Movie Life Magazine {April 1940}

I love movie magazines. There is something about them that I just love. Maybe it is the photos? The trivia? Interviews? I don't know what, but they sure are intriguing.

The magazine I'll be featuring today is one of my favorites - Movie Life (April, 1940). Why? It has an article of one of my favorite actresses - Deanna Durbin. That may, or may not be the reason why I bought this magazine. *grin*

Look! Cary Grant takes an old family friend to the premiere of My Girl Friday {I love that movie!}. Also the Los Angeles' Mayor greets Rosalind Russell at Girl Friday press party. In the bottom picture on the left, Olivia de Havilland is sporting the new pompadour hair-do. While on the right we have Judy Garland on a date to her movie, Strike Up the Band.  

Here we have, Errol Flynn, Anne Shirley, and Shirley Temple. 

 Next up we have a four page spread on Deanna Durbin. Enjoy!

Have you seen the film, Young Tom Edison (1940) starring Mickey Rooney? I grew up watching this film, so it was fun seeing this little spread.

This page is filled with stars! We have a wedding picture of Ronald Reagan & Jane Wyman. Katharine Hepburn {in a darling dress and pumps!}, Raymond Massey & Mrs. Roosevelt! That's just on the top row of pictures. Underneath we have Mickey Rooney, Pat O'Brain, Gene Autry, Olivia de Havilland, and many others!!


I hope you all enjoyed this little peak into one of my magazines I own. Let me know how you enjoyed it!

 

Pecan Pie (August 1954)

Pecan Pie

Makes 1 nine-inch pie

Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes, then at 325 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes. 

3 eggs

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Light Corn Syrup

1 TBSP melted butter

1 tsp Vanilla

Pinch of Salt

2 Cups shelled Pecans

1. Prepare pastry shell (recipe below).

2. Beat eggs slightly in large bowl; add sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt. 

3. Beat until mixture is well blended and frothy; stir in pecans. 

4. Pour into unbaked pastry shell.

5. Bake pie in hot oven (425 F) 10 minutes; reduce heat to slow (325 F) and bake 35 to 45 minutes longer, or until filling is firm in center. 

Pastry Shell

Makes one nine-inch shell

1 Cup sifted flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1/3 Cup shortening 

About 3 TBSP cold water

1. Sift flour and salt into medium-size bowl.

2. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture is crumby. 

3. Sprinkle water over flour-shortening mixture; mix lightly with fork until dough just holds together.

4. Roll out to a 12-inch round on lightly floured pastry cloth or board. 

5. Fit into 9-inch pie plate; trim overhanging to 1/2 inch; turn overhang under, folding flush with rim of pie plate: flute edge. 

 Recipe from: "Family Circle: August 1954" 

Image from: telegraph.co.uk

Play Clay (1965)

"You can make play clay for the children right in your own kitchen. To make enough for two or three children to work with you will need 2 cups baking soda (one 1-pound package), 1 cup cornstarch and 1 1/4 cups water. Mix all three together in a saucepan, heat to boiling, stirring constantly, and remove from heat as soon as mixture reaches a dough like consistency. When cool enough to handle, knead slightly.

To make enough for four to six children, follow the same procedure with three 1-pound packages of baking soda, one 1-pound package of cornstarch and 4 cups water.

To color the entire batch of clay, add food coloring or tempera paint to water before adding other ingredients. Or leave clay white and color with paint, crayon or felt tip marker when dry. Clay can be stored in a Pliofilm bag or in a airtight container and will remain pliable for several months.

Finished models will dry overnight or they may be placed in a warm turned-off oven for half an hour or parked on the radiator for an hour or two.

The number of projects that can be made from play clay is unlimited. A pretty wall plaque or paperweight could be made by rolling the clay into a ball then flatten it into a thick pancake. Press little shells, colored pebbles or snips of colored aluminum foil into the clay to form a collage-type design. Then press figures of appropriate size into center of pancake. Remove gently. Color indentation with paint or felt tip marker. Press shells or pebbles into clay around edge to form frame.

Let the children make some decorations for Christmas trees by rolling clay into balls about one inch in diameter. Insert regular Christmas tree decoration hangers or paper clips and roll ball in colored glitter.

Play clay is an inexpensive modeling material that is safe for the children to play with, won't stain clothes or furniture, and will give children hours of fun and pleasure." (The Workbasket and Home Arts Magazine Number 10 - Vol. 30 - July, 1965)

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

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

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