A Few Vintage Kitchen Goodies

Here are a few fun images from the internet, to brighten this dreary, winter week.

 

Who wouldn't love these adorable strawberry tins to decorate their kitchen!?

 

 

There is nothing I don't like about this photo below!  I love everything from the tomatoes and plants in the window to the utensils on the wall, and the apron the grandma is wearing (trimmed in white ric-rack).  The little girl is adorable in that little dress, as she "helps" with the dishes.  I've never seen cupboard handles as fancy as those and LOVE the single sink with drain board!

 

 

Saw this one below on Facebook.  My answer to the question is YES!  A thousand times YES!  I would even tear out a cupboard to make room for this beautiful stove!

Um...Yes.

One more blissful kitchen scene from Pinterest...I think I'd have to change the wall color and flooring, but it's pretty cute!

 

 

And that's all for today.  Until another time, have a happy vintage day!



We've Been Busy Little Bees in Preschool

Some of you may have noticed that I've been off-line for quite some time.  One of the reasons is, along with the regular daycare duties I perform on a daily basis, I've added an hour or more of preschool everyday!  There is much planning involved in getting things ready for circle time, story time, art time, etc.  I've enjoyed it very much!

Here are some highlights from this past Fall and Winter

Creating Pizzas--A fun little game for writing numbers, counting and recognizing shapes.

 

Our circle-time board with the gourd and pumpkin that a friend brought for us to explore.

 

 

Our December circle-time board.  The children love taking turns being "teacher".

 

 

Gingerbread Friends!

 

 

We do many magnetic games on a magnetic tray or board. (I've since retired the cookie sheet because it was too small, and bought a larger magnetic board).  One of the magnetic games for January involves colored mittens (to work on color recognition).  It is a fun game where I hide a paper snowball behind a mitten and the children guess under which color mitten the snowball is hidden.

"Snowball snowball, cold and round

Under which mitten will you be found?"

Idea and poem found on Pinterest.

 

We do flashcard letters.  I know many teachers frown upon flashcards, but they seem to work best for my group.

As the months progress I add more activities to our circle time activities and the kids love it.  As soon as the baby goes down for her morning nap, the kids are begging for circle time and story time.

 

The paint can flash cards of different colors are a poem-movement activity that I found ages ago.  I hold up a paint can and the children say the color, the little poem that goes with the color, and do the movement. 

 

Red Red, touch your head.

Orange you see, slap your knee.

Yellow Yellow, shake like Jell-O.  (that's their favorite)

Gray Gray, shout Hurray! (their other favorite)

It goes on through all of the colors.  They love this one and it never seems to get old!

 

So, that is just a small sample as to why I have been away from blogging for so long.  I am super busy!  But, I hope with the new year ahead of me, I can find some time here and there to share some fun vintage things, creative projects, daycare projects, and summer road trips with you all!

 

Until another time, have a happy day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Caldecott Award

Well, there were 4 honor books...

Leave Me Alone Written and Illustrated by Vera Brosgol (which looks cute)

 

Freedom in Congo Square Written by Carole Boston Weatherford Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

 

Du Is Tak? Written and Illustrated by Carson Ellis (if The Night Gardener didn't win, this was my second choice.)

 

They All Saw A Cat Written and Illustrated by Brendan Wenzel (Nice book!)

 

 

The WINNER of the Caldecott Medal for best Illustrated picture book of 2016 is...

 

Radiant Child Written and Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe.

 

 

I've never seen Radiant Child, but hope to see it soon. 

I'm a little disappointed that The Night Gardener didn't even get a nod, but I've learned through the years that what I like usually isn't what the committee likes.

Next year I will keep my eyes open a little better and be more active about getting to the library to see the new picture books as they are published!

 

Until another time, have a bright, creative day!

Caldecott Prediction

The Caldecott Medal will soon be given for the best illustrated children's book of 2016.   I have only ONE selection this year and here is why. 

I haven't seen many other books! 

We all know that life gets busy, and this year time constraints have kept me from searching out and perusing newly published children's books.   But, I DO have a FAVORITE to win.  It is actually the ONLY new children's book I purchased for myself this past year. 

My pick to win is The Night Gardener Written by Terry Fan and Illustrated by Eric Fan (The Fan Brothers).

 

 

I LOVE this book.

 

The illustrations are highly detailed, and those who know me, know I like detail.  When I think of an illustrator drawing each tiny leaf and each textured brick I imagine he must be thoroughly in love with his craft because WOW, there are thousands of individually drawn leaves throughout the pages of this book!

 

 

 

The book begins with a sepia-greenish-toned-coloring to it and as story progresses, the illustrations become brighter and brighter as does the mood of the story.

 

Towards the end of the book there are three illustrations depicting the changing seasons, which I found to be enjoyable to look at and a neat addition to the story.

 

 

By the end of the story, we see a more colorful landscape with brightly colored flowers, cheerful people, and even an ice cream truck.

 

So, that is my pick for the year 2016....and I'm sad to say it doesn't look like it's on anyone else's radar (as far as the internet, mock Caldecott contests, and teacher picks go) but I will not give up hope! 

The Caldecott Medal will be given out Monday morning, January 23rd, usually around 7:45-8:30 central time.  I have my alarm set and will try to watch again this year via my computer (come on Night Gardener!!)

 

Until another time, have a happy, creative day!

 

The American Home Magazine 1937

Quite a few months ago, my folks picked up this cute little treasure for me at our local vintage shop, Vintage City.  It's full of cute stuff!  Take a look!

 

 

Now THAT's a huge mixer!

 

 

Here's a nifty little fold-down desk and storage shelf.  I've actually seen something similar on pinterest, and to think, they were doing this way back in the 1930s!

 

 

This yard and water garden, below, look beautiful...I just wish we could see them in color...or in  person.  Come on time travel!

 

 

A cute little kitchen.  I just love vintage kitchens.

 

 

Apparently, this is Bing Crosby's mom (below) and she makes really good Corned Beef Patties.  I'm not sure I've ever had the pleasure of trying a corned beef patty but I DO remember my mom used to make some kind of chipped beef and gravy sauce that we put over toast, oh my goodness was it ever tasty.  Come to think of it, we put a lot of things over toast, creamed peas, creamed tuna, chip beef..I think maybe it's a Norwegian thing.  One of my favorite side dishes at the Epping School when I was a kid was melted cheese generously drizzled over little squares of toast.  Yum!  My classmates and I couldn't wait for cheesy toast day!  That was right up there with art projects on Fridays, book mobile day, and field trip day!

 

 

Oooo, look at this beautiful, Westinghouse stove.  I opened the oven to a Westinghouse stove once and there was a rabbit in there sleeping.  I asked what it was doing in there and it said, "This is a Westinghouse isn't it?"  I said, "Yes." And he responded, "Well, I westing, leave me alone."

Okay, no more jokes for me....ever.

 

 

Keep in mind, this magazine is from the 1930s.  This looks pretty posh for the 1930s.

 

 

A cute little house.

 

An expensive car, I'm sure.  I wonder what this car would be worth today!

 

 

I do like zinnias.  They are so bright and colorful and the perfect subject for a colorful, back page advertisement. 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed perusing this magazine with me.  Until another time, have a happy vintage day!

 

 

 

 

 

Garage Sale Finds part 2

As I said last time, I visited a garage sale right down my own street and they had loads of vintage goodies to offer.

Now, some of you may know that I LOVE old time country music.  I have downloaded many radio programs such as WLS National Barn Dance and some Grand Ole Opry episodes from 1939.  There was even a 10-2-4 Ranch show (sponsored by Doctor Pepper, hence the title) that played country music.  Some of my favorite performers are Hank Snow, Kitty Wells, Hank Williams, Johnny Horton...the list goes on and on.

So, when I spotted this I knew it would really help me to know these performers better!  It's like it was meant to be! 

 

 

There are two autographs on the back, but I really can't make out the names.  They are most likely band members, from someone's show...who knows, but they are kind of cool.

 

 

This is a souvenir program, so there are little write-ups on many of the country stars of the day.  Funny, there is NO DATE on this program and that drives me nuts!  There is one hint!  In Grandpa Jones' write-up they say he is a "youngster" of 41.  So I did some figuring and Grandpa Jones turned 41 in October of 1954...so I'm guessin' this booklet is most likely from late 1954-1955.

 

 

 

I just love all the neat photos!

 

Then, I finally found a little travel alarm clock.  I've wanted one for quite some time and IT WORKS!  My dad showed me how to wind it up and set the alarm and turn it off again.  It's a loud little bugger, but it will be fun to use sometime.

 

 

 

Well, I think that is everything we found at the little garage sale down the street.  It was a great day!

 

I'll leave you now with one of my favorites by Kitty Wells. It's an old, old video, therefore the video quality is a little strange, but the sound quality is pretty good.  ENJOY!

 

 

Until another time, ya'll have a happy vintage day!

Garage Sale Finds part 1

A few weeks ago, I stopped at a garage sale down the street.  There were lots of vintage goodies and I picked out a few things.

 

 

These beautiful (have never seen a dishwasher) Christmas glasses, set of 5, were a wonderful find!  I've always wanted a set of Christmas glasses.

 

 

I bought this plastic, Christmas tablecloth thinking it was JUST a Christmas tablecloth.  Imagine my surprise when I opened it up in my kitchen and discovered it was reversible!  It is a Christmas AND a Birthday tablecloth in one!

 

 

 

 

I had never heard of these before and didn't realize they existed!  How FUN!

 

 

These smallish, circular, Christmas...I think they might be tablecloths, were also in the linens pile.  I'm seriously thinking about making one into a tree skirt for my little vintage tree.  The edges are unfinished, which made my mother wonder if there had been an outer ring of embellishments of some sort (maybe puff-balls).  They are cute though, and diffidently vintage!

 

My heart about skipped a beat when I saw the box, below.

 

 

Some of the ornaments are plastic, some are from what look to be the very late 60's into 70's but there is one little beauty in there that I think could be from the early 50s!  Can you spot it?

 

 

Well hello there, you pretty little ornament!

 

 

He will be a nice addition to our little vintage tree.

 

Well, that's all for today.  Most of the finds were Christmas in nature, but next time I will share a couple of other neat little finds!  Stay tuned, and have a happy, vintage day!

A Visit to Vintage City and a New Magazine

Awhile back, darling husband and I were in the neighborhood of Vintage City so we stopped.  I zipped in and out in what I believe to be record time, which is difficult to do since they've added on to their store.  There are many rooms to explore, full of wonderful goodies!  

 

 

I came across this cute little Apple Pear Hot Oven Pepper Shaker.  I love its little art-deco looking shape.

 And I couldn't pass up the nifty, little, Foley's spice tin.  I'll add it to my collection.  

I also bought a book of little stories for children called Happy Acres....

and this Woman's Home Companion from March of 1932.

 

 

New Tangle Binder Cover

Now that I've settled on a standard sized binder to hold my tangle step-by-steps, I wanted a nice cover to show off some of the tangles I've been learning.

So way back on Memorial Day, I put our flag out, watered the flowers, then plopped myself down on the patio loveseat and got to work.  It was a great day!

 

Here is the binder before adding a cover.  It's really quite plain.

 

 

I started by drawing out a pattern with pencil.  I traced around different sized squares.

 

 

Then, I backed the paper in black.  Then I sat outside and got to work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here it is all finished!  There IS one little square at the bottom that needs something added to it, but other than that I'm pretty happy with it.

 

 

 

 

And that's all for today.  Until another time, have a happy, creative day!