Flea Market Friday: Dreaming of Spring

Primroses- the first sign of spring around here. Even if it's only in the grocery store!

The days are getting longer, and it's staying light until 6 o'clock.

I love primroses, they're cute, smell great, and are hardy enough that I've had some come up every year outside. And this year, I found the perfect containers- milk glass vases!

This one I got for free, believe it or not, on a table full of free items outside a thrift store. I love the fluted shape. (I have an antique glass flower frog inside to keep the tiny flower pot from disappearing inside.)

This vase cost me 40 cents at a flea market a while back. Add in the flowers at 2/$4, and I'd say that's a bargain way to chase the winter doldrums away!

Cool stuff from Chez QT: the jukebox

Today I'm feeling crappy, so no Make-it-from Scratch Monday post, just a random pic of cool stuff at Chez QT. Plus, I'm crazy busy getting ready for my son's birthday party- he turns 6 tomorrow. So you just get to enjoy some eye candy, my 1959 Seeburg jukebox:

 When I was growing up, this used to be in the Rec room of my parents' church. It never worked, and was kind of in disrepair, with the title strips all wonky. But as a small child I used to love just going over to push the buttons, even though nothing ever happened. I used to tell my parents that one day I would own that jukebox. Like all parents, I'm sure they just rolled their eyes and said "whatever"...

But I never forgot, and I even kept a list of all the records I was going to buy to put in it. Once I was old enough to go shopping on my own, I started to buy those 45 rpm records.

Fast forward about 15 years, to when I had my first apartment- my mom told me the church was getting rid of some stuff, and right away I remembered the jukebox. So I called up and offered them $200 for it. I think the church secretary thought I was on something, because she said, "You know it doesn't work, and you'll have to move it!"

No problem! I had my brother go over with his truck the next day and we loaded it up. I paid the church and brought it home.

Once I had it in my apartment, I plugged it in and it lit up. but it did not work. That was OK with me; it was mine, and was the coolest nightlight you ever saw! A few years later, after meeting my husband we got it fixed- apparently years ago some kid had gotten in the back and switched a tube into the wrong spot. The repairman just put it back in the right socket and it played. But not that well- I ended up having to get the amplifier rebuilt. This was not an easy job, and back then the repair was kind of expensive (around $300). But it's worked flawlessly ever since.

We bought a fe accessories to go with it, a tableside wallbox:

This is not a "mini jukebox" as many people think- there are no records or speaker and it cannot play any music on it's own. It's really called a "remote selector", basically a remote control that lets you make a selection right from your table and then it transmits the selection over to the jukebox via a series of electric pulses over a wire.

A pair of stereo speakers.

The 1959 Seeburg model 220 (the technical name for my baby) was the first jukebox to offer stereo sound. In order to get the trus stereo effect you had to purchase these additional speakers. Although there are two individual speakers in the front of the cabinet, you don't get the felling of stereo that you get from the speakers in the corner of the room. The promotional literature recommended up to six speakers for a larger room to get the full stereo effect (and to increase sales, because that is what jukeboxes were all about.)

It's interesting to me to note that with digital downloads, people are beginning to go back to a single-driven form of music purchase. Pre-1960s, that was just about all people bought- 45 or 78 rpm singles of their favorite songs. Not until the advent of the 33 LP record in the mid-50s did the idea of an "album" mean anything in terms of sales and artist input.

Now the record industry is all in a dither about "the death of the album", which, if you look at it in historical terms, is not how most people bought music, except for the period from the 1960s-1990s. In fact, a single-driven music industry in the 1950s gave us all those great "one-hit wonder" and regional acts that would never have flourished on a national level. Many of the great 1950s rockabilly and R&B acts were primarily found on jukeboxes, and never got top 40 radio hits. They were strictly niche performers that relied on nickels being put into the coin slots in the areas that they were well-known. It doesn't sadden me at all to think that we might be returning to this type of music market.

So I will leave you with one of those R&B niche acts that hit it big, the Marcels. This is the B side of "Blue Moon", "Goodbye to Love". And it was one of those 45s that I wrote down on my list years ago.

SusieQT collects: Printed Tablecloths

One of my most dear vintage collections is my linens. I love all linens, from vintage embroidered fingertip towels to quilts. But probably my favorite are my printed cotton tablecloths from the 1940s and 50s. I simply adore them, and cannot resist them wherever I find them. I've been collecting them for years, and they were one of the first vintage items I owned.

There's just something so sweet about a printed cotton tablecloth that brightens up my mood, especially during a cold winter. I guess they really remind me of carefree summer living. And the great thing is, they're readily available, fairly cheap (usually in the $12-$25 range, thrifted) and come in many sizes that can fit a modern table. (Lately I've made sure that they fit my table; that helps me resist the temptation to buy everything!)

Printed tablecloths were mass-produced beginning in the 1930s as a way to freshen up the breakfast or luncheon table. More formal occaisions (like dinner) demanded damask or linen and the dining room table. That is why most printed tablecloths are on the small side; 48-52" square or 60" oblong. The larger of these will fit a modern size table, barely. But I still use some of the smaller ones, I just turn them in a diamond shape or let there be bare spaces at the head and foot of the table.

They were produced throughout the 40s and 50s, and later. You can even find some with matching napkins or table runners for a buffet. I am not usually so lucky; if I find a set of matching napkins
I buy it, whether the tablecloth is there or not- I figure that will be the easiest piece to find later! Most commonly they have flowers or fruit, or a Christmas theme.

Here are my favorites:

This one was my Grandmother's. It is still my favorite of them all. I love the lattice design and the apple blossoms; so 1940s.

The roses I have in yellow as well, but that one is round. Since the only round table I have is my picnic table, I use it outside.

I love the colors in this one- kind of unusual.

This is my most recent acquisition- a red, white and blue color scheme plus polka dots! Who cares if it doesn't quite fit????  A steal at $3.50, too!

Sometimes the faded ones have just the right look. Kind of shabby chic, I guess. (Don't judge me by my ironing skills, though!)

This one was a gift from Zootsuitmama, and one of my favorites!

This one is so 50s, with the pink and the teapots.

Another pink one- I have this same design in yellow as well. But I decided to use it on the table today because Valentine's Day is approaching.

Some people really collect state tablecloths. This is the only one I have, but it's a good one- Alaska. It was just on my table last week in honor of all the snow we've gotten!

Here's one of my Christmas tablecloths "in action" ;) . I have printed glasses that match- that will be another "SusieQT collects..." feature someday.

This is a little different- it's a set of 4 placemats, 4 napkins and a tablerunner. I love this; it seems really 1930s to me. I often use just the tablerunner, since my kids are still very messy eaters. We usually put ugly plastic placemats out to protect the good tablecloths when we eat, so they last at least a couple of days before needing to be washed (and ironed, ugh...)

I store them folded in a glass-front cabinet that used to be my Grandma's. You can see some of the tablerunners on the right and the Christmas ones on the bottom.

It's nice to have them somewhere where I can see them and enjoy them, plus the cabinet reminds me of Grandma's house.

Make-it-from-scratch Monday: Oatmeal Molasses Bread

Since I posted the last bread recipe, I've really been enjoying making my own bread. I made my own English Muffins (which really aren't baked at all, come to find out) and then tried this recipe of my grandmother's.

 My paternal grandmother was a fabulous cook and baker, and some of her baked goods were legendary. However, I do not ever remember her baking bread- it was always pies or cookies. Even my dad couldn't recall her baking bread. But she must have, because she was born in 1903 and started keeping house in the 1920s, when it was not likely she bought bread at a store. Since this recipe uses some archaic ingrediants, I am going to assume it is from that period before my dad was born (1937) or from the war years when she couldn't get sugar or butter. She also moved from rural Lancaster County out to urban Pittsburgh about that time, so it seems likely that was the end of her bread baking.
This recipe was published in the Lititz Moravian Church (of which she was a member after she moved back from P'burgh in the 50s) cook book about 30 years ago. I was actually paging through the cookbook looking for something else when I saw this, and thought I'd give it a go:



 

So first mix the softened oatmeal, molasses (I assume "Not New Orleans-type" means "unsulphured"), softened butter (instead of shortening, blech, but it was one of Grandma's favorite ingrediants) and salt.

Add the yeast-water mix. (This is one of my favorite kitchen smells- yeast working.)

Add 2 beaten eggs- I used large instead of medium, but reserved about 1 T of the egg for later- and 2 c. flour. (I used 1 c. white and 1 c. whole wheat.) The dough is quite wet, almost like Play-doh.

I added another 2 cups of flour and kneaded it for a while. Then I set it in a gently-warmed oven (heated to 200 and then turned off) to rise for 1 1/2 hrs.

While that was rising, I prepared 3 loaf pans, by greasing them and dusting them with oatmeal- you need to add a lot of grease or the oatmeal won't coat it.

Once the dough had risen, I divided it into 3 loaves and brushed the tops with the reserved egg mixed with a bit of water, and then some oatmeal. Then it needs to rise again for about an hour. Maybe more, because I think they were still on the small side after that time.

But they baked up into cute little loaves, that had a very distinctive taste. The molasses tang is definitely there, but the oatmeal somehow disappears into the rest of the flour. It's certainly not a sweet bread; more of a sandwich bread. I did end up giving a loaf away along with a jar of homemade marmalade to the neighbor who plowed our driveway that same day, and I think that would be about a perfect taste pairing.

Trash-picked Tuesday: Vintage Lawn Furniture Pt. 4

People throwing away perfectly good lawn furniture never ceases to amaze me. I mean, who doesn't need an extra lawn chair for parties or picnics? Especially well-made, functional vintage lawn furniture!

Maybe it's the cold weather around these parts and someone wasn't thinking straight, but I found this lovely aluminum and wood chair out by the curb with a "free" sign on it. Well, if it's free, it's for me!

It also brings back memories for me, because my grandmother used to have these exact same chairs on her front porch.

It may be a while before I can really get out and enjoy it, though! ;)

Make-it-from-scratch Monday: Winter soup and bread

For this week's MIFS Monday, I spent a nice cold winter's day making lentil soup and honey-wheat bread. I got the lentil soup recipe from Aunt Martha, and borrowed a wonderful bread recipe from 50sgal over at the Apron Revolution http://my50syear.blogspot.com/2010/02/12-february-1956-lucys-connecticut.html . You might have heard of her; she's living her life completely as if it were 1957.

Anyway, both of these were firsts for me. I've never made lentil soup before, and believe it or not, this is the first time I've ever baked my own bread.

I've always been quite interested in self-sufficiency, and since I'm home a lot now, I have been wanting to make my own bread. And do more cooking with stable pantry staples like dried beans. Add that to my canning and our garden, hunting and fishing trips, and we're trying to eat more like our grandparents' did in the Depression and WWII eras, rather than the industrial farmed/overly processed food of my generation.

I won't copy the recipes here, and I didn't take any photos of the process (don't know what I was thinking) but I will show you the finished product, with a jar of my homemade marmalade:

I took 50s gal's honey/oatmeal bread recipe and made it with 2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour and 2 c. white. After the first rise I rolled it out and sprinkled it with cinnamon sugar and craisins, then let it rise again and baked it. It was definitely a success- tasty and really quite easy. The craisins really make it good, and the honey adds a bit of sweetness, without using white sugar. I encourage any of you at home on a cold winter's afternoon to try both of these recipes!

Practice in Time Vintage on Etsy: Vintage and Value!

After years (literally!) of saying so, I've finally gone and done it. I have finally opened my Etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/practiceintime

I'm adding inventory slowly, but starting with the absolute best of the best. These are the pieces I've selected over the years I've been buying vintage clothes, which I feel to be the highest quality. Those of you looking for things to wear to Viva- now is your chance to shop, before the goodies are gone!

Some of them will be hard to part with, like the black Asian-inspired 50s dress- that is so killer!!!!
But I'm done kidding myself that I will ever fit into some of them. My loss (or lack thereof? LOL) is your gain!

And all the menswear I've bought over the years for hubby- he will only wear vintage to a few events, and doesn't need a closet full...so it's going to the shop!

Then the kids clothing... man, I have bought some incredible stuff that my kids grew out of so fast. Some they never had a chance to wear.  Watch for those to be uploaded soon.

I will add a Bargain Basement section once I have all the other categories done. I can't believe how much work it is to measure, take photos and get the listing done, all while fending off two little "helpers" that want to help me measure!

So take a look- click on the photos at right- and let me know what you think. I know that I need to take better pictures; I am just really bad at that. But any advice you experienced sellers have for a newbie? I've never even bought anything on etsy, so I have 0 feedback....

And, if you are a follower, I will take 25 % off any purchase between now and March 1!