Laundry Day

 "Washing the laundry is what a woman does that nobody notices unless she hasn't done it"  Aunt Middle Mary  

I bought a new (new to me) book yesterday at Half Price Books and it is just full of homekeeping tips.  The book is Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping: Timeless Wisdom and Practical Advice
It is available by following the link to amazon
, as well.  I will be sharing some of these tips on future posts but today I want to share some for my Monday Laundry Tips post.  I hope you find these useful.

Today's tip will focus on starching.  I like to starch David's work shits, they just look crisper and nicer when wearing.

"Starching is an effort to replace the original finish which the textile manufacturer gave to the fabric, and which, in most cases, is removed when the garment is washed.  Miss Sallie Anne's recipe for starch gives clothes a beautiful finish, leaving the fabric smooth and pliable and giving it a certain 'feel' which makes it attractive.  there is nothing quiet like a the feeling of putting on a freshly laundered and starched garment that Miss Sallie Anne has tended to." page 59.

Miss Sallie Anne's Superior Recipe for Starch

2-6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup cold water
1 quart boiling water
1.2 teaspoon lard, paraffin, or any white wax

Mix the starch and part of the cold water, and stir into the boiling water in a double boiler.  Ise the remaining waterto rinse out the adhering starch.  Add the lard or white wax, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.  Strain if lumps are found.  This paste can be thinned with hot water until it gives the stiffness desired to the fabric.
For white clothes, use the starch as hot as the hands can stand.  Hot starch penetrates better and more evenly, and does not leave glazed spots when ironed.  Keep the bulk of the starch hot and use only a part of it at a time, replacing it frequently when it becomes cold and thin.  More satisfactory results are obtained by having two pans od starch, besides the reserve supply.  Dilute one with enough ater to make a good paste for the thinner garments, and keep the starch in the other pan sufficiently thick for the heavier fabrics.
Starch first those garments which are to be the stiffest.  Garments wrung very dry before starching will be stiffer than wetter ones.

Happy Homemaking...

Tiffany
this post is linked to Penny Worthy Project

Thrifty Aloha!!!!

Since Valentine's Day is past, I can post some of the Aloha shirts I found.  I keep an eye out for these because David LOVES them and has quiet a collection.  I found a few that I picked up for his Valentine's Gift.

 This is our absolute favorite.   He wore this Friday and has designated the end of the week "Aloha Friday" after the popular song.

 It is a silk blend.  The red is very vibrant and the pattern is gorgeous.

 This one is a very large shirt.  It was half price so I picked it up as an experiment.  I am going to try to make a mini shirt dress out of it and use it this summer for an "after the water park" outfit to go over my swim suit.  I often have errands to run or we might stop for a bite to eat when we leave the park.

 This one looks so nice with David's blue eyes.

 I do not see many black Aloha shirts so I picked this one up as soon as I saw it was the desired size.

 I love the lounging lady.  How sexy!!!!

 This is actually blue, although it looks black in this photo.

 And the old surfer car is adorable.

 I picked these up for a party we are planning for the summer.

I do not know anything about the signature on the bottom.  I think they were made for tourist shops.

Here is a little video to help get you in the Aloha mood...but be sure to mute my blog music so they are both not playing.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page to mute blog music.

Tiffany

this post was linked to Thrift Share Monday.
And Fabulous Thrifty and Fashionable Friday .

Friday Night Funnies: I Married Joan

This is one that once I hear the opening song, I just humm it for days.  Oh and that opening...a Mid Century wedding, what more could a gal want? 

This next clip is really cute.  If you are a vintage hat lover, you will love all the hats and cringe at the ones they destroy.  Also of note in this clip is the customer service, along with the hats, we have lost personal customer service in our mega mart world.






"The show announced itself each week as "America's favorite comedy show, starring America's queen of comedy, Joan Davis, as Mrs. Joan Stevens." The series focused on a married couple, Joan and Bradley Stevens. Joan Stevens usually found herself in numerous wacky jams, with or without the help of her younger sister (played by her real-life daughter, Beverly Wills). Episodes usually began with Backus as Judge Stevens recalling yet another merry mishap, followed by the unfolding of the mishap, and ending with Stevens summing it up.
Sponsored by General Electric, I Married Joan was aimed at the viewers who watched I Love Lucy, a year older and already television's top-rated situation comedy. The show ran three seasons in first-run production before falling victim to weakening ratings and Joan's personal health problems." from Wikipedia

photo from life.com

I enjoy this show.  I think Joan Davis is very funny on many levels.  She is kind of like Kramer on Sinefield, using physical comedy to make us laugh.

I remember when we first got cable, back in the very early 1980's, I was probably in the 3rd or 4th grade and somehow I managed to stay up very late and watch TV.  I Married Joan was being played on one of the channels along with Dobie Gillis or Patty Duke...or both, I really do not remember but there were a few of the older black and whites on as part of their late night programming.  This was before Nick at Nite.  I fell in love.  This was so much better than I Love Lucy and Leave it to Beaver, to me, because no one else knew about this discovery....EVERYONE was watching the same old re-runs and I found something new.  I would beg to stay up on Friday nights so I could watch more of this show and dream of the dresses...oh I was hooked on the clothes back then, too...  

You can see an episode in it's entirety at Archive.com, along with the original GE commercials.  How fun is that? 

photo from life.com

Owls Owls Everywhere....

And I have some, too.  I found these mysterious guys yesterday while out and about treasure hunting and picked them up without thinking.  They are stunning, yet I have no where to hang them.  I have decided I might list them in my etsy shop, Girlie Girl's Notions, but can not find any info to price them.  They are signed N. Hull (or looks to be) and are numbered 15 out of 100.  The frame is nice, too, needs to be polished but looks nice.

Does anyone know anything about these mysterious owls?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Tiffany

What am I wearing? Red and White Pokadots

 I. Love. This. Dress!!!!  I saw it at a second hand shop and loved it right away but it was way too big.  So...I left it behind, this was right after Thanksgiving, I believe.  Well I was in the area a few weeks ago and the dress was STILL there!!!!  I think the fact that it was marked at a really large size and not in the plus size area was one reason...or the fact that it was MARKED a larger size than it actually was.  That fact made me leave it behind once.  Well since it was still there, I decided to try it on.  It was pretty big on me and kind of shaped like a big ole sack, but I saw potential.  It was about 10 bucks, much more than I would pay at a second hand shop on a dress that MIGHT have potential.  The plan was to alter, add a belt, and .....here ya have it.  The perfect housedress for winter, with a sweater...and spring without a sweater.  I think I might could even dress it up with stockings and heels...maybe?

I love the "shirt dress" look.  The collar looks great with a sweater.

Dress: second hand and altered
Belt:  just plain old from my wardrobe (it has a silver western buckle and rhinestones)
Shoes:  vintage loafers by Etienne Aigner
Sox:  Polo by Ralph Lauren (totally do not go with the outfit but since cleaning out my sox drawer they are about all I got...LOL
Sweater:  I think from Macy's?  a staple in my wardrobe.

Please excuse the "no make-up" look.  My skin has been extra dry the last few weeks and make-up did not help.  We brought the humidifier out and that has helped a bit.

Speaking of "shoes", I have found these Etienne Aigner to be a very good choice.  I found out about them from one of the residents at the Assisted Living community where I used to work.  This woman said that they were her choice for comfort that still looked good.  She was a busy department store window designer, on her feet all the time (when she was younger) so I took her word for it and found a pair.  She tried to give me a few pairs from her closet but they were not my size and accepting gifts was a reason to fire someone...so I had to respectfully decline.

Here are a few pairs I have my eyes on...they are new but have the classic look.

 

I appreciate how these shoes have slip resistant soles.  This is why they were rather popular around the retirement community.  I have a few pairs of Bass loafers that are so slippery when walking on wood or wet pavement rocks.  Also, the soles are well made and of durable material, unlike my Cole Haan shoes that wore out so fast (and they are so pricey!!!!).  They also have a very classic look to them, another reason for their popularity among the retired ladies.

Tiffany
This post was linked to
Fabulous Thrifty Fashions.  Check out this blog for some fabulous fashions from Goodwill.
Tales from Bloggeritaville
 

Chic Star.....yes or no? Reviews needed!!!!

In my search for 1950 / 1960 inspired dresses, I came across Chic Star.  I love that the site has photos from people who actually bought these pieces, people in every kind of body shape.  They even give you store credit for posting a photo.  They also let you submit designs for a chance to have your design made, and you get store credit for that, too.  Pretty generous.

The thing is...some of the material is hard to judge.  Is it cheap?  The prices are low, so I am thinking...Yes.  But you can get inexpensive and it still lasts.  I think these fashions are from China?  I would prefer the good ole "made in the USA" lable, but well..."made in the USA" is not producing what I am searching for (except for what I make myself, "Made in Plano"). 

Also, are their sizes true?  Do they run big....do they run small?  Are they perfect?  This is why I do not enjoy shopping online.  Being unsure.  I find making decisions hard enough....I do not need to add this on top of it.

If anyone has experience with this shop, please comment or email and let me know.  When I make my purchase, I will be sure to share my experience...but I have to find the confidence to make the purchase...

Here are the things in my shopping cart...

http://www.chicstar.com/storefront/listproducts.aspx?Plus-Size-Belted-Sleeveless-Pencil-Dress&id=8294

 

http://www.chicstar.com/storefront/listproducts.aspx?Plus-size-Retro-Belted-Pleat-Dress&id=9522

http://www.chicstar.com/storefront/listproducts.aspx?Plus-Size-Rockabilly-Polka-Dot-Halter-Dress&id=7592

http://www.chicstar.com/storefront/listproducts.aspx?Plus-Size-Flounce-Ruched-Ruffle-Belt-Shirt&id=8408

Thanks in advance...

Tiffany

Give-a-way alert....PYREX!!!!

Hop on over to http://vonlipisfavorites.blogspot.com/2011/02/retro-tuesday-smells-like-spring.html for your chance to win.

Tiffany