Monroe Monday

Merry Christmas

Monroe Monday

The Christmas Gift for Myself

You should give yourself Christmas gifts, so you get what you really want! :) And when I give myself a Christmas gift it is usually something special, and that is exactly what it is this year - a custom made nail stamping plate with my own motifs from FigTreeJewellery:

Here is the picture she sent me for my approval. The rulers at the sides are smart, because you can scale your screen to actual size and check if the motifs fit your nails.

I thought for long what to have on my own plate. My car and my son of course, but since there were room for six motifs I had to come up with some more. I ended choosing my hero, Indiana Jones, and my childhood heroine, Modesty Blaise. Here is the finished plate with her tests:

If you want her to make photos to stamping motifs it costs about 8 dollars extra per photo, and it is definately worth it. Here is the photo of son three years old, I sent her:

And here is son 18 years old:

So my plate cost me about 40 dollars, and I think I will be back and order another one when I have figured out which motifs I miss.

Monroe Monday

Giving and Receiving

I love getting gifts! Yep, I am still that childish, but I think I love giving gifts even more. Since 1981 I've made a Christmas calendar for my parents. This year it was glittery green with red bows, so nice. They love it very much:

Dad has taken the photo with his iPad, because as usual I forgot to take one myself.

Son has got Advent gifts since he was 11 (now he is 21), here they hang from the curtain rod:

He visits us every Sunday, so I can see him open his gift. I also suspect he would open all four, if I gave him the gifts to take with him home.

Dear Husband (DH) also gets Advent gifts, and this year I also have bought a licorice calendar from Bülows:

So he does not complain.

And I found this fabulous Christmas Calendar at Etsy for my sister:

Tanja Braun (in Germany) makes charm bracelets as Christmas calendar. The first day she got the bracelet, and then she each day take a little golden bag from the big brown bag, and find a charm in it. There are many different themes and you can also write to Tanja and ask for special charms. Sister is very happy, so I will not disclose more here, but you can take a look at the link.

I rarely get neither Christmas calendar nor Advent calendar, but this year I was lucky, because look what DH gave me for my birthday:

A super girlie calendar full of cosmetic and skin care gifts all through December! :)

Monroe Monday

Buy of the Year 2014

I use to nominate Buy of the Year, just for fun.

The opevious winners are:
In 2009 a vintage immersion heater
In 2010 a vintage Pyrex measuring cup
In 2011 a lovely notebook from Etsy
In 2012, I forgot, oops
And last year it was my iPad on which I read my blogs daily.

I have never defined the nomination precisely, but in general it has to be something I have been especially happy for and which have made a difference in my life. So which buy fulfills the criteria this year? Well, it has been extremely expensive, but also incredibly fantastic. On 1 March I started working part-time, having Wednesday off, so it became my creative day. On Wednesday I relax, I am creative and my stressed brain calms down. So although it cost me about 20% of my salary (fortunately son moved just a months before, and believe me, teenagers do not come cheap), it is worth every penny, and I hope it will never end. Last spring I got my own creative room (son's old room), so now I have all my things and stuff at one place and can work on my projects while I listen to old records.

What I make? Well, many different things, a.o. this copy of a Kate Spade clutch, which I also made a tutorial for:

I play a lot with my old seed beads, which my beloved grandma gave to me as a child. I am so happy I have kept them. Here is a gift for a dear colleague:

Necklace and bracelet after a Russian pattern found on Pinterest. You can find many free patterns and tutorials there.

I paint and draw:

And I have made lots of Christmas card and to-and-from cards:

Decorated with glitter, rhinestones, and pearls.

And I've started sewing again:

On my old sewing machine, which my dad thrifted in a container about 30 years ago and repaired for me. It is so good.

Here I have sewed a top from a fifties pattern. PDF-patterns are brilliant, because it is instant-download, so you can buy a pattern and sew it right away. The fabric cost me about 3 dollars:

Yep, it is me! Finally, a photo of me on my blog. I hate photos of myself, so normally it is on Instagram you can see photos of me, because the photos are so small so you cannot see how old and unphotogenic I am. ;)

And here is a skirt sewn of fabric I bought about 25 years ago:

I really like it and would love to use the same pattern for another skirt in some wintery fabric.

My latest project:

A houndtooth skirt with big pleets:

Really nice and it doesn't need a petticoat since the fabric is very thick. It became a little too large at the waist, but I can change that next Wednesday. :)

Monroe Monday

ALT for Damerne, No. 48, 1963

Yesterday was my birthday. And precisely on my birthday ALT for Damerne (Everything for the Ladies), number 48, 1963 was issued. It is almost twice as thick as the magazines from 1955 I normally scan from, but there are also at least twice as many ads. I do want to say that there is also a lot more articles than in 1955. I don't know why, because I don't think the "ladies" had gotten more time. All scans can be clicked into larger formats. Although it is a Danish magazine, I hope my foreign readers will have fun reading my small recaps and get inspiration from the photos.

I cannot think of a more lovely cover for my birthday edition:

Yummi, my teeth are watering.

Letters to Everything and all:

Here are some great ideas for an advent calendar for mom, where her children instead of a drawing a little drawing write a task they will do for her - brilliant idea! A mom tells that she gives her little son a farm as an advent calendar, and there are lots for each day in December, counting the farmer himself, all his animals, fences, trees, etc. There is an advent calendar for the beloved ant, who is invited to a Christmas party. All sweet and useable.

Timeless everyday clothes:

The plaid skirt is indeed timeless, I've been looking for one like it for very long. But she can keep the round glasses.

Pattern on Fabric still existed in 1963:

This week a Jackie-like dress is offered. It will surely take you through all the Christmas festivities.

The earrings are back:

I didn't know they have been out, but here are a lot of nice ones for inspiration:

Mark your eyes:

Here is lots of good advice on care and makeup for your eyes:

Note the model's hair, the fifties are clearly behind us.

Decorate for Christmas:

Yep, Christmas is here before we know it, so here is some vintage inspiration:

The half Christmas tree on the door with the tiny golden ornaments is something I'll definately make one day.

Happy Santas in a ring:

Are you in need of a Christmas tree underlay, then you can quickly and easily make this one:

Here is the pattern for Mrs Clause:

Christmas gifts are easy to make yourself, and everybody will be happy to receive a pair of knitted boots:

Warm slippers are always nice to receive.

The best cakes in Denmark:

There is a lot of Christmas cakes and cookies, but since the recipes are in Danish, I've only scanned the lovely photos.

On to the ads, and there was a lot to choose from, and many in colour. Whipped cream works wonders:

I remember the school friend birthdays, when I was a kid. We were so happy to get cream horns with a little marmelade at the top. Simple, but fantastic.

Make every day festive with Taffel-chips:

I also remember a few dinner parties we attended at some of our parents' friends, where we were served chips for dinner. It was incredible! That kind of unhealthy sillyness was fortunately not for my mom.

Coca-Cola refreshes you best!:

And in a King Size bottle. I wonder how big it was, because the ad does not mention the size. I don't think it was especially big compared to modern bottles.

A watch in the kitchen is cozy and practical:

My mon had one like this for many years, I think it was named Peter. My clever dad repaired it several times, but a few years ago Peter had to give in.

Edet kitchen roll cleans the kitchen in a jiffy:

We are near the use-and-trash-era.

Fashionit, lovely twin-set:

I collect twin-sets, and have about 60,000 different.

Modern vacuum jugs from AWF:

Stop the time with Leciton soap. I really don't think soap prevents wrinkles.

Elegant, a set you collect:

And a classic - The Danish Weather is Ga-Jol Weather! It is still true.

New men's fashion from Richards:

From a time where a man did not go out of the door without shined shoes, and where shoe-shiners really was a job.

Happy Birthday to Me