Just Because

After I put away my Easter decorations, I wanted to fill up my little curio cabinet with pretty things again. You may recognize some as recent thrift finds I have shown in other posts (as was the cabinet), but that little blue kitty was an even more recent find. And so is the lamp - I found one like it at one shop a while ago, and then I found it's mate months later at another shop! I like them, and the pair cost only about $8:
A very recent ebay purchase - my husband bought me a "new" phone! Love the aqua - and now I have a phone on my desk. (See that business card? That's the new yogurt shop in Placerville where my sister works!)
And last - but definitely not least - a gratuitous adorable Dizzy Kitty close-up:
Just because I love him so.

High Society (The Musical)

High Society is another of my many favorite musicals. I love the film, the stars, the music by Cole Porter - in short, everything about it!
So, as is my habit, I have attempted over the years to collect all of the sheet music for the songs featured in the musical:
I have almost all of them!
True Love is the easiest one to find - the others? Not so much. The only soundtrack I could find was a multiple CD set - that was all right with me! I'm just happy to have it.
Unfortunately, we have lost nearly all of the main actors from this fabulous film - Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, Louis Armstrong - but , I am happy to say that Celeste Holm is celebrating her 92nd birthday today! She has always been such a lovely lady, and a marvelous actress. Happy Birthday to you, Celeste!

See's Candies (Yes, Again)

It occurred to me that you might still have time before Mother's Day to go to Sees.com and order candy for gift giving. I'm just sayin'...
This is the other See's Barbie doll that I bought a few years ago - the San Francisco Barbie (love her):
I am such a fan of See's Candies that I save all of these advertisements that come in our newspaper. I have a file for them! From last year:
...and the year before:
When you go into one of their shops, you can get an adorable little miniature box that is sized just right to hold a gift card within - what could be cuter than that? Seriously, if your Mother (or anyone else you know) loves chocolate, this is a wonderful gift to give:
I will never apologize nor explain about my unabashed adoration of See's Candy. Even though it can wreak havoc with my weight loss efforts, I want it still. I can't help it. I LOVE it. And I will NEVER give it up. (I have lost 30 pounds so far - so I'm doing SOMETHING right!)

Then And Now #39 -Kraft Cheese Slices

Kraft Cheese Slices - here is an advertisement from 1955, showing five different types in their packages:
And in this one from 1956, just the Swiss Cheese Slices:
For me, a real grilled cheese sandwich means cheddar - but I wouldn't turn it down if you made one for me with the 2% American - shown here in 2007:
And , also from 2007 - individually wrapped slices:
Here's the "Now" (as in - in my fridge right now). This is what I really want:
Give me what I want, what I really really want......

Lobbies in Lodges

Another type of architecture that I like VERY much is the lodge style. Rustic and yet very grand at the same time; I find it stunning. I've collected a few postcards depicting some examples. At Yellowstone National Park, the lobby at the Old Faithful Inn:
Glacier Park Lodge in Montana:
At the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park, this room is actually known as The Great Lounge:
The gorgeous lobby at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel - we had the pleasure of staying there just once, a few years ago - what a beautiful place!
And the Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World - we spent our honeymoon trip there, and it is gorgeous, as well:
If I am lucky, sometime in my life I may get to stay at another of these fabulous lodges. A simply spectacular architectural style.

Stitchery In Pictures

Aren't these the cutest? They are from Hallmark cards (60's or 70's, I think) that featured stitchery designs printed on the front. The back of this one says "Reproduction of an original embroidered design by Vivian Smith" Well, she is/was a talented lady!
This one looks like it could have been hers, too - but it doesn't say so:
And this is from one of a pair of plaques I found at a thrift store that feature stitchery artwork on them - very pretty, too:
And the second one of the pair:
I should try to learn how to embroider. I did some years ago - never enough to be good at it, and I tried some counted cross stitch , too about 20 years ago. I still have an unfinished project or two, unfortunately!

Peg Bracken's Books

I remember Mother having Peg Bracken's books when we were growing up. She didn't hate to cook - she was just busy. She went back to college when she was in her mid-thirties , earned her degree and became an elementary school teacher. I found this hardbound copy, below at a thrift store the day after Easter. I didn't have a copy of it, and it's in pretty good condition.
I already had this one, the paperback "Appendix To The I Hate To Cookbook". There are some really great-sounding recipes in these books!
I really don't HATE to cook, either. It's just that I'm kind of with this lady on the card, below. "Her interests lay more in leisure than in cooking". (Card printed by Cath Tate Cards).
I haven't yet found copies of her "I Hate To Housekeep" books, but I'll be on the lookout. So - do I hate to housekeep? Oh, don't even get me started on that one.....

Shirley's Birthday!

Well, it's Shirley Temple Black's birthday again - so today HAS to be about Shirley!
I adore her.
I always will.

Happy Birthday, Shirley!!

Another Mother Goose Book

I have written in earlier "Favorite Books" posts about some of my Mother Goose books - but I somehow missed this one! I found it in a shop, and even though it is really messed up - stained, pages are colored on with crayon, etc. the adorable images by Margaret Evans Price were just too sweet to pass up. Mother Goose on the cover:
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary ( she's my favorite):
Little Bo Peep:
Rock-a-Bye Baby (whoops! um - that baby's going to get hurt!):
And Simple Simon:
I don't suppose I would mind one bit if I met a pieman while going to the fair (especially if he was selling pies for a penny!). Would you?

Royal Baking Powder Booklets And Biscuits

I discovered recently that I had four different vintage booklets from Royal Baking Powder. This one is dated 1927:

And the one below is dated 1929:
If I were going to make some biscuits, I think I would choose the recipe in the page below that calls for buttermilk. The pages are from the 1937 booklet:
The cover of the 1937 booklet:
And one more from 1939. I especially like this one; I like the colors and her dress and apron combination:
Yum, biscuits. My favorite way to eat them is with butter and grape jelly or honey - what's yours?

Then And Now #38 - Gillette Razors

The Gillette Company began as American Safety Razor in 1901, founded by King C. Gillette. He first patented his safety razor in 1904. The following are two magazine advertisements from 1939:

And here are three original Blue Blade packages, with the replacement razor blades inside:
This ad from 2004 featured their first battery-powered shaving system:

"Now", of course, they offer a whole host of products!
Speaking of shaving - this is a great book. "A Stiff Drink and a Close Shave, The Lost Art of Manliness" by Bob Sloan and Steven Guarnaccia. I love these types of books, full of the vintage ads, items and packaging that I so enjoy. It would make a great birthday or Father's Day gift for the special man in your life if he is a fan of vintage, too:
It reminds me that we don't have quite as long a wait now until "Mad Men" will be back on AMC. Still, I hate waiting!

Vintage Wrapping Paper

I love vintage wrapping paper, but I don't have much of it. If I do see it at an antiques shop, they are asking too much. And I never seem to find any at thrift shops. These are some of the very few I do have. The cutest cowboys and cowgirls:
The perfect paper for Father's Day, or to wrap a birthday gift for the special man in your life:
This cute little guy brings flowers and gifts for your anniversary! Hey Mister - come to my house!
I have just a scrap of the lovely tulips, a bit more of the "Hello" paper, both pretty in pink!
Best wishes for the bride:
Sunny yellow wrap for mom's special day:
I have only a very small scrap of this gorgeous blue and silver floral:
Maybe I will get lucky and find some more one of these days....