"The Happy Book: The Fun Of Doing Things Right" 1946 Children's Book

Author Josephine van Dolzen Pease Teaches Children Hygiene, Manners, Life Lessons

Wouldn't it be nice to turn the clocks back and read our little ones books such as 'The Happy Book: The Fun Of Doing Things Right" ? Oh my, perhaps they had the right idea in 1946 when Josephine van Dolzen Pease wrote this lovely children's book which I spotted at Two Little Owls Vintage on Etsy.com.

This book is really a wonderful glimpse of the times. Children were taught hygiene, manners life lessons in the form of poem, verse, rhyme. Some of the other titles by this author are: "The Book of Houses", "The Book of Clothes", "Nimbo The Story of The African Boy", "This is Our Land", "Safe All Day", "Fun With Letters", "This is My World" and more.

In "The Happy Book", Pease covered such charming topics such as "Happy Morning Ways" and "Clean People Like Clean Ways".

Even water fountain etiquette was covered . Josephine is a noted author who wrote about life in America.

Manuel And the Drinking Fountain

"When Manual came to live in America he had never seen a drinking fountain in his life! The boys and girls at school had to show him about it, so that he could take a drink of water.

"Stand in line and wait your turn" said Tommie "......"Turn on the water just hard enough but not too hard, said Alice"........."Do not put your mouth on the opening the water comes from" said Pat " .

Didn't Alice And Jerry Also Need To Learn How To Drink From A Water Fountain?

My question on this topic of water fountain hygiene is: Didn't Alice and Jerry also need to know how to drink from a water fountain. Why pick on "Manual" ?

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.comVisit my website, CDianneZweig.comDianne is a member of:The American Society of Journalists and AuthorsThe Society of Professional Journalists

Gain More Storage Space Using An Old Dresser Wardrobe Cabinet For Your Vacuum And Cleaning Supplies

Storing Your Cleaning Supplies In An Old Free Standing Painted Dresser-Wardrobe In Your Bathroom

While poking around in the Powder Room of Korlates Fitness & Pilates in Avon, CT. I discovered a very handy dandy idea. Owner Kris, converted an old upright dresser wardrobe cabinet into a storage unit for his utilities and cleaning supplies for his studio.

Look At These Deep Drawers

Now while he was busy getting ready for our exercise session, I was sneaking a look behind the doors and drawers of this white painted dresser to see what he keeps inside.

How Clever: Storing A Vacuum Inside An Old Wardrobe

And lo and behold, I found his vacuum in the larger compartment and paper towels and cleaning supplies in the drawers. Now that's a clever way to gain a closet!

Adding Charming And Artsy Drawer Knobs

I took a close shot of this dresser drawer to show you how charming a funky drawer knob can be when added to your dresser. You can find artsy door knobs online. by the way, notice how deep these drawers are....that is what you want to look for.

Where To Find Old Furniture?

You can pick up old dressers in a lot of affordable places such as used furniture stores, junk shops, thrift shops, flea markets and consignment stores. I have often seen these cabinets unpainted in their original wood, but what's a little white paint to complete your Cottage Chic look? And because you are using this dresser for bathroom storage you need not be too fussy about condition, especially if you are painting it.

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.comVisit my website, CDianneZweig.comDianne is a member of:The American Society of Journalists and AuthorsThe Authors Guild, Inc.

SNEAK PREVIEW: Hot Kitchen And Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Beyond SECOND EDITION

SNEAK PREVIEW: Hot Kitchen And Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond SECOND EDITION

My ever popular book in its new expanded edition is coming out this summer 2010. (in ONE MONTH) But you can order it now at Collectorbooks.com or Amazon.com or your favorite bookstore.

Here is what is NEW in my book Hot Kitchen and Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Beyond Second edition: You will find everything you love about kitchen collectibles and MORE. Twenty five plus contributors also added many new images to my personal huge collection.

There is a brand new chapter on American Dinnerware (Pottery Guild, Universal, Harker etc.) with all new images.

A fabulous NEW amazing chapter on toy kitchen collectibles. You have never seen a collection like this before.

And then there is a brand new section on chef themed collectibles. This is so much fun.

Housewares galore.....love my new pages on kitchen decals.
Loving all the new photos of vintage housewares and collectibles.

And now 60's and 70s kitchen collectibles have been added.

Product Description

Buckle your seatbelt, hold on tight, kitschy kitchen collector C. Dianne Zweig, editor of Iantiqueonline.com continues the informative and nostalgic journey back to the colorful eras of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s in this revised second edition. Hot Kitchen and Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s, and Beyond is a favorite among collectors. Board the retro express, back to a time when homemaking and home décor was the key to keeping you and your family in stylish comfort. Readers who enjoyed going up and down the dime-store aisles or cherished their catalogs from Montgomery Ward or Sears will have just as much fun once again. This charming and well-researched 304 page resource book will capture your attention with over 500 full-color images of your favorite kitchen and home collectibles including kitchenware and pottery; everyday textiles; laundry, sewing, washday products, and accessories; bath and beauty essentials; vintage recipe and appliance booklets; magazines, advertising, and prints; as well as nursery and baby notions and décor.

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.comVisit my website, CDianneZweig.comDianne is a member of:The American Society of Journalists and AuthorsThe Authors Guild, Inc.

How Frugal Ladies Save Money In The Powder Room

Frugal 1940s Housewives Stretched The Dollar

In the 1940s thrifty homemakers learned how to save money, time and work in every aspect of daily life. The war years were tough and frugal housewives stretched the dollar in anyway that they could. Here are some wonderful tips from a 1940's home economics booklet on Household Hints. Be sure to let me know which of these handy hints you have tried?

1. Make your own hair curlers. use the wires from the tops of milk bottles.

2. Save that lipstick container. By removing the last bit of lipstick and packing the holder with cotton for a cushion, you can have a neat pin and needle case, to keep handy in your purse or week end bag.

3. It is good psychology to keep a box of facial tissues in the bathroom, when guests are in the house. Most women will thoughtfully use them, instead of guest towels, to remove excess lipstick.

4. How to remove lipstick.....rub with Vaseline or lard. wash in hot suds. If color stain remains, bleach with hydrogen peroxide. Do not use soap first; it may set the stain.

5. To protect your rubber swim cap, wash it. thoroughly dry and cover with a little talcum powder or cornstarch inside and out. Then store in a cool place.

6.Brassieres are easy to iron. Iron toward the center of each cup, turning the brassiere on the board until each area is smooth and dry. then iron the flat sections and the straps.

7. Wash your nylons after each wearing, use lukewarm water and mild soapsuds. rinse them well. Squeeze out the water. Make sure they are completely dry before wearing them again.


C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com

Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

How to Be a Thrifty Retro Housewife: Practical Tips For Caring, Wearing and Mending Clothing

Thrifty Clothing Tips From The Fabulous Forties
I thought it might be fun to share with my Retro readers some fabulous forties practical tips about caring, wearing and storing clothing.

Saving Money on Clothing

1. Storing wool gloves, scarves and cashmere sweaters: put them in perfectly clean fruit jars, along with moth crystals, then seal the jar tight.

2, Torn gloves: when the fingertip of a torn glove presents a difficult darning job, use this trick. Drop one of junior's marbles in the finger and you'll have a perfect fitting darning egg to make the job easy.

3. Shoe polish: when you run out of shoe polish, a handy substitute is paste floor was. Its neutral color makes it fine for dark or light shoes.

4. Rubber boots will last much longer and keep their original shape if the insides are propped up with cardboard when the boots are not in use.

5. Straw hats can be damaged easily. When putting them away, place them flat down on the brim side-one to a box, the crowns stuffed with tissue paper.

6. Wearing scarfs: a scarf will save wear on the neckline, besides helping to keep it free of creams, powders and "collar smudge".

7. Dry your coat, when soaked in rain or snow, in a well-ventilated room: never near heat. Brush before drying.

8. To fluff the nap of your coat, shake it briskly by the hem.

9. To judge the quality of woolen material, squeeze it in your hand. It should feel smooth, rubbery, springy when you open your hand. if it has a rough feeling, the grade is inferior.

10. Avoid wrinkling hosiery at the knees or ankles by adjusting your garters, if necessary, to a lower position in the welt, but not below the welt.

Source "1003 Household Hints", 1947 Edited by Michael Gore

Photos courtesy of http://www.100megspop3.com/adira/1940s/1940s2.html

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com

Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Introducing Color & Decorative Accessories Into the 1940s Bathroom

Starting in the 1940's the bathroom gained as much importance as the kitchen. The colorful era began interest in coordinated kitchen and bath accessories . Home magazines dedicated many pages to improving living spaces with color, wallpaper and patterned decor. Many of the companies that made tin kitchen canisters and range sets also produced colorful bathroom ensembles. Photo courtesy of http://www.antiquehome.org/

Decals made for kitchenwares were also made with bathroom designs and were promoted to
enhance powder rooms as well. "His" and "Her" towel sets were very popular in the 1940s as well hand embroidered fingertip and guest towels.

Homemakers often embroidered their initials on pillowcases and sheets and jazzed up other linens with handiwork.






C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com



Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.