Godey's Lady Magazine (1858)

Quote of the Day

"For one, I care but little for the government which presides at Washington in comparison with the government which rules the eight or ten millions of American homes. No administration can seriously harm us if our home-life is pure, frugal, and godly. No statesmanship or legislation can save us, if once our homes become the abodes of ignorance or the nestling-places of profligacy. The home rules the nation. If the home is demoralized it will ruin it."

- Theodore Kuyler

Image: On the Threshhold (1900) by: Edmund Blair Leighton from: http://www.erasofelegance.com

Bridal Fashion of the 1950s

I have always enjoyed looking at wedding dresses from the 1950s since I first watched Father of the Bride (1950), with Elizabeth Taylor, Spencer Tracy, and Joan Bennett.

After picking up a copy of Bride’s Late Spring/Summer 1950 last January; I fell in love with the designs all over again. You would too looking through the magazine. The wedding dresses found within this magazine would still work today. Especially if you are into vintage clothing, old movies, or just dressing modestly. For wedding dresses of the 50s were: feminine, ladylike, elegant, unique (unlike most of today’s wedding dresses), and just plain breathtaking!

Here is a sampling of the wedding gowns found within my copy of Bride’s magazine.

 

  

  

  

  

~Ashley

Elsie Dinsmore by: Martha Finley (1896)

 

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I have exciting news. Today I reached my 50th post. And yesterday I received my 50th follower! Hurray!

A Mother's Love by: James Montgomery

A Mother's Love by: James Montgomery

A Mother's Love, - how sweet the name!

What is a Mother's love?

-a noble, pure, and tender flame,

Enkindled from above,

To bless a heart of earthly mould;

The warmest love that can grow cold;

This is a Mother’s Love.

To bring a helpless babe to light,

Then, while it lies forloen,

To gaze upon that dearest sight,

And feel herself new-born,

In its existence lose her own,

And live and breathe in it alone;

This is a Mother’s Love.

Its weakness in her arms to bear;

To cherish on her breast,

Feed it from Love’s own fountain there,

And lull it there to rest;

Then, while it slumbers, watch its breath,

As if to guard from instant death;

This is a Mother’s Love.

To mark its growth from day to day,

Its opening charms admire,

Catch from its eye the earliest ray

Of intellectual fire;

To smile and listen while it talks,

And lend a finger when it walks;

This is a Mother’s Love.

And can a Mother’s Love grow cold?

Can she forget her boy?

His pleading innocence behold,

Nor weep for grief – for joy?

A Mother may forget her child,

While wolves devour it on the wild;

Is this a Mother’s Love?

Ten thousand voices answer “No!”

Ye clasp your babes and kiss;

Your bosoms yearn, your eyes o’erflow;

Yet, ah! Remember this, -

The infant, rear’d alone for earth,

May live, may die,- to curse his birth;

-Is this a Mother’s Love?

A parent’s heart may prove a snare;

The child she loves so well,

Her hand may lead, with gentlest care,

Down the smooth road to hell;

Nourish its frame,-destory its mind:

Thus do the blind mislead the blind,

Even with a Mother’s Love.

Blest infant! Whom his mother taught

Early to seek the Lord,

And pour’d upon his dawning thought

The day-spring of the word;

This was the lesson to her son

-Time is Eternity begun:

Behold that Mother’s Love.

Blest Mother! Who, in wisdom’s path

By her own parent trod,

Thus taught her son to flee the wrath,

And know the fear, of God:

Ah, youth! Like him enjoy your prime;

Begin Eternity in time,

Taught by that Mother’s Love.

That Mother’s Love! –how sweet the name!

What was that Mother’s Love?

-The noblest, purest, tenderest flame,

That kindles from above,

Within a heart of earthly mould,

As much of heaven as heart can hold,

Nor through eternity grows cold:

This was that Mother’s Love.

Image: "The Teeter-Totter" by: Frederick Morgan from: http://www.erasofelegance.com

Godey's Lady Book (1876)

Fashion Images - 1940s

Here are a bunch of photos from the 1940s for inspiration.

 

  

  

  

  

  

 

~Ashley
Images from: http://images.google.com/hosted/life

From My Collection - Vintage Crocheting and Knitting Magazines & Patterns

Last Friday I went to a book sale, it was half-price day, and I found some wonderful vintage crocheting and knitting magazines & patterns for only a nickle each. How delightful! Even if I don't know how to knit, or even know how to crochet well enough to use the patterns, yet. I love looking through them for inspiration and a glimpse to the past. =)

 

They are from a variety of years ranging from 1941-1965.

 

  

  

   

  

  

  

 

~Ashley

Betsy McCall - vintage paper doll

On a wonderful sewing board I'm on this was shared today. A link to a free vintage paper doll (1950s-60s). The clothing is delightful! Full of wonderful vintage inspiration. And if printed off on card-stock paper, they are prefect for little girls to play with. Or any paper doll fan. :)

Betsy McCall - the first ten years

McCall’s Magazines from the 1940s

I believe that magazines from the 1940s are the best!  I have, let me think here, three and they are all McCall’s.

What I like about the copies of McCall’s from the forties is that, they are organized into three three distinct sections: “Fiction and News,” “Home Making,” and “Style and Beauty.” My favorite sections are the latter two.


In the homemaking section I have found many recipes I would love to try. And as my copies are from the WWII era, they talk about saving/rationing certain ingredients to help win the war.  Someday I hope to try some of the recipes. When I do I’ll post my results here.

The style and beauty section has listings of the current trends and patterns. They also tell you how to reuse your old clothing, tablecloth’s, etc, into something new to save fabric. Sometimes I do this myself with clothing, but  not often. Like when ever I through away an old article of clothing, I look for a couple things. First, buttons I can use again. Second, trim that is not torn or unusable in any way.  Thirdly, see if I can’t use the fabric in some other way. Though mostly I will just through it away at this point. For it is mostly clothing that I have had for years and I am sick of the fabric and ready for change.

Here are a bunch of pictures from my magazines:

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 ~Ashley