Modern Life Of A Vintage Housewife: 2016

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Vintage Farmhouse Wild Apple Sauce

Happy almost Fall everyone. The kid's are back in school and the feeling of Fall is back. Today I decided I was going to make use of our old apple tree's and the lovely apples that are starting to drop onto the ground in our back yard. A simple wild apple sauce recipe will help ensure I won't waste another years crop. The kids love applesauce. A jar of applesauce goes pretty fast in our house so a big batch is in the works using our wild apples.

Women of the 1940's and 1950's would make use of the wild apples. In today's world I guess they would be called "organic" apples. Our home was built in the late 1800's and we have many apple trees on our property. We have crab apples and as I call them "regular" apples. I'm not sure what kind I am using today but they are similar to a Mcintosh apple We are quite lucky to have those trees. I love to think a housewife lived in this farmhouse during the 1940's or 1950's and picked the same apples and stood under the same tree I am today.

I was able to pick a couple of small baskets full. To be quite honest I found some beautiful apples laying on the ground already and foraged those too. I made a large batch of apple sauce and didn't use a real recipe. I went with taste testing to get the final product. I also made an apple crisp for this evenings dessert after dinner.

Making apple sauce is quite easy and hard to mess up. Below a the ingredients I used to make my homemade apple sauce today. It can be made to taste.

Large Batch Wild Apple Sauce Recipe

20 Wild Apples - Peeled or Unpeeled

2 Cups Water

1/2 Cup Lemon Juice

2 TBS Cinnamon

2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tsp Allspice

Gradually add more water for a soupier apple sauce if desired.

All ingredients can be changed to desired taste.

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Heat water, lemon juice and cut up apples together in pan on low. The apples will start to soften, Mash the apples using a potato masher or fork. Add ingredients if desired.

Store it in the refrigerator or freeze it. What a wonderfully simple recipe.

Enjoying the Day while gathering apples outback.

Outfit

True Vintage Cotton Gingham Shirt Dress- Handmade Thrifted

Vintage Paisley Full Apron - Estate Sale Find

1940's Vintage Shoes - Brand Unknown - Thrifted

Earrings - Modern Basic Pearl Pierced Studs

Little Doggie - Millie our 8 year old Shi Zhu Mix we rescued from the shelter this past Spring.

Thanks for Reading!

Happy Housewifing!

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

As Seen On Etsy - Vintage Retro Lunch Boxes

My daughter has asked me to buy her a Vera Bradley lunch box for her high school lunches this year. Vera Bradley is pretty expensive in my eyes. Luckily, I am pretty frugal and she doesn't mind getting deals on things too. Off to Ebay I go for some Vera.

I have also been in the market for a vintage lunch box for my husbands lunches. I stopped by etsy.com to see what goodies they have for sale for new and vintage. Some of these are just too beautiful to use and would be wonderful for a collection or on display in the vintage decorated home.

1957 Teenager Metal Dome Lunch Box - $75.00

Etsy Store: Lalecreations

This is by far my favorite find!

Vintage Animal Crackers Lunch Tote Box - $15.00

Etsy Store : CarolynsEclectics

1957 Red Barn Dome Metal Lunch Box $39.99

Etsy Store: SchatzisShadowBox

1950's-1960's Metal Barn Lunch Box with Original Thermos - $65.00

Etsy Store: Rewind Unique Finds

Vintage Petty Coat Junction Metal Lunch Box - $10.00

Etsy Store : MargsFinds

Adorable with a Shabby Chic Appeal - 1960's Girls Metal Lunch Box - $10.00

Etsy Store - retrorigamarole

Loving this revived RED Vintage Aladdin Lunch Box - $23.63

Etsy Store: TheRunningRooster

I couldn't leave this cute little guy out. Vintage Red Happy Home Lunch Box Thermos - $9.75

Etsy Store: Circa810

They don't make them like they used to. I hope you liked what I found on Etsy.

Happy Housewifing!!

Friday, August 26, 2016

Refashioned 1980's Vintage Dresses into 1940's Style Outfits.

It's August here on the east coast of the U.S. and today was an exceptionally beautiful day. I knew it was the perfect time to snap some photos of two dresses I picked up in early Summer and finally got around to restyling.

These vintage dresses are from the 1980's and possibly early 1990's. Back in the1980's there was the 1980's does 1940's styling rage. I really didn't pay much attention at the time at why the clothing styles were the way they were. I was an 80's kid, I knew I loved the my pastel high top sneakers and any thing fluorescent yellow and of course my rubik's cube.

Shoulder pads found in women's clothing were a style of the 1940's and brought back by clothing designers of the 1980's.

I picked up these two particular dresses at a thrift store of course. They have classic 1940's shirt waist dress styling. As a housewife I prefer a one piece frock as it's easier to throw on and your outfit is done. I like to keep things simple, especially when I have a lot to do in the upcoming day. The fall and winter season are a little different as I wear wool skirts and have to match them with tops and sweaters. I will be doing a fall outfit blog post in the upcoming few weeks.

These two dresses were both about 6 inches too long and hung to my mid calf. I am 5' 5" so these were quite long. I am not a professional seamstress or even claim to be a fantastic sewer but I did manage to hem these two dresses nicely. I also added elastic to the brown dress sleeves to create a ruching effect. The sleeves were much to floppy for my taste. I also took the sides of the polka dot shirt dress in as it was a bit too wide for my waist and made it more form fitting.

I shortened these dresses to match the 1940's hemline styles. As the war went on the hem lines became shorter to about just below the knee in the 1940's. Fabric was rationed like everything during World War II, so the hem lines went up.

1980's does 1940's vintage dresses are more plentiful that actual 1940's era dresses themselves.

Many 1940's vintage dresses have not stood the test of time or are very expensive to purchase. I prefer to wear women's fashion styles of the late 1940's to mid-1950's.

One of the advantages to wearing a 1980's restyled to 1940's vintage dress is that we can machine wash them and not worry about ruining them while doing housework. I would feel much less anxious about staining an 80's vintage dress than a true 1940's dress. These 80's dresses are hanging in most thrift stores in abundance.

I haven't done a photo set in quite a while. I guess I still hate having my photo taken and it's been a source of anxiety for me for many years, and I'm still working on it. I'm an introvert at heart. PS; The polka dot dress is the actual outfit I wore today. I did feel a little out of place at my sons football practice tonight. All the other moms were wearing spandex or jeans. Sigh.

The dresses I am wearing below are light, flowy fabrics much like the rayon of 1940's dresses. These are polyester blends and perfect for late hot late Summer days.

This is a photo of shirt dresses featured in a 1943 Catalog.

Outfit Details

Thrifted Vintage Shirt Dress : Talbots Petites

True Vintage 1950's - Cream Patent Leather Box Purse - Estate Sale

Thrifted Shoes - Vintage Styling Cork Wedge Strappy Sandals - Softspots

Earrings - Modern Basic Faux Pearl Stud Earrings

New Modern Barrett/Bow Snood - Ebay

Outfit Details

Thrifted: Navy Blue with Baby Blue Polka Dot 1980's Upcycled to 1940's Summer Dress by White Stag.

Estate Sale - Vintage Wicker & Leather Purse

Cork Wedge Shoes By Soft Spot

Barrett Clip Bow - Snood - Ebay

Rhinestone Crane Brooch - New from Ebay

Rhinestone Crane Brooch found here on Ebay.

Barrett Bow Snood found here on Ebay.

Thank For Reading!

Happy Housewifing!

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Vintage Nightgowns For the Feminine Touch

Often as homemakers we can become frumpy with our night attire. I am guilty of this myself. The habit of throwing on sweatpants and a t-shirt is easy and comfortable. I have a favorite pair of thick fleece jammie pants myself. I dress vintage as much as I can with a mix of modern pieces, but I have honestly been lazy with my nightwear.

In modern times pajamas have become daywear.

You may have seen young women, mom's and even men wearing jammie pants to the local grocery store. Years ago during my favorite eras of the late 1940's to mid 1950's, this would have been a crazy idea. I wonder if a woman or man would have been arrested for public indecency for wearing pajamas in public?

What happened to women wearing beautiful nightgowns? I suspect as more and more women entered the workforce and became busier those pink ruffled gowns were put away and forgotten about.

Through the years night attire adorned with lace and ruffles would be seen as sexy and only worn for our husbands on those "special" occasions.

I believe with the rise of online pornography and constant sexualization of women in general that anything feminine or frilly translates as sexy. And anything sexy and must be worn for "sex".

Women also wore garter belts and thigh high stockings for everyday wear back in the day, but today those items seem to be seen as an "intimate" uniform for sex in modern times.

Are the day's of dainty, feminine nightwear gone? Victoria's Secret and PINK offer a range to things for nightwear. I'm not interested in thongs, shorty short nighties and I know I don't want words across the butt my panties.

Many of us have heard that flannel nightgowns are for our grandma's.

Vintage feminine nightgowns left a little to the imagination and were functional as well. Some vintage nightgowns were more sheer than others, but many of these vintage nightgowns had matching robes and slippers. During the fall and winter months many nightgowns were made of flannel but also included lace and ruffles. They were very feminine and comfortable.

I'm excited to build my vintage nighttime wardrobe and grow with the femininity it offers. My husband loves vintage nightwear. He also loves the 1940's and 1950's like I do. He agrees that modern women have lost the feminine touch in many aspects.

Below are photos of my two of my favorite pieces of nightwear for the Summer Months. The vintage lace, ruffle and applique details are wonderful. I the vintage pink 3 piece set at an estate sale for $2. It was new in the box. The vintage 2 piece blue lace nightgown & robe set was thrifted.

Beautiful Details!

Pearlesque Buttons, Lace and Pink Embroidered Flowers

Estate Sale Find - Vintage Pink Nightgown & Robe Set

Matching Vintage Ruffle Bloomers

Thrifted Vintage Blue Ruffle & Floral Lace Nightgown & Robe Set

Wonderful Vintage Styling!

Ruffle and Floral Lace Details On the Sleeves Too!

Thanks for Reading!

Happy Housewifing!

Friday, August 19, 2016

A Peek At Etsy Shop - A Vintage Look - Handmade Retro & Vintage Inspired Decor

Today I wanted to share one of my favorite etsy shops, A Vintage Look. The shop specializes in handmade valances, curtains and towels, placemats and pillows. Decorating a home with a certain vintage look can be difficult. In my case, many times 1950's era curtains are a very expensive find or I can't find any at all that match our atomic decor. It's not like we can stop at a Walmart and pick up a midcentury, starburst valance and a gallon of milk.

Years ago women would make their own curtains, but not everyone sews in modern times or has the time to whip up 3 sets of kitchen curtains. If you aren't a sewing enthusiast like myself and are looking for retro decor take a peek at A Vintage Look. The prices are reasonable and the feedback is 5 star from former customers. Browsing the shop is such fun and gives me so many ideas for decorating and re-decorating my home. The shop also takes custom orders. Be sure to favorite the store when you visit.

Below are some of my favorite pieces from Etsy Shop : A Vintage Look