Another Eaton's Catalogue - 1908

I'm going way back in time today, to the summer of 1908 - this catalogue has seen better days, the outside covers are quite fragile.  This book belonged to a relative - just to think that people from my family shopped from this book - it's hard to even fathom.   The catalogue is 318 pages - of course, there are the regular sections,  clothing for ladies, men and children, home goods - then there are the categories which could only be from a catalogue way back then - horse and cattle medicines, notions and small wares, there's just so much that we don't even see any more.

In this post I'll be showing you the fashions that the lady of the house would have been wearing in the summer of 1908.

I'm just looking at the sizing chart for these suits - bust sizes are 32 - 42 but waist sizes are 23-29.  If you needed a special or extra size, it was $3.50 extra and would take 10 days to make the special order.

Can you just picture the ladies wearing these at a picnic?  Just look at all the embroidery and lace...

Look at that cape on the upper left - it was made of black brocaded silk, bottom frill of lace, silk ribbons and lined with sateen - for $6.00

This would be a shirt or blouse to us - back then it was called a "waist" - lots of embroidery once again and lots of buttons - the cheapest one is 75 cents!!

There are quite a few pages of footwear including shoes and boots.  Carla and I often comment when we see these old shoes in antique shops, they're just so narrow - I see that sizes were from 2 1/2 to 7 - I couldn't even get my foot in one of these!!!

Of course, this was the time of hankies - I've never heard of lawn handkerchiefs before, have you?

The millinery department was just as extensive as the footwear - there are many pages.  The colors were about the same for every one - black, navy, brown, pearl, champagne or white.  They're so pretty!!

There's also quite a selection of corsets - the description for the gal in the picture reads - straight front, fine sateen, filled with steel wire, long hip, hose supporters attached, drab and white available - 85 cents!!!  

An enamelled maple leaf brooch, gold plated for 10 cents!!!  The other jewellery pages include hat pins, bracelets, lockets, chains and watches, but the watches weren't wrist watches, they were pocket watches.

This is the back page and not in good shape at all - I thought the scents for the perfumes were very interesting - new mown hay, crab apple, wall flower, sweet clover - those are just a few of the different ones, of course, there are lots of flowery scents - all selling for 40 cents an ounce.

It was really hard to pick out a few pages for this post - click on any picture for a better look.   I'd love to share more with you another day....

Carla has entered an online contest -" Blog What You Love" and sure would like to win the big prize of a $1,000 shopping spree at her local mall.  Because she is my daughter, I'm going to help her with this post and I hope you will too - if you're on Facebook all you have to do is "Like" her blog post and you can do that right here - let's get her some more votes!!!  It's that easy!!    Thanks so much!!

Today I'm linking up my post with Vintage Thingie Thursday, Share Your Cup Thursday and Thursday Favorite Things

Kay's Spaghetti Sauce

At the first of the year I started a "Pinned and Tried from Pinterest" project, it kind of fell by the wayside when summer arrived, I just wasn't trying many new recipes.   I tried this one yesterday that I had pinned a while ago and really liked it - Kay's Spaghetti Sauce - the original recipe came right here from  from All Recipes, I don't think you can go wrong with any recipe on that site especially any recipe that has a lot of 5 star reviews.

These are the leftovers from last night, I'm going to divide it up and freeze it.  We had it on whole wheat spaghetti but it would be great for any type of pasta. Doesn't it look quite nice in Pyrex Friendship? 

I pretty much followed the recipe - I used ground chicken instead of ground beef, used parsley instead of oregano and added fresh mushrooms.  I let it simmer for a couple of hours - make your own sauce, it's way better than anything out of a jar or can!   

I'm sharing this post today with Creative Bloggers Party at Homemaker on a Dime

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

I like to make these banana cookies but I often forget about them, when those bananas get really ripe, I usually either make a banana bread or muffins.  Mom used to make these,they weren't a regular but  I discovered them again a few years ago in a book called " Great Canadian Cookies".  They're filling up the Pyrex Cookie Jar just fine, it's a really nice cookie!

I'm linking this recipe up with Junkin Joe ,  Weekend Potluck at the Country Cook and for the first time, Melt in Your Mouth Monday

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2/3 c. margarine

1 c. white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. mashed, ripe bananas

1 c. chocolate chips, I add a little more

Preheat oven to 400.

Combine flour, b. powder, salt and b. soda

In a large bowl, cream together margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and banana.  Stir flour mixture into creamed mixture in thirds.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop teaspoons of dough 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet, I always just use parchment paper for cookies.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until golden.    Enjoy!

 

Oh, Baby - Eaton's Catalogue - 1961

This time I'm featuring the baby section from my Eaton's winter catalogue from 1961 - these are such fun posts to do - I've done two others from this catalogue - here and here - the baby section is just too cute.  I'm going to show you most of the pages, some are just a bit ordinary - like sheets and cloth diapers!  You could buy a dozen gauze diapers for $2.99, the pins cost 23 cents and the plastic pants were 2 for 49 cents!

Everybody had "walking shoes" back then, even when my children were born, that type of shoe was still popular. I haven't bought children's wear for a lot of years, I know these shoes were expensive when Carla started wearing them in 1983, the most expensive pair of good quality leather shoes was $3.97.  There's some funny names on some of the footwear - I've never heard of "blucher boots" before??

Moving on to the nursery needs page - I guess a change table used to be called a "bathinette" - the solid plastic bath was removable, equipped with drain hose so it could be used in the kitchen, bathroom or nursery, one of these beauties cost $29.95, that seems high, I imagine most people just had the plastic tub that fit in the kitchen sink.  I see the plastic  baby hangers, I had those and there's still some around.  

A layette was probably the way to get all your baby needs with one stop shopping - vests, gowns, safety pins, diapers, blankets, towels and facecloths, quilted pads, sheet, plastic pants.  

Are these two piece pajama sets with snaps still in style?  I used those for my kids - I hope they still have them when I might need to buy baby clothes again, someday I will, I hope!!!

Oh, the babies look happy, decked out in all their finery!!

Let the wind blow - they're ready for snow!!

Look at the Gro-Up Crib Bed - from crib to junior bed -features the ever so handy "Sit-In" side for easy entrance and exit.  Teething rails in white, non toxic plastic!!!  

There's a Pyrex baby bottle on this page - 3 for $1.17

I can't believe the baby seats - I guess it was better than nothing but a far cry from what is used today - everything on this page has changed so much - play pens, seats and especially the car seat!

And to finish it off - the baby carriages and strollers - look at that baby stuffed into that stroller on the bottom - he doesn't look very comfortable!!!  Look at the car beds - striped or plaid were available - I can't even imagine using one of those but I guess people did!!   The strollers are very nice - did you have one for your children?  I had to have one, I felt so proud walking around with my new baby in that blue carriage, but, really, it was never used that much,  my kids were born in August and September, by the time winter was over, they were in a stroller - actually, my stroller looked something like the ones on the bottom and that was 1983 - but now, they have really changed.

As always, click on a pic for a better look.

Last week I participated in the Wonderful at Home link party for the first time, my post $1 Spent Here, $1 Spent There was featured -  thanks, Kristen! Check out the party  this week and maybe you have something yourself to share at the party.

Today I am joining in with Share Your Cup Thursday and Thursday Favourite Things - always lots to see.  

Christmas and Halloween

On Friday I was on my way to the grocery store and saw a couple of yard sale signs, I pulled in and came away with some neat things.  Yesterday I knew I shouldn't have gone out to the yard sales, because I just had a feeling they would be bad and I should be satisfied with what I found on Friday, I was right, most sales I drove by and didn't even get out.  I did park right at the front of one, left the keys in the ignition, it took me a whole minute maybe to look at the goods, went back to the car and the doors were locked.  How stupid was I?  The window was down some, I was able to get my arm  in but not far enough to get the lock,  a young guy running the yard sale got it open on the first try with a hanger.  I went home after that!!

Anyway, on to Friday - I found Shiny Brites at both sales that I went to, $2 for each box, there are made in USA ones and also a few from Poland, I've found some of those before, they are larger and so pretty.  I'm hoping this year I'll have enough to make a Shiny Brite wreath - my collection is growing!

There was a little bit of everything - indents, satins, plastics and one poor little bird.  He had a tail when he came home but that seems to have gone missing, he's not in very good shape.

This is my first Shiny Brite tree topper that I've ever found and in the box - it was included in the price of the decorations, $2.  The original price is stamped on the side, 39 cents!

This is a cute pumpkin blow mold that would go anywhere...

I never look at plastics at yard sales but this Tupperware cereal container was sticking out of a box, it looks like it was never used.  Mom used to have one of these, maybe it's still there, I wouldn't mind having another one, I put oatmeal in it, what a great container!!  I used to have Tupperware years ago but this might be the only piece I have now!

I found some nice things on Friday, I really should have been satisfied and not gone out yesterday at all!

I try to respond to every comment, I appreciate every one, but for the bloggers out there that are no reply bloggers, I'd like to respond but because of your setting, I can't - I'm not ignoring you!!!  It's an easy fix if you choose to go that way.

Check out some other great blogs at Thriftasaurus and Junkin Joe

Juicy Peach Crisp

Don't you think that peaches just could be one of the most perfect summer fruits?  I do and when fresh Ontario peaches are available, I'm right there to buy a basket.  We usually just eat them as a snack, I often eat them cut up with my breakfast fruit too.   Today I tried this recipe for "Juicy Peach Crisp", oh, my - it is so good!!!  The original recipe comes from All Recipes - I had pinned it, now it's on my Made from Pinterest board - I'll definitely be making this again.  

The recipe called for six peaches, I used eight that were a pretty good size - that's the only change I made.  Fruit crisps are one of my favourites, you really can't go wrong.  Give it a try and see what you think!

Today I'm linking up with Seasonal Sundays for the first time and also with Weekend Potluck at The Country Cook

$1 Spent Here, $1 Spent There!

I bought a piece of Pyrex yesterday, I don't buy much anymore but how could I leave this behind..

Yes, it's a 404 pink bowl - it has a few scratches on it and Bar Keepers Friend didn't really do too much for it.  I bought it because - I like the pink, I have two others and it was $1 - yes, $1 - it wasn't marked, I asked her and she said all bowls are $1 - I had to take it.  

So, here's what I have now in pink and turquoise bowls - missing one bowl in each set - I've thrifted all of these - both of the 404's were $1 - they look so pretty together - maybe someday I'll come across the ones I need.

I mentioned a few posts ago that Carla and I had bought a box of vintage Christmas cards, we split them up - here's what I got - aren't they cute? They came with envelopes too and were in the original box which she has.

Don't you just love Miss Chiquita Banana?  That book was printed in 1950.  The other two are Good Housekeeping ones.

We're addicted to "The Sopranos" - we didn't watch it when it was first broadcast - it's a great show, we'll be sad when we get to the end, we're going to finish up Season 3 tonight.  I found this book at the same shop as the pink bowl, it was strange, there were two the very same there, I paid $1 - I'm planning to go through it and probably use it for SMASHing.

I had a lucky day on the scarf front- Salvation Army had a rack full and a plastic milk box full - how nice they had a chair there so I sit down and go through the whole box.  All of the scarves were $1 - come to think of it, I think just about everything I bought was a $1.    I found three Vera's..

I picked out all of these for resale - the big grey scarf on the end - it's a Mercedes Benz silk scarf, hopefully, somebody needs a scarf like that!

Gary was talking about the little wooden spoons the other day that used to come with sundaes - remember those?  Lo and behold, yesterday at Home Sense, I found this ice cream set - paper cups and wooden spoons! 

I am so lucky to receive such nice things in the mail from blogging friends - Ann from A Sentimental Life sent me this beautiful set of four Vera Christmas napkins that she found - I really appreciate it, Ann, thank you!!

Today I'm linking with Share Your Cup Thursday ,  Penny Pinching Party and Wonderful Wednesday's Linky Party - there's lots of great posts on these blogs, check out a few!

Christmas Swap Goodies

My good blogging friend, Erica - of Golden Egg Vintage fame hosted a Christmas Swap in July - I know how you agonize with these things but anyone that takes part in them so appreciates what you do!   I was paired up with Chris from California - her blog is A Little Creation.  Chris went on a summer trip to Belgium so we delayed sending our packages for a bit - mine arrived last week, thank you so much, it was really nice that you took the time to find some neat little things for me in Europe!  That includes Belgian chocolate which is not included in these pictures, I wonder why??  It was so good!!  Some items are Christmas, some are not - but all so cute!

This little plate looks like Christmas because of the sleigh, I've never seen a stork at the controls of a sleigh before, this came from Belgium.

This sweet little angel also came from Belgium - she's just a tiny little thing - so cute!

My little bobble head deer came all the way from across the sea too - he started out in Japan, went to Belgium, then the US , now he's in Canada!

Chris made this - out of a Japanese law book - I've never seen anything like it!

Chris was busy, she made this guy called  Cornelius - he's heading to the game room.  Thanks for taking the time to make these things for me.

It's hard to get pictures of everything so I did a couple of group pics 

A lot of the smaller items were in that box with the snowman on the cover - there's ornaments, crafty items including washi and look at those cute little red and white ice cream dishes..

More ornaments and a box of dominos from the USSR, they're old - another item heading to the game room.

And still more goodies - this pack of cards is also from across the ocean, they're really cute and I love the Valentines, some of them even have the year on them.

Thanks, Chris - you were very generous - and thanks, Erica for hosting this swap.