even in the underdealings of politicians in the 1950’s there was still a level many would not cross. When I saw this was an image on Sarah Palin’s website before the shooting I was so angry. Using gun sights, especially three pointed at Arizona, is so irresponsible in so many ways. Again, I am not laying blame on one side, but rather am disparaging our entire system. I am getting to the point where I am not sure if there is even solutions anymore. When so much corruptions controls everything, what can one do?
I see now how much of the government is merely the talking heads of really about five corporations that rule most of the world. The oil, banking, production and so on. Is there any hope?
And, I also am beginning to wonder if such a thing as Capitalism can honestly go hand in had with religion. I see so many politicians who want to claim religion as exclusively theirs and yet, I can’t help think how contrary to the basic tenants of Christianity Capitalism actually is. (excuse my prepositions at the end of sentences, I am just so frustrated). It seems to me in every way the basic Christian rules cannot exist WITH Capitalism.

"Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'"
-Matthew 19:21

"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses."
-Proverbs 28:27

20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
-(Acts 8:20)

To me it seems, were Jesus alive today, he would hardly side with FOX news or the Democrats. He would wonder why we begrudge aid for all and why we covet so much. Or why look the other way at the young children sweating away in India and China so that we might have cheap things. Why we choose to make life easier at the peril of the very Earth itself. The whole world is topsy turvy and it is little wonder I find it easy to reside in 1957. I only wish I could bring all those who are sick of the hypocrisy all round with me.
I only hope that any of we homemakers and lovers of the past can take a moment to consider our world. To think of how we got here and who truly is in charge of our government before we turn to hate, name calling or anger. There is so much strife and frustration in the world, yet if we only all realized we, the masses, wanted the same thing, equality, love, and aid from and for one another, maybe we could just by pass all the ridiculousness of the government and make a new world where we already are. I don’t know. What do any of you think? Have any of you ideas or opinions about our current country and our place in the world?
My heart goes out to the families of all those hurt in the shooting.
I will close with this last quote which I find very fitting to the day:

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'"
-Matthew 19:23-24

7 January 1957 “Elvis on Ed Sullivan, Chocolate Pie, Chocolate Eggs and Thought’s of Spring”

Last night, the 6th of January 1957, was Elvis’ third and final appearence on Ed Sullivan.
He did a number of songs including “Hound Dog,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Too Much,” “When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again,”

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but ended with this gospel favorite, “Peace in the Valley”:

I found this interesting little video on 1957. What we must remember, when we look at the prices they list, such as milk for $1, is that to make it equivalent to our time we have to multiply it by $7 dollars. So, though it sounds inexpensive, milk was actually $7.00 a gallon. Again, we see that small farms are still a part of the overall production of foods for our country and it is only 3 a gallon now because of the over production and corporate farming of today.
Also, the average home price they mention does not coincide with my findings, as 20,000 would make it about 140,000 for today. Still, a fun little video though. But, as with anything made for a quick browse, the details behind and the accuracy is going to be a little off.

I made a chocolate cream pie the other day for one of my desserts this week. It is really a rather simple pie to make, especially if you use the easy ‘mix in the pan pie crust’.

50’s gal Chocolate Cream Pie in Chocolate Crust

Ingredients

• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions

1. cream egg yolks and sugar. Add in cornstarch, cocoa powder, salt, and milk, stirring gently.
2. cook over medium heat in a saucepan, stirring constantly, until mixture just begins to boil. Then, remove from heat and stir in butter and extracts. Cool slightly before pouring  into pastry shell. Chill before serving.

Now, for the chocolate crust:
I use my Pat a Pan recipe for a single layer easy pie crust:

1 1/2 C Flour
1 1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 C  Salad Oil
2 Tbs milk

But to it, I added 3 TBS unsweetened bakers powdered chocolate. and one extra tablespoon (making 3 total) oil. This makes a nice chocolaty pie crust as well.
These arrived in the mail yesterday. They are the latest addition to my little ‘suburban farm’ life. They are called chocolate eggs because of the beautiful rich deep brown shade. The are the eggs of a French breed of chickens known as Black Copper Maran’s. This close up still doesn’t really do the color and pigmentation and speckles justice, they are just a beautiful egg. To see how dark they are compared to a traditional brown egg, look at this: Here you can see what my Ameracauna’s blue eggs look like, then the copper maran and then a traditional brown, such as my Orpingtons and Cochins lay. Though this is not a picture of my eggs, it shows the variance.
Here is what a rooster and hens look like. They are a currently very sought after breed and their eggs are suppose to be delicacy. Many French chef’s pay through the nose for these deep brown eggs. I hope to get enough laying hens to supply our local farm for some pin money and to help pay the cost of keeping the chickens for myself.
Although I love our current rooster, I am hoping to keep a maran rooster so I can get pure bred eggs, as the fertilized eggs sell for as much as 50 dollars a dozen on ebay!
I purchased one dozen (though I did not pay that much) and I placed 4 under a broody hen in my chicken house and the other 8 our in an incubator in my little sitting room.
A broody hen, for those that don’t know, is a hen which wants to sit and hatch her eggs. Many modern production breeds have had this bred out of them, but heritage breeds and older breeds like I have, such as the chochin and Orpington, often will go broody. This is what I wanted, as this is a more natural way to hatch out your chickens. And the joy of watching a hen with chicks is wonderful.
This is the first time my hen has gone broody, so I hope she will continue to sit. The plan is she will stay on the eggs and when they hatch in the incubator, you quietly introduce them to her under her and she accepts them as if she has hatched them and then raises them for you. I have a special broody pen inside the chicken house, so she is still with all her hen friends, but they cannot get to her or knock her off the nest. Or, when the chicks hatch, attack the little babies. If it all works there will be pictures to share, of course.
 HERE is a site about the breed, if anyone is interested. Their eggs are highly sought after and they are a great dual purpose bird. This means they are great egg layers as well as meat birds. I have been trying to decide, since last year’s hatching, what breed to have as a possible meat bird. These may do the trick, we shall see. And, hatching them now means I will have laying hens by June or July.
Since the very first of January I have had the “Spring Bug” of wanting to hatch chicks, order eggs, sketch out this year’s garden ideas. I really honestly love all four of the seasons, and just when I think I love one season, then next arrives and I get excited for that one. Though, Spring has to be a favorite. The potential and the hope it brings. The joy of setting the seeds, planning, dreaming of the summer bounty. I am not sure if I would enjoy Summer as much if I lived in a climate that was warm year round. But, then again, I would be able to grow more things more often, so I can’t really guess unless I did it.
I did save seeds from some of my veg last year, as I made sure to order heritage old plants. IT is really imporatant, for any of you gardeners out there, to try and order and save as many ‘old plants’ as possible. One hates to be a doom sayer, but if Peak oil ever becomes true and we are in a place where we aren’t mass producing, then the majority of the seeds of what we eat at the grocery store are made to only grow either one season or only when reacted with certain chemicals. There are MANY people selling heritage and old strain plants, so look for them online when ordering.
THIS SITE HERE is the company where I ordered my fertilized Maran Chicken eggs. They also grow, harvest, and sell heritage seeds. I might order from them this year and they sell on eBay as well. I have not ordered seeds from them before, so I cannot say how good they are.
I also have many heritage seeds in THE CORNER STORE as well. I actually ordered a lot of my seeds through my Amazon store last year, through smaller dealers. I think I listed all the seeds under the various plant, tomato, cucumber etc.
I am also excited to use my growing compost this year for my garden. Since this will be our second summer back here in this house, I feel I can build on what I did last year and improve upon it.
Are many of you excited about gardening? Any of you interested in keeping chickens? There is also the joy of wearing lovely Spring colors and lighter fabrics again as well. Ah…Spring.
Well, enjoy your day and as always Happy Homemaking.

5 January 1957 “1957 Fashion and Hair and The REAL MAD MEN.”

I thought we’d take a quick peek at some fashion and hair for 1957.
A darling sheath dress with the collar that is becoming increasingly vogue. This collar will continue into the early 60’s and actually get a bit taller. I love the little empire waist pleat in the back.
These great prints in the full skirt, dolman sleeve and no defined shoulder is still going strong. These are from a 1957 Spiegel catalog.
A Peter Jones dress for this year. Sweetheart neckline and the length is getting a bit shorter.
I love the conical straw hat.
Speaking of hats, the raised crown is appearing as is the brim. This will reach its peak in the mid 60’s with mod hats that look like 20’s cloche but worn very high. This style is becoming more apparent in high fashion. Click the image to get to see more hats from 57 at Cotureallure.com. Though the closer fitting smaller hat is still the dominant look here in 1957. This darling cloth number would be rather easy to make, I would think.
This Clairol ad from 1957 also shows how hair is beginning to lift off the forehead. After the 1940’s hair began to be shorter and tighter to the head. Though this is still a shorter style you can see how it is being lifted which will eventually become the bouffant by the mid 60’s. Here we see another Clairol ad from this year. Again, the hair is softer and less rigid than the decade’s beginning. Softer fuller waves, not unlike the 1940’s in some aspects.An interesting point about the Clairol ads, is I found out that their 1949 ad campaign, “It lets me be me” was dreamed up by a woman.
  A few years back, when Mad Men first came out, there was an exhibit at the New York Public Library highlighting ads and the Mad Men of the 50-70’s.
What is interesting to what we are shown on the show, is much as I have come to discover with my own project: what we are told about that time and women’s oppression is often over-exaggerated.
A quote from one of the influential women in advertising, Phyllis Robinson,(the woman who came up with the 1949 Clairol ad) was interesting:

“It seemed very simple and straightforward and not pretentious,”(the ad) Robinson, 86, said in a telephone interview from her Manhattan home. Robinson said no one held her back because she was a woman.
“Not in the least,” she said. “I slid right in and did my stuff.”

HERE is an interesting article about Phyllis.
Another influential Mad Men ‘Women’ of the time, Mary Wells Lawrence, started as a copywriter in the 1950’s and founder her own agency, Wells Rich Greene, in 1966. She said:

“People are always saying, ‘Wasn’t it a male business?’ It was not a male business,” Lawrence said. “You would think that we were all cowering under the desk.”

I think it is just another example of how we get so much of our current knowledge and therefore idea of history FROM TV that we have a distorted view of it. Of course it is more drama to have such a divide between the women and to portray ALL the men as womanizing chauvinists. Yet, we seem unable, nowadays, to really separate reality from fiction. Our real history is almost being re-written by TV/movie fiction writers.
I think that is one reason I am glad I am studying a time when some of the people who lived it are still alive to set us straight. There is something almost ‘whiney’ about a modern person saying, “Well, we couldn’t do that then because it was how women were perceived”. Yet, throughout history there are women who in SPITE of what was perceived still succeeded. And today, the concept of the oppressed homemaker is also a nice crutch for people to feel no need to be accountable for their homes and lives. “I can’t be bothered to be organized or pay attention to what I and my family eat, I’m not a Stepford Wife!” A term, by the way, invented for a film that seems to hold more truth for women today about their history than the actual truth of women who did enjoy and feel proud to have chosen a career as a homemaker. Obviously, women had the option even then to go off to New York and work in offices and, yes, even become Mad Men.
I think we do , we modern people, sometimes have trouble separating TV/movie fiction from reality. In some sense it gives us such a distorted sense of what life should be like, we are often depressed or striving for things unattainable because they are not real. The sad thing is it makes the REAL things not even in our range of decision. I have come to find out by disconnecting myself from that modern machine, the joy and happiness in that actual, the truthful. Odd, then, that I had to find it while ‘playacting’ house wife in the 1950’s.
In a way, that very indulgent aspect of my ‘pretending it’s 1950’s’  much like a reality show even points out to me how much I was and am influenced by media and modern programming. It seemed normal to try such a project because ‘normal’ is skewered towards fictional in the modern world. Though, I am happy for it and in my ‘fictional’ 1950’s actually feel more happy and ‘real’ than I did before the project.
Also, as an artist, walking that line of reality and imaginary is often par for the course. So, in some ways, it was probably just easier for me to do it. But, my point ( I do have one) is that we need, we modern people, to try and appreciate TV/Movies for what they are, entertainment. Yet, realize that real life and living is often nothing like what we are told on TV. And, in that as well, our history is not anything like an AMC Drama. We can appreciate the show for what it is, a ‘dramatization’, but we should also take the time to look at the real history and understand where we came from. It helps us see where we are going and how best to get there.
Happy Homemaking.

3 January 1957 “First Electric Watch Unveiled Today, Washer-Dryer Combo, and Some Sketches”

  Today the Hamilton Watch Company announced the latest in modern technology, the first every battery operated electric watch. The Hamilton 500. It needs no winding either. Here the ad shows that watch battery smaller than the man’s cuff button.
Up to know watches ran on mechanisms that need to be wound, much as old clocks. The Quartz movements will not arrive until the last decade of the 1960’s. So, this is innovation. The only problem will become apparent when we find out how often the battery needs to be changed.
The Hamilton Watch Company ( Lancaster, Pennsylvania) began developing the timepiece in 1946. Here we are eleven years later and though the development is not quite complete, the pressure to beat the competition has them announcing the watch. It was popular and today these first ever electric watches command a high price. We are moving more and more towards technology as the norm. Grandfather’s old wind up pocket watch will soon retire to the bureau drawer, making way for technology.
HERE is a UK site devoted just to electric watches such as the Hamilton 500.
I am amazed that this technology exits now, here in the 1950’s. This ad comes from Better Homes and Gardens from this year, 1957.This is a great little size combo and I would love something like this for my small kitchen. I know they make these combos now, but I wonder if I could find an old 50’s version of this, if so I’d love it! Any craigslist ads out there in the MA area, let me know.
As you may or may not know, part of my journey here in the 1950’s is going to include art and craft. After spending two years here in the 1950’s learning to cook, clean, schedule, and be an all around good little wife (Still learning though, always learning) I am ready to make my art and craft a part of my routine. In fact because of the skill of routine and planning I have learned from the 1950’s, I finally feel as if I am ready to undertake such a voyage.
So, this month’s project (which might stretch into February) is to write and illustrate a children’s book. You saw a sketch on my last post. Some of you mentioned wanting to know the process, so this really put it into my head to document that more. This way I can share the process with you and you can see smudges and smears of paint and ink turn into a finished product. Hopefully it will be of interest.
I have been greatly influenced by my times. The 1950’s is a ripe and vibrant time to be an artist. There is SO much going on from packaging and illustrative work to the modern and avant garde to Grandma Moses (Anne Mary Robertson) who was born in 1860 and is very celebrated here in the 1950’s.
I thought a children’s book a good way to segway my writing and my own late obsession with the modern free form movements of figural work used in children’s books and advertising of the times.
So, for what they are worth, here are some of what I worked on today. These are simply water color washes on paper with some pastel over and water added. Then a simple pastel sketches to get some ideas. Here is a close up of one of the two figures. You can see, a very basic outline on paper. I will show more tomorrow on some of the next layers. Now, is this too much information? I wasn’t sure if you would be interested in the very rough sketchy beginning stages of what will become a finished page in a book. The features may change, the stance all of that, but this is how I have been starting out.
Here is a rough up of the mother. I have many versions of her and not sure how she will turn out. This was a rough pencil and some dry brush and marker, then scanned and some computer work. Again, this is just a sketch, please do not think these are in any way final pieces, so do be kind there.
I hope all are enjoying their new year so far and keeping up with their resolutions.
Happy Homemaking.