Hooked On Vintage

I have been watching Mad Men the fourth season. I got interested in sewing and vintage things without even knowing about the show Mad Men. One night at the restaurant I was talking about my vintage doings and a customer asked me if I had seen Mad Men. Nope! Never even heard of it. I don't really watch much television other than some news in the morning and maybe a show here or there. I soon forgot about the show and never even looked into it. Frankly I could not remember the name, although I new it had the word mad in it. One day I decided it was time I investigated it and ordered the first season through Netflix. Oh brother!!!! Hooked~hooked~double, triple hooked.

I have never been one to stay up late and after working each weekend late into the night, I could never stay awake through the 10:00-11:00 show when it aired on Sunday evenings. No matter how much I wanted to stay awake, I would inevitably dose off half way through. So after only a couple of shows each season, I would stop watching and wait for the season to come out on Netflix....and the fourth season came out last week or the week before...and I have been hooked watching it. No sewing, no nothing.

But the good news is, we now have a DVR and I will be able to record this years season, whenever they finally get around to airing it, and I won't have to wait a full year. This makes me happy.

Around the same time I got interested in vintage I went to a yard sale and there before me were 15 or more copies of 1950's American Girl magazines. For those that do not know this magazine, it was put out by the Girl Scouts from 1917-1979 and is a classic of the times. I had a subscription in the late 60's and just about swooned when I saw them at this sale. I asked how much they wanted for them, and the girl said 50 cents each. SOLD! These were in pristine condition and I knew I could sell them on e-bay and in fact all but two are gone now. I sold one the other day. But before I sent it off in the mail I decided to take some photos of the advertisements so I would not forget the beauty of the simple, chaste, teen girl image projected in the magazine. These are all from the April 1957 issue.

Today just some ads for dresses you could purchase through the mail. Look at the prices for these beauties. Did they use vinegar and water for these pleats?

More tomorrow including a Singer Sewing Contest for girls. Wait till you see what the prizes were.

Vintage American Girl Magazines bring Back Memories

I have spent this morning putting some American Girl Magazines from the 1950's up on E-Bay. I have enjoyed having these, but need to let them go to new homes.

While I was taking photos for e-bay a few ads brought back memories for me. In the summer of 1969 when I was 10 years old, my friend Karen W. took this offer up and sold greeting cards.

We went door to door and sold these "lovely" cards to neighbors and friends. The biggest memory I have of this escapade, is being yelled at by a lady we called on for "being mean to her daughter". The daughter was six years older than we were and we only knew the girl in passing. I think we snickered at her for some reason. We were sent off with our tails between our legs and feeling sorry for this girl for having what we thought of as "The Wicked Witch" for a mother.

Karen W. remembers that with the money she earned she bought a wooden tennis racket. I have no recollection of what I received or how much money I earned.

I was never that good at selling things. Too shy (although I guess not too shy to cause mental injury to a girl much older than I was).

Did you ever go door to door as a youngster selling things?