I am in the process of making myself a craft/scrapbooking station after being inspired by all of you talented ladies out there. While clearing out some drawers of my new workspace, I came across this vintage (1938) Brown and Polson Cookery Club magazine that my mum gave me a while back. It was my Auntie Jean's and it is a fun peek back at life for the everyday housewife in the late 30's. I thought I'd share a few gems with you...
One enterprising mother offers this advice: "Sandwiches made with thin bread and butter and a thick layer of Brown & Polson Corn Flakes make an excellent 11 o'clock lunch or supper for children if served with a glass of milk." Uhmm...yeah...sure...my kids would jump at that!!
What to consider when buying the cheaper cuts of meat for your family:
Sheep heart stuffed and baked makes a most nourishing meal. Oyyy...Why weren't there more vegetarians back then??
Tripe contains a large amount of nourishment and is very easily digested. What exactly is this??
Pig's Fry can be bought cheaply and make a wholesome and tasty dish. No doubt...
Sheep's head can be boiled and served with sauce or used for making brawn. Is anyone hungry yet??
Another old book I forgot I owned is Rose Buckner's Book of Homemaking. Rose has many tips on being a great wife and mother. Here are just a few...
"The woman makes or mars the marriage. She it is who has the job of making a new world for two people, and whether happiness or bitterness dwell in it must depend largely upon the woman." Is this akin to the saying, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." ??
Here's a doozy:
"More married men have been driven to other women by loneliness and that feeling of being shut out from their own family than from any other cause.A mother is sometimes too ready to exclude Father from the family kingdom. It's not because she wants to keep him and the children separated, but usually it is a desire to get the children out of the way and the house looking tidy before Father comes home. And, perhaps, to allow time to titivate herself for his return." Titivate...titivate...hmmn??? tit·i·vate : transitive verb : to make smart or spruce ( well, that's a relief...I didn't know where Ruth was going with that...!!!).
I was somewhat surprised to read some of Rose's rather progressive beliefs:
She writes, "Many women are better wives and mothers if they have the satisfaction of accomplishing something other than home duties. There is no suppression then, no frustration."
"No interference should be tolerated by the newlyweds. Marriage has little hope of success where there is outside interference. I think a girl knows instinctively if the 'in-laws' will cause trouble. If she has any suspicion that they will, she should never share their home." Amen to that!!
"One obstacle to a happy marriage is the ease with which a woman can, unknowingly, become a 'home-worshipper' instead of a 'homemaker'. When she comes to think more of the pile on a carpet than she does of the child playing with bricks and making the carpet untidy, then there is not much harmony in the home."
I bet Ruth was a kind mother, too. She is sounding more modern indeed:
"It is an indignity to be smacked by by an enraged parent. The parent forgets in time- the child, never. I should not be worthy of my children's respect if I took advantage of their defenceless position and smacked them just because I couldn't control my temper-for that is all it amounts to..."
"Children need to dream; to be left alone to sit and do nothing. They are not lazy; in their little minds they are inventing, planning, lost in a world of make-believe magic where string and nails make magic carpets that can achieve miracles." I think I like this woman very much...
And finally:
"Children owe nothing at all to their parents, except respect, and parents have to work hard to earn that."
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You can say that again!! I just finished checking out the Michael's website for their fall line-up, because I'm heading to Halifax on Friday and I will be hitting Michael's for sure!! I thought I'd see a few things I would like to have, but no...the greedy girl in me saw OODLES of Halloween decor I have to have!!! Now, for those who know me well, I have boxes and boxes of Halloween decorations (I'm sounding so shallow here...) and I hardly need any more. The thing is you see, I have plans to transform my fireplace mantel into a creepy laboratory display and some of these great offerings are too good to pass up... Don't you love th0se silhouettes??
I honestly think Martha Stewart (and her team of elves) do the best job of Halloween decorating. Because I want to have a party for my kids to usher in the spooky season, I have always wanted to try to make these invitations. Lo and behold, now I don't have to!! That Martha, she's so good to us!!
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