Jackie Dating Guide 1969

What a different world it was back then!  Reading through this little booklet which came free with Jackie magazine in 1969 reminded me of the angst of those young teenage years when many hours were spend with friends discussing how to get a boyfriend.

I found this in a box of old books I had stored away at the back of a cupboard.  I suppose I kept this because it would have been the "dating bible" of its day!  My friends and I devoured each edition of Jackie magazine, plastering our bedroom walls with pictures of the latest heartthrob from Jackie.

Cathy and Claire were the agony aunts who answered all the teenage problem letters.  That page was a must read!

The little booklet is so sweet now - and actually quite sensible in many ways.  But then that's the opinion of an oldie - wonder what today's teenagers would make of it????!!!!!

Did you read the Jackie?

Love, Liz

Blocks For Blokes

I suppose being the mother of two boys it was natural that there was a lot of Lego in our house ... a LOT of Lego!

My sons played with Lego all the time and it was always top of the Christmas list.  We've kept it all - not just the bricks, but also the instructions for building the items.  I'm so glad that we did.  My elder son is a Dad himself now, his son is just two years old, and I know that he is looking forward to getting back to Lego building.  Perhaps then I might get some room in my cupboard when he takes all the Lego away!

The minute I saw this magazine - Blocks - I knew I had to buy it for him.  It has loads of great articles about Lego old and new and there some great photographs of some of the fabulous things that have been built from Lego.

I was a bit hopeless as a Mum when it came to building the cars and things, but my husband loved making things up for the boys - when they let him!

I suppose a lot of this, collected over the last 30 years could now be classed as vintage!  Do you still have a Lego collection somewhere in the house?

Love, Liz

Vintage Needlework Magazine

I came across this gorgeous vintage magazine - Weldon's Period Needlework, Needle Art Series No 5 - priced two and six!

It has the most fabulous illustrations.

I just don't have the patience to so such involved needlework these days I'm afraid to say!

The little bunny is so sweet.

I love the advertisements too.

Love, Liz

Vintage View Two

The second issue of "A Vintage View" is out now and covers the era of the Roaring Twenties.  Once again it is a fabulous mix of items from the original Woman's Weekly magazines of the time.

The war was over and the influenza epidemic had done its worst.  More young women were finding independence through employment, and this freedom was expressed in the fashions of the times.  There are some fabulous pictures of flapper dresses and accessories as well as advice on hairstyles and beauty.  

One of my favourite ads is for a strange looking device which promise it will correct all ill-shaped noses!

There are the usual hints and tips one of which is how to disguise your dustbin, and who knew that fur could be cleaned in petrol?! 

Want to learn to tango?  Look no further than page 62 for a chart of how its done.  I can just imagine a couple of bright young things rolling back the rug, winding up the gramophone and following the instructions on these pages - might give it a go myself!

Of course no Woman's Weekly magazine would be complete without a selection of knitting and sewing patterns - including one for knitting your own silk knickers which don't look particularly comfortable to me! Wouldn't they stretch or even worse, shrink?!

I'm really enjoying this series and can't wait for the next issue.

Love, Liz

A Vintage View

Looking for a magazine to pass the time, I came across this - "A Vintage View" from the Woman's Weekly Classics Series.  I got mine in WH Smith in Greenock.

Its a fabulous look back to the years 1900-1920 through copies of Woman's Weekly of the time.  I love the pages of front covers which take in the war years and afterwards.

There are handy household hints, although I don't think I'll be trying the one for cold cream for use on the face and hands ... its main ingredient is mutton fat!  There are lovely pictures of the fashions of the days, recipes, household hints and adverts of the time too.  Some like HP Sauce and Pears soap still being used today.

There is going to be a series of these magazines covering the whole of the 20th century.  I'm really looking forward to collecting them all. 

Love, Liz

Back To the Eighties

Here's a bit of a blast from the past - in fact these are from an old Good Housekeeping magazine from the 80s.

 

 

Opium perfume - I remember getting some of that for Christmas in the 80s - I was well chuffed, the packaging was pretty and unusual, but the scent was very overpowering!

 

Floral sofas and shiny black bathrooms- wow!

 

Very large shoulder pads - love the mustard and black!

 

This photo, an ad for Alexon, makes me think of Lorraine Chase - did anyone see her in Emmerdale last week - hasn't changed much!

 

Styles for men -  erm, no!  Good to look back, though, especially for those of us who endured lived through the 80s!

Love, Liz

Patriotic Knitting - WW1 Style

During the first world war, women were encouraged to knit for the men away fighting.



 

I found these advertisements in a copy of Needlecraft Practical Journal No 117.

 

Must have been awful just knitting in khaki. white, natural, greys and drabs ... what on earth is drab - beige, perhaps?

 

I suppose it was a great way to get women who couldn't go out to work to help. 

 

Wonder if there was a quality control centre - or some poor chaps got the socks with dropped stitches.

 

Has anyone been watching BBC's "The Village" on Sunday evenings?  Its a bit drab (that's my word for the day)!!!!!  But I suppose it must have been a dreadful struggle for many to keep the family together and provide enough food for them to eat. 

 

Can't wait for the return of  The Paradise, Ripper Street, Mr Selfridge, Call the Midwife - think I prefer my history with a touch of glamour, humour ... and handsome men!  Funnily enough don't feel that I want to add Downtown to this list, thought the last series was a bit flat.  Perhaps I was expecting too much.

Love, Liz

Many thanks for all your lovely comments on the previous post.  I ended up doing absolutely nothing, but felt better for it!  I guess we all have days like that.  It is so good to have blogging buddies who understand. 

Liz

A Royal Lady 1938

I found this booklet in among some old magazines.  Its from 1938 and has lots of pictures of the then Queen Elizabeth and her daughters.  It was given out with the magazine Woman and Home.

 

 

Some of the pictures are just so sweet.

 

 

Lovely images of a bygone time.

Looks as if you could cross the Atlantic in this pram!

Love, Liz