This unused package of Press-On Patches for Overalls/Blue Jeans/Dungarees is from the weekly outdoor flea market I attended yesterday. I bought it with a large blueprint of an unidentifiable machine for $1. I am optimistic that its Sanforized (which really just means "pre-shrunk") and adhesive properties are still intact. I appreciate the cut-outs in the package showing the actual denim patch underneath. Also, on the back, a helpful tip for determining if your iron is hot enough: it should "hiss sharply at the touch of a moistened finger tip." Needless to say, it is difficult to imagine a modern product encouraging you to try burning yourself. I scanned the page of shapes you can cut out, too. They're surprisingly gentle and feminine, in contrast to the rough-and-tumble male duo shown on the front. You're on your own for the initials; they assume you are literate and can figure it out yourself. Press-On appears to no longer exist, unfortunately. There isn't even a Wikipedia entry for them. Perhaps the business collapsed after a few lawsuits from housewives suffering second-degree burns to their fingers. Or, more hopefully, they were absorbed by some larger company.
xo This crafting idea comes from Wire Art, a book printed back in 1977. It's actually a pretty useful book, and covers all of the possible artistry you can make with wire. Here, the book shows how to use window screen as a base for weaving or a collage. Older kids could definitely try these techniques; most window screen and craft wire can be cut with regular scissors (just use crappy utility scissors, as you won't want to wreck your nice sharp ones). Here's a color version of the embroidered piece above, from the color section in the center of the book: xo! Just what it says on the box. I found this at a Goodwill, surprisingly. It was in the glass case where they put all the good stuff, but was surprisingly inexpensive. I think they're from the 1960s, and I'm sure they were made in Czechoslovakia by a company called TOFA. I did a quick Google and learned that my box of puppets originally just had the five animals pictured on the front of the box. The human figures came from a second, matching set. The company seems to have used whatever fabric they had available, so similar sets will have different "clothing." Here are mine: ...And here's someone else's set of humans, available for sale on etsy: ...and a different person's set of animals, for sale via ebay.uk. The construction is pretty simple. The fabric is sewn into a cone, with the tip of the cone glued inside the wooden head. You could make a simple version with wood ball dowel caps. (That seems to be the right phrase for finding a round wooden thing that has a hole big enough for a fingertip to fit inside.)
If you want to read an exhaustive history of TOFA, the manufacturer of these dolls, visit dollhousespastandpresent. "TOFA" stood for "TOy FActory." Pleasingly literal! xo No, this post isn't about getting a job in an antique store, or opening a buggy whip factory. It's about Careers, the excellent Parker Brothers game. I have one from 1955 that I used to play all the time with my sister when we were kids. Our copy is, uh, "well-loved." The box is in bad shape. The board is more intact but it's faded and stained. Still playable, says I! The game play is pretty clever. Before you start playing, you must decide what 'success' means to you. Divide 60 points among three categories: Money (each point is $1,000), Fame (represented by stars), and Love (hearts). I can't remember exactly, but I think I usually put $40k, 10 Fame, and 10 Love. (I would go for the Uranium Prospecting career to get the big bucks; more on that later.) You write your goal under the flap of your wax reusable score pad. Then you travel around the board in a traditional board-game way, rolling dice and collecting resources (or losing them) along the way. If you get an opportunity card, you can use it to enter a career without having to land exactly on the starting square for that career. Once you pick a career, and you meet the resource requirements, you get to go along an inner path that's specific to your chosen job. This is 1955, less than a decade before actual manned space flight, so Expedition to the Moon is one of them. I like that you can earn Love just by appreciating the beauty around you. Very poetic. Also 1955-ish are the little touches of sexism. Apparently, moon rockets have stewardesses, wives are always spending your money, and a "mink" (code for a floozie, I assume, though maybe it's meant to imply a bribe? Unclear) can derail your political career. The 80's child that I was often chose Uranium Prospecting because it was both lucrative and had a twinge of danger. Nuclear war was the big boogeyman of the time, and I knew uranium was terribly radioactive, so the idea of having it in a children's game was darkly funny to me. There's so much to love about this game, including the beautiful retro font for the money, and the design for the cards. Keep an eye out at tag sales and flea markets for Careers. There are updated versions out there but they aren't nearly as charming, and tell you no information about what people of "the past" valued.
p.s. I just noticed that one of us shaded in a guy on the instruction sheet, possibly to add a token amount of diversity to the game... I like how "sculpture" is in quotes, like they aren't exactly sure if this project rises to the "sculpture" moniker. (Of course it does!) This is from McCall's Annual of Creative Handcrafts, published in 1969. The text above says (and this is sic):
weird creatures and sculpture forms—fun craft for children. Cardboard tubes, cereal boxes are cut into rings, then glued to make animal shapes or free forms for modern "sculptures." From James Perrin. Directions for Paper Ring Fun, page 96. (Page 96 only has a short paragraph that tells you what you already know: Cut cardboard rings, paint them, and glue them together. Add googly eyes as required.) xo to you, my ring-a-dings. I'm working on a craft that's not quite ready yet, so in the meantime, here's another blast from crafting's past (that looks like it could be from 2016): paper-collage lampshades. I love that these are called "blithe designs." All you need is tissue paper, watered-down Elmer's glue, and black cord. Oh, and a lampshade. Need more instructions and templates? I bet you don't, but here they are anyway, just in case! More craftiness tomorrow...
xo! ...that solve all of your string-management problems! Thank you, 1966. These houses use lots of burlap in many colors. Burlap was a "thing," or at least craft stores attempted to make it be a "thing," a year or two ago. As a result, it's fairly easy to find colored burlap. The bases of the houses are empty detergent bottles. If one wanted to, one could call this an Earth Day craft, because it utilizes material that might otherwise get thrown away (assuming your local recycling center doesn't accept this type of plastic). But whatever, I think they're adorable. Need patterns for the house details? I've got you covered. Of course if you aren't constantly reaching for string and have no need for a dedicated holder, these could just be decorative. Or add a larger door, and it becomes a dollhouse for a Littlest Pet Shop or Shopkins or Calico Critters or whatever small creature your child is currently in love with.
xo! As the subject of an I Love Vintage post, "sewing notions" may sound a bit dry. But if you take a moment to look at the designs and illustrations on the packaging of these snaps, hooks, and needles, I bet you'll be as charmed as I am by them. All of these were bought as parts of larger collections of sewing stuff at tag sales or estate sales. Clearly they were used, and carefully saved, by thrifty old ladies who knew their way around a sewing machine. I like that I'm able to keep them in use. (And I have used them, over the years.) After all, "Beautiful things are always hand made." 12 snaps for four cents? I love you, Penney's. This one's so gorgeous and simple. Rust? Never!! And they haven't. Best 10 cents ever spent. This big wire loop is a very handy way to corral safety pins, and the ultra-charming acorn tag only adds to its charm. I get a bit melancholy when I notice that all of these notions were made in the U.S.A., and they surely aren't, anymore. Ah well. Fashion's Fastener, sold at Forbes & Wallace, Inc. (link goes to the incredible Department Store Museum). Another well-spent dime. xo! I dipped back into the McCall's Make-It Ideas well for this edition of I Love Vintage. There's something of an Easter theme (see the bunny?), though, really, bunnies are an 'anytime' treat. These are beanbags that are almost entirely put together with regular glue. I never had much luck with gluing felt, but if you're going to try it, use fabric glue and clamp the edges with clothespins as the glue dries. Or just sew it; it's not very difficult, and the end result is sturdier and less likely to suddenly fail and send beans all over the floor. Older McCall's mags always include patterns for their crafts, which I appreciate (and never actually use, but I think they're good for reference). Whoever originally owned this magazine must have made the mouse, because there are pen marks all over its pattern. Enjoy! xo This cook book from 1960 is the perfect "i love vintage" entry for 3/14, aka Pi Day! The recipes include so much shortening, you guys. And lots of raw eggs in frostings. And "enriched flour," which, is that even a thing anymore? Unfortunately, there's no close-up photo of the luridly-green lime pie shown on the cover. But there is a pic of a nice-looking apple pie which has been defiled with "cheese cornucopias:" rolled-up slices of what appears to be American cheese, held in their cone shapes with clove "pegs." Urp. I include the following page as an entry for my imaginary "most iconic image of a cherry pie" contest. Pecan pie was a family favorite when I was growing up. My grandmother grew up in Louisiana. To honor her memory I try to remember to pronounce "pecan" with the "can" rhyming with "car," not with"man." It tickles me that they angled the serving spade just so in order to reflect the pink flower that's been cropped out of the frame. And this is 1960, so there is a lot of canned fruit showing up all over the place. I admit that I am a fan of chilled cling peaches in juice (not syrup). The recipe (not shown) for this Peach Parfait Pie calls for a No. 2 1/2 can. (What? Here. Thank you, Google.) The rest of the recipe involves gelatin and vanilla ice cream. And finally, a non-pie dessert that I felt compelled to share on account of its accompanying mums with cut-out paper facial features stuck on them. Also, note the chopped walnut and candy corn garnish. This is a Spice Layer Cake with Date-Nut Filling and Brown-sugar Frosting, if you're curious. Go-with: Hot Cider, back when cider was filtered so completely it may as well have been plain ol' apple juice. Happy Pi Day! I hope you get to enjoy a slice.
xo |
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AuthorI'm Debbie Way, an artist and writer who enjoys making things. |
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