“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” –Annie Dillard

Monday, May 2, 2011

Housewifery, Retro Style

So- the lost art of Housewifery. It's definitely not what it used to be! My darling hubby is not sexist in any way, helps out with certain chores on a regular basis and even cooks on occasion, but I still find these 'rules,' taken from a 1955 'Housekeeping Monthly' article, wonderful advice on running your home:




1. Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.
2. Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you’ll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.
3. Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.
4. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dust cloth over the tables.
5. During the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering to his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.
6. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet.
7. Be happy to see him.
8. Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.
9. Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first – remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.
10. Don’t greet him with complaints and problems.
11. Don’t complain if he’s late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through at work.
12. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or lie him down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.
13. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.
14. Don’t ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.
15. A good wife always knows her place.  


Now I know that there are several controversial phrases and ideas in here but overall, this is what I try to do for my husband at the end of each day. Bonus points for wearing a cute little apron...he loves that. ;)

Friday, April 29, 2011

Vintage Clip Art

I want to share some of my favorite vintage art from my own personal collection-
feel free to use them for personal projects, 
but not for monetary gain. 
There are some really great images here. 
More to come later. Enjoy!
















Pier1 Give Away!

Just wanted to share this awesome give away from Tatertots and Jello- a $100.00 gift certificate to Pier1 Imports! 
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Pier1! They have the most amazing home decor and accessories! So many of their things are bright and colorful and fun- perfect for summertime and outdoor gatherings.

Find out how you can enter the giveaway at Tatertots and Jello!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Silhouette Deal!

I finally did it- ordered a Silhouette machine! I've been wanting one for a while but the price had me holding off, until I saw this GREAT deal for A Bowl Full of Lemons readers!  The deal includes the Silhouette SD and rhinestone starter kit, with an original price of $349.99.  This week only, this bundle is available for only $229.00 using the code LEMONS at checkout!  I absolutely couldn't resist!


Looks a little intimidating to be honest, but I'm pretty confident that I'll have it all figured out in an afternoon. I'm so excited thinking about all the awesome things I can make!  Vinyl, heat transfers, temporary tattoos, card stock, glass etchings, fabric, printable magnets...I could go on.  I'm going to start compiling a list of fun projects that have been running through my mind that I can finally do now!


Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Waverly Inspiration

I am totally obsessed with Waverly ads, they're so inspiring! 
Here are some of my favorites-





I need to go to Jo-Ann's and get some of these amazing fabric patterns!  I can think of a million things I can do with them...

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Lamp Re-Do: From Ugly Brass to Zebra!


 
Walking through the Salvation Army store with Baby A the other morning, I saw this little gem sitting on the back of a shelf with a red dot sticker on it (half price!).  It didn't look like much but it had potential, and I knew exactly what I was going to do with it- so for $1.99 I brought it home and gave it a makeover.



I scored the cute zebra-print lamp shade at Dollar General for $4.99. I love a bargain! And I love my new lamp.