Recent content by St. Louis

I'm coming in a bit late to this discussion, but I can say that wearing cotton and heavy rayon stockings doesn't "read" quite the same way as seamed nylon or silk stockings. The ones I wear are fully fashioned -- i.e., knitted into shape, rather than stitched up the center back. They really...

That's interesting. I would love to find some. I've been reproducing the ones shown in that pattern envelope (from wool felt) and crocheting a few things, like flowers and fruits. They're fun and quick to make. I can imagine they'd be popular with folks who couldn't afford to purchase costume...

Lately I've been obsessed with "lapel gadgets" from the 1940s. These are cute little decorative items that women would pin to their lapels. They're often floral, but they can be miniature hats, boots, Scottie dogs, and fruits. I haven't seen any discussions of them, but I've seen lots of crochet...

Thank you so much, dear Lizzie! I've missed this place. I hope to be able to participate more regularly now that my job has become slightly less fraught.

This is fascinating, thanks. I have a question about high school girls' footwear. If liquid leg makeup and bobby socks were forbidden, what would they have worn? I'm assuming that regular dressy stockings would have been expensive. Were they wearing service-weight stockings? Aren't bobby socks...

I do follow a lot of the suggestions in previous posts, so I won't repeat them. I have a few fun little games I play that keep the place neat (well, neat-ish.) For example, never leave a room without picking up three objects that don't belong there. If there's a sink full of dishes and I dread...

Has anyone here ever tried salad and dessert jellies? I find them fascinating in a horrible kind of way & have been working my way through a few veg & fruit jellies. I can see why they would be appealing -- some of these things look great in that late-art-deco architectural design way. But I...

I'm going to try that biscuit recipe!!

GHT, that didn't sound misogynist at all. Since I cook from mostly early 30s through mid-40s cookbooks and magazines, I do come across wartime recipes that take current conditions into account. For example, many will try to save on sugars and fats in order to minimize points. I also have a...

3fingers, this is off topic, but your signature line cracks me up. I loved liverwurst when I was a kid. We also ate a fair amount of liver, and we always cooked the gizzards & organ meats of chickens. Do people still do that? This isn't something I would ever make now. One thing I've noticed...

I agree about the organ meat. Though when I was small, I liked rabbit kidneys, one of my grandmother's specialities. I find it odd now that I loved the rabbits but didn't seem to mind eating their stewed kidneys. I've grown more squeamish in the intervening years. My favorite cookbook author...

Does anyone else here cook from 1930s-1940s cookbooks or magazine recipes? This is a hobby of mine, mostly to get myself to eat more veg & whole grains, but also to fit in with my general golden era way of living. I'd love to hear about your successes and not-so-successes. I'm not saying I'm a...

Wow, that's fantastic, Sheeplady! And many hearty congratulations on your Great Expectations!

Your cat could be suffering from a thyroid condition. My cat behaved this way until the vet tested her blood & discovered the problem. I medicate my cat every day now & she's feeling much better and eating normally. Unfortunately, the 4:00 a.m. wake-up call is now permanently learned behavior...

That sounds wonderful. What eras particularly appeal to you?