Chronically Vintage Blog

Kicking off February with vintage Chocolate Brownie Pie

2012-02-01T20:00:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it, February - the month of grey, slushy snow piles, loves notes, and a mere twenty-nine days - is here already. Weren’t we just tossing confetti into the air, saying so long to 2011, and waiting for the ball to drop?

Time, as it always does, marches forward though and New Year's is once again a pleasant memory. Now, crossing into the second month of the year, we've been properly introduced to 2012, and that's worth celebrating in its own right.

As this is month that houses Valentine's Day after all, it only seems fitting that February's first vintage recipe be one that's fabulously sweet, bursting with chocolate, and perfect for a special evening with someone you love (romantically or otherwise).

I tend to find that good food tastes even better in the company of someone I care about, and hope the same will ring true for you as well when you bite into today's scrumptious recipe for Chocolate Brownie Pie.

{Though the image here does admittedly leave a bit to be desired, this delightful chocolate and pecan stuffed dessert sounds so mouth-wateringly fantastic that a somewhat monochromatic photo can easily be forgiven. Vintage Chocolate Brownie Pie recipe by way of Shelf Life Taste Test on Flickr.}

These days hybrid desserts that marry two or more classics (e.g., red velvet cookies, doughnut cupcakes, or birthday cake ice cream) are all the rage (not mention endlessly popular on Pinterest!), but they were less common and certainly more novel for folks a few decades ago, which is all the more reason I wanted to share this great vintage pie recipe with you the moment I spotted it.

I hope that just like this tasty treat itself, you each have a seriously sweet, completely enjoyable February, dear friends!

Ten of the UK's best vintage reproduction clothing sources

2012-01-31T10:00:00.000-05:00

After a month filled with much online vintage shopping (or at least a ton of virtual window shopping and a bit of buying) ,as I go about trying to fill in many of the gaps in my wardrobe, it seems fitting to wrap up the very last day of January with a post that ties into that fact.

On the other side of the giant pond, the fine folks in the UK know a thing or two about vintage reproduction clothing. In fact, I'd tentatively argue that the UK has more vintage repro clothing sellers than the US, and certainly more good ol' Canada (which is woefully lacking in this area).

For those vintage fashionistas who live in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, I'd imagine that this must be ultra handy and a great way to regularly update your closet with excellent old school style threads.

So long as we're willing to face somewhat steep exchange rates however, those of us outside of Europe can often avail of the products such UK vintage reproduction retailers offer online. In the past couple of months I've placed my first ever (but very long anticipated) orders with two such sellers, and had sparklingly wonderful transactions with both.

As such, I decided to put together a list of ten vintage reproduction clothing sellers, including the two I've ordered from myself (Freddies of Pinewood and Heyday Vintage, both of which had excellent customer service), as I know many of you are also continually on the prowl for good quality reproduction/vintage inspired styles from our favourite mid-twentieth century decades.

Here then is a roundup of ten terrific vintage reproduction clothing sellers from the UK. Happy wish list making and online shopping!

Big Beautiful Barbara Brown: Offers a wide selection of 1920s - 50s reproduction garments, plus some rockabilly wear, and even a handful of 60s and 70s styles, too. Vintage inspired pieces include high waisted trousers, playsuits, skirts, tops, suits, dresses (such as the darling ruffle sleeved Flirty Thirties frock pictured above), and shorts. Most items are available in an assortment of different types fabric and/or patterns in a wide array of sizes, and are made on a per-order basis.

Dolly Dagger: All sorts of delightful vintage inspired and rockabilly styles abound at this fun site, which houses skirts, jeans, dresses, sweaters (like the wonderfully cute Nautical Nancy sweater shown above) shoes, stockings, swimwear, coats, purses, jewelry, hair accessories, and much more.

Freddies of Pinewood: Known the vintage repro loving world over for their top-notch selection of both women's and men's denim (such as the classic side button jeans shown here), Freddie's also offers customers shirts, jackets, capri pants, overalls (dungarees), and accessories.

Heyday Vintage: Housing a roundup of really lovely 1940s and 50s inspired dresses, trousers, tops, and suits, Heyday is one of the vintage world's most loved sources of reproduction sites. I recently ordered their Fleur wrap dress (named after, and model by, well-known vintage blogger Fleur from Diary of a Vintage Girl) in the English Rose on white pattern and cannot gush about it enough!

Lady K Loves: To quote the homepage of this site itself, Lady K Love features "high quality clothes for rockabilly gals, pin up chicks, and kool katz". While many styles do channel an alluring pin-up vibe, others such as the 1940s inspired Rosie trousers shown here, have a somewhat more "every day" feel to them.

Puttin on the Ritz: With a name that instantly evokes images of chic, fabulously fashionable vintage nightlife, this high end vintage reproduction clothing seller offers a striking array of beautiful dresses, blouses, jackets, skirts, trousers, suits, coats (like the timelessly pretty April in Paris coat pictured here), eveningwear, and accessories, as well as a selection of garments for gentlemen, too.

Revival: With areas devoted to styles from the 20s, 30s, and 40s, plus swing dance and men's wear, too, Revival's assortment of old school inspired clothing and shoes is sure to provide you with a few new must-have items. If ever I wanted to tap into my inner 1920s flapper gal, I'd be highly tempted to pick up Revival's vibrant red Tango Dress shown above.

Tara Starlet: Boasting a highly pretty gathering of feminine vintage inspired looks in the form of dresses, tops, skirts (such as the wonderfully wearable Victory Skirt shown here in red and white houndstooth), playsuits, party dresses, bottoms, suits, outerwear, accessories, and more, Tara Starlet's pieces are just the ticket when you're in the mood to mix demure and alluring.

20th Century Foxy: Chocked full of pieces spanning looks from the 30s to 60s, this site is a vintage reproduction clothing lover's dream and includes items as diverse as crinolines (aka, petticoats, like the ruby red number shown here) to knitwear, hosiery to shoes, dresses, headwear, hair flowers, separates, coats and much more.

Vivian of Holloway: Undoubtedly one of the web's best known vintage reproduction sellers, Vivian of Holloway's inviting selection includes a bounty of dresses, tops, skirts, trousers, and accessories (such as snoods, jewelry, flowers, belts, and petticoats). I'm particularly smitten with their pinafore trousers in blue denim highlighted in the image here.

♥ ♥ ♥

This list certainly does not cover every last seller (be they a company or individual) who is currently producing vintage inspired garments in the UK, but it's a great jumping off point if you're looking to do some overseas shopping.

As time rolls on, I hope to shop with all of the sellers listed above, and would absolutely love to hear about your own experiences with these (and/or any other) online UK vintage reproduction sellers.

Oh, and should any of you happen to be, or know of, Canadian repro sources for 40s and 50s garments, definitely feel free to spill the beans!

A fascinating, photo filled look at Alberta’s rich history

2012-01-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

Before hopping into the main topic of today's post, I want to take a moment to thank you all for your recent blog comments - very much including those that were left on Friday's "Hey, it's OK" post. No where on the whole of the internet, do I know of a sweeter or more supportive group of people than those I've encountered in the vintage blogging sphere, and I truly appreciate all of the thoughts and encouragement you share with me through your lovely comments.

As many of your may recall from last summer's post in which I chatted about about a new Flickr group I'd started called Vintage Canada, being a proud maple leaf loving Canuck - who's also positively wild about history - I have more than a passing interest in anything that combines my adoration of the past with my home and native land.

Thus, when I discover a new (to me) Flickr stream with images pertaining to Canada's history, I just about leap out of my seat with joy! Such was the case about a month ago when, much to my delight, I found that the Glenbow Museum, located in Calgary, had a stream all its own. While not every image in it is vintage, a good chunk of them are, with many pertaining to the history of Alberta and/or the prairie provinces in general.

While my love of Canada and history is scarcely a secret, what some of your may not know is that I actually spent more than two years of my life (late teen years) living in Calgary, Alberta and that my love for this amazing city is, to say the very least, off the charts. I adore Calgary with a passion that, before living there, I honestly did not know it was possible to have a for a city.

I'd be ecstatically happy to live there again one day, if possible, but if not, then I'll just continue to visit whenever the universe permits and to keep those flames (subtle Calgary hockey team reference intended) of passion burning bright by studying the history of this majestic prairie city through sources such as the Glenbow Museum's Flickr stream.

One need not hail from Alberta or even Canada for that matter, to enjoy the photos and illustrations in this Flickr stream though. So long as 19th and 20th century history tickles your fancy, you're bound to discover many images that interest and inspire you in this engaging collection.

While I could easily post every last one of the vintage images from this stream, I've whittled down today's select to fifteen of my favourite images from the Glenbow Museum's Flickr stream to share with all of you.

{Attracting early settlers to Western Canada was an ongoing job for the Government of Canada that lasted for many decades during the 19th and early 20th century. Posters, pamphlets and other literature geared at prospective settlers, such as this wonderfully illustrated one from 1930, often pictured Canada as a land abundantly rich in agriculture prospects and excellent harvests. Over time millions would come to call Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba home, many of whom would indeed farm its vast, golden lands for generations to come.}

{Life for early settlers on the prairies varied a great deal, ranging from unbearably hard to prosperous and highly worthwhile. It was not, generally speaking, well suited for people who were not afraid of a great deal of hard work and dedication - previous farming experience certainly helped too, but wasn't strictly necessary.

In this absolutely darling image from 1912, we see a young woman named Miss Thorsen sitting in the yard of her family's homestead (in Wetaskiwin, Alberta) with a group of adorable chicks and puppies. The appearance of the yard (including a wooden fence), would indicate to me that the family was doing at least relatively well.}

{Families who settled out west often arrived with just the barest of necessities and farming equipment, especially if they were immigrants. As such, children who grew up on the prairies commonly had to come with creative ways on their own to have fun without a lot of toys available. In this heartwarmingly sweet image from the 1910s, we see a group of young boys, sporting cowboy hats, who have done just that by riding each other as horses.}

{While many who settled in Canada's middle provinces hailed from Eastern Europe, immigration officials were eager to bring in people from elsewhere in Europe and around the world, too. As such immigration literature was published and widely distributed in many languages, including Gaelic, which this colourfully illustrated invitation to the prairies from 1907 was printed in. As with many images hoping to attract foreigners, this image attempts to convince immigrants that they'll have a better, much more prosperous life in Canada than the one they'd been living in their homeland.}

{The call to "Go west, young man" attracted thousands upon thousands of men from Canada, America, Europe, and other parts of the world who decided to try their luck at ranching, farming, and homesteading in Alberta. Often these young chaps were single men who arrived without a wife, mother or other female relative to help run their homes, and as such needed to fend for themselves on the domestic front. Case in point, this image of rancher George Pocaterra from Longview, Alberta doing his own laundry in the snow outside his cabin in the 1900s.}

{Long before the days of aviation, and at some points in times even railway travel, reached Western Canada, exploration took place on horseback or by foot. In this thoroughly captivating image from 1914, we see a cowboy, along with his trusty horse and dog, standing on Burgess Pass, British Columbia, as he survives the vast stretch of land before him.}

{Aware of the fact far more men than women were settling the west, and hoping to create long term settlers out of family units, the Government of Canada issued immigration literature, such as this sweetly illustrated booklet from the late 1910s, that was geared specifically towards women.

Often single women of the time were encouraged to find work as domestic help, both in rural and residential areas (and were lead to believe that in doing so it would not be hard for them to soon find themselves with many male suitors and a potential husband), which may be why we see a lady making a pie in this lovely Edwardian image.}

{Those who's grandparents or great-grandparent's grew up in the prairies may be all to familiar with tales of how they walked to school for "ten miles each way in snow up to their waists". So long as one doesn't toss an "uphill both ways" in there, much truth remains in such statements, as youngsters who settled with their parents in the prairies did often have to walk long distances, in all kinds of weather conditions, to reach the nearest school house. In this image from the 1910s however, it would appear these rugged youngsters (from Springfield Ranch, near Beynon, Alberta) are enjoying an afternoon of sledding, not trekking off to school though.}

{As someone who has lived in Calgary, I can tell you that it certainly does get its hefty share of snow each year! However, this rarely deters locals from making the best of a chilly situation and enjoying the snow via winter sports. Here we glimpse a group of young women, from the Central Collegiate Institute, who did just that back in 1915 by taking part in one of Calgary's local ladies hockey teams.}

{While many struggled significantly to eek out a living from the dusty prairie soil or the streets of Alberta's blossoming cities, others were able to not only make ends meet, but to grow wealthy from the farming, ranching, and industrial opportunities that Alberta held. As such, many merchants were available to cater to the needs of such well-to-do clientele. While I do not know if all of these dolls and other toys belonged to the three little girls in this immensely cute 1920s image, it certainly looks their parents were able to spoil them heavily at Christmas time.}

{Though hockey and ice skating were certainly much loved pastimes for early Albertians, they weren't the only winter/snow sports by any means. Skiing was another highly popular outdoor activity, made all the more enjoyable by Calgary's close proximity to the Rocky Mountains. In this lovely hand-tinted lantern slide image from the 1920s, we see a man and woman out partaking in a day of cross-country skiing at Banff National Park, as they take in the stunning view that this part of the country offers all who visit.}

{Recognized the world over a symbol of Canada, Mounties (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) were an integral factoring in helping to keep the peace amongst prairie settlers and city dwellers alike throughout much of Alberta's history. In this photograph from 1933, a group of uniformed Mounties has gathered from a Christmas banquet in Edmonton, Alberta.}

{Cuteness flows like the Bow River through this immensely darling 1930s image of a group of young dancers, in their matching sailor costumes, from the Alice Murdoch Adams dance school in Calgary.}

{Throngs of busy holiday shoppers make their way through the crowded floors of the Bay Department store in Calgary, in this great slice-of-life shot from around the end of the 1920s. One can't help but notice the many fur collared coats and winter boots, which speak of the intensely snowy Decembers that Calgary faces most years.}

{Long before Will and Kate toured Alberta, other members of the British royal family were keen to spend time in this prairie province while visiting Canada. In 1951 Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip did just that, and their journey through Alberta brought them to the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede Indian Village, where they interacted with a group of First Natation's People sporting traditional costumes.}

{All images via the Glenbow Museum's Flickr stream. To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}

Many years are covered in the images above, which follow Alberta from its days as the wild, unsettled west to a land with thriving metropolises like Calgary and Edmonton just a few short decades later.

It is impossible for me to pick just one favourite image, for each speaks to me of Alberta, its hearty people, and all that it took to help mold, shape, and develop Western Canada. Many too, remind me of my own, albeit much more modern, experiences on the province’s golden prairie soil.

If you're on Flickr and haven’t done so already, be sure to follow the Glenbow Museum's stream. It's a trove of invaluable, deeply engaging and historically fascinating glimpses back into the history and culture that helped shaped not only Alberta, but Canada, into the tremendously wonderful nation that it is today.

2012's first edition of "Hey, it's ok"

2012-01-27T10:00:00.000-05:00

As I lay in bed recently, the prospect of sleep a million miles away, I was struck by the fact that at the moment I feel like, in some regards, I'm straddling the dived between heaven and hell (proverbially speaking, of course).

There is so much awesomeness on the horizon in my life right now and such a great deal that I'm excited and hopeful about. At the same time though, for past couple of weeks I've been going through stuff on the medical front that, to put it mildly, can only be called barbaric.

There's really never a good time for medical flare-ups and new problems to arise, but right now, with less than a month to go until our moving day, is really not a stellar time for this.

Nevertheless, I do not go down without a fight and believe strongly in perseverance and positive thought, so as best I can, I'm trudging through these hours. Allowing myself a few tears or an exasperated sigh when needed, but also remembering and trying to focus on all the reasons I have to smile.

{Call me an eternal optimist, but I like to believe that ultimately heaven wins out. Utterly darling vintage angel and demon figurine photograph via MissConduct on Flickr.}

That late night thought, and the symphony of emotions I've been juggling lately, made me think though that it was time for this year's first edition of the occasionally occurring Chronically Vintage post series called "Hey, it's ok" (if you're not familiar with the series, be sure to check out the first two posts from last August and October, respectfully).

There are so many big worries and problems that come our way all the time, and as such I strongly feel that it's vital to not get to hung up about the smaller concerns that appear frequently, too. This series of posts is all about the universe (or least yours truly) granting you permission not to sweat the tiny things - especially if there's something massive troubling you at the moment, too.

*Hey, it's ok*

...if you're still eating your way through the leftover Christmas cookies in the freezer.

...to ruthlessly clean out your feed reader list from time-to-time.

...that you still love - and actively use - your record player, VCR, or retro boombox.

...if you're parenting style is the polar opposite of your own parents.

...for you to make a conscious effort to carve out some much needed "me time" for yourself at least once a week, if not daily.

...to secretly delight in the extra curves you develop if your weight increases a little.

...if you don't watch the evening news very often. Sometimes the last thing any of us wants to hear or think about is more bad news.

...to rush outside in your rain boots and jump in puddles, like you used to a child, after a big downpour.

...that you can't name three new songs that came out last year, but could list at least twenty-five of them from the 40s and 50s off the top of your head right now.

...to do whatever you need to bring the joy you deserve into your life.

♥ ♥ ♥

Life isn't always a bed of roses. Sometimes even on the sunniest of days you can spot a grey storm cloud poking its head out over the horizon.

The important thing, the really critical point however, is to cut yourself some slack, hold onto hope, and keep looking for ways to improve whatever is troubling you. I fully understand that this often much easier said than done, but it's rarely flat out impossible.

So while the forces above and below continue to duke it out in own little world, I'll try my hardest to do just that - and hope that if something heavy is troubling you right now, sweet dears, you'll be able to do the same.

Two wonderfully fun vintage cream cheese tea party recipes

2012-01-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

There is something about the often dreary, bitingly cold nature of mid-winter that begs for moments of extra special merriment to help shake off the doldrums that can accompany January.

One of the quickest, and surely most elegant, ways I know to do just that is to hold a tea party. Such a gathering can be as large or an intimate as you like - it can even be a party of one, just for yourself.

A few beautiful vintage cups and saucers, a freshly ironed table cloth, and a pretty frock are all you really need as your jumping off point for a wintertime tea party - aside from the snacks and beverages of course.

Tea parties are not designed designed to fill guests up to the extent of a buffet or multi-course meal, especially as they commonly take place between lunch and dinnertime. By the same token though, you certainly wouldn't want you friends' stomachs to rumble, so a selection of small, inviting, delicious foods is a must.

Today's vintage recipes are for a grape, pear, and cream cheese salad, as well as for delightfully chic – and splendidly cute! - carrot and cream cheese sandwiches that are rolled up and adorned so as to resemble the shape of lilies (this recipe would be highly fitting for an Easter gathering, too).

{Help chase away the monotony of winter with this charming pair of vintage tea party recipes that come by way of tattered_lost on Flickr.}

In addition to the recipes above, and a lovely array of freshly brewed teas, coffees, and hot cocoa (this is still January after all!), you might want to serve anything from scones with jam and clotted cream to macrons, petit fours, lemon bars, or indicial sized bundt cakes. Offer guests a range of savoury and sweet dishes, to help ensure everyone's tastes are well accommodated for.

Then, sit back and enjoy the company of good friends and lively conversation, as Old Man Winter pounds away outside. You're warm, happy, and snug as a bug in a rug at your beautiful tea party, which can't help but up lift one's spirits and help remind us all that spring's triumphant return is just a few short weeks away.

And if that isn’t worth raising a teacup over, I don’t know what is!

Joyful vintage Chinese New Year wishes!

2012-01-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

Unique amongst the animals used in the classic Chinese zodiac as being the only one that is mythical, the dragon begins its reign with today's arrive of the Chinese New Year.

Though I'm not Chinese myself, like many people, I enjoy celebrating this winter festival nevertheless and have long delighted in watching dragon parades, fireworks shows, and other festivities that were put in by the local Chinese communities in B.C., Alberta, and Ontario. (Not to mention whipping up a tasty Asian inspired feast to further celebrate this special day!)

{A cute youngster holders what appears to be a string of firecrackers in front of the mouth on a large dragon costume in this fantastic vintage Chinese New Year's photo from 1937. Image via carbonated on Flickr.}

Like each of the one dozen creatures assigned to the Chinese zodiac, the dragon appears once every twelve years. It is said that those who are born in the year of the dragon are often ambitious, passionate and successful risk takers who are not afraid of challenge or change.

While I wasn't born under the sign of the dragon, there's something quaintly charming about extending to those same traits to the type of year that one hopes lies ahead, as well as to how they carry out their own lives.

Metaphorically, I'll soon be taking to the skies like a dragon to travel across the country and settle in British Columbia, all the while tackling change and challenge with passion - and I hope - a great deal of success.

Likewise, I hope that this brand new year in the Chinese calendar will bring success, happiness and positive change into each of your lives too, dear friends.

Here's to a fabulous year ahead for all of us! Gong Xi Fa Ca!

Totally psyched to have a basement of our own

2012-01-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

Basements, as a general subject, might not be the kind of thing that reeves up most people's engines - at least not in the way that a dazzling kitchen, freshly renovated powder room, or stunning garden might.

I admit, as a whole they're usually not my absolute favourite corner of most homes (in part because the largest spider - if it wasn't a tarantula it was darn near close - I ever saw was in a basement when I was a little girl), but that certainly isn't to say that I dislike them either.

So long as they're dry, well ventilated and properly finished, basements can be fantastic places. Thus is not the case for all underground portions of homes though.

Prior to moving into our current apartment, my husband and I lived in a rather dark, nearly window-less basement (the tiny windows that were there had bars on them, which yes, I know is illegal - we didn't put them on, the homeowner did long before we moved in) for over two years. It was, to say the least, a less than wonderful experience.

When we moved into that kind of environment, we did so believing that we would only be there for a few months (max!). Little did we know that events would play out in our lives that would end up keeping us there for much longer than anticipated. When the time came at long last to move, we wanted to get as far away from dank, depressing basements as was humanly possible, and so our house hunting lead us to a high rise apartment.

This home, while far from perfect either (oh the horror stories about this building I could tell you!), was a huge improvement over our previous abode here in Toronto, and for all it's shortcomings, it has served us pretty well for the past three and half years.

Now though, as many of you know, that time has come for us to move once more. Not just from this apartment building, but from Ontario. We're headed to my home province of British Columbia and to a house, that at long last, isn't just one floor.

Finally, in a charming condo, my husband and I are going to have two floors and a basement all to ourselves. This point, as you might imagine, makes me more than a little giddy!

The basement in our new place isn't massive, but it's not super tiny either. It has plenty of room for me to create a dedicated craft space, as well areas for storage, and a washer and dryer (after years of not having laundry facilities in our home, I'm beyond thrilled about that!!!).

Though the paint (and floor colours) are not the same, and there are some other differences in certain respects (there won’t be all the woodworking and DIY equipment, for example), over all our new basement (as I've seen it in photos and videos), looks a fair bit like the 1940s one pictured below.

{Industrious and attractive, this wonderful basement from 1947 is bursting with creative possibilities and plenty of space for everyone in the household to partake in their favourite hobbies, much as our new basement will allow us to do as well. Image via saltycotton on Flickr.}

To me moving into a house with a basement, the rest of which is also ours to occupy is symbolic of how we've come over the years. Are we moving into a mansion? Goodness, no, but as I sit here now, a little over a month from our moving date, I can't help but feel like this new home is every bit as significant and meaningful as if we were.

So, dear new house basement, I look forward to our impending meeting and the fact that you are the foundation upon which our whole home - and much of our home life - will be built.

An engaging Life magazine look at yesteryear fashion shows

2012-01-20T15:15:00.001-05:00

As the quest to stock up my wardrobe with some painfully needed vintage essentials continues, I find myself digging deeper and deeper around the web for budget-friendly clothing sources. In the process of doing so, I've also encountered some completely charming sites that tie into the subject of old school threads, but which are not actually selling them.

Case in point, I recently came upon a thoroughly captivating slideshow on the official Time magazine website that includes more than thirty photographs of vintage fashion shows. This is the sort of lose-yourself-in-wonderment-of-it-all grouping of images that inspires and enthrals vintage fashion lovers like us to no end.

Long before the days when (most) fashion shows turned into three ring circuses full of clothes that few people would ever actually wear outside of a costume party, and where those seated in the front row mattered more than the cloths parading down the runway, fashion shows offered real world women (albeit often ones of means) the ability to view the latest and most exciting new styles that emerged each year.

As some of the photographs (like the one pictured above of a 1950s model sporting an elegant fur coat) in this stellar round-up demonstrate, fashion show patrons were (often) not only encouraged to interact with the models, but to touch and admire the clothing firsthand (as, designers of the time rightfully felt that this would better help customers decide which garments they'd like to order for themselves).

I think there was something to markedly more appealing about fashion shows of the past, which often put the focus on the clothing itself, instead of on the designer's flights of fancy (or ego!), atomically priced designs, scarily thin models, or over-the-top publicity stunts. This isn't to say that I'm jaded when it comes to all modern fashion shows (or that I think all of them fall into the same modern camp), rather that the "real world", attainable aspect that shows of the past held appeals to me infinitely more.

Whether you're shopping for vintage clothes, looking for wardrobe inspiration, or simply love seeing fashionable images from decades gone by, I hope that you'll enjoy this beautiful assortment of Time magazine fashion runway images as much as I did.

Wishing you each a fantastic, marvellously stylish weekend, sweet dears!

Two quick and easy 1950s cold weather Campbell's Soup recipes

2012-01-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

Before launching into today's tasty vintage eats, I really want to thank everyone who weighed in on my quest for hangers earlier this week. You've helped me narrow down the options and I hope to find a good deal on the types I'd most like to stock my closet with in the near future. Thanks again, you fabulous gals, you, I absolutely appreciate you impute!

On this end, amidst a week of pounding winter winds, we've been fighting off cold and flu viruses right, left, and centre around our house. The mister fell prey first, coming down with what seemed to be a cold at initially a couple of weeks ago, yet morphed into a flu last week (and he's still very much battling it off.) So far (knock wood!) I haven't succumbed to anything that harsh, but I do have a mild cold of my own.

Not the end of the world by any stretch of the imagination, but not exactly fun either - especially while we're trying to pack (and pack...and pack) for our upcoming move. It seems that as each day draws closer to our moving date in late February, there are fewer and fewer hours in which to accomplish everything we hope to do - not to mention a rather tricky scarcity of available room in which to stack boxes (it wasn't until we started packing everything up that my husband and I realized just quite how much we'd carefully displayed and stored our possessions vertically in our little apartment!).

Between flu bugs and hectic days, we likely won't be cooking to many three course dinners (or even two course meals!) for the next little while. Couple those factors which the biting cold outside and weeks like this practically scream out for quick, hearty comfort foods that can be whipped up with store cupboard staples.

For decades now people have been turning to canned soup to help them get a speedy, tasty meal on the table and while some gourmands may turn their noses up at canned soup, I think there is a great deal to be said in favour of this tried-and-true staple.

I have a soft spot in my heart for all vintage Campbell's soup ads (they often delightfully cute, wonderfully homey, or surprisingly chic), so today's pair of vintage recipes is delivered in the form of a Campbell's ad from 1958.

While one recipe ("Souper Scramble") is geared a bit more towards breakfast, it can just as easily be the star of the show at lunch or dinner, too (pair with a crisp green salad, toast points, or baked potatoes to help really fill everyone up).

The second recipe is one of those endearingly fun mid-century casseroles that sees canned green beans being partnered up with condensed soup. In this case though, it's not the more traditional mushroom, but instead chicken noodle that come together with the beans, as well as cooked chicken meat and egg noodles, for a hearty, ultra simple dish that is sure to please dinner-goers of all ages.

{Economical, filling, and absolutely spot-on for days when time is of the essence, these two vintage Campbell's Soup recipes are terrific to have in your arsenal of last minute meals. Image via Charm and Poise on Flickr.}

Of course you can swap in any brand of soup you like here (or alter the recipes so that they bypass store bought soup and are made from scratch). Growing up I was a big fan of Heinz, too, especially their tomato soup.

These days it's trickier for me to find gluten-free premade soups here in Canada, but various brands offer a few varieties (Campbell's Tomato with Basil and Oregano, Chicken with Rice, and Chicken with Wild Rice, for example, are all currently gluten-free and the second two can easily be used instead of chicken noodle in this 1950s casserole recipe, as can gluten-free pasta), so I can often alter vintage recipes like these to ensure I'm still able to enjoy them.

I grew up in a family who loved both canned soups and homemade ones alike, often using the former in all manner of lunch and dinner recipes. As such, I'll never eschew condensed soup - after all, if it was good enough for Andy Warhol to immortalize, it's definitely worthy of a spot in my kitchen cupboard.

Hunting for really good clothes hangers

2012-01-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

Did you know that in the US alone, since the late 1800s, clothes hangers have been awarded over 200 different patents? Neither did I until I started researching this everyday workhorse of the wardrobe world, but it turns out they have - and many more designs have existed around the world for ages (some sources cite Thomas Jefferson as having invented a forerunner of the modern wooden hanger).

For as long as humans have worn clothing (unless everything they had was carried on their person at all times), we've needed places in which to store our duds. From chests of draws to towering wardrobes, footlockers to suitcases, clothing - which gives us so much and asks so little in return - always needs someplace to live when not being worn.

At some point (I suspect fairly early on), modern man (or woman!) came up with the idea of a closet, and the rest, as they say, is history. Few of us these days are without at least one closet in our homes, and most have several. Some closets are designed solely for shelves, but most intended for clothing have a bar (or multiple bars) on which we lovingly dangle our wardrobes.

The closet that I have at present is, to say the least, on the pocket sized side of things! From the bar to the shelve to the space on the floor, I've carefully crammed as much into that itsy-bitsy bit of space as I can - which is all the more reason why I'm thrilled about the fact that our new house is going to have a larger (slightly walk-in!) closet.

While I won't be giving a Hollywood starlet a run for her money in the closet department anytime soon, I'll joyfully take any increase in clothes storage space I can get - especially because I've already got more clothes, shoes, and accessories than my current closet can house.

One thing I picked up on ages ago is that, generally speaking, the less bulky your hangers, the more you're able to comfortably fit onto one closet bar. At the moment we're using a mixture of wood and plastic hangers, most of which were picked up from Walmart, Zellers or Canadian Tire. They're perfectly fine hangers, but most of them could be a little thinner, if you ask me.

{While I don't want to contradict myself, if I could find a stash of super cute 1950s plastic hangers like these darling children's ones, I might just be willing to give up some closet bar space for them Image via galessa's plastics on Flickr.}

I've also grown rather fond of the idea of all of my hangers looking unified and completely matchy-matchy (in a nod to said starlet's closet, which - at least the ones I've seen in magazines - often tend to have rows of perfectly matching hangers). As such I thought it was high time I started testing the waters in terms of what's out there on the hanger front.

Unfortunately, living in Canada, we don't have the abundance or array or organizational, department, or big box stores that the fine folks in the States do from which to shop for hangers, but there are still some options. That said, on top of the three chains mentioned above, there are handful of spots at which to find hangers including (but not limited to) Winners, Ikea, Home Sense, and Bed, Bath & Beyond. Based on my online research last week, the latter has the largest selection, hands down.

As much as I love frilly, girly, padded hangers (think back to those floral print ones that were all the rage in the 80s and 90s), if you’re aiming to save closet bar space, they are not the best choice for your primary hanger (though it's a good idea to usually have a few padded ones on hand for particularly delicate or otherwise special garments that you might not want to rest on plastic, flocked, or wood hangers).

Instead, when space is at a premium, you'll probably want to go with slim line or ultra hangers, which are generally made from plastic (that's often covered in a soft flocking to help hold garments in place). It's these svelte little sweeties that I'm thinking may very well be what my closet (in both it's current and future state) is longing for.

Before plunking down any cold, hard cash on new hangers though, I'm thoroughly curious to know what kind all of you use (and/or love the most) in your closet.

As I know many of yours are too, the bulk of my wardrobe is comprised of vintage pieces, so I'd never opt for metal or anything with the potential to harm my clothes. I need to keep my budget in mind, but am ok with paying a little more if the quality is really top top-notch.

So, my lovelies, please let me know what sort hangers you adore most. I’ll be here, hanger-ing out for your replies , and will let you know which ones I decide to go with in a future post .

Saturday Snapshots: January 14, 2012

2012-01-14T20:00:00.000-05:00

"It's faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life worth living." ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

{One is drawn in instantly to this captivating image of a sophisticatedly dressed 1950s woman who has stopped to have her portrait painted on the street. Neither her eyes nor her mouth is smiling, yet her subtly sombre tone likely has more to do with that fact that she wanted to convey a sense of seriousness in the end image that the artist was whipping up on the spot.}

{Looking rather akin to one of those adorable little girl's birthday cakes in which a Barbie doll is housed in a large frosting covered circular cake, here a young woman pokes her head out from a towering mountain of pink layers as she cruises down the street as part of a 1938 summertime parade float.}

{There is such a sense of sweetness, of young love, and the prospect of the shimmering futures that lay ahead of them radiating from this lovely image of 1920s era couple posing on a classic wooden fence.}

{Looks like we're got a budding fashionista on our hands here! In this heartwarmingly cute colour photo from '55, we get to peak in on Kathy (the wee lass) as she holds up a pretty new plaid dress that she received on Christmas morning - and speaking of nice frocks, I rather like the eye-catching bright pink number the woman behind her is sporting, too.}

{In a photograph that looks as though it could have set the groundwork for a Norman Rockwell painting or the cover of Boy's Life magazine, four kids take advantage of the picturesque autumn weather of 1958 to paddle their canoe serenely across the water - darling little daschund pup in tow.}

{And speaking of dogs, here we see a particularly adorable one being clutched by a 1930s woman (ballerina Helene Kirsova), who also - for whatever reason - is also grasping a bottle of ketchup at the same time. I love her whole look - the cozy winter coat, jaunty neck scarf, timelessly perfect handbag - and the fun quirkiness of this delightful shot.}

{Though I must say, over all, we're being treated to a much kinder winter than usual here in Toronto, I'm still longing for the balmy days of summer and the return of jacket-less weather - a point that no doubt helped draw me to this charming image of a lovely redheaded gal sporting a blue two piece on the shores of Lake Michigan back in 1944.}

{Few things can hold a candle in the cuteness department to a cheerful baby, especially when they're perched in a comfy looking highchair and sporting a sweet little cotton gown like this healthy, happy youngster named Hilda Smith was in 1952.}

{In a scene many of can relate to this wintery mid-January week, a young lad squints against the stark glare of the snow in this charming slice-of-childhood life photo from 1961.}

{There's a sense of artistry to this intriguing 1950s shot which I suspect was not intentional at the time, yet shines through as we look at it now decades on. The dramatic lighting, turned backs, row of shapely gams, and array of fur wraps all add up to something richly alluring and timelessly beautiful.}

{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}

♥ ♥ ♥

Of all the ongoing series of posts on Chronically Vintage, bar none, Saturday Snapshots was always my favourite. Yet I don't doubt for a moment that some of you, dear readers, may not even be familiar with this particular post (in which ten real world vintage images are coupled with a poignant quote). For you see, the last edition of Saturday Snapshots appeared all the very long way back on November 27, 2010.

Nearly fourteen months ago, yet it in so very many powerful ways it feels like a decade, perhaps even two have lapsed since the chilly November day when I last composed a post in this series. To say that I have missed gathering vintage images that speak to my soul, inspire my daily life, and teach me of the past, to pair with someone's meaningful thought about a particular faucet of life, would be a phenomenal understatement.

Silly though it may sound, I've pined to create a Saturday Snapshots posts for many months now, but held off, promising the act of doing so to myself as a way of celebrating the New Year. With 2011's Vintage 365 project now behind us, there is more time and greater energy to devote to posts such as this, and so, ecstatically, I sat down this mid-January evening, eyes smiling like shooting stars, to revive a treasured posts series.

Civil War vet, Supreme Court Justice, and markedly intelligent man, Oliver Wendell Holmes' words so eloquently and succinctly sum up one the key ways I've always tried to live my own life - just as I suspect a great many people have throughout the ages.

So often we make life unnecessarily complicated or lose sight of the simple joys around us, and as they vanish from our line out sight, so too do our enthusiasm levels often plummet sharply. Holding onto faith - in whatever or whomever brings you comfort and fosters a sense of hope - and greeting each day with vim is one of the finest gifts we can give to ourselves, especially when things may seem intensely rocky or bleak.

Make these points cornerstones of your existence and you'll find, as I have over the years, that when all is said and done, the highs will always outshine the lows.

7 ways to keep your blogging mojo going strong in 2012

2012-01-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

As Chronically Vintage heads into its third year of life, one might wonder if I was running low on things to talk about, images to share, or blogging stamina (especially after last year’s Vintage 365 project). Thankfully, I’m happy to report, nothing could be further from the truth!

In fact, as 2011 wound down, I found myself with a powerfully renewed surge of blogging energy, while at the same time I suddenly couldn't cram enough vintage related activities (from clothes shopping to scouring the web for fresh-to-me yesteryear photos) into the day (ok, that's scarcely anything new - but it's always fantastic when you experience an intense burst of passion for a longstanding area of interest).

That said however, we all know what it's like to run into blogging slumps or periods when inspiration seems like it's harder to find than a palm tree in the arctic. I've been there before myself and know that chances are I'll face such periods again, but luckily I've learned some techniques over the years to help forge a path through the thicket of writer's block, lack of inspiration, or distraction caused by other areas of your life that nearly all bloggers encounter from time-to-time.

Last November I shared five tips for daily blogging with you, as I knew some of my readers were interested in running their own year-long daily blogging projects, too. All of those suggestions ring true for bloggers everywhere, no matter how frequently you post, so in addition to today's tips, be sure to give that post a read, if you haven't already.

7 ways to keep your blogging mojo going strong in 2012

1.) Look beyond your own life for topics to write about (and vice versa). If you generally write about events that transpire in your own life (for example, if most of your entries are about the fantastic vintage outfits you enjoy wearing), consider devoting a chunk of your posts to other topics that relate to your blog but which do not put yourself into the story as much (such as articles on the history of various topics that related to your site). By the same token, if you're prone to just writing factual, informative pieces, consider shaking things up by injecting more of your own daily life into your blog posts. Chances are your readers will appreciate a change of pace, no matter which of the two camps you usually fall into.

2.) Start, or renew interest in, a new hobby, project, class or other ongoing activity. Look for areas related to the subject(s) you blog about that you could increase your knowledge in or create projects related to. For example, several vintage bloggers who are also sewers, knitters or crafters have written tutorial posts (and/or ongoing series of posts) on projects that bring together their love of the past, as well as their passion for being creative. Ask yourself if there's a skill or interest you could be sharing with your readers that you aren't already. It could be cooking (post your favourite recipes), photography (take snaps that pertain to the genre of your blog), crafting, gardening, travelling - even shopping - just so long as it's something you feel confident teaching others about.

3.) Draw inspiration from other bloggers' posts. While you likely wouldn't want to copy someone's else's post to the letter, if you read a blog post or other online article that really speaks to you, create your own post on that same topic (perhaps referencing back to the original piece that sparked you to write your post), giving it your own personalized spin.

4.) Create a multi-part series of posts on a particular topic. Just as TV shows sometimes wrap up an episode by promising to continue it in the next episode, so too can you create a series of ongoing posts about a topic (for example, shoes of the 1940s, or ten of your all-time favourite vintage cake recipes) that you know you can write scores about and which is likely to have your audience eager to read the next instalment. The length of the series is up to you, but anywhere from three to ten posts (either spread out of over time or posted in succession) is generally a good number of entries to include in an ongoing series.

5.) Write about what you love. As you sit down to write each new blog post, don't hesitate to remind yourself that you are indeed writing for your blog, not a newspaper, a magazine, or a multi-author website. This is your ongoing project, your passion, and your gift of yourself to the blogging world. If everyone and their dog is writing about some of-the-moment subject, don't feel you need to do so as well just to "fit in". Cover topics that excite you and which you are genuinely interested in. If you do, your passion with generally shine through in your writing and really help your readers feel like they're connecting with you and what you're telling them.

6.) Take a short break from blogging every now and then. Even the best of us get knackered out, become super busy, don't feel up to snuff, or otherwise just need a breather occasionally. Instead of running yourself ragged or falling into a lengthy period of writer's block (which might even lead you to give up on you blog entirely). Step back (if only figuratively speaking) from the computer for a week or two, and give yourself permission to relax and not think about your site for a while as your blogging batteries recharge.

7.) Make note of things that interest and inspire you. Whether online or off, keep a running list of things pertaining to the topics you blog about that have fascinated, mystified, captured, intrigued, or otherwise grabbed your attention. I started a list like this back when I launched Chronically Vintage in 2009 and have added to, and worked off of, it dozens upon dozens of times. Having a list like this can really go a long way towards helping to ensure you never run into feeling like you're exhausted everything you can (in the moment) think of to write about.

{While blogging can sometimes feel as precarious as swinging through the air on a trapeze (like this athletic 1940s gal), most of the time it truly doesn't need to. Remember to enjoy the process, pace yourself, and cover a diverse range of subjects pertaining to the overall theme of your site. Vintage image via carbonated on Flickr.}

As you go about writing blog posts this year, always try remember to have fun and to enrich your life through the content you opt to share with others. Chances are your blog is not your livelihood, it doesn't have to (and shouldn't!) be a source of significant stress for you. Keep in mind that your site is something you made the conscious effort to start and devote a part of your life to on a frequent basis because you wanted to share your interest in a particular subject with the world.

As we motor along through January with our gaze set on the what lies ahead this year, I hope that you'll find the tips in today's post helpful in ensuring you have the strength, time, passion, and inspiration to blog confidently and happily all through 2012 - and well beyond.

Here's to a fabulous year of blogging, dear friends!!!

Fill your family up with this quick 1940s spaghetti stuffed pepper recipe

2012-01-11T19:00:00.000-05:00

At first glance the image in today's vintage recipe might elicit a slight sense of hesitation. The pimento stuffed olive slices are a rather kitschy touch that may not appeal to everyone, but swap those for a few shavings of your favourite hard Italian cheese (parmesan, pecorino, etc), fresh basil leaves, or even a little pan-fried pancetta for extra protein, and you'll quickly see the appealing side of this marvelously easy meal.

I thoroughly adore bell peppers - there isn't a shade I don't go gaga for (orange and purple tie as my favourite colours, but no matter the shade I'll always jump at the chance to cook with this vitamin C packed veggie) - and try to always have at least a couple in the crisper at all times.

Many stuffed bell pepper recipes call for meat and/or rice, but instead this version from 1948 is crams a portion of tomato sauce drenched spaghetti into each delightful green pepper.

Being married to one of Italy's native sons, I pretty much always keep homemade tomato sauce on hand and highly recommend using you own sauce here, but by all means if you don't have any, reach for your favourite jar of store bought sauce to help make this filling dish even speedier to get on the table.

This recipe calls for canned spaghetti in sauce, but I've always made it with precooked pasta (for those like me who aren't able to eat gluten, both rice and corn based pastas hold up wonderfully, in my experience, in this yummy recipe) - do try it with canned spaghetti though, if you'd like (doing so will make this dish even quicker to whip up).

{Hailing from the late 1940s, this charming Italian inspired stuffed bell pepper dish is the kind of fun, quick-to-prepare food that appeals to dinner guests of all ages and is especially well suited to busy weeknight meals. Image via curly-wurly on Flickr.}

I like to add in a clove or two of garlic (or - and this is an extra lovely treat - some oven roasted garlic, if I have any to hand), generous lashing of freshly cracked black pepper and fresh basil and/or some dried marjoram.

You could add ground meat or tiny meatballs to the sauce, as well as grated or crumbled cheese, fresh or sundried tomatoes, olives (black or green), or any other vegetables you desire. Play around with various ingredients until you find a version or two that your family chomps at the bit for.

Not only is this delicious spaghetti stuffed bell pepper recipe ready in a jiffy, it's pretty darn economical . too- especially if you can get peppers on sale or are able to grow some of your own in your garden. I generally make this dish with green or yellow peppers, but any shade will work so long as the pepper is relatively firm to begin with (as it will soften a fair bit during cooking).

Redolent of a Mediterranean mama's kitchen, and perfect for those days when the fridge and pantry are getting low, this vintage recipe is fabulous any time of the year, but works especially well during the bitingly chilly days of January, when one's belly really needs to properly warmed come dinnertime.

My four fun goals for 2012

2012-01-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Resolutions can be a fantastic thing, and while I've certainly set a few in my time, I've never been the sort that felt I needed January 1st to roll around for me to make them. When I look back over my life, some of the biggest and most influential decisions I ever made took place on completely random days (one, for example, happened in early April a few years back).

Generally speaking, I'm the polar opposite of a procrastinator and I love to be decisive whenever possible - if I want to make a change in my life, I try to do it right then and there. So instead of setting specific resolutions to kick off the new year, I'm more about ongoing goals that I can begin now and fully achieve in 2012.

I know that this year (especially during the first three or four months) will be a massively busy one. There's the cross country move at the end of February, setting up a new house, living near friends and family again (so a busier social life!), career related changes, all manner of exciting unknowns to embrace and tackle as each fresh day arrives.

Knowing this, and not really needing to massively overhaul too much (aside from the move!) right this moment, there's something really empowering and exciting about shifting my attention instead to some things that I want to accomplish this year. None of these self-set challenges is hard, in the grander scheme of things, in the least, which is why I'm calling them my "fun goals" of the year.

It can be all too easy to focus on massive tasks and resolutions we want to get done, and while these can be awesome and thoroughly important, it's wise to not loose sight of some of the little, less stressful, easier to accomplish things we'd like to do in our daily lives, too.

While I'm sure other cool tasks will pop up throughout 2012, with an eager smile on my face, allow me to share my four fun goals for this year with all of you.

1.) Do something about my hair! Uggghhh, I've just about had it up to here (and then some!) with my hair. It's bone straight, ultra fine, and has been thinning since I was 14 (much to the mystery of the many doctors I've consulted about it over the years). I know that - if I'm really lucky - I've got three, maybe four more years until it will have thinned to the point where simply no amount of smoke and mirrors, side parts or updos will hide the fact that I'm gradually loosing all my hair (and I’ll need to wear a wig).

In the meantime though, I need to try and whip it into shape - and pronto! For the moment I'll likely stick with my dark reddish-auburn locks, though I have been toying with going brunette (again - haven't tried that look on since I was in my late teens). Much as I'd love to give into the siren call of golden blonde locks, I know from past experience that lighter shades only seem to highlight the aforementioned thinning hair problem, so I'll likely be sticking be darker hues.

The colour really isn't the issue though, cut is. Right now my hair is too long (given how thin it is) and really has no personality of its own. I've been doing small victory rolls in the front/sides and curling the ends most days, but I feel like I need a hair style that I love, not just like (impossible dream?).

I want one that adapts itself easily to the era that the bulk of the pieces in my wardrobe hail from (mid-40s to late 1950s), isn't too taxing on me from a health standpoint (honestly, I don't have the physical strength most days to spend an hour or more on my hair), and that I won't grow tired of any time soon.

I'm strongly leaning towards getting a shoulder length (or thereabouts) cut with perhaps one or two longer layers, which I'll pin curl or otherwise curl, wear side parted, and add in faux bangs or a roll or two, when desired.

Whatever I decide, I want to get it done before the move, so that I don't have to fret about my hair too much once I'm hanging out with a larger crowd of people again (and also for the sake of another the fourth goal on this list). Looks like I better get myself to the beauty parlour pronto!

2.) Keep working towards filling the wardrobe gaps I talked about in my last post. Things are going really well on this front so far. With a hefty dose of elbow grease, I'm unearthing some pretty great bargains online on certain pieces, which is giving me room in my budget to squeeze in those pieces (like vintage repro pants) that bigger ticket items.

This goal is one that's both pressing and ongoing; the key now is to cross off as many the missing items from my list in the next couple of months as possible (so that I won't bore everyone with the same threads day in and day out!) and then add additional new pieces (perhaps like the pretty 1950s summer dresses pictured below) throughout the rest of the year.

3.) Buy more shoes! Ok, I can see you laughing a little. What gal, you're thinking, needs to set this as a goal, but hear me out. As I've mentioned before here, I have a tricky time finding shoes (I'm being too soft on the situation, it's more like I have a brutally, ultra stressfully impossible time finding shoes that even remotely fit).

My feet are a bit uneven sized, but that alone isn't the biggest issue. I have really, really high arches (I soooo should have been a ballerina!) that make my feet feel thick from top to bottom, as such the vast majority of shoes end up being dreadfully painful for me (boots, as a general category, being the one exception - but even there I haven't been able to find a pair of rain boots I could wear since I was about nine years old).

While I'm not leaving the house in bare feet, I'm not exactly giving Imelda Marcos a run for her money either, and I'm in serious need of a few (heck, even a couple) more pair of good, highly versatile day-to-day shoes. A point that is made all the more tricky by the fact that my my nickel and leather allergies mean I need to avoid those materials like the plague (especially nickel!) when shopping for shoes.

I'm determined though, even if (as the case as sometimes been in the past) I have to try on hundreds of pairs to find a few that actually work for me, I will grow the size of my footwear wardrobe in 2012. In a way I think this is the most labour intensive and hardest (so completely relatively speaking!) of my four goals, but at the end of the day, even it still ends up being pretty darn enjoyable.

4.) Take more pictures of what I wear and post them here on Chronically Vintage. Thanks in no small part to this blog and my endlessly sweet, supportive readers, I'm no where near as shy as I used to be about having my photo taken, and moreover I genuinely want to share some of my vintage outfits with all of you. Therefore once my foot has finished healing up and we've settled into our new home in B.C., I really want to try and make sure I post more "what I wore" photos here (not to mention other snaps of various going-ons in my life).

As such, it's of even greater importance to me that I tackle my hair and wardrobe issues asap! Certainly don't want you gals to see me with straggly hair, worn out shoes, and the same dress every day!!!

{All images via Flickr. Please click on an image to be taken to its respective source.}

And there we have it, my four fun, relatively easy goals for the start of 2012. I hope to tackle the first one this month, whereas the second and third are already underway. The fourth will happen, all things willing, in two or three months, so I've got that too look forward to as I go about working on the others.

I'm excited about sharing the progress I make in regards to these attainable goals with all of you in the coming months, and would love to hear about the resolutions, dreams, and goals you have in the works (no matter how big or small they may be) for your own life this year.

Mind the wardrobe gaps

2012-01-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

While living abroad in Europe a few years back, I got to experience long distance rail travel for the first time. Though various Canadian cities have local train (light rail) systems and there is certainly a cross country rail line (Via Rail), the later is often very pricey and can involve days of one's time to reach distant destinations (so it's not generally most peoples’ first mode of long distance transportation), and isn't nearly as wallet-friendly as most European rail lines.

During the process of boarding and later stepping off of trains throughout that beautiful continent, one is (especially in the UK and Ireland) greeted with a sign that says "Mind the gap". This warning is to remind passengers to be careful of the space that often exists between the entrance (door) of the train and the platform onto which they're supposed to step. On most occasions the gap was a tiny one, but every now and then you did need to take a bit of a running leap to make sure you didn't plummet down onto the rails.

Today's post however has little (beyond what we just discussed) to do with train travel and much more to do with my take on that classic, cautionary railroad station poster.

Lately, you see, as we've begun to pack for our upcoming move, I've been giving my closet a good once over, examining each garment and accessory, shoe and bag. Having done so, I can tell you that there are more than a few really basic pieces missing (or in short supply), and so the words "mind the wardrobe gaps" sprang to mind a few weeks ago.

I couldn't help but smile as they did, for I think the expression makes a lot of sense. For quite some time I've been aware of these (figurative) holes, yet have worked - or jumped - over them as best I could.

Over the past three years in particular I've, more often than not, been housebound due to my health, so I felt it hard to justify buying much in the way of new (be it vintage or otherwise) clothing (and let me tell you, for a vintage fashionista like me, that was not easy!).

Soon however, we'll be leaving Toronto and heading to my home province of B.C., which means that there will be many more occasions for get-togethers, even if (as I highly suspect many will) they take place at our house, and this means that the time has come to - with a predetermined budget squarely in mind - fix a good many of these wardrobe gaps.

Naturally, as you may imagine, this is a task that I take on with a rather generous amount of glee. Shopping for vintage clothing is amongst my very favourite activities and it's fantastic to know that I'll once again be growing my wardrobe, filling it as I do with pieces that I truly need.

In the process of sleuthing around the web for bargains on everything from black pencil skirts to repro vintage jeans (Freddies of Pinewood, something of a splurge, I'm the first to admit, have already been ordered), it can be all too easy to fall into the "ooooohhh pretty trap", by which I mean that you're easily swayed away from your original shopping list into buying something gorgeous, just because it beckons your name.

A treat or two is alright, but I'm trying to follow the list of garments I'm shopping for very diligently - no side tracking for this vintage shopper.

A shortlisted version of my current vintage (by which I mean genuine vintage, vintage repro or modern pieces that look thoroughly vintage) shopping inventory includes the following:

-A black (or other dark coloured) cocktail dress

-A 1950s black (or brown, navy or dark grey) daywear dress

-A formal daywear dress (of the sort that would be perfect to wear to a wedding)

-Dark/neutral hued vintage repro/style trousers (I'm thinking Heyday or Big Beautiful Barbara Brown as possible sources)

-Both a short-sleeved and long-sleeved white blouse (in 40s/early 50s styles)

-More crinolines (a hunt that's been going on for quite a while, as long time readers may recall from this post on the subject that I wrote nearly two years ago)

-More neutral hued vintage gloves (picked up four pairs from various etsy sellers for a song already, so I should be well covered there for the moment)

-A pair of saddle shoes (ok, I'll admit it, this one is a bit more of a longstanding want than a true need, but I've been pining for a pair since I outgrew the pink and white ones I had as a little girl, so that just about qualifies them as a need!)

There are other entries on this list, too, some of which I've crossed off already, but in the coming weeks, the items mentioned here are the ones that I'll likely be focusing a lot of my attention on.

So far all of my shopping has been done online, as I suspect the bulk (if not the entirety) of it will be when all is said and done.

{While online shopping doesn't give one quite the same ease of trying on garments as purchasing in a real world store does, it is still a huge blessing and fantastic way to help vintage fashionistas (like yours truly) track down whatever items may be on their sartorial shopping lists from the comfort of their one’s own home. Charming late 1950s image via Captain Geoffrey Spaulding on Flickr.}

I'm trying to pick up most of these pieces before we move so that my closet will be a lot better equipped to handle the plethora of potential situations I may need to dress for once we land in British Columbia.

While some things do overlap, this list is not the same as my vintage wish list. That is one focused more on whimsy and daydreams (and likely requires the winning of a sizeable lottery to finance it), this is one of good old-fashioned practicality.

It's about picking up lovely, quality, basic pieces that will help stretch the other items in my closet a lot further, while giving me greater confidence when I go to get dressed - knowing I'll (hopefully) no longer be without some pretty basic pieces.

I've been minding those wardrobe gaps for a long time - too long perhaps - but the moment has come to plant my feet firmly on the proverbial platform and take charge of the situation!

And who knows, perhaps, when all is said and done, by budget might even leave from for one or two of those delightful little pretty pieces that aren't truly necessary, but oh-so-wonderful to hang in one's closet.

Wish me luck, dear gals - I shall keep you all informed of how my shopping turns out in future posts.

Flickr Favourites: January 6, 2012

2012-01-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

{Snow and orange drink ~ x-ray delta one}

{General view of one of the classification yards of the Chicago and

Northwestern Railroad, Chicago, Illinois ~ The Library of Congress}

{Vintage 1950s angora sweater ~ modhuman}

{1953 winter fashion ~ April-Mo}

{Tea and Scones ~ Texas to Mexico}

{1957 Central Park, Plaza Hotel on the right ~ straatis}

{Modess 1949 ~ Captain Geoffrey Spaulding}

{Yellow rose stoned by snow ~ KLMircea}

{Onxy Hosiery 1918 ~ Captain Geoffrey Spaulding}

{Vintage Snowman ~ Kerry McQuaid}

♥ ♥ ♥

It's been a long time - nearly a twelve months (January 31, 2011, to be exact) - since the last edition of Flickr Favourites here on Chronically Vintage. As the Vintage 365 project progressed last year, it usually wasn't possible for me to write more than one new post here each day, so older ongoing series (such as this one) were temporarily put to the side.

Now the the new year is here it's time to bring them back out of storage!

Whereas past editions of Flickr Favourites (which, for newer readers, is a round-up of ten beautiful, often vintage related, Flickr images that have captured my attention recently) also shone the spotlight on one specific Flickr group per post, I've decided that I'd prefer to give Flickr groups that I really love or find interesting their own posts (as I did for some of the Vintage 365 posts last year), instead of just tucking them away at the bottom of Flick Favourite entries.

As such, future Flickr Favourite posts (which do not appear on set dates or days of the week, rather just when the desire to write such a post strikes) will be devoted to photographs, and cool Flickr groups (and you all know how much I love my Flickr groups!) will get their own posts (or at least that's the plan for now).

Today's images all have a distinctly wintry thread running through them. Soft hues, cool tones, and elegance abound in these pale blue, yellow and grey images, each of which speaks so deeply to the mood and imagery of the first month of the year.

Here's to 2012 and all the many inspiring images - wherever they hail from - that I hope will find their way onto the pages of Chronically Vintage as this year unfolds.

This lovely 1940s cake is really peachy keen

2012-01-04T22:30:00.000-05:00

Awwww, you gals...you always know how to make me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. Thank you deeply for the many wonderful, cheery comments you left on my last post about the fact that I'll soon be jumping coastlines, saying farewell to Ontario and nestling back into my home province of British Columbia.

I absolutely loved getting to share that wonderful piece of news with all of you all, and look forward to keeping you in the loop as things progress on that exciting front.

In celebration of how sweet you all are, and the fact that I'll soon be calling B.C.'s Okanagan Valley home again, I thought it would be oodles of fun to feature one of the area's finest fruits in this week's vintage recipe.

Though the Okanagan produces more fruit than you can shake a stick at (apples, pears, nectarines, apricots, grapes, and cherries to name but a few, the later of which I recalled some of my memories of last spring in this post), few are quite a delicious or memorable as its fantastically good summertime peaches.

Given however, that we're in the thick of winter, fresh peaches are not in abundance or at the their finest right now (at least not in the western hemisphere), so instead in this delightful Peaches 'n' Cream Cake one can easily use canned sliced peaches, as the recipe itself suggests.

{There are few tastes that personify the spirit of summer better than peaches, the star ingredient of this lovely 1940s cake recipe, which comes by way of Look Homeward, Harlot on Flickr. Click here for a larger version of this simple, but oh-so-tasty peach stuffed dessert recipe.}

This cake is just plain pretty. No matter how stingingly cold the temperature, or sombrely grey the sky during January, this dessert will help bring a much needed jolt of summertime flavour and beauty to any table.

Come the steamy, exhilarating warm days of July and August, when peaches are at their finest peak, you can (and should!) whip out this recipe again and make it the star of your vintage recipe filled picnic, barbeque or cozy al fresco meal for two.

I certainly will be next summer, bushels of soft, golden hued peaches always ready and within arm's reach for terrific dessert recipes like this scrumptious whipped cream topped cake. I can hardly wait!

Well we're moving on up

2012-01-02T19:00:00.003-05:00

Or to be more accurate, we're technically moving down - to the ground floor that is. Oh, and in another city. In different a province.

That's right, sweet dears, for the inaugural Chronically Vintage post of 2012, I come bearing (what is for my family and I) extremely good news! In a matter of weeks, my husband and I will be leaving Toronto and heading to my home province of British Columbia.

The decision to make this move is a very multi-faceted one that was not, by any stretch of the imagination, reached lightly. For the last few weeks, the mister and I have debated, planned, and endlessly discussed the pros and cons of leaving Toronto, and ultimately decided that moving is the right thing for us at this point in our lives.

There is - as cross country moves by their very nature to involve - much work to be done between now and when we leave Ontario at the end of February, but that's more than okay, because I can't remember the last time we were looking so forward to a major life change.

{Moving nearly always entails a lot of work, planning and a dollop of luck, but it's worth it in the end if you get to end up someplace you love, as we'll be doing when we head out to B.C. in a few weeks. Charming 1940s moving day themed beer ad via paul.malon on Flickr.}

For the time being, things around these blogging parts will be much the same. With last year's Vintage 365 behind us, posts will likely appear here two to three (or more) times a week, right up until the final days that I'm in Toronto, and then they'll pick up again once we're settled into our new place in B.C. (it will take our furniture and belongings a couple of weeks to arrive on the moving truck, so I may be MIA around then, but I'll let you all know for sure as those days draw nearer and I better know how things are going to unfold).

So, while (in an admittedly retro nod) the Jeffersons we're moving on up, we're moving on down from our little high rise apartment to a ground floor condo, in a beautiful town, in my favourite Canadian province, and that really is a piece of the pie, in our books!

Party like it's 1949!

2011-12-31T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 365 of Vintage 365 ✯

We've done it, sweet friends, through the highs and the lows, the smiles and the worries we've reached the last and final day of the Vintage 365 Project.

Amidst record breaking heat waves and an (albeit minor, in terms of how much we felt it up here in Ontario) earthquake, a broken foot, three surgeries, anniversaries, beloved holidays and a lot of personal turmoil in my life this past year, like a shinning beckon of old school hope, this project helped keep my spirits up and was nothing short of a joy to work on every day.

As I covered pretty much this same point in yesterday's post, I won't rehash it again, but I did just want to clarify one point (which people have actually been bringing up for several months now): while I will no longer be blogging here absolutely every day of the year, this blog is definitely still remaining active and will hopefully see the inclusion of two or more new posts each week.

Some will be chocked full of fascinating historical information, others (I hope!) photos of my vintage outfits, holiday celebrations (especially - and this will not come as a shock to any long time Chronically Vintage readers - Halloween), handy tips on a wide range of topics, gorgeous photographs and ads from days gone by, delightful web finds, scrumptious recipes, clothing sources, facts about historical figures, toe-tapping yesteryear tunes, and myriad other topics pertaining to the mid-twentieth century.

To say I look forward to what 2012 has in store both for my life and for Chronically Vintage, would be a rather hefty understatement! I'm planning on making this a year filled with as much vintage as I can possibly cram into every last nook and cranny, and cannot wait to share it will all of you!

For today though, let's all turn our attention to the holiday celebration at hand. In less than 24 hours we'll be whisking away 2011 (which I know many are apt to say "good riddance" to!), and welcoming the New Year with open arms and a highly optimistic outlook.

{Actress, dancer and comedian Olga San Juan looking shipshape and completely cheerful (just as I'm feeling right now, too!) as she rings in the New Year in this fantastic vintage image from the late 1940s. Photograph via carbonated on Flickr.}

The title of today's post is a spin on Prince's classic song, 1999, and in a nod to the fact that I want to make 2012 (as just mentioned) the most vintage filled year of my life. The past is constantly an invaluable part of my present, and I feel so blessed that I have an outlet like this blog to share my unyielding passion for all things vintage with each and every one of you.

I hope that whether you're kicking it old school tonight at a gala soirée, gathering in Times Square, spending a quiet night at home watching the ball drop (like me and the mister), or partying the night away, I sincerely hope you have a stellar New Year's Eve!!!

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, everyone for being a part of the Vintage 365 project this year. I couldn't have done it without you and am so excited to celebrate all that 2012 has in store together!

Reflecting on a year's worth of daily blog posts

2011-12-30T10:00:00.001-05:00

✯ Day 364 of Vintage 365 ✯

Just as the classic verses of that beloved New Year's favourite Auld Lang Syne ponder if old acquaintances should be forgotten (generally speaking, no - friends new and old are endlessly important threads in the tapestry of our lives), so too do I feel that old blog posts deserve to be remembered from time-to-time.

And what more fitting an occasion to look back a handful of the entries that graced Chronically Vintage's pages over the course of 2011 than on the second to last day of the year.

As most readers know, this past year I embarked on a daily blogging project called Vintage 365 (which would feature a different vintage related topic and image for each day of year).

The notion to do so came to me pretty much a year ago to the day, and at first seemed both so far-fetched (knowing how tricky it can be for me to blog frequently at the best of times) and seriously awesome. I gave the idea one, maybe two days of thought, but could not shake it from my mind and fell in love with it more with each passing hour.

Thus, when January 1st rolled around, I announced and began this ambitious project, which - I'm ticked pink to say - was able to weather various storms in my life over the past year and hold on tight for a full 365 days (ok, technically tomorrow will be the 365th post, but as I've already written that entry, so I can safely say that it will go live tomorrow).

Over this past year we've delved into topics as diverse as the history of mail order catalogs, dog nail polish, popular vintage baby names, the lives of vintage items before they reach you, WW2 Canadian ration coupons, Paris in the 1920s, and a new name for our grandparents' generation – to list but a few of the many, many subjects that called the Vintage 365 series home.

It's hard to believe that in less than 48 hours this project, which had been a part of my life for an entire year solid, will start to become a memory.

Though, I won't lie to you, there were days when it was tricky (for whatever reason) to post or to rustle up the mojo to keep going, more often than not I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and often found myself faced with quite the opposite problem - more topics to post about than I had days in a given week!

{Much like the upbeat looking vintage gal pictured above, I usually sat down to write posts for this year's daily blogging project with eagerness and a smile on my face. I had a blast covering such a broad range of topics, challenging myself to keep going on those tougher days, and coming up with new, varied ideas for each day's entry. Image via allposter.co.uk.}

Many of you have been with me from the beginning of this project, others became avid readers along the road, and a for a few this post itself may be the first they've ever read Chronically Vintage. Wherever you joined up in this yearlong blogging adventure, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support, encouragement, comments, and inspiration.

It was you, my sweet readers, who fuelled me on and helped keep my spirits soaring high all through the year. It has been a joy and an honour to share in this daily vintage blogging project with you, and I truly look forward to all the wonderful new adventures 2012 holds in store for both this blog (which will be reverting to its pre-vintage 365 state of regular, but not continually daily posts) and all of our lives.

It's a marshmallow world in the winter

2011-12-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 363 of Vintage 365 ✯

There's a certain absolutely fabulous sense of excitement and joy that bubbles to the surface in the days between Christmas and New Year's. We're in the midst of that holiday season period when no one really feels like putting their shoulder to wheel at work or focusing on anything too worrisome – and I love it!

For as long as I can recall, I've treasured and looked forward this week - captured as it is between two of the biggest holidays of the year - and especially enjoy the fact that it's still filled with oodles upon oodles of Christmas songs being piped through speakers, radios, and even MP3 player headphones everywhere.

Upbeat, splendidly festive tunes always help to put me in a giddy, care-free mood, and without a doubt one the songs that excels most at that is the lively, marvelously fun vintage song called (It's a) Marshmallow World, which was written back in 1949.

Though it's been preformed by scores of artists over the years, for my money, it's hard to beat the exuberant, joyful version that Frank and Dean first serenated the world with decades ago.

I could - and often do - listen to this song several times everyday during December. No matter if the sun is shinning or a howling blizzard is roaring away outside, the jubilant picture this holiday tune paints is positively perfect for this week that is nestled cosily between the hustle and bustle of Christmas and the spirited gaiety of New Year's.

As I hit the play button on this song, for at least the fifth time this morning, I cannot help but smile, take a tranquil breath, and delight in the cheerful spirit that's inherent to the festive tail end of the year.

After all, regardless of if there's snow outside of not, there's a sweetness to the holidays that really does make life feel like it's a marshmallow world in the winter, and that is definitely worth being happy about.

5 vintage cocktail recipes to help you ring in the New Year!

2011-12-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 362 of Vintage 365 ✯

The holiday season, by it's very nature of festive gatherings, brings with it the chance to chat and catch up with friends and loved ones, sometimes for the first time in a year, others simply the first encounter that day or week. In talking with others lately it really seems as though, just as my husband and I did, many of you also endured challenging, often stressful years throughout 2011.

With a world that is still in a very, very rocky economic state, an exceedingly hard job market, sky-high prices, a tough real estate market, several substantial nature disasters, and myriad other significant problems, one would be more than forgiven for feeling like we've all just weather one rather massive heck of the storm.

Yet, as always, there remains the prospect of brighter days for all. Even if life was a sweet as peach to you this year (as I really hope it was!), there are few amongst us who couldn't do with even less worries and many wonderful reasons to smile.

As we head straight towards New Year's Eve this coming Saturday, I thought that it would be completely fitting to share five vintage cocktail recipes with all of you, should you be looking for a tipple - beyond the usual champagne - help celebrate the awesomeness of New Year with!

{An enticing looking Creme de Cacao and Creme de Menthe filled Grasshopper positively beckons one to read the delicious vintage cocktail recipes in this lovely yesteryear DuBouchett ad. Image via Tuula on Flickr.}

While my health prevents me from being able to consume any alcohol myself, I will definitely be whipping together a scrumptious virgin drink or two for myself to enjoy merrily as we wait eagerly for the ball to drop on the 31st.

I hope that you enjoy these seriously yummy sounding vintage cocktails, dear friends, and that we're all able to wrap up 2011 on a positive note, flush with the beautiful hope and excitement of a better year to come for one and all!

Oh the weather outside is...not very frightful, actually :)

2011-12-27T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 361 of Vintage 365 ✯

In a country famed for the abundance - and the rather staggering volume of - snow we receive annually as a nation, it always comes as surprise when whatever corner of the country I'm calling home at the moment remains green (or nearly so) once the calendar hits and rolls on past the official start of winter.

While much of the nation has received plenty of the white stuff so far this year (my home province of British Columbia very much included), Toronto has remained relatively snowless so far this season (which is in stark contrasts to most of the other winters I've lived through here).

Though we're not exactly giving Florida a run for its money in the temperature department by any means, it is quite unusual to be so close to New Year's and not be buried up to our eyeballs in snow!

I'm the first to admit that the weather is akin to a spectator sport for many in Canada, so much so that most of us see nothing small talk-ish about bringing up this topic with strangers and our nearest and dearest alike, and I fully I realize that it's not exactly the most riveting of subjects to many in other parts of the world (unless its doing something rather extreme or unexpected that is - like if snow suddenly fell here in the middle of July!).

There are pros to not walking up to avalanche-esque volumes of snow each morning; it makes navigating sidewalks and roads (assuming they're not overly icy) worlds safer, and can also mean that fashionistas get to enjoy sporting footwear other than clunky, workhorse snow boots when outdoors for much longer than usual.

Yet - and clearly, this must be my Canadian DNA - I can't help but crave snow, at least initially, come the nippiest season of the year. While my health prevents me from being able to partake in most winter sports (or summer ones for the matter), there's nothing to stop me from looking the part of a seasoned snow bunny come December and January - especially when I've got wonderful vintage images like the one of Wanda Hendrix below to inspire my cold weather wardrobe.

{Beautiful actress Wanda Hendrix looking radiantly cheerful and set for a fabulous day of swishing down the slops, in this lovely winter photograph from 1950. Image via Carbonated on Flickr.}

As, at the end of the frosty day, this is still Canada, I know that there's a snowball's chance, if you'll pardon the pun, that the whole winter will play out on such a dry note. Indeed, it wouldn't surprise me in the absolute least if I woke up tomorrow and there was a foot of snow glistening like a sea of diamonds on the balcony.

Regardless of when Old Man Winter really gives it his all this season, the temps are still on the shy side of freezing and there are plenty of occasions to dress nearly as heartily as though one was headed out for a day on the slopes - or, as I prefer, to look glamorous in front of a roaring fire at the ski lodge, cup of hot cocoa and vintage fashion magazine in hand.

My annual Boxing Day blogroll cleanup tradition

2011-12-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 360 of Vintage 365 ✯

Stuffed to the gills with immensely delicious food, giddy from the past day’s merriment, and relaxed by the fact that for many of us today means a day free from our jobs, it might seem a tad odd that I have a Boxing Day tradition that pertains to cleaning.

Lest you think I'm getting an especially early jump on my spring cleaning, allow me to explain. You see, once a year I like to go through the blog roll here on Chronically Vintage and tidy things up, removing any sites that no longer exist (shut down by their authors), which have switched to "by invite only" status, or that are no longer good matches for this site.

Having been awake for hours already, I've completed the blog tidying process for this year. It's always deeply interesting to see which blogs are still going strong and which, for whatever reason, have decided to shut down or have become abandoned (by which I mean their owners suddenly stopped blogging and did not create a post saying that they were planning to do such).

{Nothing as arduous as scrubbing the stove for me today, just doing a little light online housekeeping this fine, frosty Boxing Day. Vintage Kleenoff Jelly ad via alsis35 on Flickr.}

In the case of the later, I generally have a one year rule, by which I mean if a given blog has not seen any new activity for a year or longer, I'm more inclined to remove it from my blog roll. However, even there one encounters exceptions, because (given the historically geared nature of the topics many vintage loving bloggers cover) the content on such sites may still be of great interest to fellow vintage fans and I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on a great site simply because it's no longer going strong.

Though I do not count the precise number of links that I remove each year, I'd ballpark things and say that this time around my blog roll was shortened by about 20%. As I add new links to it throughout the year however, there's a very decent chance that come Boxing Day 2012, it will once again be much the same size as it was prior to this morning.

In fact, in briefly visiting every single blog on listing in my sidebar today, I discovered (through posts on various sites) three or four new (to me) vintage blogs, which of course I added to the roster.

One might wonder why I opted to assign Boxing Day to this yearly task and the I believe that the first time around it was something that just came about originally. Back then, in December 2009, Chronically Vintage had been online for the better part of a year and I figured it was time I pruned by blog roll (as described above) to make sure it was in peak shape for my wonderful blog visitors to enjoy.

As way of ensuring this job was carried out annual, it made sense from there on out to stick with the same day each year, and thus my annual Boxing Day tradition of tidying up my blogroll was born.

That, however, is just about the only "job" I'll be doing today. There's too many scrumptious Christmas leftovers to eat, vintage holiday songs to enjoy, and new presents to delight in to devote this marvelous day of relaxation to anything more arduous than that.

Wishing you all a terrifically fun Boxing Day, however you opt to spend it, sweet dears!

Wishing you each a gorgeous Christmas!

2011-12-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 359 of Vintage 365 ✯

{Sweetly beautiful, pink vintage and shabby chic Christmas themed images via the following Flickr sources: 1. accordion & violin angels, 2. vintage Christmas, 3. Vintage Christmas, 4. pink christmas tree, 5. Angelina's Christmas in July Card and Tag Swap Sneak Peek #1, 6. vintage flocked pink deer, 7. vintage christmas pink glass ornaments, 8. Vintage Christmas Cards, 9. christmas ornaments, 10. Vintage Pastel Christmas, 11. PINK Vintage Glass Christmas Ornaments, 12. Christmas N Pink 1957, 13. Looking forward to better days to come}

My very dear friends, on this most resplendently special of days, teaming with merriment and great joy, I wish you each a marvelous Christmas filled with every sweet and wonderful thing your heart desires.

May today and the the remainder of the holiday season be as magical and bright as a glimmering star atop a Christmas tree, and may you be blessed by a New Year that grants you great peace, good health, and countless fantastic vintage finds!

A vintage reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

2011-12-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 358 of Vintage 365 ✯

In a season whirling with traditions, one that has long stood out for me as a particularly treasured favourite is the memory of my mother, her voice as sweet as a celestial angel, reading A Visit from St. Nicholas to my sibling and I each year when were were growing up.

Once the pale December sun had set and a night that would see little (if any) slumber for us youngsters had taken up residency in the frosty world outside, my mom would open the thick book of Christmas carols that adorned our glass topped coffee table, gather us to her side, and proceed to bring to life each of the words in Clement Clarke Moore's perpetual holiday classic.

Penned nearly two hundred years (1823 to be exact), A Visit from St. Nicholas, often known 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, is as endearing a symbol of the holiday season as snowflakes, candy canes, or elegant Christmas trees.

While some of the groundwork for our modern day Santa Claus was certainly in place long before Moore penned his beautiful holiday piece, it is from this festive poem that the world largely developed the character of Santa that is most familiar to those of us in many parts of the world today - that of a jolly, busy elderly gentleman soaring through the air with his team of enchanted reindeer to deliver gifts to sleeping children everywhere.

And it was that, that enthralling picture painted out in words, of St. Nick's impending visit that helped to make my mother's reading so incredibly special for me, fuelling, as it did, my wide-eyed childhood excitement of the seemingly magical night that would transpire before dawn broke on December 25th.

Even long after I realized the truth about Santa, I continued to adore my mother's traditional reading with the same joy and excitement, for now it encompassed both fond memories of the past and the jubilance of Christmas morning, no matter who had placed the packages beneath the tree.

Though I do not have children of my own to carrying on this sweet, deeply special tradition with yet, that does not stop me from making a one man audience out of my husband each Christmas Eve, hefty carol book in hand, as I recite A Visit from St. Nicholas aloud for both of us to enjoy.

Should you be in the mood today to hear a reading of this beautiful classic yourself, take a page from the vintage Christmas book and spend a few minutes listening to Perry Como's wonderful rendition of this marvelous early 19th century holiday poem.

If you're like me, you'll find it impossible to soak up the joyful words of this Christmas masterpiece and not be transported back to your youth, while at the same time delighting in the increased sense of excitement it creates for December 25th deep in your soul to this very day.

May visions of sugar plums dance in each of your heads this evening, dear friends, and may you know that I'm sending out countless wishes for a Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!

Terrifically tasty Leftover Christmas Turkey Pot Pie

2011-12-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 357 of Vintage 365 ✯

As much as I love and merrily look forward to Christmas dinner each year, I can't help but also adore the additional meals made from the various leftover holiday dishes that follow in the days come after the 25th.

Every year without fail when I was growing up, my mom was guaranteed to make at least two specific recipes with the leftover feast day meat: turkey vegetable soup and today's feature dish, turkey pot pie.

{The star ingredient of this excellent meat pie is definitely the turkey, a time-honoured Christmas food that the world has been enjoying for hundreds of years. This particular vintage cookbook image (which comes by way alsis35 on Flickr) of a roast turkey isn't quite that old however, hailing as it does from a Sears Freezer Booklet from the late 1950s.}

If you've never experienced the joy of a homemade turkey pot pie, are you in one fantastically lovely treat! And if, like me, you already count meat pies amongst your favourite foods of all time, then you'll definitely want to give this rich, flake, endlessly scrumptious turkey version a spin - it's bound to become a beloved classic at your house, too.

Leftover Christmas Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients

For the Quiche Pastry

-1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

-3/4 tsp salt

-1/2 cup shortening

-1 egg

-3/4 tsp white vinegar

-Cold water

For the Turkey Pie Filling

-1/4 cup butter

-6 - 7 tbsp instant flour (aka, Easy Blend Flour)

-2 cups turkey or chicken stock (or 1 cup stock, 1 cup water and on chicken bullion cube)

-1/2 tbs salt

-Dash of freshly ground black pepper

-1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

-1/3 cup sliced celery

-1/3 cup sliced carrot

-1/3 cup green peas

-1 medium sized potato, peeled and cubed into small pieces

-2 cups cooked turkey, cubed

-Quiche crust + 1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp water

Directions

For the Quiche Pastry

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the flour and salt, cut in the shortening (using a pastry blender or pair of forks) until the mixture looks like course meal.

In a measuring cup beat egg and vinegar, add water to bring total volume to 1/4 of a cup. Gradually add liquid to flour mixture until dough clings together, stir with a fork so that the mixture is very well combined.

Form dough into a ball and roll out on a flour surface, dividing dough into two crusts (as this is a two crust pie). Use right away or wrap very securely in Saran wrap and store in the fridge, uncooked, for up to one week.

For the Turkey Pie Filling

In a large, deep frying pan or a medium sized pot, melt butter over medium heat and add flour, stirring to form a roux. Slowly add the stock, stirring constantly until mixture thickens.

Place all vegetables in a microwave safe dish and microwave for two minutes to soften them up a tad before adding them to the sauce mixture.

Add vegetables, meat and seasonings to sauce, then pour mixture into prepared pie crust (which you've already placed in a deep walled 9 or 10 inch pie dish or pan).

Cover turkey mixture with top crust, seal edges with fork or your fingers, and brush the top of the crust with egg and water mixture (1 egg and 1tbsp water). Piece a few tiny air holes with a fork in the top of pie.

Bake at 350°F (175°C/gas mark 4) for 50-55 minutes or until crust is nicely golden on top. Be sure to watch this pie closely though, as you don't want the rich quiche crust to brown too darkly.

Remove turkey pot pie from oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving (as this will help it firm up a bit before you cut into it).

This recipe makes about 8 slices of pie, which should you have any leftover, can be kept (well covered) in the fridge for up to three days.

It's tons of fun to both come up with new recipes for leftover holiday ingredients beyond - delicious as they are - just sandwiches, and turn to classics like this hearty, awesomely creamy turkey pot pie (which I should mention, can also be made with chicken instead of turkey at any time of the year).

In fact I love creating dishes from the meat that's left after our feast on the 25th so much that I often buy an extra large turkey just to ensure there will be plenty of leftovers to work with.

I hope you enjoyed this week's quintet of classic holiday recipes that hold a special place in my heart, and that if you try any of them out, you'll love them as much as I do.

Wishing you each an absolutely wonderful Christmas Eve, Eve that’s filled with all kinds of delicious treats and endlessly sweet memories!

Announcing Blue Velvet Vintage's wonderful Classic Glamour Photo Contest

2011-12-22T16:00:00.000-05:00

The holiday season, richly adorned as it so often is with a myriad of beautiful babbles, ornaments, garlands and sundry other decorations, is amongst (if not the very most) glamorous time of the year.

Even if you prefer to keep your decorations on the more subdued side for Christmas, come New Year's Eve, most of us love to surround ourselves with (or in!) bling, glitz, and sparkle. Doing so seems to almost inherently up the excitement factor and sense of optimism about the impending year, as we wait eagerly to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new with open arms.

Channelling the unmistakably gorgeous vibe of the holiday season is a photo contest that beloved online clothing seller Blue Velvet Vintage recently announced.

{A gorgeous example, that was posted on Facebook, of the entries that have have already been submitted for Blue Velvet Vintage's wonderful holiday season Classic Glamour Photo Contest.}

The Classic Glamour Photo Contest is geared at vintageistas everywhere who're in the mood to dress up in their winter holiday finest this year, for a chance to win the top prize of a $150.00 gift certificate from Blue Velvet Vintage (there are also second and third prizes of $100 and $50 gift certificates, respectively).

As this exciting contest is only open to US residents, I (Canadian gal that I am) won't be able to participate in it myself, but knowing how many of Chronically Vintage fabulous readers reside in American, I really wanted to share this exciting contest with of all you.

For more details about this festive holiday photos contest (which is open for submissions between December 19th and January 4, 2012; voting, which will take place on Facebook, is set to run until January 18th), be sure to check our Blue Vintage Velvet's Facebook page.

If any of you super stylish gals enters, be sure to let me know, as I'd absolutely love to see you sporting your favourite, endlessly chic vintage holiday wear!

Sweetly fantastic Christmastime Chocolate Mint Brownies

2011-12-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 356 of Vintage 365 ✯

Yesterday's post centered around my favourite cheese ball recipe of all time, and today's is dedicated to another absolute fave: my mom's swoony-worthy Chocolate Mint Brownies.

For me, even factoring in tried-and-true classics like fruitcake, gingerbread cookies, plum pudding, and shortbread, there is perhaps no other sweet treat that so perfectly captures the essence of Christmas for me.

Each year as youngster I would wait, wide-eyed with anticipation, for the glorious day when my mom would prepare a big tray of these, her signature holiday brownies. They would then be cut into bite sized squares and tucked neatly into a large plastic Tupperware container to be mixed with other festive cookies, candies, and assorted sweet morsels during the holiday season.

{Classic semi-sweet chocolate, like that produced by Baker's, helps give this wonderful Christmas brownie recipe a deep, addictively delicious cocoa-y flavour. Vintage Baker's Chocolate ad - complete with two great sounding recipes - from 1953 by way of Eudaemonius on Flickr.}

If your Christmas baking repertoire is currently lacking a brownie recipe - or in need of another one - I simply cannot suggest you give this scrumptious, dense, marvelously pepperminty one a go strongly enough.

Christmastime Chocolate Mint Brownies

Ingredients

For the Brownies

-1 cup white sugar

-1/2 cup shortening, softened

-2 eggs

-1/s cup all-purpose flour

-2 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted (right before using)

-Pinch of salt

-3/4 cup choppd walnuts (or almonds, I love either version)

-1/2 tsp vanilla extra

For the icing (frosting)

-3 tbsp margarine or butter, softened

-1 tsp peppermint extract

-1/2 tsp green food colouring (option, but it does give the finished brownies such a fun, festive look)

-2 cups sifted icing (powdered) sugar

-1 to 2 tbsp milk

-1 square semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Directions

For the Brownies

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C/gas mark 4).

In a medium or large mixing bowl, cream together shortening and white sugar (I like to use an electric mixer, but you can do it by hand if you don't have one).

Beat in eggs and combine thoroughly before adding in the melted chocolate; mix until very well combined. Next add in the flour, salt, nuts and vanilla; mix well to combine.

Spread into a greased 8X8 inch baking pan (I usually use a glass Pyrex one). Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow brownies to cool to room temperature before icing (frosting).

For the icing (frosting)

Cream together butter, peppermint extract, and food colouring (if using) in a medium sized mixing bowl, adding in the icing (powdered) sugar a little at a time until thoroughly well combined.

Add in milk (as needed) and mix until icing (frosting) is smooth. Ice (frost) cooled brownies, covering evenly. Once iced (frosted) drizzle melted semi-sweet chocolate over brownies and allow chocolate to firm up before serving.

Store peppermint brownies in an air tight container for up to five days, or freeze (and oh-mah-goodness are they amazing when eaten while frozen!) for as long as three months.

Whereas there are some holiday recipes I'll sneak in at other times of the year, there's something rather special about having these brownies (well, technically the gluten-free version that I have to make these days, but which, I'm happy to report still tastes markedly similar), sweet and bursting with minty flavour, to look forward to with that same childlike anticipation each year - even if I'm the one baking them.

My favourite vintage inspired cheese ball recipe ever!

2011-12-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 355 of Vintage 365 ✯

On this, the third day in our five part series of treasured family Christmas recipes (and, interestingly, also the tenth to last day of 2011), I wanted to share with you a recipe that I think I could, gleefully, eat every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of.

One might think that's mighty high praise for a simple cheese ball, and indeed it is, but to my mind at least, this is the best such cheese spread I've ever encountered, and I have my mom's beloved holiday recipe collection to thank for it.

Utilizing a mere handful of ingredients, this fabulously yummy spread (or dip, if you have sturdy foods to dunk into it) is on that I make religiously every holiday season. In fact, I adore it so much, I sometimes can't wait a full year to enjoy it again and whip it up for parties, special occasions, or simply when the mood strikes in between Decembers.

{Worcestershire sauce, a highly classic British ingredient, ads a delightful kick to today's Christmas cheese ball recipe. Vintage Lea and Perrins ad from 1950 by way of alsis35 on Flickr.}

It pairs terrifically with a wide host of crackers, breads, flat breads, and also melba toast. You can certainly use it with raw veggies, too, though I feel it shines best when paired with crackers and breads.

Triscuits, Ritz, Sociables, (Christie's) Swiss Cheese, Vegetable Thins, and Wheat Thins rank highly amongst the most popular crackers, in particular, amongst my family when serving this awesome cheese ball.

Lynn's Green Onion Christmas Cheese Ball

Ingredients

-1 package (8 ounces/225 grams) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened

-2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

-3 green onion stalks (green and white parts), finely chopped

-1 jar (2 ounces/55 grams) diced pimientos, well drained

-2 tbsp butter of margarine, melted

-1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

-Pinch of freshly ground black pepper, to taste

-Assorted crackers and/or breads to serve with cheese ball

Directions

In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until fluffy. Add in all other ingredients and continue to mix until everything is well combined.

Using a spatula or wooden spoon, press mixture firmly into the bottom of the bowl; smooth top. Cover and refrigerate for at least five hours before serving (if you can refrain yourself from nibbling a bite of two for that long).

Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before unmoulding. Turn out cheese ball mixture onto a serving plate, or shape into a ball with your hands and serve surrounded by crackers on a platter.

Yields one cheese ball (approx. 2 1/2 cups of spread), that will keep (if covered) in the fridge for up to four days. You can (and should!) multiple this recipe to your heart's content.

A culinary magic of sorts tastes place when the abundance of green onions, nippy cheddar, pimento, and seasonings combine in a blanket of cream cheese in this marvelous, totally 1950s worthy holiday spread, that endears it to my heart year after year, decade after decade.

If I was hosting a holiday cocktail party and could (for whatever reason) only make one dish from scratch for my guest to enjoy, this would definitely be it.

Wonderful Cherry Nut Shortbread Cookie Recipe

2011-12-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 354 of Vintage 365 ✯

Call me biased, but my mom - who is a stellar home cook, period - is amongst the best bakers I've ever encountered in my whole life, and there are few arenas where her culinary skills shine more brightly than when she makes her annual trove of flat out amazing holiday desserts and sweet treats.

Today's recipe, the second in this week's series of my family's classic Christmas dishes, is amongst my favourite holiday cookies of all time (and is one that I often make for friends and family to enjoy during this festive time season, just as my mom still does, too).

{Utilizing classic mid-twentieth century ingredients, including margarine, these festive shortbread cookies have the sort of timeless appeal ensures they'll continue to be loved by generations to come. Beautifully illustrated 1950s margarine ad via Paul.Malon on Flickr.}

Much like turkey gravy, mincemeat pie, or plum pudding, for me the aroma of these delightful little rounds of glistening red fruit studded cookies instantly evokes memories of Christmases past and is endlessly tied to holiday meals, past and present, for me and my family.

Cherry Nut Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

-1 cup softened (but not melted) margarine

-1/2 white sugar

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-2 cups all-purpose flour

-1/2 tsp salt

-1 cup chopped nuts (my family usually uses walnuts, but anything from pistachios to almonds would work nicely, too)

-1/2 cup finely chopped (drained) maraschino cherries

-Sifted icing sugar (to dust cookies with after they're baked)

Directions

In a medium to large sized mixing bowl, thoroughly cream the margarine and sugar together either by hand or with an electric mixer; blend in the vanilla. Add flour and salt, sifted together, and stir well.

Fold in chopped nuts and cherries, then chill dough (in mixing bowl) in the fridge for at least one hour.

Shape dough into one inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about half an inch apart (these cookies really don't expand very much upon baking). Bake at 325°F (160°C/gas mark 3) for 18-20 minutes, placing cookie sheet on an oven rack that is a little higher than the center of your oven.

Transfer cookies to cooling racks and while still a warm, dust liberally with icing (powdered) sugar.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze (and these do freeze really nicely - they even taste delicious when eaten frozen!) for four months.

I love how easy this recipe is to make and that one can often prepare it simply based on ingredients you have in your pantry already (especially at this time of the year).

You can multiple it as your heart desires, and also (for a fun change of pace) use green maraschino cherries instead of red, if you'd like. Either way, the inclusion of these splendidly sweet jarred fruits lends this scrumptious holiday cookie recipe such a marvelous vintage vibe.

Happy cookie baking and a very joyful Christmas countdown to all of you!

By request: My mom’s traditional turkey stuffing recipe

2011-12-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 353 of Vintage 365 ✯

A fun idea occurred to me a couple of nights ago (or should I say, more accurately, in the wee hours of a pitch black, rainy morning), spurred on by a comment that was left on last Wednesday's vintage recipe post about cornbread stuffing.

In the course of that post I briefly discussed my mother's turkey stuffing, which certainly has roots stretching back to further generations and pulls quite heavily from a traditional British onion and sage stuffing, though that side of my family tree does not contain any direct ties back the UK.

This quick mention of my mom's classic recipe lead a Chronically Vintage reader named Nuranar to leave the following comment, "Your mother's stuffing sounds wonderful! Would you be open to considering sharing the recipe? I've never been much of a stuffing fan, but this one sounds like I might really like it. :)".

I'm always happy to try and give my fabulous readers what they ask for, so today (on the heel's of yesterday's post about Historical US Christmas Dinner Menus) I'll be sharing the stuffing recipe that my mom made (much to my delight), without fail, every Christmas (and Thanksgiving) dinner during my childhood.

{Bacon drippings adds a wonderful depth of flavour to this delicious stuffing recipe, while also helping to keep the finished dish pleasantly moist. You can - as I've frequently done - chop up some of the cooked bacon and add it to the stuffing before cooking. Alternatively as this charming 1940s ad for Armour Bacon suggests, it also makes for a hearty addition to your Christmas morning meal. Vintage image by clotho98 on Flickr.}

Before delving right into that recipe however, let me tell you about the neat idea I had. Much like the countdown down to Halloween series of articles back in October, I thought it would be oodles of fun to share five Christmas recipes (including today's), over the next five days (a mini series of entries within the bigger scope of the Vintage 365 post series) with all of you, that are especially near and dear to my heart.

Between today and this Friday (the 23rd), I'll post a different holiday season recipe from my own personal achieves. Each one meaningful and deeply cherished by me not only because of the fact I've enjoyed them since I was a little girl, but also because they've come to be a cherished part of my own Christmas menu, whether I'm cooking simply for myself and my husband, or a dinner party of twenty people.

I sincerely hope that you enjoy the next five days of classic Christmas recipes from my collection (which will include a selection of both savoury and sweet dishes, all of which have a traditional mid-century feel to them), and would certainly like to know about the holiday season recipes that you and your family adore.

So, without further ado, my I present to you my mom's marvellously fragrant, classic turkey stuffing recipe.

Traditional Schill family Christmas bread stuffing

Ingredients

-2 cups water or stock (chicken, turkey, or mild vegetable)

-6 cups day old white bread cubes that have intentionally been left out to air-dry overnight (the night before making your stuffing)

-2 eggs

-1 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

-1/2 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)

-4 tsp ground sage

-3-4 tsp poultry seasoning

-1 cup chopped onion

-1/2 cup bacon drippings (cook bacon right before before starting the stuffing)

-1/2 cup finely chopped celery (including celery leaves, if desired)

-1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat or curly leaf parsley

-1/2 cup raisins (or more if desired - I usually put at least a full cup's worth when I make this recipe, as I adore raisins; dried cranberries, cherries, and even apricots all work delightfully well in this recipe, too, if you'd rather use one of them instead)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, pour hot water or stock over the dried bread and allow the bread to absorb the liquid for a few minutes before adding in the eggs and all of the seasonings.

Next sauté the onions in the bacon drippings just until they begin to turn softly golden. Stir onions and drippings into the bread mixture, followed by the celery, parsley and raisins. Mix thoroughly and adjust (based on smell) the seasonings, if you feel like you'd like more sage, poultry seasoning or black pepper.

Prepare your turkey (this recipe makes enough to stuff one large, approx. 10 to 18lb, turkey; however if you need more if can very easily be doubled or even tripled) and fill cavity with stuffing. If you have more stuffing than will fit in you bird, bake the remainder separately in an over-safe baking dish alongside your turkey during the last 45 to 60 minutes of cooking.

This stuffing smells absolutely fantastic when warm - rich, as it is, with many classic holiday meal scents - and is always a crowd pleaser. Should you happen to have leftover, it will keep (well covered) in the fridge for at least three days or can be frozen for up three months.

Many thanks for the stuffing recipe request, Nuranar, and lovely inspiration for five of this week's festively themed posts.

I really look forward to sharing four more time-honoured and much loved Christmas dishes with all of you, and would absolutely love to know if you give any of them a whirl yourself this year!

Historic American Christmas dinners to inspire your own menu this year

2011-12-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 352 of Vintage 365 ✯

Without a doubt one of my favourite websites of all time is foodtimeline.org. Combining my adoration for history with my lifelong passion for all things cookery related, this site is a tome and absolute labour of love devoted to preserving information about yesteryear foods. Clicking through the various pages of this richly knowledgeable hub, one can easily find themselves absorbed in gastronomic facts for hours on end.

Housing information pertaining to food that stretches back for millennia in some cases, centuries in others, and at the very least decades, it's impossible to spend time there and not walk away knowing more about the history behind what the world has been eating throughout time than when you arrived.

With Christmas a mere week away (I know, it feels like that can't possibly be the case!), I thought it would be lovely to take a peak at the Food Timeline's page devoted to historical American Christmas dinners.

Extracting menus from cookbooks reaching all the way back to 1685, this page is a beautiful overview of some of the meals that many in North America have enjoyed sitting down to on Christmas Day for the past 400+ years.

Fascinatingly, when one looks at the many items listed on that particular late 17th century menu, you encounter certain classics like roast turkey and beef, custard and jellies that are still with us today. Many of the other items have however (such as swan and sturgeon, for example), have fallen out of the modern Christmas meal repertoire .

As the decades and then centuries wore on, more and more familiar foods began to appear. In 1769 one encounters such beloved holiday classics as eggnog, Virginia ham, plum pudding, and mincemeat pie. By the 1840s a great number of vegetable dishes were making their way onto the feast table, with mashed potatoes, turnips and celery popping up amongst the generous bounty of meats, poultry, and savoury pies.

Just as one might expect during the Victorian and early Edwardian years, the menus provided on that page include a great many ornate, lavish foods that are rarely (if ever) seen at Christmas time any more, such as Timbale of Sweetbread, Consommé of Game, and Terapene au Madere.

At the same time though, one spots plenty of humbler foods as well, quite a few of which are still with us today, including roast goose, Yorkshire pudding, Brussels sprouts, cranberry jelly (sauce), chestnut stuffing, French peas, creamed parsnips (love!), and apple sauce.

As the 20th century barrelled onward all kinds of assorted dishes from Tuna Newberg to White Grape Salad with Guava Jelly spice up the menus of the 1910s and 20s. Not surprisingly, in the face of the Great Depression that ravaged the 30s, the holiday menus from those days were often considerably less ostentatious or elaborate than those of the preceding decades.

Hearty, relatively economical foods that could be stretched across more than one meal were common and included such classics as spinach, buttered onions, roast turkey and chicken, string beans, pork loin, riced potatoes, and coleslaw.

Even after the economy began to pick up at the end of the decade, Christmas diners remained relatively less elaborate affairs that more resemble the menus of today than those of the huge feast filled Edwardian era. Popular 1940s dinner choices included olives, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, oyster stuffing, buttered squash, giblet gravy, and good old-fashioned plum pudding.

{An immensely charming 1940s illustrated ad for Plymouth cars which shows a sweet grandmother basting her Christmas turkey, just as home cooks had done for generations before and certainly still do today. Image via clotho98 on Flickr.}

With WW2 behind them, people of the 1950s often had the means (and available foods, once war rationing ceased) to spend more on their Christmas dinners, yet meals were still often less about pomp and more about homey, delicious classics that the whole family looked forward to all year long.

Glazed ham was especially popular during the decade as an alternative (or alongside) turkey or goose, and on the veggie front foods such as broccoli, green salads, parsley potatoes, sweet potato soufflé, and almond green meals were frequent options.

The Christmas dinners that many of us enjoy each year today have roots stretching back for hundreds of years, though they generally draw more heavily from the menus that began to appear from the 1920s onward. A Christmas dinner from the 1950s could easily be swapped for a present day one (and vice versa) with nary a soul thinking anything was amiss.

Upholding traditions is one of the most important and beautiful aspects of the holiday season, and as the menus laid out by the Food Timeline attest, many of us happily carry on the time-honoured act of preparing a Christmas feast each year with roots reaching back to at least the mid-twentieth century.

I know that when I make my family's traditional Jell-o and fruit cocktail salad on December 25th, alongside many other recipes that were handed down to me from older family members, I'm definitely channelling some of (North) America's beloved Christmas dinners of the past – a fact that always adds to the joy of my holiday celebration.

Absolutely darling 1950s children's winter hat sets

2011-12-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 351 of Vintage 365 ✯

In my ongoing hunt for cozy, fashionable vintage winter accessories (which you may recall from my recent post about fake fur muffs), I recently came upon the most terrifically cute page of children's winter hat sets from the 1950s.

So wonderfully darling is this selection of Christmassy red and white hued hats, mittens and muffs, that there is little I could possibly say to enhance this superbly sweet roundup of vintage children's wear.

Each of these sets is overflowing with elegant, girly cuteness, while also being richly practical at the same time. Though undeniably vintage looking, I think that these styles stand the test of time and would ever bit as smashing and fashionable today as when they first appeared in the pages of 1952 winter catalog (as to which one precisely, the Flickr poster of this image, april-mo, does not specify).

While they certainly look lovely on the kids in this image, I can't help but think how becoming and beautiful these winter wear styles would look on us bigger gals, too, and will definitely be using each of these delightful hat sets as inspiration for my continuing quest for more cold weather accessories to keep me snug as a bug in a rug all season long.

The rather charming 1950s idea of a drive-through supermarket

2011-12-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 350 of Vintage 365 ✯

Having never counted myself amongst the legions of science fiction fans (minus a brief period in the early 90s when I rather enjoyed watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, though that may very have more to do with the schoolgirl crush I had at the time on Commander Riker), I don't spend too much time perusing old Sci-Fi books or magazines.

In the course of my online vintage travels however, I do sometimes chance upon an image with a science fiction or futuristic spin to it that is simply to delightful or interesting, for whatever reason, to merely pass by without giving it a second thought.

As some readers may recall back in mid-November, I posted a wonderful, completely un-space alien-esque flying saucer that tickled my fancy (let's face it, there is something rather appealing about having your own personal flying saucer to zip around the air in!), which was certainly one of the first such sci-fi inspired images to appear on Chronically Vintage.

Jump ahead to this week and what did I happened to spy when checking out one of my favourite vintage image poster's streams on Flickr (that of What Makes the Pie Shops Tick?), than the fantastically fun illustration below of a futuristic drive-through supermarket.

How marvelously fun about the idea of pulling your car up to a drive-through window and ordering all of your groceries for the week in one fell swoop? In an era that abounded with carhops and drive-in movie theaters, I can completely see why this idea took shape and am almost surprised someone didn't implement it back then.

Perhaps they didn't though, because it reality a drive-through grocery may not actually save you very much time or the store much money (if any at all). If you stopped by just to pick up three or four simple items (e.g., milk, apples, bread and potatoes), the process might go quickly, but if you had a fifty item shopping list, it could take whomever went to put together your order just about as long to gather said items than if you'd just gone into a conventional supermarket and grabbed them yourself.

Nevertheless, the idea is rather darling and has an unmistakably fun, kitschy kind of Jettisons-like quality to it. Interestingly, over the the years a few supermarket chains (such as Tesco in the UK) have dabbled with testing out drive-through grocery stores (or at least, as in the aforementioned case of Tesco, the ability for customers to place their orders online ahead of time and then pick them up upon arrival at the store), though none (that I'm aware) of have really caught on so far and this idea remains one that, for the most part, is relegated to the realm of science fiction.

I wouldn't shut the book on the concept completely yet though. As with many futuristic predictions about the mysterious world of tomorrow that were made in decades past, the drive-through supermarket - even if it differs from the concept put forth in this image from the 1950s - may yet still become a commonplace intuition one day.

The thrill of finding one of your vintage holy grails (at an amazing price, to boot!)

2011-12-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 349 of Vintage 365 ✯

We all have them, those elusive vintage items for which scarcity and/or price make them rather hard, if not downright veering on impossible, to track down.

Sometimes we're able to find the general item we're after, but it's not the right size (if I had a dollar for every time this happened to me I'd likely be a millionaire by now!) or the mark-up is so absurd it's laughable (sorry, but there’s no deadstock, non-designer labeled department store dress from the 1950s, no matter how gorgeous it is, that’s worthy of a price tag in the upper hundreds, as I've seen on a few occasions).

Many times there's a certain element to an item that makes it particularly tricky to find. You may, for example, be after a vintage canister set, yet not be able to find one in good condition that fits the colour scheme of your kitchen. Old school shoes really aren't that tricky to come by, however they generally fit those lucky tiny-footed gals (aka, size 6 and under) best, while the rest of us are left daydreaming about authentic swing dance heels in larger sizes.

For most of us there's a budget element involved with our vintage shopping. All but those with the deepest of pockets generally have to keep price in mind when scouring the web and real world haunts for vintage treasures, and this can certainly put some items further out of reach.

I've yet to met a vintage wearing gal who didn't have a long standing wish list of items she was trying to find that matched all of her criteria (correct sizing and colour, as well as over all condition, and of course price). There are certain pieces though, that get bumped up, in my books at least, a little higher than just wish list status.

These are are the proverbial holy grails of our vintage hunts. We type their names into etsy, eBay and Google searches constantly. If a friend is going second hand shopping without us, we let them know to keep their eyes peeled religiously for said items, and these pieces always at the top of our letters to Santa when Christmas rolls around.

Interesting, I've found that sometimes it's an item’s scarcity (and/or the ability to find said piece in my size) that elevates it into the realm of vintage holy grail, more than (just) the price. What makes certain things more sought after than other varies wildly from person to person. I know that for me, many of my most beloved and wished for vintage items are ones that I've been fantasizing about for years, if not decades, of my life.

They sprung from a seed of inspiration somewhere along the line, their roots nestling firmly into my psyche and soul, and so they remain, like the top of Mt.Everest, a distant, almost unachievable feat that I strive towards knowing full well the scoop of the challenge they present.

Fascinatingly however, especially if price is not your biggest deterrent, and you’re willing to put forth a hefty dose of patient (and certainly some elbow grease, when it comes to tracking down your beloved items), one's vintage holy grails can be unearthed. Every once in an extra special while, you can even score one for a rather fantastic deal.

Though, I've found, garage sales and tiny thrift stores (of the sort staffed by sweet grey haired women who love to chat as they ring up your purchase) are the best places to stumble up a dream item at an unbelievable price, despite the mass popularity of vintage clothing and other yesteryear items, paired with the sheer volume of folks who shop online for such things these days, the web can still deliver a knock-out deal on a grail from time-to-time, too.

For years now I've been on the prowl for a black quilted circle skirt in my size that didn't cost the moon. As with most of my grail and top wish list items, I'd allotted a relatively generous budget in my mind for this particular garment, but even that didn't seem to be enough to unearth one that was, in a nod to Goldilocks, neither too small or too big.

A good year or two ago, I'd actually just come to the point where I figured I'd end up making one myself some day when I got a sewing machine and had polished my skills enough to know how to add quilted stitching to a garment. Yet even with that in mind, I continued to periodically dig around the web for a black quilted circle skirt.

That particular item of clothing was on my list because a.) I adore just about all 1950s circle skirts, b.) I've been smitten with quilted circle skirts for as far back as I can remember, and c.) I don't currently have a plain black circle skirt and can really feel the hole that not having one leaves in my vintage wardrobe.

You can imagine my excitement then when, around the end of November, I happened to spy on eBay that was listed in the right size (the skirt’s listing - which I'll tell you right now, I won - said it was the right size, but I've been burned plenty of times before - so all I can do is keep my fingers crossed for now) for an absolute song on eBay.

{The eBay seller's photo of my soon-to-arrive black 1950s circle skirt, an item I'd been daydreaming about adding to my vintage wardrobe for many years.}

I found the auction a couple of days before it wrapped up and tossed my bid into the ring (I later upped that amount, as I really, really wanted to win, though in the end my first price limit was more than enough to ensure the skirt came home with me). To my absolute delight, I ended up winning the skirt for a mere $16.00 plus shipping to Canada (from the States).

As you can imagine, I was over-the-moon elated about this! Here, after several years of fastidiously hunting for one of my vintage holy grails, I found it in the right size (again, hopefully the measurements stated in the listing were accurate), colour, and for one heck of a stellar bargain! I'd have happily paid five or maybe even ten times that amount for this skirt, and couldn't believe how much I lucked out.

It's moments like winning that skirt actually, which help make the countless times you can't find something that fits your criteria easier to put up with. As you click through page after page on etsy of (for example) 1940s sundresses looking for precisely the right one, only to come up empty handed for the twenty-fifth time, it's memories of those highly sought after pieces you've already scored that truly aid in reminding you that just about everything, no matter how rare, can be discovered eventually.

It has been an age and half since I last found any of my grails, let alone one for such a great deal, and chances are it'll be awhile before another one comes along. But that's ok, I'll be floating above the ground on a cloud of happiness over this score for quite a long time to come. Just look up for the redheaded gal wearing the black quilted circle skirt and you'll know it's me.

Two terrific vintage cornbread stuffing recipes

2011-12-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 348 of Vintage 365 ✯

When done well, there are few elements of a holiday meal that I love more than a great stuffing. My mother made an extremely lovely, traditional white bread version complete with raisins, celery, lashings of poultry seasoning and bacon when I was growing up that I still model my (albeit adapted to use gluten-free bread instead, so that I can eat it these days) annual Christmas stuffing on.

Whether you prefer the term stuffing or dressing (some people see them as one in the same, others feel that "stuffing" applies to something that is placed inside of the bird, whereas "dressing" is cooked alongside it or in a separate baking dish all together), there's much to be said for this marvelous holiday side dish.

The act of filling one food with another has been in place since at least the Romans (stuffed meat recipes appear in Apicius, a classic Roman cookbook that dates back to around the end of the 4th century AD), though I'd venture to guess even earlier. It's convenient (saves space, cooks two dishes at once) to stuff foods as we do with Christmas turkeys and (more so in days gone by) geese, an act which usually helps impart taste to both the meat and stuffing as the two infuse one another with their delectable flavours.

Though I do give my mom's stuffing pride-of-place in my Christmas cookery book, that it isn't to say I haven't experimented and enjoyed other turkey dressings over the years, too (both during the holidays and when I've roasted birds at other times).

In fact, some of the loveliest stuffing recipes I've ever tried were those that I found in vintage cookbooks and December editions of ladies magazines, such as as Woman's Day, which is precisely where today's pair of vintage Christmas stuffing recipes first appeared in 1960.

{Both of these marvelous vintage turkey stuffing recipes are timeless culinary gems that are well worth keeping in your holiday meal repertoire. Image via Charm and Poise on Flickr.}

Given that cornmeal/cornbread appears in both of these delectable recipes, it's fair to say that they telegraph a certain wonderfully Southern feel, especially the "Time Saver Corn Meal Dressing".

The second recipe is for "Oyster Corn Bread Dressing", which to me marries the Southern charm of cornmeal with a slightly more New England vibe care of the inclusion of oysters (though oysters do certainly appear in many recipes hailing from south of the Mason-Dixon line, too, such as the classic seafood filled po' boy sandwich).

Each recipe says that it will stuff a 10 to 12 pound bird, but you could always half the quantity for a very small turkey (or extra large chicken). By the same token though, you could double it for a hefty sized turkey or if you'd like to cook some extra dressing on the side (if like in my family, you find that a tasty stuffing always gets snapped up quickly by Christmas dressing fans who eagerly wait all year for it).

On a non-holiday meal related note, I'd like to sincerely send out my deepest thanks to all those who left wonderfully kind comments and/or sent email message by way in regards to my post yesterday about my injured foot. Your sweet, caring words mean a great deal and are definitely helping me feel better. ♥

You just couldn't let 2011 wrap up nicely, could you, universe?

2011-12-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 347 of Vintage 365 ✯

There comes a point, in the midst of tough weeks/months/years when you just have to roll your eyes, take a deep breath, and let out a good laugh. Catharsis comes from that simple act, during which it's as though you're letting life know that it hasn't worn you to the ground or frayed your very last nerve entirely yet.

A week ago today (on the 6th), in what can only be a called a completely silly accident, I injured my left foot quite badly.

I'd been reclining on the couch for just a few minutes with both of my legs tucked up beside me. I went to get up to check on the meal I was cooking at the time in the kitchen, and didn't realize until it was too late (aka, the moment my feet were ready to hit the ground) that my left leg had fallen asleep.

As a result, I didn't have that usual sense of stability one needs to remain upright and ended up losing my balance. Luckily I was able to catch myself on the coffee table before taking a complete header, but in the process I somehow managed to mangle my left foot up rather badly in the process.

As a result I'm currently laid up and using crutches/a wheelchair until my broken foot has healed. Hopefully I'll be able to put weight on it again before Christmas arrives, as I didn't get a chance to put out my holiday decorations before this accident occurred. Right now I don't know if such will be the case though, I’ll just have to take things one day at a time and keep my fingers crossed.

{Hmmm, I’m not sure if I look as alluringly cute and cheerful as Marilyn Monroe when she was on crutches, but I'm certainly giving it the old college try! (At least I’ve got the vintage wardrobe side of things covered.) Image via whorange.net.}

While naturally, I'm a bit irked by the injury, things could have been worse and I should be back on my feet in a few weeks, so it's really not the end of the world by any means.

It does however make me laugh (as mentioned above) a tad, because (as I said to my husband last week) it seems that 2011 (a year that was fraught with significant problems, stress, and unexpected lousy situations like this) just couldn't even let December play out peacefully for us.

Oh well, I’m a perpetual optimistic and enjoy knowing that there's always the prospect of a better year come 2012. A thought that will definitely help keep a smile on my face as I hobble my way through the holiday season.

Celebrating Frank Sinatra's birthday with some of his best Christmas songs

2011-12-12T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 346 of Vintage 365 ✯

On this, the 19th to last day of the year, back in the dark WW1 filled times of 1915, one Francis Albert Sinatra was born to hardworking Italian immigrant parents in the town of Hoboken, New Jersey. The couple's only child, Francis - better know to the world and his legions of adoring fans as Frank - would go to become one of the best selling, and most beloved male recording artists of all time.

A singer, who like men as diverse as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Michael Jackson, needs no introduction, Frank Sinatra immerged onto the music scene in the midst of big band and swing dance fever to quickly skyrocket his way to a wildly successful solo career (though he did, on many occasions, sing with other stars such as Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, and Luther Vandross).

With a voice as a smooth and alluring as satin and a certain marvelous charm that translated well both through music and on the big screen, it’s incredibly easy to see why Frank - whose piercing peepers earned him the nickname Ol' Blue Eyes - rose to popularity during the crooner-loving days of the 1940s and 50s (his first album, The Voice of Frank Sinatra, was released in 1946, though he’d already been on the music scene for a few years before then).

Though many may think that Sinatra reached his pinnacle during the 40s and 50s, he weathered the following decades and was able to ensure his career flourished well into his final years of life (he passed away on May 14, 1998), with some of his best known and most iconic songs, like the 1977 gem that is New York, New York, being recorded in the second half of the 20th century.

In celebration of both Frank Sintra's birthday and the fact that today makes just twelve quick days until December 25th, I thought it would be wonderful to enjoy a selection of beautiful Christmas songs as delivered by Frankie himself.

Sit back, light a crackling fire, snuggle up in your favourite vintage sweater, and unwind for a spell with these terrific Frank Sintra songs that are bound to put you even more in the holiday spirit.

{Let it snow}

{Santa Claus is coming to town}

{Jingle Bells}

{White Christmas}

{Oh little town of Bethlehem}

{Silent Night}

{Have yourself a merry little Christmas}

Thank you for the stellar Christmas songs, Mr. Sinatra. Today, on your birthday, and always you are endlessly missed and forever loved by music and vintage fans the world over.

Fabulously vintage inspired high heel saddle shoes

2011-12-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 345 of Vintage 365 ✯

Saddle shoes are one of those things, much like poodle skirts and bobby socks, that often gets stereotypically assigned to generic 1950s or vintage themed looks and costumes. As most of us vintage fashionistas know however, saddle shoes not only predated the 50s, they were worn with a multitude of looks by both guys and gals alike.

Based on the clean, often comfortable, lines of classic oxfords and (to a certain extent) brogues, saddle shoes are often made of leather and appear in such classic colour combinations and white and black, white and brown, and white and pink (I had a pair, which my grandma bought for me, that I wore until they were falling apart in that colour coupling when I was a little girl) - though certainly any hues you can dream up could be made in a pair of these classic shoes.

While, to my mind, saddle shoes are a truly timeless look, they do certainly evoke the mid-20th century period during which their popularly peaked. During the hardworking 40s and the optimistic 50s alike, members of both sexes in all ages could be seen sporting this causal style of shoe, in settings as diverse as the classroom to the dance floor.

I've been on the hunt for a pair of saddle shoes, be they genuine vintage or reproduction, to add to my wardrobe for ages - probably since the day that those childhood pink and white ones went to the big shoe store in the sky, come to think of it - but haven't yet found one that fit well or was within budget.

Interestingly, while doing a periodic check for saddle shoes online recently, I came across a twist on these fabulous vintage style that sees the inclusion of a sweet 2.5 inch heel added to a timeless black and white version.

These wonderfully cool black and white heeled saddle shoes marry the classic two-tone look of this beloved vintage style of footwear with a very wearable 2.5 inch heel that instantly lends a 1930s, 40s and 50s worthy swing dance vibe to this appealing pair of shoes.

I love how the inclusion of a heel instantly turns these leather saddle shoes (which are available for from Plasticland.com, in ladies sizes 6 to 10, for $69.00) into something a bit dressier than than their (essentially) flat heeled counterparts. I could easily picture wearing these dressy saddle shoes with anything from a feminine black pencil skirt to a pair of high waisted trousers, all year long.

Though, as some of you may recall from past Chronically Vintage posts, I have uneven sized, thick (from top to bottom) feet that make buying shoes online impossible (as I really need to try them on in person first), I would love to come across these precise heels offline and (if they fit) would buy them faster than you can say malt shop!

Four marvelously colourful 1950s children's bedrooms

2011-12-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 344 of Vintage 365 ✯

When you think back to the days of your childhood bedroom, what colours spring to mind first? I'd venture to guess that for many of us gals, pink and/or purple are definitely contenders, but the list certainly doesn't have to stop there.

Having moved a few times over the course of my youth, just as I don't really feel like I have (only) one hometown, so too is tricky to firmly assign the title of "childhood bedroom" just just room that I laid my little head down in decades ago.

That said, I generally divide my thoughts on this topics between two bedrooms. One of which was somewhat sparsely decorated with pink walls and a darling teddy bear ballerina border, and the other (which called part of a charming Edwardian house, that was build in 1909, home) that my little sister and I shared as we grew up in the Okanagan during the early 1990s.

This bedroom, which featured sloping ceilings, a very tiny walk-in closet, and a quaint little window that one could easily climb out of and sit atop the roof that jutted out over the house's front porch, was covered by a beautiful, very vintage feeling (though it wasn't actually old - my mom hung it shortly after we moved in) aqua hued wallpaper that featured an endless smattering of tiny pale yellow and pinky-peach hued flower blossoms.

Though, I like to think somewhere someone in the family must have a photo of that room and its cheerful wallpaper, I haven't found one amongst the childhood photos I have, so for now I can only picture it in my mind's eye.

Neither of those two bedrooms fancy or particularly stuffed with furnishings or belongings, but they were certainly sweet and well suited to a little girl's tastes. Much as the four vintage children's bedrooms pictured below would have made many a youngster marvellously happy in the 1950s when these images first appeared by way of the folks over at Sherwin Williams.

{Charming 1950s children's bedrooms via obsequies on Flickr.}

These wonderfully colourful rooms are certainly eye-catching, but not through-the-roof glaring or unnecessarily busy. Each centers around a particular colour, while adding in accents and decor in coordinating hues.

Though I don't recall having much impute in how my bedroom was decorated as a child, if I'd been shown this quartet of rooms back then and told to pick the one I'd most like to have as my own, I would have given serious consideration to at least three of them, with either the girly pink or vibrant turquoise option winning out.

I love that there's a sense of timeless fun, with a distinct 50s vibe, to each of these fours rooms and would adore drawing inspiration from any one of them for my (future) child's bedroom.

Which of these rooms do you fancy most and do any of them remind you of your own beloved childhood bedrooms?

Two great list building websites to help you through the holiday season and beyond

2011-12-09T10:00:00.001-05:00

✯ Day 343 of Vintage 365 ✯

As kids many of us quickly learn that, about this time of year, Santa Claus is - as the classic song says - making a list and checking it twice.

It's certainly fun as youngsters to think thus is the case and I still enjoy the notion that there's a mythical "good list" out there in the universe (or at least at the North Pole) that I'm trying to remain on each year.

Hop ahead to adulthood however, and the lists I'm much more preoccupied come December are the ones I make myself to help steer me productively through the endless whirl of activity that is the holiday season.

I've always been a list maker, right back to the days of when they were jotted down with crayon in the margins of my colouring books. In recent years however, for the majority of lists, I tend to use the computer.

Certainly some are written down the good old-fashioned way (most grocery lists, for example), but for the lists I create most days of the tasks I need/hope to complete before the day draws to a close once more, I do tend to turn to the handy-dandy convenience of the internet.

Specifically, this year in particular, I've been using a site called todo.ly for lists of daily tasks, and another by the name of tadalist.com to keep track of things like shopping and wish lists, as well as long term roundups of tasks to be completed over time.

Both offer what I consider to be very straightforward interfaces and features that spare you the unnecessarily complicated bells and whistles of certain online/desktop list making programs. This works well because I'm usually just interested in having a place in which to list entries and check them off (don't you adore the feeling of ticking off something on a to do list?) as each is completed.

{Like the iconic image of Santa Claus pouring over his list of children's names each December, most us also find ourselves with a mile long checklist that requires our time and attention if we're to conquer it productively over the course of this wildly busy month. Immensely lovely vintage Normal Rockwell Saturday Evening Post Christmas cover image by way of x-ray delta one on Flickr.}

I find that making lists helps me really focus on the tasks that most need to be completed, which isn't to say I couldn't do so without such lists, but they do provide an especially nice backbone on which to build an itemized set of jobs you need to do or items you'd like to purchase.

Writing lists is certainly anything but new, history tells us that many ancient civilizations who had written language kept lists, and I'm sure that for nearly as long as man (or woman!) has had a writing instrument and something to jot down his (or her) thoughts on, organization loving folks have been putting together lists.

With the holiday season is full, merry swing, I thought I'd mention the two lists above in case you happen to be on the hunt for a list building site or two to help steer you through the five million things nearly all of us try and get down, hopefully in as stress-free a manner as possible, this festive, wonderful time of the year.

Just remember to follow Santa's lead, check your list twice, and you should be well on your way to productively soaring through the holiday season!

Of bad dreams and the search for serenity

2011-12-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 342 of Vintage 365 ✯

Long before the sun had cracked like an egg in a sizzling hot frying pan above the horizon, I was awoken a few mornings ago by a bad dream. It wasn't (on my personal scale at least) a full-on nightmare, but it was the sort of nocturnal mental stage show that one is mightily relieved to open their eyes from.

My dreams are usually very realistic in the sense that I almost never have whimsical, off-the-wall visions that play out like a fantasy novel in the recesses of my mind. My dreams are stark, vivid and loaded with elements that could just as easily have been part of my waking universe.

In reviewing, the moment my eyes sprung open at 4:00am, my dream that day, I instantly saw a mishmash of elements that were either precise representations or easily decoded symbolism for many of the most pressing stresses, worries and niggling thoughts that are comprising my world right now.

{This darling vintage embroidery transfer of a sleeping child from the 1930s calls to mind the sort of peace we all yearn for when we hunker down for a night of slumber, yet which is sometimes rather tricky, especially when our minds are rapt with worry, to achieve. Image via Bustle & Sew on Flickr.}

A little shaken, but not entirely perturbed, I crawled out of bed and went to the living room couch, waiting (as I knew she automatically would) for my sweet cat, Stella, to come hop onto me for an early AM snuggle. I needed to stair at the off white walls before dawn broke, calm my mind a tad, and try and ready myself for another day that I knew would be filled with the very things that spawned the dream I was trying to recover from.

As I rhythmically stroked Stella's soft fur and pondered how to inject a little tranquility into the forthcoming day, I was reminded by the now famous Seinfeld episode, Serenity Now, in which George Cosstanza's father is advised to say the words "serenity now" any time he feels his stress levels rising.

Instead of calmly repeating this positive affirmation however, he usually ends up screaming it angrily. It's all to easy to relate to how Mr. Costanza sometimes, as the elusive force that is true serenity can be a rather tricky creature to track down, especially in the heat of a difficult, stressful or otherwise problematic situation.

I'm not the sort of person who's prone to losing their temper or yelling, and try not to do such things as much as possible, but I can fully relate to how sometimes the ability to find peace in the midst of strife, worrisome moments, and challenging experiences can only stand to aggravate your mood further.

Luckily, however, such was not the case that particular morning. The longer Stella and I shared a cuddle, the more the grip of my bad dream began to fad away. It won't be forgotten any time soon, but at least, after a few minutes, I was able to fill my mind with other thoughts and ready myself to tackle the very elements of life that given rise to it in the first place, once again.

Delightfully decorated 1950s Christmas Cake Recipe

2011-12-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 341 of Vintage 365 ✯

With just eighteen days left until Christmas morn, the time to start really filling in any gaps in your holiday season menu is fast approaching. Before long it will be time to shop for every last delicious ingredient you'll need to procure a winning holiday feast, be it for two or fifty-two, and that means knowing what you're going to serve is a must before venturing out to the shops.

Like many people, I tend to stick with several of the classics each Christmas, varying some of the side dishes, but generally adhering closely to my mother's home cooked Christmas meal (which, at the risk of sounding biased, was indescribably good), with the addition of various Italian culinary treats for my beloved husband, Tony.

In the dessert department I certainly have many tried-and-tree recipes as well (some of which have been handed down to me by my parents and grandparents, as well as others I've discovered or created myself over the years), but am always on the prowl for a new dish or spin on a classic to try.

Swayed, no doubt, by the immense cuteness of today's wonderfully festive Candle-Light Cake from the 1950s, I knew the moment I saw this charming vintage white cake recipe, that it would be perfect for a holiday recipe post this year.

{A timeless white cake is festively jazzed up thanks to green frosting, citron peel "leaves", and maraschino cherry "holly berries" in this terrific Christmas recipe from 1951. Image via sugarpie honeybunch on Flickr.}

Even if you're not a fan of using shortening in your cakes, or upping the kitsch factor by sticking a large glowing candle in the middle of them, I hope that you'll find Christmas dessert inspiration in the darling white, red and green icing and decorations of this lovely holiday cake (which you could always make with your favourite , butter or oil based white cake recipe).

If one large cake wasn't quite what you had in mind for your next event this season, why not opt for delicious little white cake cupcakes instead, which you could just as easily ice (frost) and decorate in much the same way, topping each with the sweet, completely edible holly leaves and berries in todays recipe.

Undoubtedly one of this cake's strongest appeals is the fact that it looks so splendidly well suited to December, yet really don't require much skill (cake decorating, after all, is an art and talent that not all of us are blessed with by any means). Indeed, this white cake is so marvellously simple to create that you could easily let your kids help out by tinting the icing (frosting) and cutting up the decorations, if they're old enough.

So cheerfully fun in this great recipe, that you might just be tempted to forego the cookies and leave out a slice of this festive cake for jolly old St. Nick come Christmas Eve.

Grandparents of the world, I dub thee...

2011-12-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 340 of Vintage 365 ✯

A few days ago I was chatting on the phone with my mother and the subject of Canada's (and certainly by the extension the whole world's) aging population came up briefly. I referred to my mom as a baby boomer during our conversation (which, having been born in 1958, she definitely is - lucky lady!), then paused for a moment before placing a title on the generation that preceded her own.

When one thinks of the term "baby boomer", anything from a quaint, idyllic Leave it to Beaver scenario to a world rife with upheaval and immense conflict during the Vietnam War years of the 60s springs to mind.

No doubt this was a group of people that, by and large, differed radically from the ways in which their parents were born, the beliefs they upheld, the causes they lead, the fashions they wore, the music they sang, and the direction in which they drove society (before procreating and giving birth to Generations X and Y.

As a child of a Baby Boomer myself, I (like many of you as well) can call myself an Echo Boomer, if I so want, a term the was coined to describe the large wave of births that occurred in the 1980s and 90s as a result of the Baby Boomer generation reaching an age when many decided to start families of their own.

While the Baby Boomer generation (commonly defined as those born between the post WW2 years of 1946 to 1964) was certainly one of unquestionable change, upheaval, progress, strife, identity seeking, and innovation, it would be naive and wrong of us to look on the generation who proceeded them as being free of these same defining markers.

The generation that was comprised of Baby Boomer's parents was, as a whole, an incredible one. They weathered staggering adversity throughout the Great Depression and World War 2, dealing with a constantly faltering economy, scarcity of jobs, political unrest, broken families (when one or more parents left to find work on their own and/or went off to war), the advent of many amazing technologies and discoveries (from atom bombs to television), and lived in the shadow (and/or with their own personal memories) WW1 and the shattered society that massive battle had left from humanity to clean up.

In 1951 a Time magazine article called the generation (encompassing those born between 1924 and 1945) that proceeded the Baby Boomers as the "Silent Generation". This name, the piece's author said, stemmed from the fact that (in his view) the generation of youngsters during those decades were surprisingly less boisterous, preferring to keep to themselves, work hard, shoulder life's burdens, and steadfastly do what needed to be done, no matter how grim.

{For most born during the tumultuous years of the 20s, 30s and 40s life was anything but easy or peaceful, a fact which no doubt added to the desire this generation had to achieve the American dream in the post war years of the late 1940s and 50s. Image of a sweet, solemn faced little boy taken during the 1930s via ronramstew on Flickr.}

American journalist Tom Brokaw has also described this generation, which was composed of a smaller number of births than the (massive) one that followed it, as the Greatest Generation. This is a term that I greatly prefer over the Silent Generation, as I feel that name sometimes does a disservice to the achievements and actions that my grandparents' generation did for the world.

Not to mention the fact that, on the cultural front at the very least, the so-called Silent Generation was anything but, given the great number of incredible musicians, actors, writers, and brilliant minds who emerged from those people born during some of the darkest years of the 20th century.

Brokaw's title for second generation born in the last century ties directly into the immense contribution that people of that era made to the war effort (so much so that the term "GI Generation" is sometimes applied to those who were old enough to serve their country during WW2), and is certainly an apt one.

Both of of these terms for the youth of my grandparents generations sprang to mind as I chatted with my mom, yet instead I referred to it as the Chronically Vintage Generation.

One might smile and think I was just being cute by referencing my own blog and personal interest in the past, however as I went on to explain to my mom, I feel that it's a very fitting title because this generation (in my eyes at least) was the last to really adhere to many of the traditional values of society. More progressive certainly than the buttoned up Victorians, but a million miles away from the seeming relaxed, "if it feels good, do it" world of the 60s and 70s that would follow in a few short decades.

My grandparents' generation was one of tenacity and resourcefulness. Cliché as it may sound, they generally made do or went without, and in their world that was completely normal. Though certainly (then as always) there was wealth to be had by a select few, overall they were a hardworking, salt of the earth bunch who poured their blood, sweat and tears into riding out the hell that was the Great Depression and World War 2.

Perhaps because so much adversity had already crossed their paths, this generation wasn't chomping at the bit to do away entirely with many of the morals, customs, styles of dress, family values, and even some of foods of their own parents (which Gertrude Stein termed the "Lost Generation") and grandparents.

Though the world around them was rapidly changing and was often terribly uncertain, many of those who made up the Chronically Vintage Generation held onto and preserved the past and the way of life they'd grown up with. In general, they did not feel as possessed as the Baby Boomers they'd spawn to distant themselves from their own parents and many of societies longstanding traditions.

Like this very blog itself, they strove to keep a sense of the past alive by adhering to a relatively traditional way of life that kept one foot firmly planted in history, while the other (having fought to make it safe) stepped tentatively towards the future.

As such, looking with much love and deeply rooted respect for my grandparents and their peers, I here by dub those born between 1924 and 1945 as the Chronically Vintage Generation. You were, and will always be, worthy of remembering and looking up to with admiration.

Found: a great source for vintage style fake fur muffs

2011-12-05T10:00:00.000-05:00

✯ Day 339 of Vintage 365 ✯

Snow hit Toronto recently for the first time this season - November 30th to be precise. It wasn't an overly cold day, nor did an arctic worthy landscape build up in the least, nevertheless it really helped drive home the point that I'm in serious need of some accessories to help keep the fierce Canadian cold at bay this winter.

As some of you may recall from my post on the subject back in October, earlier this fall I was on the prowl for a vintage princess coat to replace the one I'd had for several years, which had been worn (lovingly) to threads.

Thankfully, between the help of a sweet Chronically Vintage reader who pointed me in the direction of the coat I ended up getting and my endlessly wonderful husband (for bought it for me as a wedding anniversary gift), I now have a fabulous 1950s princess coat that definitely helps me give Old Man Winter a run for his money.

That said however, and as fabulously toasty as the coat (which I'll get a photograph of myself wearing sometime soon and share with you all in a post here) is, lacking a hood, it isn't able to keep my head very warm when the mercury starts plummeting faster than you can make a snowball.

Likewise, there leaves the matter of my hands to be attended to as well. I have a couple of pairs of classically styled winter gloves (one is faux leather, the other a lovely plush velvet pair done up in rich burgundy and inky black that channels a subtle Victorian vibe), but neither is especially well suited to the especially chilly days of winter.

Thus, as those first darling snowflakes began to fall last week, I (hot cocoa planted firmly in hand) headed online and began hunting for vintage winter accessories. My hat/hood search continues, but on the hand front, I'm pleased to say that I'll be helping keep my digits snug as a bug in a rug this winter thanks a wonderfully old-fashioned garment, the muff.

Also known as handwarmers, muffs are cylinders of plush fabric (often real or faux fur, but I've seen both velvet and padded satin versions as well) that one sticks their hands into to help stay warm in nippy weather. With a history stretching back to at least the 16th century, muffs are anything but new, though their popularity has been on the decline since the 1950s.

I've always had a fondness for muffs however, as I find them endlessly charming and wonderfully evocative of a time gone by when people didn't have the luxury of heated cars, thermal fleece, and indoor heating to help fend off winter's bite. Instead ladies often turned to fur muffs when they ventured outside as a means of keeping their hands protected from the unavoidable cold and wind of this harsh season.

Many vintage muffs can be found on etsy, eBay, and other online sources, as well as at vintage clothing stores, and (if you're really lucky) at yard sales and the like, ranging in price (generally speaking) from $20 to several hundred dollars for rare, highly sought after versions in exotic animal furs like real leopard.

I'm not personally a big fan of wearing real fur (though my view softens a tad when it comes to vintage items), so my hunt for a new handwarmer took me down the faux fur path. Happily this avenue lead to an etsy seller called Designs by K and L, who specializes in making timelessly pretty fake fur muffs.

Crafting muffs in a range of elegant, classic hues such as mink brown, black (pictured above), and white (as well as more vibrant hues like carnation pink) in both ladies and children's sizes (which are too utterly adorable for words!) that retail for very reasonable prices (all the muffs they currently have listed are $40.00 or less each), this seller is must-check-out for those who also adore the look of vintage muffs.

I'm still contemplating which colour to get, but I'm definitely planning on ordering a fake fur muff from this delightful etsy shop before winter has a chance to really get a firm hold on the world.

Now, to keep searching for a marvelous vintage winter hat to keep my new muff company!