Cookies, Crayons, Classes, & Chaos

I fell right down the bunny hole and ended up back at Vintage Books

Those internet rabbit trails can take you so many places and get you really off track.

I was busily updating my website with free homeschool resources with some links for free e-books.

Naturally, I had to test out the links right?

At the Guttenberg Project I found some marvelous old books that are free to download in html or other digital reader formats in the Children's Bookshelf section:

Free book from Guttenberg Project

There were several different illustrated versions of "A Child's Garden of Verses" and this 1916 version was my favorite of the ones available here. I loved the art deco illustrations!!

That got me thinking about some other illustrations I had seen of that book.

So then I had to go looking for those versions.

Good "Google"y moogly. Google this book and there are zillions of illustrated versions!! Well, I guess since it was first published in 1885 and in continuous print there are bound to be a zillion versions.

It's a virtual walk through history with the "who's who" of children's illustrators, the artist styles of the time, and a bit of cultural anthropology in observing the fashions and objects of the day.

Looking through those vintage books lead me to some really great sites with images of other vintage books which I have written about before.

Here's a trip back in time anytime you want to visit your childhood library!!

Vintage children's books on Flickr
Retro kid on Flickr
Golden Books on Flickr

Naturally I had to see how much some of the books could be purchased for. I find some hidden gems and realized that some of my favorite books we still have are worth a pretty good penny!

I'm just thrilled that people are taking time to catalogue the text and images of of these vintage books in places like Flickr and The Guttenberg Project so the books aren't just on ebay or etsy for sale at a hefty price.

So I started posting some to my pinterest board for vintage books.

Okay, what was it I was doing in the first place again?

I guess it doesn't matter. My little girl is ready for me to read her stories :-)

And another generation continues the love of childhood books. I wonder what books from their childhood my kids will be trying to find when they are all grown up.

Hopefully they'll still have all their favorites too because I saved them just like my mom did for me.

Thanks, mom!!!

Vintage crafts

My grandmother was really active in a craft club back in the 60's and 70's, and probably before too. So I got to do a few things with her too. Going through her things after she passed was a history lesson in pop craft culture. She tried a little bit of everything!

Some of those crafts are making a resurgence and I'm enjoying seeing them in a new light.

Martha Stewart straw flower tutorial

Whipped wax candles

Princess Tea Party Paradise

.....gasp.....

I cannot believe how adorable these things are from the blog, girl. inspired.

Lace Princess Crowns tutorial

Look at the cakes in the background!

Tea party treats

Princess extravaganza

DIY Curtain Rods and Finials

The folks at Apartment Therapy and Better Homes and Garden remind us that there are lots of unique materials to use for hanging window treatments.

Better Homes and Garden via Apartment Therapy

Can you guess what these curtain rods are made from? Click on the links for great tutorials for inexpensive DIY tutorials for these curtain rods.

In My Own Style - See answer #1

My Life as G - See answer #2

Apartment Therapy - See answer #3

Christy's Thrifty Decorating - See answer #4

House of Hepworths - See answer #5

The Creative Mama - See answer #6

Answers:
1. PVC pipe
2. Bamboo
3. Unpainted steel conduit
4. Cardboard dowel
5. Painted steel conduit
6. Painted or stained wooded dowels

Okay, now for the finials!

Rubber furniture feet from Squidoo

Tennis balls from In My Own Style

Old door knobs and cabinet pulls from In My Own Style

Drawer pulls from Home Works

Electrical tape and slip on finials from House of Hepworths

Corks and screw-in finials from In My Own Style

Drawer knobs from Design Sponge

Wood beads from Polish the Stars

Twisted hammered copper wire from Twists on Wire etsy shop

Antique glass salt and pepper shakers from the Art of the Home

Glass marbles?! Photo from media absurdity

Once you realize you can glue stuff to the cap for a finial I guess the options are endless!

A new use for watercolor pencils?

My 6 year old daughter has declared she no longer has face paint on her wish list. And here is why.

My beloved clown ♥

She has decided that her watercolor pencils work just fine.

Do I look like grandpa now?

Ouch! grandpa!

Finding the missing Polly Pocket doll shoe and other great tips

They are positively insanely clever tricks, most of which I had never heard. I'll bet many are new to you too!

This was one of my favorite tips. I immediately thought of using it to find those insanely small Polly Pocket doll shoes lost in the carpet.

Polly pocket loot from Megan Makes

"Drop a small object on the carpet and can't find it? Place panty hose over the end of the vacuum hose and start vacuuming. The panty hose will trap anything to large to fit through the tiny hose and keep it from getting sucked into the vacuum. "

Here are my "Did you know?" tips:

(1) Secret information on Happy Meal boxes. Did you know you can turn over the McDonald's Happy Meal boxes to find out what the next toy promotion will be? Not that any of us should be eating this stuff or adding to the material consumption of often useless toys from China, but I digress....

Looks like Build a Bear is up next!

(2) Secret signals on traffic lights. Did you know that many traffic lights have an additional white light light that flashes when an emergency vehicle is in the area? If the emergency vehicle is close to the actual intersection it can preempt the signal to change colors to stop traffic to allow the emergency vehicle through.

Communication and Technology Society

Pixie Dust Recipe

My six year old daughter came up with this recipe for pixie dust.

She said "quick, mom! Let's post it before anyone steals the idea!" (My little foodie blogger.)

So here it is!

1 part white sugar
1 part brown sugar
1 part powdered sugar
Lots of food coloring droplets

Combine and stir! The droplets form sugar clumps so it looks like confetti.

It's perfect for sprinkling on those midwinter strawberries and raspberries that aren't quite summer sweet.

Or for eating right out of the bowl while mom is blogging and doesn't notice.