Try the Farrah Fawcett Hairdo

No need to say Farrah Fawcett-Majors. Everybody knows who Farrah is... they recognize her smile and that glorious hair style! Girls everywhere are trying to duplicate it. Is it for you? Cut along dotted line and hold it up to your face.
Smile big!

You want to try it? It's from American Girl Magazine, June 1977 and the complete mag is now available in the shop!

Happy Birthday Mama!

Happy Birthday to my lovely Mama!
(photo featured here before)

Dream Coming True: Tokyo!

Part of an applique design that appeared in my book 100 applique motifs.

For years and years i've been wanting to travel to Japan. I have said many times to my husband, who is a musician, that if he ever had to go to Tokyo, i would go with him! He then just smiled and said yes dear. Since there was no indication that a trip like that was on the horizon.
Until a little while back. He started working with a Japanese producer, got released on a compilation EP, asked to do some more work, and now invited to come over to perform! Whoohoo! I knew it would happen some day!!
My dream is coming true, we are flying to Japan at the end of this month!
Since it's been my dream for so long, i already know about a lot of places that i want to visit, a lot of shops i want to go to, i even already know what trains to take! I'll be arriving prepared!

The flight from NY to Tokyo will be a whopping 14,5 hours so i'm definitely bringing something to craft on to pass the time. What is a better inflight craft? Crochet or embroidery? (can you even bring embroidery needles on a plane nowadays?) Any suggestions?

Mom i want to knit too...

Dutch Phildar booklet, not dated, looks to be from the 70's.
Mom, i want to knit too...

Very cute and clear explanations into the basics of knitting.

And it ends with a couple of adorable easy patterns for doll knitwear.
Guess it's time i pick up knitting again...

Melamine or Melmac

Before i really started selling vintage items and doing lot of research i used to call melamine dishes, 'those lovely hard plastic dishes from the 50's'.
Then when i found some for my own kitchen and started looking around to find out what the marks on the bottom of my pieces meant, i came across the names 'Melmac' and 'Melamine' a lot. I thought it to be weird for something to have two names.

After research a bit more i quickly discovered Melmac is just one of the brands, maybe the most well known, of Melamine resin dishes. I also noticed that a lot of online melamine shop listings are being described as Melmac, when in fact they are not.
In my treasure hunts so far i came across Melmac, Mar-Crest Melmac, Boontonware, Oneida, Spaulding Ware, Prolon, OD ware, and some mysterious unmarked pieces. All Melamine, not all Melmac.
(i do admit, in some of my shop listings i do use the search term Melmac but never in the description if its not made by Melmac, but just because i know a lot of buyers will use the term to look for Melamine in general)
Melamine was first introduced in the 40s, a material with a glossy finish and in a wide range of stunning colors.
During the late 1950s and 1960s melamine tableware became highly fashionable for its affordability, durability and style.

Melamine dishes are easy to use and easy to clean with no worries about breakage.
Even though its basically unbreakable and resistant to odor absorption, it is prone to scratches (that's one of the reasons melamine went out of style during the 70's).
A lot of old pieces have some usage wear to them. Even greater the joy when you find pieces that are in great condition! I have heard about fixing scratches with Plastic Polish, all though i haven't tried that myself (yet).

Final note, love your vintage melamine and care for it, don't put it in the microwave or dishwasher. There are people who do, and if it works, good for you, but i wouldn't risk or recommend it.

Melamine dishes are perfect to bring along on a picnic and very convenient for families with young children. And for us, of whatever age, with a definite love for pretty vintage housewares. A set of Melamine in your kitchen really brings out that retro feel!

(ps click the images to go to the shoplistings if you want flaunt some melamine dishes in your own kitchen)

Pompom Galore

Conso Advertisment from 1,001 decorating ideas, summer book 1973.

I think they tried to put as much round fluffyness in this room as possible.
Where else can we put up stings of pompoms?
I do respect them for balancing the room out very well with the choice of furniture.

I can't help to keep thinking, how wonderful would it be for a playful little kitten to live in that room?