Treasure Box Wednesday: Thanks to Thoughtful Folks

Though winter weather is still keeping me from some serious thrifting, I'm still not feeling unappreciative-- in fact, I have quite a few things to be happy about. Like the nice folks I know who've thought of me around the holidays in such kind ways.

I thought you all might enjoy seeing a few of the exciting things I'd been sent by family, friends I've known for years, and those I've made online.

Like this fun array of items from Holland, thanks to Tracey, of Tiddlywinks...


How often does a person get a care package from the Netherlands? (If you're not Dutch, that is!) I had the best time opening this and seeing the unique items. The tricky part was to remember to take pictures of it before I started taste testing!

Tracey was extra-lovely, too, in telling me just what these products translated to be. Like the "Dubbel Spekken"...


Which she tells me translates to mean "bacon." But in fact they're long, flat marshmallows! Quite yummy-- though Tracey mentions that they don't quite roast up like traditional marshmallows. Perhaps experimentation is in order!


Here you'll see a lovely little Delft style pill box there in the upper corner, as well as this very minty and extremely square Mentos gum-- quite different from the Mentos we have here. And then these excellent little melt-in-your-mouth chocolates (I've been pacing myself on these), which are called "Koetjes Reep," which Tracey tells us means, "Cow's Bar."

Well, if the cow's want them back, I think they will have to fight me for them. The cows can just get their own. :)


Now these "Kruid Noten" are kind of addictive. They're delicious little crunchy ginger-snap type cookies, only about the size of a dime each. Tracey indicates that it basically translates to "spice nuts," and I can see why, given the crunch and flavor.

And how cool is this?...


Stickers from Holland's football team (soccer for us in the U.S.). Orange is their team color as the royal family's name there is "Oranje." And the writing on the stickers themselves root Holland on with "Go, Holland, Go!" And "We Love Orange!"

Thanks to Tracey, too, for the nifty translations. I would have been sunk without them! I'm currently preparing a package of American goodies to send to her. I've already got my Steelers item picked out, and am just filling a few things in-- I'll show you the items once I get the package safely in her hands! (I don't want to ruin her surprise.)

I thought today would also be a nice time to show you all some things I received for Christmas. Like this gorgeous green Carnival Glass style pitcher from my Dad (no, he didn't carry this on the plane, thankfully-- it weighs a ton!)...


Some sweet cottagey-looking teacups from a friend's mother...


And this amazing pink McCoy planter from my friend Josette...


I feel pretty lucky I have people like this who are so thoughtful to care what I'm interested in.

Anyway, that about does it for this Treasure Box Wednesday.

• If you missed Sunday's post and feel you might want to decorate with 40 onions and impress guests at your next party (or just laugh a lot), click here.

Otherwise, I hope to see you for Sunday's post! Take care and keep warm.

Extreme Entertaining: Livin’ Large with 60s Better Homes and Gardens

"A party atmosphere, a gracious hostess-- entertaining at its best!" So says this 1960s Better Homes and Gardens book, the Guide to Entertaining. Hip, happening hostesses of the time knew, this book was chock-full of all the tips and tricks needed for crazy evenings of wild, whoopin'-it-up revelry...


Okay, maybe more like strained and pained yawnfests punctuated by somewhat mentally-unstable creative displays...

Or what would happen if the cast of the Lawrence Welk show were unknowingly slipped brownies made of some questionable ingredients.

So come with me today as we examine these x-treme table settings, international joie de vivre, creative onion-and-light displays, and parties so mad the guests might just try to eat the centerpieces--

Let the good times roll!

Like this rip-roaring evening of family fun...


Folks of all ages can enjoy an evening playing the party game that all the hep young kiddies are talking about-- Skittles!

Why, just look at Granddad on the left up there. He hasn't had this much fun since he got his first Social Security check. And everyone else up there looks...

Well, they look... um...


Like...

Okay, so maybe it's not the fun-fest you'd hope for. Grandma has apparently forgotten what this game is called, and who these people are. She thinks one of them might be her nephew, but she can't be sure.

Later, she will be looking for her purse and realize she brought her husband's bowling bag instead. He'll go through it when they get home, and find she's taken some Skittles pins with her, "in case they need them." There will also be the sugar from the sugar bowl off the dining table, rolling around at the bottom of the bag. She'll claim she was just borrowing a cup for later.

Yes, Grandpa will be making her a nice appointment with Dr. Brown for this coming week.

Here we see more unbridled festivities, at a Christmas tea...


Do you get the vague feeling that woman in green deeply dislikes that woman in red? Just look at that forced smile!


She's got that look like she promised to be nice to this woman for the sake of neighbor relations, or little Timmy's PTA group. And then the moment the guests leave, she'll be talking about how she had to put up with that insufferable Mrs. Todd from down the street...

And how that woman said she'd "never seen green party punch before" and how "unusual and unique" it was: a Toddism for "I hope you don't expect to be voted room-mother anytime soon."

And look all the big fun those women aren't having in the back... I think they're hiding because they never cared for Mrs. Todd much, either.

Of course, you can understand where some of these party-goers might wear expressions of confusion and concern when you see some of the suggested entrees. Like for this "party-time brunch"...


The yellow hedgehogs are apparently mutated butter pats. And that dripping ring o' goo they're sitting in the center of is a "coffee ring made from refrigerated breakfast rolls and Canadian-style bacon"... I wonder what that sauce is, then. Icing? Bacon grease? Gravy?

Mmmm.

Well, what do you do when one of your friends will be soon saying "Bon Voyage"?

Why, encourage them to leave that much quicker with a going away party punctuated by some... inspirational... centerpieces.


Going to Venice? How about rowing this handmade mini-canal boat onto the tablesetting?

"A night in Venice is a romantic setting. The flower laden gondola is made with strips of cardboard bent and taped together on the prow and stern. The cardboard canopy is trimmed with gummed labels and held with matchsticks."

Tape and matchsticks! You're guests will be singing "O Solo Mio" in no time!...

Or, maybe they're headed to Holland? This "delightful Dutch garden blooms with brilliance!"

"The windmill is made from a half-gallon milk carton with additional pieces cut from lightweight cardboard and sticks. Add color by covering parts of the mill with paper. Build a garden of narcissus around the windmill."

Nothing says a classy goodbye like miniature milk-carton adaptations of the place your guests will be visiting.

Or how about creating "a Viking atmosphere" for someone going to Sweden?...


"The quaint candelabra started out as a wool-winder to which have been added stubby candles and wooden gnomes nailed to the four corners. "

Because the Vikings did so love their lawn gnomes. The history section is simply filled with books about the Vikings and their proud wooden gnomes. You almost can't go to Barnes and Noble's ancient history shelves without tripping over some tale of Lief Eriksen and his lucky lawn gnome.

Or maybe you'd like to get your hula on and create your own luau, inviting all your friends and family...


Uncle Lloyd here isn't one to really know the finer things... But to his credit, he's willing to try virtually anything once. That's why he seems to be about to pile his plate with this stalk of the centerpiece flowers...


Someone please tell him bromelades are not for noshing. Remember the last time, when he ate the scented wax airfreshener? Not pretty.

Or perhaps someone you know is adventuring to see the wonders of Egypt!

"The primitive Egyptian allure of this setting is echoed by using ordinary building bricks (with ready-made holes) sprayed black and an inexpensive plaster statue. Completing the Nile scene is the place mat sprayed black to fit the scheme."

I never thought of the Nile being black before. Or Egyptian statuary. But did you know the sarcophagus of King Tut was all black once, and not the gold and red and blue we think of today? Er, yeah. Sure, it was.

And see, that is the terrific thing about these vintage decorating books-- we don't just learn about decorating... We get history, too.

And speaking of history, let's hearken back to the American South for this "Plantation Breakfast," the time where everyone wore British riding jackets, and let the hounds out, and put green plaster Staffordshire peacocks on the table...

"A Plantation Breakfast says southern hospitality and all that phrase brings to mind."

As long as it brings to mind southern England...

Yoiks and tally ho!

Well, what if you want to do a table display but don't have a big theme party in mind? "Let imagination and a few simple accessories create an ingenious centerpiece..."

"Bunches of red onions surrounding matching red candles glow even more with the addition of tiny strands of Christmas tree lights entwined among them. "

And gosh, wasn't I glad that just happened to have had 40 onions on hand? Of course, who doesn't, right?

But now, I hear you asking-- what about the kiddies in these festivities? Well, we certainly haven't forgotten them! In fact-- guess who's cooking Christmas Eve dinner?

"Turn Christmas Eve supper over to your children. It's easy for the kids to make the sandwiches and the Tomato-Chicken-Rice Combo. All the soup recipe calls for is ready-made soup in cans and water. The youngsters will enjoy their active roll in the evening's festivities and learn how to be gracious hosts and hostesses."

Am I the only one here envisioning burnt grilled cheese and tomato soup on the chandeliers? Ho, ho, ho... holy heck!

Well, that's all we have for today.

• If you missed last Wednesday's deep denial of the cold by sharing photos of sunny Florida, click here.

• And if you didn't get a chance to check out the latest Valentine's decorating around the ol' house, click here.

Otherwise, I'll see you this coming Wednesday, perhaps, for something else that I hope will be equally entertaining...

But I'll probably hold the onions.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Heating Things Up a Bit

I don't know about you all, but I'm tired of sub-zero temperatures and snow. I mean, yesterday it creeped up to a whopping 30 degrees instead of -2, and it felt like a heatwave.

Worse, it's affecting my... (gasp!)... thrifting! It's been so unpleasant out, I haven't dared stir from my home or office. So I decided, in protest, what would be in the Treasure Box for you this week would be photos-- photos of things that are not in my home, or anywhere near me...

Yes, I was noodling around with some of my extra photos from my trip to Florida last year.

Like this cutie...


Just look at that sweet whiskered face! He was down at the Theater of the Sea in Islamorada, Florida. And you'd never believe, this was a fairly distant photo that the wonders of technology allowed me to crop into this handsome portrait...

Dig those big brown eyes and teeny-tiny little ears!

He was a talented fellow, too, that sealion. He originally thought he might want to play for the Lakers...


But his jumpshot wasn't great. Sorta the same problem Shaq has, I guess. So what he discovered he really wanted to do was sing...


This just made me laugh. I'm sure the dentist has no problem checking out those molars, either.

A bit of cropping meant I could show you a closeup on our dolphin pal here, too...


And an action shot with another flippered friend...


I'd have cropped more, but I couldn't bear to cut out those gorgeous, gorgeous palm trees! Just what we need now, right?

Now we can zoom in so nicely on Mr. Polly Parrot here...

And it's funny, but I usually do get stared at by parrots. I suspect it's because of my red hair they may think I'm one of them...

I am fond of crackers and sunflower seeds.

And, you know, some of these parrots work hard for the money. No vacation in the tropics for them! No sir, this one makes daily graceful commutes on this barrel...


And then we go from parrots, to parrotfish!... Have you ever seen such coloring on a fish?


But alas-- our trip to the tropics is, as always, over too soon. We try to take time to smell the flowers, like this giant hibiscus...


We pause, to enjoy the cool greenery of a mini-rainforest...


But then... then we must slowly mosey along home...


I suppose I haven't really tortoise anything at all today, have I? :) Ah, well. There's always this coming Sunday.

Or you you check out last Sunday's post on Thrifty Tablescapes for Valentine's Day.

Keep warm, my friends!

Thrifty Valentine's Day Tablescapes and Other Decorating

Valentine's Day: love it or dread it, it seems to sneak into our stores the moment Santa has turned those reindeer Pole-bound.

Yet, if you're looking for a little post-New Year's zip for your decorating, Valentine's Day tablescapes can be a cheery, inexpensive, and even non-commercial way of brightening the home with sweet sentiments.

As mentioned in a previous post, heavily-discounted Christmas reds can transform for Valentine's Day with no work at all-- and at a fraction of the cost of actual Valentine's Day decor. And for the decorator who plans ahead, thrift stores turn up some heart-warming finds.


This tablescape was done with vintage china in pinks and greens which I already had, plus a pink-and-red roses printed tablecloth from the Salvation Army thrift store...


The centerpiece bowl was a Christmas ruby glass from Target a few years ago. It's filled with silk flowers I'd had from some other projects, but you could fill it with fresh flowers, red marbles and a candle... even stacks of small Valentines.


The 50s aluminum tumblers were from the Goodwill at about a quarter a piece. The heart shaped placemats were my one brand-new splurge last year, but were an affordable price at Target.


Virtually everything on the coordinating mantle either came from a thrift store, or was bought post-Christmas at Target. The shimmering red tree in the center was one after Christmas sale find. Ironically, you'll see almost identical items now for Valentine's Day at four times the cost...


Here you'll see a couple of empty chocolate boxes picked up at thrift stores for just $0.99 off-season... Not as much fun as emptying them yourself, of course! But entirely too pretty to pass up.


A satin vintage pillow from the Christian Laymen thrift store, a pink china candlestick from a past decorating swap, and a few 50s Valentines I got as a $6 lot from Ohio's Pottery City antique mall help complete the effect ...


For fans of romantic decorating, decorating for Valentine's Day might be easier than you think. If fact, you mayhave the makings for a display without buying a single thing! Roses in any color-- but particularly pinks and reds-- are perfect for the holiday. Fresh, silk, or paper, gather 'em together and display them in anything from ruby glass, to crystal to inexpensive milk glass.

And what about photos of loved ones, alive or long passed? Combined with Valentine's colors, working them into a tablescape can be a nod of honor to the people who touch your life.


Have you saved Valentine cards over the years? Why not display them? It's a wonderful way to share cherished memories.


Try playing around with pinks, reds, purples and whites. Just because an item wasn't made specifically for Valentine's Day doesn't mean it won't work nicely for the holiday.


And if you don't feel you have enough to work with currently? Keep your eyes peeled at thrift stores, flea markets, antique malls and post-holiday retail. In the 40s-60s, for instance, holiday planters were popular for almost every occasion. Here you'll see a little girl dressed in hearts and a heart-shaped cupid planter...


By picking up things like this around the year, you'll have what you need for a cheerful display in no time!

• For folks who missed Wednesday's post, "Even More Brow-Furrowingly Funny Vintage Ads" click here.

And me, I'm going to pretend now we don't have all that white stuff falling outside and have a nice hot tea. Hope to see you this coming Wednesday, friends!

Even More Brow-furrowingly Funny Vintage Ads

Last Sunday, we dug into Successful Farming magazines of the 20s and 40s, a time where the people were of, um, unnaturally strong fiber.

So today, join me for part two of this excursion into the past, as Mrs. Willers gives us the willies over "Glasbake"...

We learn the right way to use "spandy-clean" in a sentence...

And we meet the, um, hot chicks of farming, 1927-style...

Let's get started!


We begin with a whole new level in garment suds-boosting hydro-submergence technology (okay, laundry... doing laundry). Introducing new "Anti-Sneeze Rinso"...


"The Rinso people aim to please..." sing delighted cartoon ladies on ice skates. "They've made new Rinso Anti-Sneeze!"

Yessir, I always croon about my laundry detergent al fresco as a form of personal Ice Capades. Doesn't get the really big crowds going, of course, but is great exercise and good way to get the message out to the local hockey team...

Those jerseys could be whiter.

Like so many ads in the 40s, Rinso emphasizes the benefits of their product through broadly-smiling generic comic character endorsements.

Here our Housewife Heroine tells her smiling husband just how much they're saving using Rinso...


The friend, Mary, of course, is just a genius about these things. All the smart housewives in the neighborhood turn to her for tidbits of information on everything from Rinso and Spamburgers, to how to know if that lipstick on their husbands' collars really belongs to the secretary.


"And Ed, look how spandy-clean your shirts are?" Yep, I bet Ed can barely enter the office without coworkers stopping him, gasping and saying:

"Gosh, Ed-- your shirt's looking so spandy-clean today! Just how does that wife of yours do it?"

And Ed says, "Why, I'm glad you asked, Bob! I agree, my shirts have never been more spandy-clean since Peg started using Anti-Sneeze Rinso. That gal is sure is swell!"

I'm not sure why the, er, Pro-Sneeze Rinso prior to this appears to have been, in fact, less spandy-clean. But then again, I'm not entirely certain I want to know the answer to that, either.

Well, once you've done the wash, it's time to make-up that face of yours. And who will show us how to do it?... Who?... Who?...


Marge Simpson's grandmother, for Armand Cold Cream Powder!... Didn't know that famous blue -do was hereditary, did you?...

The text reads:

"Your prettiest face...
It's the one you look at last
as you leave your mirror...
Is groomed and dainty....
Fresh as a June rose. The
problem is: to keep it that
way always when you're busy
...dancing, working or en-
gaged in outdoor sports.

So basically, it's a really nice way of saying, "Look, lady, this is as good as it gets and it's all downhill from here. "

But Marge's grandmother knows: the cold cream powder helps her tone down that famous, jaundiced complexion, and keep it looking fresh as a yellow rose.

So after you've made up your face? Then why don't you make yourself welcome and... um...



...Stop scaring off small children with your bad breath? Ah, but it isn't just children is it? No!! It's manicurists! One-hundred and eleven of 'em!:

111 Manicurists say that halitosis is apparent in about every third customer-- every one of them men from the better walks of life. Who should know better than they? Fact to face evidence.

That's right-- one in three well-to-do men will apparently spend money on getting themselves a nice set of French tips, but not on an economy-sized bottle of Listerine. And hey-- if 111 manicurists say so, why, it simply must be true!

Of course, you'll need fresh breath-- for all the gasping and crazed laughter you'll apparently be doing when you get your FREE GLASBAKE SET!...


"Just say the word to your husband... and see how easy it is to get this whole set!" the ad tells us.

Down at the bottom of the ad, you'll note Mr. Martin Willers is a whole lot less enthused about the "famous, genuine" Glasbake than Mrs. Willers is up top. In fact, what they're not telling us is, Mrs. Willers gets just as excited about peas... And checkers... And gowns that tie in the back.

Yes, you guessed it, Mrs. Willers is an inmate of Sunnyside Sanitarium! She won't actually be allowed to take the Glasbake with her-- she could shatter one of the pans and use the glass to injure herself or others.

But, as Mr. Willers says, "Daggumit, jest look how happy she is! You gonna take that away from her?"

They'll order it and bring the Glasbake to see her on visiting days.

And now we go from the manically-ecstatic, to the mildly-entertained land of disembodied heads...


"In my opinion, insulated Texaco motor oil is an oil that ensures protection," say Herbert Harloff, whom we've never seen before in our lives but we automatically trust, due to his good-natured smile and nifty Gabby Hayes hat.

And if Herbert isn't enough to persuade you, Texaco offers you three more floating heads to offer the kind of sincerity heads with bodies just cannot provide...


Like Elliot Ness up top, who wasn't quite paying attention because he had a few other things on his mind...

And then that, um, German villain from Raiders of the Lost Ark below him...

And then, lastly, maybe the first husband of this stunning starlet...


Mrs. Jim Moore... Under that mild, spectacled exterior lurks a woman who is bound and determined to give you "here, for the first time, the one thing you've always wanted."

Money? Fame? Gregory Peck?

No! Who wants all that rubbish when you can have chickens! And not only does Mrs. Jim Moore sell chickens but she's also "hiring men or women chick agents-- no experience necessary!" Chick agents?

So, um, when the chick agent closes a deal does he have to place a call to his peeps? (yeah, yeah, I know, but I had to.)

Ah, but now we see Mrs. Jim Moore has some tough competition-- from this elegant beauty...


Gusta B. Atz. But Gusta doesn't sell chickens... Nope-- she sells "chix." It's interesting to see chicken sales was such a female-dominated business. Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "hen party."

I love, too, how much times have changed. Check out what Mrs. Atz says here:

"I enjoy the confidence customers are manifesting in us with their hard-earned cash... Parting with cash in advance requires confidence. I repeat that we appreciate this and personally pledge myself to retain this confidence."

Today, it'd be more like:

"I enjoy the confidence customers are manifesting in us with their hard-earned cash... Parting with cash in advance requires confidence. We appreciate this and should be having a grand ol' time in the Cayman Islands soon. We will send you a postcard."

It does seem, though, that being a chick agent was a rough life. Those women look so terribly sad...

Or perhaps they'd just had this for dessert...

Apple jewels in tapioca... beeee-oootiful!

Perhaps the aesthetic beauty in the 20s/40s was different than today? What do you think?

Hope you enjoyed today's 100% laxative-free post.

• If you missed part one of our post on vintage ads from Successful Farming, click here.

If not-- perhaps I'll see you Sunday! Hope you have a lovely week. (And stay warm!)

Brow-Furrowing Ads of Successful Farming Magazine

How did farmers in the 20s, 30s and 40s learn the tricks of their trade? Why, by subscribing to Successful Farming magazine!

Yet, today, I'm not going to tell you how to go whole-hog in tending those pigs...

Or how to be popular with the chicks (petite pullets, that is)...

Or even ask you to lend an ear on growing corn.

Nope! Today, in the first part of The Thrift Shop Romantic's special two-part post, we'll dig into the magazine's advertising-- a wild and wondrous world of disembodied heads, testimonials from people you've never heard of, wagonloads of exclamation points, and cartoons, cartoons, cartoons...


We start here with... Sal Hepatica laxative. "Sal Hepatica"... Hm, sounds like the name of a personal injury attorney from my hometown in Jersey.


Here we meet Mrs. A, and Mrs. B... And we're told the bazaar is spoiled for Mrs. A...


Once she gets to that church parking lot, she knows the competition will be fierce. Yessir, she's got to sell more desserts than that haughty Mrs. B, or she'll never live it down!

Why, last year, that woman rubbed it in for months, simply because she sold three cupcakes more than Mrs. A did. Three cupcakes! Is that kind? Is that Christian?!

So having to leave suddenly for, well, personal reasons would almost certainly put Mrs. A behind-- in more ways than one.


And so, like the trooper she is, poor Mrs. A. goes to the bazaar anyway, and is surprised to discover that her constipation seems directly-related to the marketability of her baked goods.

Yes, it was a simple case of being unable to get her bundt in gear.

Mrs. B, on the other hand, has a lovely day...


These church bazaars are just teeming with women who need laxatives. But the morning of the bazaar, Mrs. B. called on her old buddy Sal Hepatica, and he came to the rescue right away. So how were Mrs. B's sales?


It's all in the salesmanship, we see! And in the Sal Hepatica.

Okay, well, moving on, let's examine another topic. And what have we here?..


How nice that Mrs. Chas. W. Hallock of Suffolk County shares with us her recipe for muffins!


Erm... bran muffins.

"They're not only nourishing, says Chas. W. Hallock, the chef's husband, "but they also give you bulk to help prevent constipation!"


He looks really happy about it, too, doesn't he? Sitting there with his cartoon breakfast.

I bet you didn't know this, but everyone ate hand-drawn breakfast back in the 40s. Yep, illustrated eggs over easy... Stipple-effect bacon... Dry brushed toast... It's why everyone was so slim. The most illustrated meal of the day, they used to say.

"Life is Swell, When You Feel Well..." Words of wisdom!

Well, now that we've taken our Sal Hepatica and enjoyed a bulky bran muffin, let's check out another ad...


For Fletcher's Castoria castor oil. Perfect for-- yes, you're probably starting to notice the trend here, you clever bunnies-- constipation. In this case, we enjoy a short, Castoria-sponsored morality play.


Bill Todd's anger management classes haven't been working out and he seems to have ticked off his sister-in-law, this Judy Garland impersonator. He claims the wife went to the hospital to have a baby, but who knows? It's going to be pretty hard for her to explain those shoe-shaped bruises, either way. It's no wonder little Billy's next on the hit list.

Let's see what drove Bill Todd to this, shall we?


"...You've never heard a rumpus like the one Billy made when he saw that laxative!" says Mr. Todd.

Or maybe, just maybe, he noticed that shoe you were holding behind your back, Sir. Toddlers have wicked-good eyesight for things like that. And, of course, the answer for a child who's uncomfortable and cranky in his lower intestines is...


To beat the livin' tar out of his delicate regions with a hard object. Yes, that'll loosen things up, all right.


But thankfully, Judy Garland intervenes. She says beating him with a shoe-- oh, wait, no-- giving him adult laxative, could shock his nervous system. So what is the answer?


Fletcher's Castoria! And it's so effective, it will "solve Billy's laxative problem for years!" One dose lasting for years? Wow, now that's powerful.


The best part is Little Billy loves the Castoria! Indeedy, kids do love a good dose of castor oil. Right after they enjoy a big plate of liver, eating all their vegetables, and cleaning their rooms.


A giant family-size bottle of Castoria has saved the day! And it's more safe and effective than a visit from Child Welfare Services! Thank you, Judy Garland impersonator!

Now here we have a little girl "Doing her best for Daddy," and setting the table with all the Monarch brand products Daddy loves...

The text reads:

"All women are born with the knowledge that men like good things to eat. She is a lucky woman who learned as a little girl that the Monarch's 'Lion's Head' trademark always means pleasing and satisfying foods. More then 200 items bear this dependable token of Purity, Flavor and Excellence."

Yes, it's innate, that knowledge. We females come out of the womb and think, "Gosh, I bet my dad could use a Pure and Flavorful can of Monarch Teeny Weenie Sardines and a cup of Monarch Coffee right about now."

We just don't know how to articulate it.

Now, I loved this one. "Are You a Modern Motorist?"...

If so, you probably have:

• An automatic windshield wiper
• And front and rear bumpers

Yep, front and rear bumpers! The 1927 coolness equivalent of SatNav.

Have you been taking your front and rear bumpers for granted lately? I know I have. So the next time you get in your car, give 'em an affectionate pat. They've earned it.

And here we have a Creepy Sneering Bellboy or a Pink-faced Organ Grinder Monkey telling us...


...Philip Morris cigarettes are healthier for us than other ciggies! Yes, indeed, protect your throat with these finely made sticks of cancer. The text reads:

"It's a fact-- all smokers sometimes inhale. More smoke reaches delicate nose and throat passages. And chances of irritation increase! But now look at the findings of eminent doctors who compared five leading brands of cigarettes... and report that:

In striking contrast to Philip Morris-- irritant effects of the four other leading brands averaged three times as high-- and lasted more than five times as long!

Some inhaling goes with smoking... but worry about throat irritation need not go with inhaling. Change now to Philip Morris-- for pleasure without penalties. Why wait?"

Um, yeah. No comment.

But hey-- why is Uncle Sam looking so stern?


Let's take a closer look...


"Uncle Sam says we must drive our cars longer." And so who is there, ready to give us terrific advice on ways of making these cars last longer and save on resources...? These American cars whose fuel burns red, white and blue... ?


Some unshaven French dude in a beret! And French Dude (Dude de Francais) recommends Hastings Steel-Vent piston rings. Thank you, Dude de Francais! Now my American car can endure even more trips to the cabaret to listen to Marlene Dietrich-styled torch songs, while I eat pomme frites and caviar and drink boujoulais.

Ooh-la-la! Uncle Sam will be so proud.

But before we go...


Yes, yes... We know already. You folks never tire of bran. It's been made abundantly clear.

Join me for Wednesday's post, when we take a look at a few more ads from Successful Farming. I know that may seem a bit irregular, but I assure you-- this time the ads won't be.

Hope to see you then!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Romantic Reads for Winter Weather

The flurries are in the air, the roads are slick, and the last of the pine needles have been swept away like Old Man 2008. So what's a vintage gal at heart to do when the winds blow and there are drifts instead of thrifts?

Why curl up with a good book, a blanket and a nice toasty beverage!

I've spent a share of the last week myself revisiting some old leather-bound friends. And you know, the funniest thing happened...

When I opened up the Treasure Box for this Wednesday's post-- what did I find inside? But a list of some of favorite romantic novels to share with you today!

Now, I suppose I should explain-- I use the term "romantic" here more in the spirit of the classic Georgian and Victorian novel-- and less like something with a 100% probability of a painting of Fabio on the cover. (Yes, I'm sure Fabio's a super-nice guy; he just didn't have a cameo in any Dickens or anything. I mean Hard Times was not about him being unable to believe it's not butter.)

And while what we read educates us and even reflects how we feel about life.... It can also influence our moods, transport us to new worlds... and even make us long to bring back just pocketful of it all into our real lives.

Those are the sorts of books I've been thinking about... The ones that linger.

My favorite of all time is still Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. At the time I first read it, I was doing a lot of traveling for work, feeling a bit existential and powerless in my everyday life, and Jane-- Jane was my heroine! Jane seemed to have all the Gothic romance bells and whistles-- orphanages and cruel teachers, sickness and friendships, mystery and suspense, desolate landscapes, plucky heroines, deep secrets, intriguing anti-heroes, mysticism and magic... I read it, and for the first time in my lengthy reading life, I recalled thinking, "Hey, there might just be something to this classic novel stuff!"

I went on to read Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte-- one I think well-worth a read, though disturbing in its lack of obvious moral compass. I mean, if anyone is in need of serious anger management counseling, it's the story's lead, Heathcliff. And why, Catherine, too, could be in therapy for months with her codependent behavior.

But talk about windswept moors, and mansions, hauntings and craggy hills! Fans of melodrama and the macabre would do well to open its cover.

On a lighter note, what about a different Jane-- Jane Austen? With loves won and lost, confusion and conniving, politics and polite society, (from Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Predjudice to Northganger Abbey), any of the Austen novels make a light, pleasant read for a winter day.

And you know, sometimes with that cocoa in hand, it's east to feel a bit like a kid again. So the romantic reader might also find the fun in the tales of Frances Hodgeson Burnett-- like The Secret Garden, or The Little Princess (in earlier editions called: Sara Crew or What Happened at Miss Minchin's).

Another writer worth a read is T.H. White. Whether it's his Sword in the Stone series about the humorous exploits of young King Arthur, or whether it's Mistress Masham's Repose (White's continuing story of Johnathan Swift's Liliputians!), these reads are a pleasant way to spend the day.

I hope now that 2009 has stepped onto the stage, and it's back to the daily routine again in spite of sleet and snow, you're able to find some things you enjoy, a warm place to enjoy them and possibly... quite possibly... an old friend to enjoy them with.

Even one of the papery kind.

• If you missed last Sunday's post of repurposing Christmas decor for everyday use, click here.

Otherwise, I hope to see you this coming Sunday!

No Time like the Present: Repurposing Christmas Decorations

It may be a new year, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to salvage from the old one! In fact, a thrifty shopper can find some great deals out there, if she's fleet-footed, discerning, and plans ahead. So today I thought I'd show you a few of the post-Christmas sale finds I'd gotten in non-thrift stores, to squirrel away for the next holiday season-- and to repurpose for everyday decor!

One thing I'd become fascinated with in the past few years were glass tree-topper style decorations. So, with markdowns of up to 75% off in stores like Michaels and Target, now was really the time to get them...


I went with silver, because they reminded me most of the old mercury Christmas ornaments. The little forest above was accumulated from a couple of different stores.

I couldn't resist this cloche tree. The Victorians were so big on displaying things under these domes, so this somehow seemed just right at home in my house...


Here are a couple of purple and silver tree-topper-type stars from Tarjjjjay...


Then at K-Mart, I picked up this richly-done tree skirt for my bedroom. That room has a lot of Eastern/Indian influence in it, so I think this will go around my faux potted palm which I decorate with ornaments...


I also got a number of post-Christmas bottle brush trees, which otherwise would have been entirely too pricey for me... I love their vintage look, but I don't see why such small items need to be so costly.


And my friend Scoobie let me take photos of her discounted angel and Christmas stocking in icy blue and brown. She'd had her eye on these before Christmas, and was pleased to find them so on sale after the holiday...

But it's always good to remember that Christmas decor doesn't always have to be used for Christmas. In fact, more and more there are interesting items for Christmas that work really well in a Victorian home, year-round, or repurposed for other holidays.

For instance, these pretty crystalline glass flowers, intended to decorate a tree or wreath, look lovely in a vase, long after Christmas...


And choose wisely, and some Christmas decor works equally well for Valentine's Day! Like this tree from Target. Intended for Christmas, the circular metallic leaves will be just as appropriate for the holiday o' hearts...


In fact, I was seeing things already in the stores very similar to this, only without the Christmas label. Why not reuse and repurpose?

Depending on your color scheme, so many Christmas items can be used for other things throughout the year....

• Plain red tablecloths and placemats from Christmas work equally well at Valentine's Day or the Fourth of July, depending on what other colors you pair them with.

• Candles can be used at any time!
  

• Having trouble finding hunter green? Not at Christmas! Throws, pillows, handtowels-- even curtains-- become easier to find in specific colors around the holidays.

• And don't forget, you can use that green for St. Patrick's Day, as well!
  

Yes, it always helps to think flexibly when you hit the post-Christmas sales. I'm particularly fond of textiles from this time of year, because things tend to be made in more luxurious fabrics-- velvets, jacquards, brocades and tapestries-- which say Christmas to some, but Victoriana to me!

Ah, as the Christmas decorations come down, the house suddenly seems so empty... And that's why I'll be getting started soon on my Valentine's Day mantle and tablescape. I did this last year, and it really helped to wash away the winter "blahs." It gave me something cheerful to look at until the trees began to bud and the grass began to green.

You can see the box of decorations just waiting to find their place...


Of course, I'll keep you all in the loop on how that comes along!!

• If you missed last Wednesday's post on Thrifty New Year's Resolutions-- click here.

And otherwise I hope to see you this coming Wednesday, when take a peek and what's in this week's Treasure Box!