Monday, April 26, 2010

Giveaway Time!!!


I have officially sold 100 of the basic 1940's style hair snoods! So as promised I would like to do a giveaway as a big THANK YOU to all the lovely lady's who have been the most divine customers all around the world.
This giveaway is for a bag of a few things I hope you will like. The winner will recieve an Arthelia's Attic tote bag, a vintage 1950's black hat, an Arthelia's Attic coffee mug, a vintage copy of one of my favorite books Our Heart's Were Young And Gay by Cornelia Otis Skinner and Emily Kimbrough from 1942 and last but not least, one of my 1940's snoods in the winners choice of colors!


To Enter:
First, you MUST be a follower of my blog.
Post a comment for one entry. For additional entry's you can
A)Post about my giveaway on your blog and put the link in your comment.
B)Share my giveaway on Facebook and mention that you have in your comment
C)Tweet about the giveaway and mention it in your comment.

So, if you were to do all of the above you would have a total of 4 entries.
The giveaway will run from today April 26, through Wednesday May 5th. The winner will be announced on Friday May 6th.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

A Day At My Favorite Antique Malls


I didn't get much sleep on Tuesday night. My son wasn't feeling well so ended up spending half the night in our bed. Then the next morning the City was replacing the fire hydrant on my corner. So combine lack of sleep, construction noise, and no water and I knew I just had to get out of the house!

I hadn't been to my favorite antique malls since October of last year so I was due for a fix. Before venturing out I made my self promise I wouldn't go crazy and that I would make a definite effort to look for the things I actually needed, like a Hey Wake coffee table, vanity bench, and other furniture type "needs".

My first stop was Remember When Antique Mall. This shop was taken over by new owners this year and they did a bit of remodeling allowing for more vendors.I have gotten lots of treasures there over the years including my Heywood Wakefield end table, mid-century floor lamp and many dolls.

The first thing I spied that I was ready to buy right then and there, was a small early 30's suitcase with a beautiful black deco vanity set in the lid. It was complete except for one item, but still had the mirror, brush, comb, two bottles, tooth brush case(with gross old brush I might add!)nail file and more. The only draw back was that the case itself was in really bad shape, and the latches were quite rusted. Since I knew it was something I would most likely not use, it would be too heavy to ship if I put it in my shop, and I would just end up tripping over it in my bedroom I decided to be practical and save my money for something more serviceable. However, if I ever go back and it's still there and on sale, maybe I will cave!

I saw a vintage metal outdoor lounge chair which is on my wish list but it was a bit pricey and would never fit in my little car so that was out. Maybe someday I'll find one for less at an estate sale.

There was a vanity bench I had looked at before and it was still there but I was just not thrilled about it, so I passed on it again. I ended up leaving there empty handed but I still had another shop to check out.

My next stop was Treasures At Century Plaza. One of the finds I have gotten there in the past is a vintage 50's pink and gray office chair that I use as my sewing chair. It is the most wonderful chair in the world! I also have gotten a lady lamp that was all original with silk shade and Bakelite finial. I have it in my living room.

This place was a treasure trove of wonderfully priced furniture yesterday. Lots of dressers and vanity tables for very nice prices. Those were not on my list, though.
The first must have I came across was this 1930's Hollywood Joan Blondell pattern. It's a bit small for me but I am hoping I can size it with out too much difficulty.


Toward the back I found another vanity bench, just like the one in the other shop but priced less. It wiggled quite a bit when I sat on it. I was also unsure about the hight. These benches seem more suited to the lower style vanity's with the large mirrors. Mine is closer to desk hight and is kidney bean shaped. It belonged to my Grandmother and I am planning on making a skirt for it.
In another booth I saw a table similar to mine and in front of it was a vanity chair unlike any I had seen before.

It was priced separately from the table since the didn't match but it was the right hight. It is really strong, doesn't wobble and aside from a tiny piece of missing veiner, I will only have to recover the cushion. I am so glad that I held out and didn't settle for just any bench. This one is perfect!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Suede Shoes!!

Don't you just love them?




These are vintage and by Red Cross Shoe Co. and Enna Jetticks .
Both of these beauties are a bit too tight on me. The navy pair was just listed in my shop and the black pair will be listed later today. Maybe they will fit you??

Monday, April 5, 2010

My Traditional Un-traditional Strawberry Shortcake



As time passes I start to notice some things about traditional cooking, or more specifically my family's traditional cooking. For example, I remember being in High School Art class one day back in late 80s and for some reason my group got on the subject of meatloaf. Yes...meatloaf. Anyway, we were talking about it, and I made the comment about how I "like the hot dogs in it best." Everyone looked at me like I was crazy, "Hot dogs? There are no hot dogs in meat loaf." It was at that moment that I realized that you can grow up doing something, or in this case, eating something that you think is the "norm" and is exactly what everyone else does, when it is not.

I grew up eating my grandmother's meatloaf that she made not in a bread pan but in a roasting pan, shaped in a long loaf shape with 2 or 3 hot dogs lined up in the middle, so when you sliced it, you would have one slice of hot dog right in the center. I don't know if she did this on her own, learned it from her mother, or if it was a recipe she picked up elsewhere. To me it was the norm...as far as meatloaf goes.

Now you are asking yourself, why am I talking about meatloaf in a blog about strawberry shortcake? Because that was the first food I found out that was my traditional/non-traditional food...strawberry shortcake is another.

In recent years I have seen Strawberry Shortcakes in bakeries and grocery stores that look like a stack of pancakes with cream in between and strawberries on top (or those little spongy cups that you always see laid out next to the strawberries), but that is not my definition of a Strawberry Shortcake. My grandmother would make hers from a basic yellow layer cake recipe that was a bit firmer then a regular layer cake--closer to the texture of a pound cake but not quite. Spring is my favorite time of year to make this as you can find huge boxes of some beautiful berries in your local market right now. I bought a 2lb box this week and set to making a cake this weekend.

This is the recipe I use:
Basic Yellow Cake for Strawberry Shortcake
3/4c butter or margarine softened (I use unsalted butter because I prefer natural ingredients)
1 2/3c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 c sifted cake flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3c milk

Topping
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 c sugar
fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9" round layer pans.
Beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in large bowl.
Sift the dry ingredients together. Add to the butter mixture alternately with the milk beat until smooth after each addition.

Pour the batter into the pans. Bake in pre-heated oven for 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Turn out onto racks to cool completely.

The assembly of the cake is a bit different too. Take the bowl you are going to make the topping in and place it in the freezer for about 5 minutes. A chilled bowl will help the cream thicken faster. Whip the cream on high slowly adding the sugar little by little. Continue to whip until the cream is a firm spreadable consistency. If you don't whip it enough it will slide off your cake, too much and it will start to turn to butter.
Place your first layer top side down on the plate. Spoon on a little of the cream and then place slices of the strawberries into the cream.

When your layer is filled with as much strawberries as you would like add more cream over the top and spread it evenly but not too thickly.

Add your final layer and spread with the remaining cream, cover the top and sides.

Select one or two of your prettiest berries and leaving them whole, place them in the center. Slice more strawberries and arrange them on the top and sides of your cake. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before serving.
Slice and enjoy! (Be sure and refrigerate any leftovers!)