Coming Full Circle

The other day I was browsing through a thrift store a few blocks from my apartment, chatting on the phone with my older sister the whole time and joking that she (and my other sisters) were my "good luck charms" whenever I go thrift shopping. Sure enough I found a small hand full of books …

Ladies’ Home Journal, January 1960

I have to confess, even seeing the cover of this week's issue of Ladies' Home Journal stirs up some rotten feelings, because of two key things - the mention of Pat Boone, and just a little further down, "How to Lose 25 Pounds and Stay Thin." Why the strange feelings about the two? Well, many …

Reflection in the Aftermath

Warning: rambling, somewhat disconnected post ahead! On Friday my city was hit with a severe storm that included two tornadoes. Much of the city was left entirely without power for days - in fact, I only got my power back late last night. My older sister, who lives out of town, was giving me updates …

Ladies’ Home Journal, January 1949

This week's issue of Ladies' Home Journal is from January 1949! Check out that haircut! Major foreshadowing of the short haircuts and styles that would become hugely popular for women in the 1950's! This issue even has an advice column called "If You Ask Me" - by Eleanor Roosevelt! Amazing! There are some very hard-hitting …

Weirdness Break with The Beatles (and a 1970’s anti-drug PSA!)

Working on those 1970's short shorts I mentioned in my last post, while chilling out with The Beatles and listening to the Magical Mystery Tour album and just had to share this super weird video for Blue Jay Way with all of you. https://youtu.be/Coz0TmK2ZIg I love the absolute weirdness that came out of the 1960's …

Sewing Through the 1970’s: fabric and works in progress

I've been working on several 1970's garments using two of the 70's patterns I recently posted about. So Far I've completed a mock up of McCall's 3734, view A, and am nearly finished the shorts pattern from Simplicity 9487. On the weekend one of my sisters and I went fabric shopping and I picked up …

Serenading Mrs. Kennedy

Funny the things you do when it feels like for years you lost your voice. Lately, I spend most nights singing and playing guitar into the early hours, and I apologize to my neighbour, Mrs. Kennedy, out loud, even though I know she can't really hear me. I've become accustomed to apologizing over the years …

The Ladies’ Home Journal, January 1965

I'm so excited about this week's issue of The Ladies' Home Journal! I'm so glad I accidentally found these on archive.org a few weeks ago! You all know I'm a huge geek when it comes to vintage magazines - I blame my local library, where I used to be able to buy vintage issues of …

Retro With Lana Review!

Retro With Lana is an online vintage sewing pattern shop based in California and owned and operated by the incredibly sweet Lana! Lana offers an amazing selection of patterns, and you can find anything from vintage (starting in the 1940's!) to modern patterns, and she even carries costume, craft, men's and children's patterns as well! …

Vintage Magazines & Sewing Patterns

For my birthday one of my sisters gave me these amazing vintage magazines and two gorgeous vintage sewing patterns and I wanted to share them with all of you. These magazines are seriously making me wish I had a scanner so I could put them up on the blog in their entirety! This magazine is …