Workbasket

 I love looking at old Workbaskets from the 40's and 50's. In addition to some really cool old crochet patterns, there are articles on growing geraniums and African violets, and recipes for things like 'peanut butter and bacon canapes' and 'grapefruit coffeecake'.
But what is really the most interesting, at least to me, are the advertisements. They  give one quite an interesting glimpse into the past.

 There are lots of ads for items designed to make crocheting easier. "Croch-Aid"; how's that for a clever name for a product? Though I am not quite sure what is supposed to do; does it just hold your thread or is there something I am missing? 

 And who knew Betty White was a crocheter? I would like to try one of her rings, though.

As you can see, women have always been interested in trying to stay slim and beautiful.

Just think, you only have to wear this for 15 minutes a day! I can just imagine David's reaction if he saw me wearing this contraption. I am sure it would be quite Thrilling!

I remember looking at these ads for dolls when I was little; I loved dolls (and I still do! ) I actually convinced my mother to order me the dolls in the "Real Dolls 1 Penny Each" ad. I was so excited; imagine, a hundred dolls! My mother warned me they would probably be too small to really play with, but I was absolutely certain they were going to be wonderful. "Just look," I pointed out to my mother, "most of them are almost as big as the girl in the picture!" I raced to the mail box every day for months, but the package never arrived. And maybe that is just as well. I am sure the 'real dolls' would never have lived up to the dolls in my dreams!

At least I didn't beg Mama to order me a pet through the mail!

At first this ad made me laugh, then I started to worry how many little dogs died while being shipped. Surely this was illegal, but maybe not. I wonder what my friend Pamela, aka Crochethuahua, would think of giving dogs away in order to sell copies of pictures. Her little "miniature dog" Ginger is her baby!

Anyway, that's all for today, except to say if Blogger doesn't do something to make it easier to post pictures I will  be moving the blog to a new location soon. It takes a couple of hours to do a simple post with pictures anymore!