Curly Wurly

Say It With Spry and Stokely's

2012-02-09T23:28:00.007-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day, Corn Scallops!!

[Detail from a Stokely's advertisement from Woman's Home Companion - February 1946]

[Detail from a Spry advertisement from Woman's Home Companion - February 1948]

Frosty Firsts

2012-01-21T23:23:00.001-05:00

From the June 1947 Woman's Home Companion comes Frosty Firsts by Elizabeth Walker (with wonderful illustrations by Harry Diamond). The article suggests several cooling mealtime drinks and appetizers to imbue your sultry summer supper with an arctic blast. Even in the midst of winter, some of these chilly treats (with the exception of the Cukato Cocktail) sound pretty good! I'm posting these more for the whimsical illustrations, but you might still get a kick out of some of the drinks!

Dressed For Success

2012-01-18T23:07:00.005-05:00

The June 1947 issue of Woman's Home Companion had a series of articles about women in the workplace. Here is the accompanying fashion spread, Cotton To A Career, by fashion editor Mary-Alice Hamory.

The much-desired 'efficient as a filing cabinet' look. I think she looks nicer than the cabinet, incidentally.

Another nice dress upstaged by the filing cabinet

Hamory described the main feature of this after-work look as an 'impertinent bustle'!

Catch his eye at the soda shop

BONUS! for all you Mad Men fans. In A Year Of Your Own by Beatrice Green Taines and Jean Beck, several women's careers were described, including advertising, medicine (as receptionist or nurse), fashion design, theater, teaching, personnel work, and merchandising (retail). Here is what they had to say to ladies considering work in advertising:

Get In With The Spin Crowd

2012-01-17T22:47:00.003-05:00

Rinse away the dirty water of the past year and start a whole new cycle with these top o' the line washers. Elizabeth Beveridge offers up these tall drinks of water, but try finding them at Best Buy. In fact, ask a Best Buy associate for a machine with 'jouncing washing action' and see what happens!

[from Woman's Home Companion - June 1947]

How To Train Your Husband

2012-01-16T22:22:00.003-05:00

Meet Mrs. Margaret Deeds. She is a woman who knows a thing or two about human nature and relationships. Perhaps this is why the illustrious Woman's Home Companion turned to her for, possibly, the most important primer a young newlywed will ever read, Catch Him Young! Train Him Right! (May 1947 issue).

In her article, Mrs. Deeds articulates the steps a bride must take to ingrain better habits in her Romeo before the ink is dry on the wedding contract. This is the only way to ensure that your lesser half will be as beneficial inside the home as he is at the office. As you can see from the following illustrated (click to enlarge for uncomfortable slave owner reference!) guide, it's easier than your mother told you to trick your beloved into aiding you in the kitchen, setting the table, and making the bed. Let your fella know that if he wants to drone on about his preference for his mother's cooking, he had better help you devise menus and do the shopping! Men might be more interested in drinking and impressing you with his stacking abilities, but that's no reason not to put him to work with the vegetable scrubber! Finally, remember that a sure-fire way to get him to be useful around the house is to make him feel like a king, and the best way to do that is to boost his ego by giving him the easiest tasks to free up your time (even he won't screw up packaged convenience foods!) and liberally using exaggerated compliments. Also, provide him with a selection of cheery aprons. He'll enjoy the snappy look, won't soil his slacks, and his chums needn't know about his house garb!

In a detail from an advertisement for Wear-Ever Aluminum Utensils, a rosy complexioned wife tightens her husband's apron strings as she puts him on KP. He might think he's lording over the manor with his virile pipe and bowtie ensemble, but his wife's jollied up expression tells a different story.

And, from yet another Woman's Home Companion article (this one about the importance of a good cuppa coffee), another writer submits her number one method of training her man in Good Coffee Makes Good Husbands

[all articles, images, and advertisements from the strangely thematic May 1947 issue of Woman's Home Companion]

The Cotton Dress Club

2012-01-10T23:57:00.001-05:00

From Woman's Home Companion's 'Cotton In Action' by fashion editor Elizabeth Ambrose (May 1947 issue)

Skip, skip, skip to your lou in this gingham party frock (flies in your buttermilk not included)!

Dazzle that rugged out-of-towner at the picnic with your skimpy basket and severe pleated skirt!

Playtime in a 'mimosa and heliotrope'-colored playsuit with wide suspenders (with a giant 'red' balloon)

You'll 40-Love this cotton culotte tennis outfit!

Ever Have A Who'd-Eat-It Dinner?

2012-01-02T23:11:00.002-05:00

The Characters ... Four young couples hellbent on partying within budget
The Scene ... One of their houses -- a demure white cottage located on top of an Indian burial ground
The Plot ... Who concocted this murderous meal and WHY?
Who dished it out and washed his or her hands of the ordeal?
Most important: Who paid for it later?

Who nixed the salad?
Where did the fruit come from?
Most important: Who ate the shrunken demon heads (designed by HR Giger) and are they still larval.. I mean, living?

[Featured menu from Woman's Home Companion, May 1947]

This Year's Model

2011-12-30T12:10:00.003-05:00

Before it's out with the cold and in with the new, here's a look at Elizabeth Beveridge's pick of the coolest fridges on the runway. Me, I prefer the Philco, but they weren't featured in this show.

[From Woman's Home Companion, May 1947]

Curly Wurly wishes you and your family a happy holiday season and a happy and healthy 1948!

Profiteroles of the Rich and Famous

2011-12-28T23:05:00.002-05:00

Dahlings, you have to try my A&P Lavish Lamb Dinner!

What is it, you ask? It's a banquet fit for a queen. Lamb shanks encrusted with nature's ruby red and amber jewels. Oui, glistening apricots topped with the finest wild cherries from Maraschino! A chorus line of truffled potatoes flanked by pencil-thin asparagus and daubed with the most decadent of hollandaise sauces to make your mouth water! Notice how the quaint Alpine daisies playfully dot the table while luscious strawberries and creme dance with a salad made of a gelatine so wobbly you might wonder if it's had as much champagne as you have! This grand extravaganza is garnished only by the duskiest radish roses with a never fading blush!

And where did my luncheon come from? Why, from a smart little bistro downtown. I think it's called the A&P. It stands for Aristocratic and Palatable.

[featured advertisement from the March 1947 Woman's Home Companion]

Meet Me In My Dressing Room

2011-11-18T21:48:00.003-05:00

Before there was MTV's Cribs, there was Woman's Home Companion's March 1947 issue. The magazine featured a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse at celebrity dressing rooms. Can it be that these meticulously decorated dressing rooms were the standard? Two of my favorite spaces belonged to co-stars Margaret O'Brien and Judy Garland. Margaret O'Brien's area looks more like a dollhouse or a whimsical play area with its carousel motif. Judy's is characteristically stylish. Look at how the bright colors of the sophisticated settee complement her lovely red locks! And does she really have time to page through her library while on the job?

In other news, head over to my other blog for a chance to win $500 worth of handpicked (by me) books from my favorite publisher, Chronicle Books. This year, Chronicle Books has extended their Happy Haul-idays contest to include a charitable element, so not only will one lucky blogger (and one of the blog's lucky readers) win a matching set of books, but Chronicle will donate $500 worth of books to a charity of the winner's choice. If you're interested in seeing the books I chose and entering to win my selection, comment on the linked post. And, if you're a blogger, you may want to enter the competition yourself!

They Came From Beyond The Garden

2011-10-08T01:58:00.003-04:00

Four Sure Tricks In A Suit by Lucie Lyons for Woman's Home Companion masquerades as a blouse pattern article, but the models'-heads-swapped-for-flower-pots look seems like a mad doctor's dream. Despite its January 1947 publication date, I think it was published a few months too late. It should have been the spotlight of their Halloween issue as a collection of disturbing floral costumes to scare young trick or treaters.

Bewitched by this creepy-crawly idea? Not only could these sketches be inspiration for striking costumes, but you could also populate your porch or front yard with freaky flower people decorations. Create a bevy of Burtonesque figures to hold your candy bowls or even dangle fake cobwebs and insects (or even more macabre accoutrements) from their wormlike fingers. All you'd have to do is acquire mannequins or dress forms, remove heads, and attach flower pots filled with various blooms. The more unassuming the bloom, the creepier the effect.

I do believe the model is holding a dead bird

Bring Back My Bonnets To Me, To Me

2011-07-31T03:49:00.006-04:00

The Hats Came Back! Elizabeth Ambrose, Woman's Home Companion fashion editor, introduced the newest hat styles of the day in the April 1947 issue of the magazine. Here are four of the newest looks that you're sure to see donning some of the loveliest heads. And, if you're looking to dress your own naked head, be sure to ask for these styles by name!

Pilgrim's Progress - With an eye-catching velveteen train of crackly autumnal foliage

Wing Tip - Let everyone know you're 'here' with this delicate dove attention-getter!

The After-Storm Stroll - Sailor hats are never more charming than after a jaunt through some debris!

After-Dinner Mint - This hat lends a zing of freshness to your ensemble

Swimming With The Fishes

2011-07-04T00:14:00.004-04:00

Woman's Home Companion had fish on the brain in September 1947. There were two eager fishmen vying for your attention that month, both presenting themselves in alluring treatments sure to please the pickiest eaters.

Long before Discovery Channel exposed viewers to the elements in Deadliest Catch, Deep-Sea Dave, the long-suffering famous Davis Bros. mascot, was living it. Dave agreed to represent Coddies, the fish cakes with 'oceans of flavor,' in exchange for his own life. While we'll never really know how many of his friends and family may have had their fates sealed in aluminum with labels promising 'broiled thrills,' we do know that the cods (and the mackerels) were on Dave's side when he was let off the hook that lucky day. Either that or he had some chum over at the Tupman Thurlow Company, distributor and 'Sole Selling Agents' of Davis Bros. seafoods. 'Sole Selling Agents'? I wonder if they were affiliated with B. Azlebub (of "B. Dazzled with B. Azlebub" fame) deviled seafood?

'Catch of the Day? Why, me, of course!' Mazola Salad Oil also netted a fish pitchman. Here, Mazola's unnamed chef offers up her broiled fish steak and tartar sauce recipes.

Partners in Brine (for closer consideration): It looks like her apron strings are dripping in seawater... or, is it Mazola Salad Oil?

Now, when you see a fish, you won't think anything but 'delish'!!

Stranger In A Strange School

2011-04-24T22:35:00.006-04:00

We've all been there at some point in our lives: alone in a new environment with nary a familiar face in sight.

Stranger At School, or The Loneliest Girl In The World, is a Woman's Home Companion pictorial from October 1947. It was photographed by Eileen Darby at the New Rochelle High School in New York. Woman's Home Companion takes us through the first few anxious days in the life of the new girl at school. If you're hoping for a few nuggets of comfort and motherly wisdom of the 'be yourself' variety for making friends and impressing the profs, you might want to steer clear of this list of don'ts and YOU BETTER NOTS lest you should require anti-jitter remedies before the big day.

Remember, your new schoolmates are just as unsure about you as you are about them!

From here on in, the Stranger is known as Smart Teen, but only as long as she keeps herself sleep deprived and spruce. You want your new classmates to think you're a neat package...

But NOT a sloe-eyed siren. Know your limitations. You're only average in the looks department (if you're lucky!), so rather than dressing to impress, you just want to adopt a passable hygiene routine and stick to it.

Once you're on school property, there's no looking back. You're stuck, so you may as well head inside.

No one likes a brown noser. Talk to no one. You're better off being known as the new girl who walks around muttering to herself than someone who attempts to 'just make conversation' with new classmates and teachers.

There is only one thing worse than coming across as a cover girl or a teacher's pet, and that's being a stoopid pill popper. You'll need to sit up front in class during lectures so you can take good notes since you won't earn any cool points by asking questions.

Join activities but don't chummy up to any strangers. They don't like it, and they'll avoid you like the plague. Unless they're too polite to tell you that they're not interested in hearing your life story (with accompanying slide show) during the half hour lunch break.

Once school lets out, don't hang around campus like a stray puppy. Sure, the rest of the school will be cramming into soda fountains, but, remember, you have no friends. And, since it's advised that you talk to no one, you won't be making any anytime soon. Get used to spending your afternoons preparing for another lonely day at school.

Glutton for punishment? The only thing more awkward than Silent New Girl being photographed at school is Silent New Girl sitting alone at the soda fountain while a magazine documents her every move. Remember, you're not there to meet people or attract a boyfriend. Chug down your soda and get out of there and quick! Once you're home you can feel free to be yourself, but wait until that screen door slams shut behind you!

The major lesson to learn is that no one wants to get to know the real you. Not even if you're nice and pretty. But you don't want to be known as the resident handkerchief-head who takes stoopid pills. Leave plenty of time for homework!

The odd thing is Woman's Home Companion never explored the consequences that bringing a major magazine to cover one's first day at school had on this girl's popularity. Forget not bothering the teacher with extra questions or apple polishing; wouldn't it be a bit more annoying to have someone snapping photos over your shoulder all day? And are those resentful, judgmental students who look down their nose at the new girl really unfazed by the journalist following her around to document her every move? I'm sure if she really remained unpopular it would be because of this article!

Fabergé's Follies

2011-04-21T00:23:00.001-04:00

If you're like me, you have a refrigerator full of hard boiled eggs and you only want to pickle half of them. If that's the case, maybe you want to decorate the other half for Easter? The practice of dying Easter eggs goes back to Biblical times* when eggs were first anointed with spectacular hues derived from roots, peels, and mashed up plants to match Joseph's dream coat.. and, also, the various miracles of nature. Fabergé was the next artist to find inspiration in the blank canvas of the egg shell. However, he was not the last artist to work with these fragile baubles. That would most surely be Libbie Lovett, internationally renowned egg artisan. Some of Lovett's designs were featured in this article from Woman's Home Companion from March 1948, along with the works of some of her colleagues from the Oviform School of Arts and Crafts. Click on each individual image for a larger size. And, when you're done decorating your eggs, you can enjoy them in cheesy Velveeta bakes and sliced on top of hamburgers.

[* note: I don't know what I'm talking about]

Meet kindly Gran'ma Tippitoe whose head rests gently on one of those ketchup cups you can get from Wendy's. Give her bi-focals, just like your real Gran'ma, and give it to her as an Easter present on Sunday!

It never dawned on me that you can drain an egg before you decorate it. Is that what most people do rather than hard boil? Regardless, this page actually tells you how to 'blow an egg out' by puncturing the shell and letting the 'meat of egg' plop into a bowl.

This ovular menagerie is really quite impressive! Forget 3-D glasses. Drawn feathers and scales on the dyed shells give these critters a textured quality. If your holiday festivities have a patriotic or thrifty theme, try a hot air balloon or piggy bank design!

My favorite set of designs are on this final page. No one will wonder why you choose to pair a performing seal with a radish and a dirigible. They will cheer your meticulous decorative touches and ask you to do their eggs next year. If you're envious of those that can afford real Fabergés, all you need are a few paper doilies and some sequins, "jools," and good conduct stars. Your guests will never know they're not the real thing.

Happy Easter and Passover to all of my readers!

Pinchpenny Parade

2011-03-03T22:07:00.005-05:00

One of the most important lessons in older cookbooks and magazines is that you needn't go hungry just because you're on a budget. Turn to the perennial frugal gourmet, Dorothy Kirk, who gives us Pinchpenny Banquets in the March 1948 Woman's Home Companion.

Comfort food enthusiasts, take note: Savory Tuna-Vegetable Croquettes -- very special with parsley sauce! I'm sure lima beans are the perfect accompaniment.

The onions sell out with this Onion Bean-Bake with Sausage Stuffing. Hey, it still looks better than Roger Daltrey in a tub of Heinz baked beans!

This weekend's special: Tomato Soup with Horseradish Cream; Vegetable Stew with Meat Puffins; and Two-Tone Tapioca Cream is a very Specials dessert

Are you a post-modern casserole cook? Here's a promising one with rice, cheese and asparagus!

The Sick-Abed Blues

2011-03-02T22:02:00.006-05:00

The April 1948 issue of Woman's Home Companion has a pictorial detailing a day in the life of a young sick-abed. Not a sycophant. A sick-abed. Italicized text is the original caption.

When she loses herself like this in contemplation of a gaudy elephant, you know she's on the mend. Soft stuffed toys are ideal for they're quite safe in bed. [Like daughter, like doll! Both have the bug eyes and Clara Bow mouth; Mother disguises horror with encouraging smile?]

Fine time to learn a new skill. Here Robin practices braiding; doll rests on table made from box covered with oilcloth. Note newspaper 'pocket' tacked to the side. [The yarn-headed doll shares the same big eyed and lipped features from the previous activity! Possibly everything this kid owns has Boop eyes!]

Same box table is fine for paper work. Robin's materials include paper, blunt scissors, crayons, paste. With 'spilly' toys like paste or paint, old shower curtain is fine for protecting bedclothes. [Space ship? Death Star? What do you think?]

Food, though simple, takes account of Robin's taste. Here a circus tent on cereal, folded-napkin hat on milk stimulate appetite. [I know circus tents stimulate my appetite. It looks like Robin hasn't eaten in a week!]

Special sick-abed treat--nail polish just the same as Mother's is applied while Robin watches, breathless and absorbed. [That's just the fumes, which are therapeutic for the sick-abed.]

When Robin is stronger plastic balloons are fun; Mother doesn't let her blow too hard.

Change of scene is like a tonic to a convalescent child. Mrs. Barry totes Robin piggy-back to the living-room couch. [The sick-abed takes to the sky.]

Next time you have to care for a sick-abed, don't let them rely on their electronics for entertainment. Their day will fly by and so will yours!

I'm Not Being Rude, But...

2011-02-17T02:04:00.004-05:00

Simon Cowell stars in The Miracle of the Bells with Frank Sinatra and Valli (detail of movie poster from March 1948 Woman's Home Companion - coincidentally, Fred MacMurray's character is described in the poster as a 'cynic, dreamer, and maker of stars!')

"There was one great part to your movie - it was the end!"

Balderdashery!

2011-02-12T02:52:00.002-05:00

Chocolate boxes and rose bouquets are the standard go-to gifts for Valentine's Day sweethearts. But, soon those boxes will be littered with crumpled wrappers and the flowers will be wilting in their vases. Why not give her a distinctive gift she can wear all year? No, not jewelry! A hat! Woman's Home Companion (March 1948 issue) has a few styles that will complement any face you could possibly wish to hat.

"The Cat Toy"
My favorite part of the caption is when the flower is described as 'arrogant'. Is that a positive adjective for a hat? Also, I'm wondering why the model is poking herself in the chin like that. Is this her Robert Mitchum impression?

"The Old Man of the Mountain"
If you look closely, she has a little friend on the top of her head. She hears him calling out to her when she's alone.

"The Taco"
This hat is ridiculous, and the model knows it. She's looking at her beau and thinking, 'You just don't get me, do you?'

Say Goodbye To '59!

2010-12-31T00:52:00.004-05:00

Should you be inviting some auld acquaintances to your house for a little New Year's Eve soirée this year? If so, you might want to Ring In The New Year with some of Gay Head's suggestions in Party Perfect (1959), that pocket-sized party planning guide.

Madcap merrymakers

Curly Wurly wishes you a happy and healthy 2011!

I'm Dreaming Of...

2010-12-23T23:42:00.003-05:00

From my table to yours, warm wishes to all my readers!

Gifts Of Christmases Past

2010-12-23T01:47:00.001-05:00

No mantelpiece? Don't have enough room for a lineup of stockings? Here's the solution: Pocket Full Of Stockings. And fill each tiny pocket to the brim with Hostess Cupcakes!

If your father knows wurst, sew him up a nice hat and apron ensemble so he can pose in awkward family photos like this one!

Or make Kevin Nealon a typewriter cover. I'm sure he'll appreciate it!

Remember when Brigitte Bardot was on the Soupy Sales holiday show?

[All gift ideas from Things To Make For Christmas (Fawcett Publications, 1965)]

The Pickle On The Hearth

2010-12-20T23:15:00.006-05:00

O Pickle Tree - This is officially my favorite gelatin salad ever! It's made using gelatin, mayonnaise, horseradish, pickles, apples, tongue, green peppers! It's gorgeous! You're welcome!

The Festive Pickle Glazed Yule Log (ham) covered in briny 'mushrooms'

What's your Christmas table without a nice Santapiece?

Or, perhaps, Scott Towels' Jack In The Box Choir Boy is more your style? (He's guardian of the Almond Brittle)

Make holiday cards using seasonal seals available at Woolworth's

Or use scraps of gift wrap to make these really nice paper candle cards. I love the Futurist Noel design!

[All crafts and food items from Things To Make For Christmas (Fawcett Publications, 1965)]

Season's Eatings!

2010-12-19T23:25:00.007-05:00

Santa's embarrassing summer job as gift walker

This poor reindeer has both snail-y hind legs and reindeer pox!

DAK Angel

Hors d'Oeuvre Memory Game! Can you spot Moon Face and Sardine Supreme?

Punting on the Yuletide at the annual Stollen Regatta

You, too, will be Mince Meat if you sneak a piece of one of these fruit bundt cakes before the guests arrive!

[All crafts and food items from Things To Make For Christmas (Fawcett Publications, 1965)]

Fawcett's Holiday Bizarre!

2010-12-16T22:01:00.005-05:00

They call this one Blue Plastic Angel, so I suppose it was influenced by Marlene Dietrich. Can't you see the resemblance?

A Trio of Eerie Faceless Angels

Dumbledore lives!

Cousin Itt meets a blonde bombshell yeti

The Snowman "Plaque" is just paper plates and black masking tape? Now, that's just lazy!

Tissue Box Pantomime

Bozo the Totem Pole Clown

George Nelson's Starburst wall hanging

[All crafts from Things To Make For Christmas (Fawcett Publications, 1965)]

The Worst Noel

2010-12-14T01:43:00.005-05:00

A Very Cubist Christmas

Six Flags: North Pole

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas as you laugh in the face of danger with this burr and ivy Christmas tree in lieu of the traditional fire hazard.

Didn't I see these guys on an episode of Dr. Who? Don't look into their eyes!

We Three Kings of Orient are bearing gifts... bric-a-brac, sequins, and felt!

Con-Tact paper makes the best sort of gingerbread house: inedible!

Neuschcanstein Castle, one of the most popular destinations in Europe, is located in the German state of Bottlevaria close to Germany's border with Austria.

[All crafts from Things To Make For Christmas (Fawcett Publications, 1965)]

Mistletoe Miscellanea

2010-12-13T22:22:00.005-05:00

We have a lot of these downstairs, but I usually just squash them rather than fashion them into a wreath.

Want a Christmas Cracker?

He's got Pac-Man Eyes. This Santa Party favor is The Scream reimagined by Scott Paper Towel company.

Top hat, white snow, and tails -- A Continental Snow Man

The Reflector Tree uses Christmas tree light reflectors (available at your local five and dime). One of the nicest hand-made trees I've seen!

[All crafts from Things To Make For Christmas (Fawcett Publications, 1965)]

Christmas Faux Pas La La

2010-12-13T03:17:00.004-05:00

'Tis the season for sacrilegious Christmas crafting, and does the ninth issue of Things To Make For Christmas (Fawcett Publications, 1965) have some doozies! For the remainder of 2010, I'll be counting down the worst of the season with advertising and crafting ideas from this and other publications, so check back daily for seasonal inspiration! Here's a little preview:

Up on the caketop reindeer pause and out jumps good old Santa Claus

Your own personal cathedral courtesy of Con-Tact Brand Adhesive Con-Tact Paper

The Great Ham Creche? Jesus Christ Superstar Armour Ham?

Apparently I missed the part in the Bible where the reader was instructed to 'Apply blue wax to Virgin's robe, filling out hips,' and to 'Spray Virgin's robe and Joseph's shawl very lightly with glitter.' Err.. also.. 'To attach Virgin to Child, press 2 or 3 fine needles into Virgin and impale Child on them.' You'd think they could come up with a more innocuous description!

Happy Haul-idays! from Curly Wurly and Chronicle Books!

2010-11-24T22:24:00.009-05:00

Chronicle Books, one of my favorite publishers of pop culture books (as well as beautiful children's books, cookbooks, and stationery products), announced recently that they would be doing a Happy Haul-idays contest. Here's the scoop right from the horse's mouth: 'Post a list of Chronicle Books valued at up to $500 that you'd like to haul in, and you'll be automatically entered into a drawing to WIN your list of books! And, one of your readers who comments on the post will win the list too!' May as well, am I right? (I am.) So, following is my Haul-idays entry (which will, if I've done the coding correctly, appear after the jump). If you would like to win this list, too, comment away (all comments will be approved, guaranteed)! [Note: Your winning is contingent upon my winning, just in case that's not clear.]

If you're a blogger, come join the fun. Post your Haul-idays list on your blog, and enter your post on the Haul-idays website. The deadline to enter is December 10th. (As a side-note, Chronicle has a weekend sale: 35% off + Free Shipping with code: FRIENDS)

Read on for my list plus two extra recommendations from their catalogue.

Finally, have a Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers (and a great Thursday to my non-American readers)!

Catalog: The Illustrated History of Mail Order Shopping by Robin Cherry ('From corsets to bell-bottoms, from baby-doll dresses and Doc Martens all the way to iPods, the history of...catalogs is the history of our lives and our culture.')

Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in Fifties Animation by Amid Amidi ('Showcasing hundreds of rare and forgotten sketches, model boards, cels, and film stills, Cartoon Modern is a thoroughly researched, eye-popping, and delightful account of a vital decade of animation design.')

The Games We Played: The Golden Age of Board and Table Games by Margaret K. Hofer ('Organized around themes such as courtship, commerce, travel, sports, and city life, The Games We Played brings together over one hundred eye-catching examples of America’s rare and popular board games, such as The Game of Playing Department Store...') [sounds like a fun game!]

The Museum of Kitschy Stitches: A Gallery of Notorious Knits by Stitchy McYarnpants ('Hideous hats, ridiculous wraps, embarrassing neckties, and more—they're all on display at The Museum of Kitschy Stitches, a photographic gallery of knitting and crocheting horrors.')

Hollywood Glamour Pack: Leading Ladies and Leading Men by Turner Classic Movies ('Leading Ladies and Leading Men pays tribute to the most charismatic, enduring, and elegant actors of their time.')

Leading Couples: Unforgettable Screen Romances of the Studio Era by Turner Classic Movies ('Leading Couples features the most unforgettable screen pairings of the studio era...')

Picture Show: Classic Movie Posters from the TCM Archives by Dianna Edwards ('Picture Show gathers more than 150 of the most compelling and memorable [posters] for a scenic tour of Hollywood history and a dazzling compendium of graphic design excellence.')

Art of the Modern Movie Poster: International Postwar Style and Design by Judith Salavetz, Spencer Drate, and Sam Sarowitz ('Gathered from the renowned collection of the Posteritati Gallery in New York...this volume is the definitive survey of both film and popular graphic art in the modern era.')

Obsessed with TV: Test Your Knowledge of Every Channel by David Hofstede ('More than just a trivia book, this is also a challenging interactive game.')

Television Without Pity: 752 Things We Love To Hate (and Hate to Love) About TV by Tara Ariano and Sarah Bunting ('...A celebration of television unlike any other.')

As Seen on TV: 50 Amazing Products and the Commercials That Made Them Famous by Lou Harry and Sam Stall ('Here are the incredible true stories of Ginsu Knives, Chia Pets, the Veg-o-Matic, K-Tel Records, the ThighMaster, and dozens of other favorites.')

Beatles Fan Pack by the Beatles and Ringo Starr ('...A must for any Beatles lover: warm, frank, funny, poignant, and bold--just like the music that's been a part of so many of our lives')

Lennon Legend: An Illustrated Life of John Lennon ('It's been said that John Lennon's was the voice of a generation. Lennon Legend celebrates that voice's power to resonate across the generations.')

Stewardess: Come Fly with Me! by Elissa Stein ('A fun and fashionable flight for travelers—-without having to check your bags...')

The Book of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks: A Celebration of Creative Punctuation by Bethany Keeley ('Who wouldn't have second thoughts about ordering the "hamburger" on the diner's menu?')

Hello, Please!: Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan by Matt Alt and Hiroko Yoda ('...Introducing readers to a host of adorable new best friends they never knew they had.')

The Encyclopedia of Guilty Pleasures: 1,001 Things You Hate To Love by Lou Harry and Sam Stall and Julia Spalding

Curious Cats by Mitsuaki Iwago
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two more Chronicle titles that are not included on my Haul-idays list, but I want to recommend to Curly Wurly readers: Meet Mr. Product: The Art of the Advertising Character by Warren Dotz and Masud Husain (authors of What A Character!: 20th Century American Advertising Icons and Ad Boy: Vintage Advertising with Character) and Better Than Homemade: Amazing Food That Changed the Way We Eat by Carolyn Wyman. All are favorites on my book shelf!

Fascinatin' Rhythm of Cranberries

2010-11-23T01:56:00.003-05:00

The bogs are alive with the sound of berries! Cranberries, to be exact. I'll bet you thought the cranberry was a Broadway flop with only one good song: 'All That Juice.' Not so! The cranberry is the holiday showstopper that steals the spotlight from dry turkeys and lumpy gravy. But when you think of these little starlets, are you reminded of the bright lights of Broadway? Probably not. You probably picture humble New England wetlands teeming with these tart hopefuls. You'll be surprised to learn that the cranberry has more Broadway connections that the caricature wall at Sardi's! Eatmor Cranberries (distributed by the American Cranberry Exchange) was headquartered at 90 West Broadway, New York City in the 1930s. In honor of the season, kick off the holiday chorus line with this tart little number: Fascinating Cranberries and How to Serve Them (copyright 1937, American Cranberry Exchange). I know they're ruby red and all, but don't get any of them confused with Ruby Keeler! [Click pictures for large images and full-page views]

Curtain call!

Perhaps Xanadu would have done better if it had a side of Xana-Stewed Cranberry Sauce

Thoroughly Modern Roly-Poly and Victor/Victoria's Criss-Cross Cranberry Pie

Did you have Tapioca for pudding? If so, let's do the Cranberry Tap-tap-tap Tapioca!

Kiss Me Up-Side-Down Cake and, when it's Too Darn Hot, cool off with a Cranberry Juice Cocktail

Meringue is difficult to make, but if you have the Mighty Midas Touch, see if your Bells Are Meringuing. And, from Show Boat (next picture), here's the gelatinous show-stopper, Old Man Quiver.

Oh, What A Beautiful Puddin'! and presenting.. Show Boat (or Peach Boat)!

Someday he'll come along, The Ham I Love. The other dish just reminds me of The Surrey With The Fringe On Top (I'll bet Po' Jud Fry would be looking much better to Laurey if Curly would show up in one of these). Do you see those snow-white salt and pepper shakers overlooking the Surrey? Well, they're not snow-white.. one's like snow, the other's more like milk.

If you're a regular Man of La Muncha, here's a full cranberry meal. If that don't make you Put On A Happy Face, I don't know what will!

Newer Broadway hits include Monty Python's Cranberry Spamelet and The Lion King (known for its song, Circle Of Ice-Box Cake)

Now Broadway is home to some less musical fare, including STOMP. Although if you STOMP too much, you might have to join the Red Man Group.

Happy Thanksgiving from Curly Wurly!

Crafts For Poor People

2010-11-02T02:54:00.003-04:00

Fans of the googly eye and breakaway glass take note: best-selling author and wacky craftress, Amy Sedaris, has a new book, Simple Times: Crafts For Poor People, available in stores today. If it's half as good as I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence, it will easily be the best book you buy this year! Lessons include: 'reckless crafting causes eight times the number of accidents caused by faulty glue guns and snakes combined'!

[Amy was also profiled by Vanity Fair. Not surprisingly, we learn that she likes bunnies and googly eyes, and she has a mouse pin with 'shakable eyes'!]

Some Enchanted Evening

2010-10-31T00:55:00.002-04:00

In the Wonder Years episode where Kevin asks Winnie if she likes him or if she like likes him, she offsets the awkward moment by offering up a corny knock knock joke: 'Knock knock' 'Who's there?' 'Sam and Janet' 'Sam and Janet who?' (sung to the tune of 'Some Enchanted Evening' from South Pacific) 'Sam and Janet evening..' It was corny.. just like this Halloween party idea from a 1959 book called Party Perfect by Gay Head and the editors of Co-Ed Magazine. Illustrations are by Hertha Depper.

There's enough time for you to cobble together.. One Enchanted Evening. Just don't invite any real (or former real) witches! (all following text written by Gay Head)

"What is there about October that turns the moon into a big orange pumpkin and changes every shadow into a creeping black cat? There's Halloween magic in the air! Just the time for you to plan 'one enchanted evening.'

INVITATIONS

Try this bit of verse written in white ink on black paper cats or witches' hats.

Sunday night's the night that you
Shall be enchanted on witches' brew;
Come all 'cats' and share our treat--
Food and games that can't be beat!
If you can come, reply: Enchanted!
If you can't come, reply: Disenchanted!

DECORATIONS

Turn yourself loose in a variety store full of Halloween fixings. Decorate your party room with black cat figures, skeletons, pumpkin heads, and autumn leaves. Make moonlight magic by hanging an orange crepe-paper moon in front of a light. Dangle witches from the ceiling. Make a cauldron of a big black kettle, filled with witches' brew (apple juice or cider). For your table centerpiece, use a jack-o'-lantern which can be bought at the dime store. Fashion the hair out of strips of crepe paper and pull each strip just a little to give it a curly effect. Set a small wooden dish of nuts on the 'head.' Stick a corncob pipe in the mouth and put glasses on the 'nose.' Place your centerpiece on autumn leaves or on paper cut-outs the shape of leaves."

GAMES

"APPLE-SNAPPING is a switch on the old ducking-for-apples game and it's much dryer! Suspend a strong cord from the ceiling. Tie the end to the middle of a yardstick. On one end of the stick hang an apple on a string; on the other hang a thin cloth bag of flour. Twirl the stick. Together the boys, hands behind them, try to bite the apple. Those you do will 'make money' in the future. Those whose faces get snapped with flour will have fun. For the girls, the apple means 'a husband,' the flour means none.
MURDER. Before the party, make a pile of as many playing cards as you have guests, and be sure that the ace of spades and the jack of hearts are among them. Ask each guest to draw a card without letting anyone else see it. Tell them that the person who draws the ace of spades will be the 'murderer' and that the one who draws the jack of hearts will be the 'detective.' After everyone has drawn a card, explain that you will turn out the lights, and that after a moment the murderer will choose a victim and 'kill' him by pretending to choke him. Then the murderer will move away from the scene of the crime, and the victim will scream before dropping down 'dead.' The detective will rush to turn on the lights and try to discover the murderer by asking questions of everybody. All except the murderer must answer truthfully, and the questions continue until the detective spots the man."

MENU - Baked Ham, Jamboree Baked Beans, Assorted Relishes, Corn Muffins, Pumpkin Tarts, Apple Juice or Cider

Ladies, let me know how your apple-snapping turns out for you! Happy Halloween from Curly Wurly!!!

Crafts from the Crypt and Beyond!

2010-10-26T23:01:00.005-04:00

There's still time! There's still time to scare the bejeezus out of the entire neighborhood, to put the last touches on your costume, and to start laying out the rest of your pre-Christmas holiday decor! Highlights for Children suggests a few ideas on how to add that last ooky touch to your holiday in their JUMBO Holiday Handbook (1963).

Actually, this is the Pumpkin King. The Jointed Pumpkin Man is credited as Tim Burton's major inspiration for both the utilitarian Edward Scissorhands and Jack Skellington.

This headpiece (Rabbit With the Whirlabout Smile -- doesn't that sound like a Decemberists song or the title of some twee indie rock album?) is meant to be an Easter craft, but the possibilities are endless. If you're struggling to come up with some sort of creepy headpiece for Halloween night, you might want to give this concept a whirl! The first picture looks more like some disturbing headgear with a large moustache. The second illustration shows the back of the mask as modeled by Michael Stipe.

Oscar, the Owl looks much like Peppy, the Wise Owl. While this would make a good Halloween decoration, it's also perfectly appropriate decoration for the rest of the season.

Never too early to get started on disturbing Thanksgiving crafts! We live in a country that likes to glitzify everything from jewelry to denim to teeth, so why not bestud your turkey wishbones with rhinestones or the like? It's not hideous, it's ingenious. I would like to submit this craft idea to Amy Sedaris. (These last two crafts are taken from another book, Don't Throw It Away! ('a treasury of unusual craft projects ... turn household throwaways into objects of lasting value') by Vivian Abell, copyright 1973)

To the right is the "Nutty" Centerpiece and a Coffee Mug Recipe Holder. We can tell that these are especially nice because they have attracted a flocked woodland creature figurine. If you look closely, you can see that there is a googly-eyed mouse peeking out of the mug.

- - -

Speaking of googly eyes, yesterday's Martha Stewart Show taught us how to make googly-eyed bangle bracelets, a 'clever accessory for Halloween.' The promo for the googly-eyed bangles also showed googly-eyed bowties (because googly eyes shouldn't just be a girl thing) and, as you can see in the photo above (copyright Martha Stewart Omnimedia), googly-eyed platform shoes for the fashionista. She also decorated gourds with googly eyes in lieu of traditional facial carving! I had no idea Martha was such a proponent of googly eyes, but I approve wholeheartedly! You can watch the clip (from the October 25 episode) online. Thank you, Martha, for your ghoulgly-eyed ideas!

Fortnight Of A Thousand Faces

2010-10-14T22:26:00.004-04:00

Feeling lonely? It's easy to make friends! Let Curly Wurly and Highlights Magazine show you how! Whether you want to make friends out of organic materials like walnuts; dehydrated apples; and eggs (or egg shells) or trash including old paper cups; burnt-out lightbulbs; kitchen utensils; and balloons, you can be the center of attention in your home in no time! Get started now, and you can have your house completely covered in staring eyes by Halloween! Click on images for craft directions.

Little Pecan-head Dolls | Paper Cup People

Apple-head Dolls | Light-bulb Creatures

Easter Eggs (make one that looks just like Spring Byington!) | Puppet

Crazy Faces (Karl Malden and Dr. Phil or Harpo and Groucho?) | Papier-mâché Wall Masks (didn't this guy fall off the wall in the Brady Bunch Goes To Hawaii episodes?)

A Mask (a perfect Lady Elaine Fairchild!) | Mr. Egghead With a Crewcut

Mary Alden's Hall Of Oats

2010-09-08T22:14:00.002-04:00

Oats. They're one of the most stable and wholesome breakfast and dessert ingredients to have on hand, but, even so, Mary Alden's My 40 Favorite Recipes (Quaker Oats Co., 1959) offers some surprising suggestions to spice up one of the most mundane of the pantry mainstays.

Tradition and ingenuity meet on the front cover. An inviting bowl of be-peached oatmeal holds its own between a post-modern hors d'oeuvre platter and holiday field hockey cookies.

The 'it' meat: Baby meat loaves were the food of the late 1950s!

Don your grass skirt and light up the tiki torches! Your luau isn't complete without island-inspired Tropicana Kabobs made with ham balls!

I wonder how Chicken Timbales compare to the greatest of diner dishes, Chicken Croquettes.

Frosted Meat Loaves: They're Grrrrr-eat! Can you spot the face in the tomato?

A good looking Stuffed Acorn Squash

Mmm, Baked Tuna Ring heaped with buttery lima beans! If you clean your plate, you can have dessert!

... Hmm, apparently no-bake cookies were Mary Alden's specialty.

Twenty-four hour Party Cookies and the Happy (Squirrel) Sundaes. (Those squirrel cookies are extremely cute; much cuter than the children-of-the-damned lollipop cookies)

Delicious Desserts Squared

Paradise Meringues: It sounds like the name of an MTV reality show.

A sight for sore eyes: The best looking dish of the book just might be the most simple, Peach Oatmeal.

They call it "Breakfast in -a- glass ...!". I'm not so intrigued about this being in -a- glass so much as that fact that this is a non-yogurt, all-oatmeal smoothie made using a rotary beater.

Young Moderns

2010-09-06T22:08:00.004-04:00

If Curly Wurly was pressed to name its favorite writer, Mary Lee Taylor would be a contender for top prize. I've covered so many Taylor pamphlets here that she actually has her own tag. The most recent acquisition to the CW/Taylor archive is 1957's Cookbook For Young Moderns. What sets this cookbook apart from her earlier publications is her befuddling attempt at appealing to a younger generation. The result is a confused amalgamation of the old (stark wartime black and white photos of unappetizing mystery dishes) and the new (sumptuous colors and playful illustrations).

(Note: I'm trying out a different photo upload site. Let me know if you encounter problems viewing these images or the larger versions to which I've linked! This is only a test. BEEEEEEEEP!)

The front cover has some whimsical illustrations of kitchenware that looks like it's ready to dance right off the page! Also, have you tried the upside down cake?

PET Milk is, as always, a 'favorite "sparkle and vitality" drink for young moderns.' I can't help thinking this duo has to be more excited about something than the fact that the milk is Instant, though.

The drinks of the day at the Korova Milk Bar.

I'm sure any Frenchman would be offended by the notion of the 'Meaty French Cheese-Bake.' Especially since its main ingredients are the very American gummy white Wonder bread, processed American cheese, and canned luncheon meat!

PET Milk makes a Whipped Topping that is practically parfait in every way

FANCY FRANKS! This is the dance-that-could-have-been from the 'Tapioca' scene in Thoroughly Modern Millie.

There can't be too much of a demand for tutu-wearing potatoes! Not even among Fluffy Mashed Potato fanatics!

The Littlest Meat Loaves

Armour's Theatre Presents...: The Sequel

2010-08-18T21:25:00.010-04:00

The last batch of Armour's Theatre films will hit your local cinerama screen by Christmas 2010! (Pictures actually from Armour's Meal of the Month File -- undated, though possibly 1950)

(HONEY GLAZED HAM with Fruits)
A still from a documentary about Buckminster Fuller's latest constructions presented in startling 3-D IMAX, Honey Glazed Ham Future.

(BAKED STAR HAM with Cinnamon Orange Slices)
Delicatess N., the invisible charcutière of the rue jambon

(BAKED CORNED BEEF HASH -- Egg and Pickle Garnish)
I saw it over the rim of my cup of joe. It made my eggs, sunny side up, look quaint by comparison. I eyed its egg and pickle garnish, and it eyed me right back with a look that told me that it was not just any old dish of corned beef hash. Yes, I knew this one was different. Sure, I knew better. I could tell that this one was bad. That this one was dangerous and would leave me with nothing but regret. I knew I couldn't trust it farther than I could throw it. But, I've always been a sucker for pickles. And this dish was just my type. Sam Spatula in: I Ate It At Gifford's.

(BAKED STAR HAM SLICE WITH CRUSTED PEARS)
Take me to your roaster! Close Encounters of the Toque Kind

(STAR BACON AND FLUFFY CLOVERBLOOM EGGS)
It's like catnip to every cat in town. Dial CLoverbloom-254, a sultry drama from the writer of Hot Dog and a Tin Roof Sundae. Straight from Broadway to the silver screen.

(ARMOUR'S STAR HAM "MEDITERRANEAN")
Marcello! Salvation and prosciutto don't lie within four walls. Marcello?

(BARBECUED STAR FRANKFURTERS and Star Bacon)
All singing, all dancing, some eating, and no adults!! Beach Afghan Hotdog starring that fab teen couple Frank and Sandy!

Armour's Theatre Presents...

2010-08-17T17:03:00.002-04:00

Dipping into the Armour's Meal of the Month File (undated, though the experts of the internet seem to agree that it's from 1950), a collection of savory meat notions, I found that the recipe cards reminded me of these authentic movie posters from the same era. Just try to add these movies to your Netflix queue! What follows is a selection of the meaty movie posters and either the copy from the movie poster or the original voice-over scripts for the film trailers.

The Armours are a family like any other. Mr. Armour is the town's affable fishmonger. Mrs. Armour is an international hand model with exquisite digits. Little Chip Armour is president of McKinley High's philately club, and his older sister Sylvia Armour was voted prettiest in her class. But what their friends and extended family... and each other... don't know is that they are all spies! What you are about to see is classified. Armour's Meal of the Month File: Marie Gifford's Tested Recipes

(STAR SAUSAGES with French Toast Sandwiches)
No one knew what built them or what they meant... Was it some ancient civilization or aliens reaching out for human contact? No one could say... Because only the people of Irrational Fearsville, Nebraska knew that these strange structures even existed! This September, stay away from Glowing Sepulchres!

(BROILED STAR PURE PORK SAUSAGES and Peaches)
Scientists speculated that no living organisms could possibly survive in those murky depths... They were wrong! From the people who brought you That Thing From The Ocean Floor, here's The Thing With Eighteen Legs! Coming to a Red Lobster table near you this fall -- It tastes good with those cheddar cheese buns!

(Star Bacon and Chopped Steak Grill on Toasted Round Buns)
Back in those days before he became a legend, they called him Charr Montgomery. Lone Starr Charr. This is his family's oil refinery way out west. It was his grandaddy's land, and then it was his daddy's land. They say everything's bigger out west, but the west wasn't big enough for Charr. When it came time for him to take over, he sold his family's oil to head out to bigger and brighter things in Hollywood. If there's one thing Lone Starr Charr learned, it's to not sell your land before you actually land a movie role. Lone Starr Charr: it'll make Giant seem downright tiny. Based on a book by Edith Ferber, Edna's younger sister.

(BARBECUED HAM SLICES)
(sung by a chorus of Welsh children): Look to the end of the rainbow and you shall find him there, Hurry to the edge of the rainbow before he vanishes into thin air (He's rare!)! He has a little frog-like body and he has no hair! Look to the end of the colorful arc and you shall find him there! Cecil, the Happiest Monster!

(STUFFED STAR FRANKFURTERS -- STAR BACON)
FRANKS! lights! FRANKS! robots! FRANKS! androids! FRANKS! humanoids! FRANKS! mechanical! FRANKS! brain! FRANKS! Coming soon to a universe near you.

(STAR BACON MEAT ROLL -- Olive Stuffing)
Join the high-spirited adventurers aboard the Nereia in this new sight - sound - and smell extravaganza! Watch as the camera captures the enigmas of the high seas! Hear the gurgling of the ocean waves! Take a whiff of dinner aboard the corsair! Learn from Chef Edward Teach how to prepare this gaping fellow in a step-by-step tutorial that will satisfy every Hungry Buccaneer! Rove the cove then shove in the oven in under 90 minutes (serves 5-6)!

These are only half of the Armour's Theatre movies opening in 2010! Tomorrow you can preview the movies you may anticipate seeing in time for Christmas!

Recipes For Good Eating on Flickr

2010-08-03T00:09:00.003-04:00

I don't usually skip Curly Wurly and post cookbook scans straight to Flickr, but Recipes For Good Eating was too beautiful a cookbook to skewer here*. It's a Crisco-sponsored cookbook from 1944. The pictures are so lovely that I had to scan every one, yet they really need no comment. So, if you're interested, why don't you head on over to my Flickr account (I post a lot more frequently there, so feel free to add me as a contact or check there often). Here is a direct link to the set of pictures. Finally, I try to remember to tweet when I post new stuff (or find other interesting things online). Feel free to watch or add me as a friend on Twitter (or Tumblr, for that matter).

* As a side note, I'm planning on posting another cookbook straight to Flickr in a few days (57 Unusual Ways To Serve Spaghetti from c. 1933).

Micromom!

2010-08-01T21:46:00.002-04:00

Honey, I Blew Up One Of Our Kids, But I Somehow Shrunk You In The Process Of Blowing Up The One Kid: Baby Adam's Wild Ride is a new Disney 3-D feature taking over theaters on Friday. Probably many of you know that Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, the straight to video release in the Honey... franchise, is Curly Wurly's favorite movie of all time (despite the fact that it's 2-D, or 'flat,' as we call that genre now). A 'new wave' of cinema, ...We Shrunk Ourselves, worked as both a character study and a parable about the ephemeral nature of 'self' in American culture. You probably noticed how the film maker's meticulous attention to both milieu and his interest in the psychology of the main characters established the tremendous dichotomy between the film's central themes of ancient vs. modern; authentic vs. inauthentic; and sacred vs. profane. This series of oppositions was never fully resolved, which explains why film lovers and students of cinema still debate the merits, or lack thereof, of the film.

You can imagine that when Curly Wurly was invited to a sneak preview of the latest in the series, my expectations were huger than a gigantic, ill-tempered baby terrorizing a small town! In this, the final chapter in the Szalinski family saga, Baby Adam (played convincingly by Andy Richter) is blown up by his father's laser at the exact same time as his mother is shrunk to comical size. This should have been a scene brimming with the pathos of the earlier installments in the series, but, disappointingly, it just felt schlocky and overdone. Perhaps it's just been too long since we've seen the Szalinskis to care what size they are anymore, but to this movie critic the scene just didn't work. To me there is little to celebrate about this movie. Unlike the last film, there is hardly any characterization or depth at all. It didn't work as a comedy, a drama, a dramedy, a comeda, or a horror movie! Laughs are few and far between (though, the scene of Baby Adam, a scholar of the 'Of Course, My One Year-Old Can Read' system, reading Anna Karenina got quite a rousing response). There are a few exhilarating car chase scenes (as pictured in the movie poster, above). But, at 107 minutes, the film felt overly long, and the excessive and implausible CGI montages and 3-D scenes didn't add anything to the story. All in all, I think the tagline says it best: we're not s'posed to enjoy this ride. This is by far the worst sequel to Honey I Shrunk The Kids yet! Still, I suspect that this will be the blockbuster of the summer, and it will probably be up for a few Oscars once the awards season rolls around.

The Master Chef's Outdoor Grill Cookbook

2010-07-27T00:43:00.003-04:00

Everyone in my neighborhood has a grill, and, as surely as the night will fall, most summer afternoons and evenings are punctuated with the mouthwatering aroma of grilling foods. What exactly is being grilled may be unknown, but the deliciousness of the smell is indisputable. Since I'm not privy to their grilling menus, I can only imagine if my neighbors are the sort of Master Chefs depicted in The Master Chef's Outdoor Grill Cookbook (1960). The subtitle of the book ('A fine collection of sometimes old and often original ideas and recipes for hearty, happy and even elegant outdoor cookery and entertaining') is rather a tall order, but one look at the cover picture (below) proves the mettle of the true Master Chef: a man of purpose (a hero, if you will) who will stop at nothing to provide morsels of a hearty and delicious nature. Pouring rain, skittish guests who fear the elements, nagging wives, and milquetoast sons can't waver the passion of the Master Chef.

'Kids these days. It seems like only yesterday they're tagging along beside you, telling you, 'Pop, I want to be just like you.' Next thing you know, they're off to college where they get all sorts of ideas. The intellectual mumbo-jumbo those so-called professors feed their impressionable minds. Then they come home and they're like strangers. Look at this picture. I could barely get the boy to hold the umbrella while I grilled the chicken. Look at that scowl, that infernal furled brow! Then there's the neighbors.. If you didn't want to get your fancy gabardine suit wet, buddy, you should have worn Outdoor Grill clothes like mine! Sheesh!'

I'm starting to think that maybe I'm a little morbid. The first thing I thought of when I saw this picture was A Place In The Sun.

It's almost as good as beef. Try some!

Three examples of the sort of miniature grills popular with Master Chefs.

Here the Master Chef sees to the Barbecued Bologna Roll.

That's an artfully arranged grilling area. (That's also a duckling on the spit!)

When I say 'summertime grilling,' you probably just think of franks and hamburgs. That's exactly why you're probably not a Master Chef. This fellow is preparing his Frogs' Legs Feast. Now, that's a treat that can only be followed by Freezer Ice Cream.

Ultimately, this is a pretty strange cookbook. There aren't a whole lot of pictures of the grilled foods. It's mostly men crouching over tiny grills with spindly legs.. or families that seem less than enthused about spending time together, most with their backs to the cameras. It very well might be the most antisocial cookbook I have, which is perhaps why it's so appealing!

Comedy Cringe Festival - Day 7

2010-07-22T00:04:00.003-04:00

Welcome to the final night of the weeklong Comedy Cringe Festival live from the Curly Wurly Comedy Wainscotting brought to you in association with the 1968 classic, Baker's Coconut & Chocolate Party Cut-Up Cakes. Thank you for making this a most successful week at the Wainscotting. Tonight we have a surprise for our finale: three acts!

Tonight's Jokers: 'JERRY GIRAFFE,' 'DEER-IE' the REINDEER,' and 'SAILIN' DOWN the BAY'

(Act #13: Jerry Giraffe)

Many make such a fuss about how television is the 'Great Wasteland.' I don't know what they're talking about. I think television is very educational. Every time someone turns one on, I go into another room and read a book!

Speaking of books, I was reading a book today called 'The History Of Glue.' I couldn't put it down!

(Act #14: Deer-ie the Reindeer)

People think I just work one night a year. Not true. The rest of the year, I have to take odd jobs. My favorite job was bank teller. I was bringing home $500,000 a week!

(Act #15: Sailin' Down The Bay

Two goldfish are in a tank. One says to the other, 'you drive, and I'll man the guns.'

(Jokes based on Groucho Marx and Tommy Cooper)

Thank you and goodnight!!

Comedy Cringe Fest - Day 6

2010-07-20T22:48:00.002-04:00

It was a tense day preparing for the penultimate night of the Comedy Cringe Festival. We weren't sure if our first act would make it out tonight in one piece, but we're pleased to say he hasn't thawed yet.

Tonight's Jokers: Here he is, straight out of the freezer, 'MR. SNOWMAN'! And, later.. He doesn't like it when you throw food at him, so please put those loaves of bread away when 'QUACK-QUACK the DUCK' takes the stage!

(Act #11: Mr. Snowman)

How does the guy who drives the snowplough get to work in the morning?

(Act #12: Quack-Quack the Duck)

While I was on safari in Africa, I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How an elephant got into my pajamas I'll never know!

(Some jokes may have been written more or less by Steven Wright and/or Groucho Marx)

Tomorrow's Jokers: We have a triple bill for the last day of the Fest! And they have nothing in common except for their inclusion in the Baker's Coconut & Chocolate Party Cut-Up Cakes cookbook.

Comedy Cringe Fest - Day 5

2010-07-19T22:22:00.002-04:00

Well, the Comedy Cringe Festival is winding down, fortunately. I think we've all learned that, no matter how cute the cake is, these cut-ups tell terrible jokes! On that positive note, enjoy tonight's two acts!

Tonight's Jokers: A night of child's play with 'DOLL HOUSE' and 'HOBBY HORSE CAKE'!

(Act #9: Doll House)

I've got the body of an eighteen year old. I keep it in the freezer.

(Act #10: Hobby Horse Cake)

I goes to the doctor the other day and I says to him, 'Doc, I'm frightened of lapels.' He says to me, 'No wonder! You've got cholera!'

(Some jokes somewhat derived from Spike Milligan)

Tomorrow's Jokers: A quacking duo!

Comedy Cringe Fest - Day 4

2010-07-18T22:25:00.001-04:00

The weeklong Comedy Cringe Festival (still live from the Curly Wurly Comedy Wainscotting) (still brought to you in association with the 1968 classic, Baker's Coconut & Chocolate Party Cut-Up Cakes) is at its half-way point!

Tonight's Jokers: How you'll love her! It's 'SWANEE'! The roars will continue with 'DANDY-LION CAKE'!

(Act #7: Swanee)

I met the fellow who invented crosswords today, but I can't remember his name. Let's see.. it's P - something - T - something - R.

(Act #8: Dandy-lion Cake)

I wanted to recite for you folks my favorite poem written by the greatest wordsmith, Percy Dovetonsils, called Leslie The Mean Animal Trainer.

'Leslie worked in a circus
He worked in a great big cage.
He smacked the lions
and beat the bears
and put them all in a rage.

He kicked the lions with iron sneakers
and rolled up army cots.
He put cleaning fluid on all the leopards
and sneered when they lost their spots.

But a chimpanzee got even with him...
Leslie got killed by some smells,
when he stuck his head the lion's mouth
He had liver smeared on his lapels.'

(Percy Dovetonsils poem by Ernie Kovacs)

Tomorrow's Jokers: Bring the kids! It'll be a barrel of monkeys (without the barrel of monkeys)

Comedy Cringe Fest - Day 3

2010-07-17T22:08:00.003-04:00

It's a hot night over at the Comedy Cringe Festival, and the lights are especially bright on the Curly Wurly Comedy Wainscotting stage.. so, I'll leave the side-splitting (and slicing) humor to the cut-ups tonight.

Tonight's Jokers: 'ELLA ELEPHANT' and 'TEDDY BEAR'!

(Act #5: Ella Elephant)

I bought a Jaguar for my husband last week. It ripped him to bits!

(Act #6: Teddy Bear)

I don't know, I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half empty. And cracked. And I cut my lip on it. And chipped a tooth.

Thanks, folks. I've had a wonderful evening -- but this wasn't it!

(Yikes, that's one negative Teddy Bear! Some jokes derived from Tommy Cooper, Groucho Marx.)

Tomorrow's Jokers: One's the king of the jungle, the other is queen of the lake! Both are featured in Baker's Coconut & Chocolate Party Cut-Up Cakes.

Comedy Cringe Festival - Day 2

2010-07-16T22:18:00.000-04:00

Tonight is the second night of the weeklong Comedy Cringe Festival live from the Curly Wurly Comedy Wainscotting brought to you in association with the 1968 classic, Baker's Coconut & Chocolate Party Cut-Up Cakes. (I forgot to note that if you click on the images, you'll get a larger view and find more complete cut-up construction instructions!)

Tonight's Jokers: See if you can 'SPOT the FOX TERRIER'! And, don't sue us if you can't stop laughing.. it's 'TORTIE the TURTLE'!

(Act #3: Spot the Fox Terrier)
I love being a dog. We lead a nice life. You never see a dog with a wristwatch.

But what is the deal with flea collars?!

(Act #4: Tortie the Turtle)
This truck full of tortoises collided with a van full of terrapins. It was a turtle disaster!

(Note: Some jokes loosely derived from George Carlin, Jerry Seinfeld)

Tomorrow's Jokers: Make sure to get your tickets for Ella and Teddy!

Comedy Cringe Fest - Day 1

2010-07-15T22:35:00.004-04:00

Comedians are a thick-heeled bunch who must face nightly criticism flung at them in the form of rotten produce, the occasional projectile, or, more commonly, an insulting barb called a heckle (or sometimes a 'jeckle'). Due to the unforgiving nature of hard-to-please audiences, the stand-up circuit is nearly impossible to break into for most would-be comedians. And if you're a party cake, it's even harder to get any respect. Sure, the crowd loves your sweet frosting and whimsical shape, but once you start to tell jokes, those heckles begin.

But these Baker's Coconut & Chocolate Party Cut-Up Cakes are some real cut-ups -- no hecklers here!

Welcome to the first night of the weeklong Comedy Cringe Festival live from the Curly Wurly Comedy Wainscotting brought to you in association with the 1968 classic, Baker's Coconut & Chocolate Party Cut-Up Cakes. There will be two acts per night, and they are sure to delight! (Note: Two drink minimum.)

Tonight's Jokers: You'll go cocoon over 'BUTTERFLY CAKE'! And, you know who else is funny? 'HONEY of a BUNNY'!

(Act #1: Butterfly Cake)
I was flying in the jungle and there was this monkey with a can opener. I said to him, 'You don't need a can opener to peel a banana.' He said, 'No, this is for the tomato soup!'

(Act #2: Honey of a Bunny)
How do bunnies get from one vegetable garden to another?
They take a taxi cabbage!

Why did the bunnies go on strike?
They wanted a raise in celery!

Tomorrow's Jokers: What has eight legs, a hard shell, and barks? Comedy Cringe Fest's second set of comedians!

Deep-Sea Dave

2010-05-03T00:39:00.003-04:00

Meet Deep-Sea Dave, enthusiastic spokesfish of famous Davis Bros' famous Coddies fishcakes and other famous canned seafoods! Personally, I think he's better than the Gorton's Fisherman, Captain Birdseye, and Mrs. Paul combined. Although, I am partial to the fish featured in this Mrs. Paul's advertisement.

Here's another look at Deep-Sea Dave, although I daresay, he didn't age well. It could be his all-fish diet.

Stuff Grumpy Old Men Like

2010-03-09T00:23:00.003-05:00

Another humorous pictorial spread from the January 1948 issue of Woman's Home Companion is here for your enjoyment. We Can Dream, Can't We? is part manifesto of the modern husband, part nonsensical Andy Rooney-style rant. As with the last set of pictures from the same issue, the original captions are printed here (in italics) along with my own comments (non-italicized). The photographs were, once again, by Tony Verti, and the captions remain uncredited. Ladies, take notes!:

What do men expect a house to do for them in the way of masculine comfort? To find out we went right to the men themselves. We talked to them, looked at their houses, made a poll to see what they secretly yearn for at home, what their pet peeves are--and we found out! Here are the answers interpreted by artist Ben Stahl.

Well-stocked refrigerator for midnight snacks is most men's idea of pure bliss--a small bird, cheese, icy beer head the list.

This blissed-out husband can't even take the food out of the refrigerator, put it on a plate, and sit at a table like a civilized human being! Nope, in the ultimate show of laziness, he just pushed his stool up to the fridge and is wasting a lot of electricity by leaving the door open while he chows down! Second, what in the world is the need for such a gigantic knife? This picture is just distressing! I think Pops here should just keep dreaming.

Place to make a mess in. All men yearn for a spot where they can pursue a hobby, a corner in the house where they can scatter papers, drop ashes, saw wood or do what they please when they please. Artist Ben Stahl dreams of a studio like this.

Apparently, this is the room where your husband wants to paint portraits of mysterious French women and throw crumbled paper on the floor!

Solid comfort--big comfortable lounge chair with a place to put feet up, radio handy, jumbo ash tray, good light for reading--all too good to be true?

No, I think this is the most reasonable request. So, according to this poll, most husbands feel they are underfed and have no time and space to relax and/or pursue creative hobbies. Now, let's discover the darkest secret of all: what irritates husbands most!

BASIC GROUCHES

Men know what they don't like in households too.

Violated newspapers, mussed, scattered or simply first-read, rank as heinous household crime. Men take news seriously.

As well they should. This man doesn't look irritated by the the condition of the newspaper so much as by the article he's reading. This looks more like the face of a man who has just read an article about how the durned guv'ment are raising the taxes again. Or maybe he's reading about the rising crime and lamenting about 'kids today.'

Tearing open cereal box instead of cutting along the dotted line is considered minor outrage, brings forth wistful plea.

Ah, yes, it would appear junior did a poor job of opening the cereal box in his excitement at getting the toy prize before his siblings. Still, this can be easily rectified, so it's best to let old Pappy know that he shouldn't get his blood all in a boil over such small things!

Clothes-hanger-in-use perched on top of closet door makes closing door difficult--is anathema to average man.

Well, I guess he spends the entire weekend making the rounds and pointing out everything he finds irritating, doesn't he? Couldn't he just... hang the dress elsewhere instead of posing for a photo?

Fragile tables laden with bric-a-brac are felt to be a deliberate plot against men. So are bitsy ash trays, wobbly vases.

Too ridiculous to even comment on! Find some excuse to get him out of the house when he starts sizing up the table legs and ranting on about plots against his masculinity!

All men to the fore on this one--stockings drying on the shower rail. Only thing worse is to find them soaking in bowl.

Yet he seems to be giving this a begrudging thumbs up? Maybe it's best to let him have his art studio if it will prevent all the complaints!

Chowder Goes To A Ski Party

2010-03-08T00:30:00.003-05:00

Chowder Goes To A Ski Party is a photo pictorial from the January 1948 issue of Woman's Home Companion. In a photographic sitcom style, it details what happens when a group of friends take a trip up to the ski cabin and settle in for an evening of chowder and pancakes after a day out on the slopes. Remember this episode from Happy Days? Remember this episode from The Facts Of Life? Remember this episode from Beverly Hills, 90210? And Sabrina, The Teenage Witch? And Boy Meets World? And That 70's Show? And...?

So, switch off TVLand and Nick At Nite (they don't show any good classic television on there anymore, anyway), and tune into Curly Wurly TV! Important information: The magazine's original captioning is uncredited (and italicized here). The photographs are by Tony Venti. The ski clothes were provided by Horse House, which is still a popular clothing designer. In fact, I believe more than one a-list celebrity was wearing Horse House couture on the red carpet last night (guess who!).

After a day in (or maybe under) the snow, ski enthusiasts clamor for a hot tasty supper that can be served up fast as a jump-turn. With this gang of young-marrieds chowder and dessert pancakes are top choice.

I see, I thought they were a bunch of unchaperoned teenagers gobbling down chowder, but they're marrieds! Whew! This episode went from being rated TV-MA to TV-PG (no V-Chip required)!

"Anybody hungry?" Jack shouts and then gets ready to duck as about-to-starve friends crowd in on him. After a few minutes' quick heating, fish chowder will be ready to serve.

I'm not clear on which one is Chowder. I thought he was the fangy Gene Kelly on the right (also known as 'Jack'). However, Jack seems to be the one hosting the shindig, and the title of the piece is 'Chowder Goes To A Ski Party,' so he must be one of the guests arriving in this picture. I'm banking on the middle guy with the tacky sweater being Chowder. Unfortunately, his identity is never revealed. If only Chowder had a jacket with his nickname embroidered on it or, maybe, a crown à la Jughead to identify him. Note that all the friends must give Jack the secret Chowder handshake before they're allowed into the lodge. Also, do you think that the two blondes are twins???

Jack proves he can too cook! He demonstrates how to make pancakes.

Well, now, I bet we all know a 'Jack': someone who invites you to their chalet under the pretense of a soup-based soiree only to spend the night demanding an audience to gawk at them as they show off making dessert pancakes! It's happened to all of us. What I think happened is that Jack and his sweatered friend (Chowder?) got into a bout of fisticuffs over whether Jack could cook, and Jack quickly threw together an excuse to one-up his chum. Now he's going to drag out this dessert pancake business over the entire evening just to punish his skeptical friend.

This is fast work--pancakes brown just about a minute on one side, then flip over for the other. Betty rolls them up quickly with a couple of forks, tops with spoonfuls of hot fruit sauce.

There's apparently a lot of alcohol in that hot fruit sauce. And Betty's been topping those pancakes off with a heavy hand. Interesting bit of wall art -- I think if you press on it, the panels give way to a secret room that neither the smoke monster from Lost nor vampires can enter.

Chowder is too good to allow anybody extras so last mouthfuls get shared fa'r and squar'.

"Fa'r and squar'"?! No wonder no writer wanted to take credit for this story! Well, the young-marrieds are all thoroughly drunk by this photo, and it's best not to know what's being passed around in the basket. Here: Chowder finally gets some chowder!

"She just married me for my cooking," Jack says modestly as tart-sweet pancakes are gobbled up by admiring gang. This dessert is amateur's delight because it gives the impression of great skill, really is simple, easy. Only joker: making enough to satisfy pleased eaters.

"Only joker," indeed! Ah, clearly this last male party guest is professional tweeter John Mayer, so now we know for sure that Chowder is the other guy. Here, John Mayer takes a break from Twitter to share a laugh over some dessert pancakes.

The Good, The Bad, And...?

2010-02-08T01:06:00.002-05:00

Priced To Fit by Dorothy Kirk, the food editor of Woman's Home Companion (January 1948 issue), is another article detailing how to create enticing and wholesome menus on a restrictive budget. The 'Know Your' (Meats, Fish, Fruits, etc.) headings are probably just as useful today as they were sixty years ago. It should come as no surprise that I'm posting this article on the merit of its fashion plate pictures, of course! Here is truly a commendable job by the food stylist, a most underappreciated sort of artist.

Oh no! Part of the second page has been censored! It was well-known that the Woman's Home Companion had red sympathies, so it seems that the menus for Monday and ___day are lost forever. However, Curly Wurly has access to a top-secret dossier that has further information on this particular page of the magazine. The true contents of these menus might shed some light on many contemporary controversies, including (but not limited to) the Kennedy assassinations, Marilyn Monroe's mysterious death, and who really shot J.R. The world has a right to know!

So, I'm sure you're dying to know the real contents of Monday's menu? All we can tell from the censored magazine image is that something is broiled. Curly Wurly can exclusively reveal that this menu consists of broiled doorknobs wrapped in bacon accompanied by canned spaghetti and green beans and a special cold dessert/weapon with the code name of 'Orange Banana Curl,' which looks like a quartet of albino caterpillars converging atop a mountain of orange slices (possibly with the aim to plan a coup d'etat). For bread, serve with crackers.

It's the menu on the right, however, that is more worrisome. In fact, the menu is so radical, so upsetting to our moral society, that we have not even been allowed to know for which day this ultimate blasphemy was intended. It was Thursday, by the way. And what a Thursday it would have been had this been made public knowledge. As you can see from the picture, when the chef discovered the true nature of the menu he had been hired to prepare, he threw down his toque in disgust and protestation. That rumple of white linen is a symbol for an all-American integrity not present in this menu. The only thing we were allowed to know is that some variety of 'gelatine' was for dessert. The unnamed casserole is in a fairly innocuous (though exceptionally encrusted) dish. By all that is holy, the Truth of the Casserole is just too much for the soul. Many men have learned what is in that particular casserole... only to be found soon after... Well, it's just all too morbid for a blog that should be taken with a lighter heart! Let us ignore the casserole. The Casserole of the Damned is accompanied by tempting confectionery to appease the gut and distract the conscience from the casserole: glazed donuts and the aforementioned gelatine. Unfortunately, the Truth of the Gelatine is as awful as the Truth of the Casserole! Do not let your mind dwell on what bobs around in the red slime! Please, just eat the rolls and back away from the table! Or let your eye pass through the forbidden tear to the next article. Let your mind wander to the overworked mother who deprived herself of a permanent wave. There..

Friday and Saturday were much less controversial, and the FBI didn't see fit to ban this information from readers. I especially admire Saturday's fare: Franks-in-blankets, a marshland of creamed onions and peas, and a sweet potato pudding so pretty you could place it on your dresser next to the matching doily.

And, there you have it: Dorothy Kirk's plan for a week of nourishment!

Happy Birthday, Lushie Peach!

2009-11-11T22:55:00.002-05:00

I'd like to present the Cat Cake to Lushie Peach in honor of her birthday! I hope your birthday is as special as this cake!

(picture from Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 1973 (18th printing))

Asylum Of Sardines

2009-10-30T00:29:00.004-04:00

Sardines have long been considered the guilty pleasure of the pantry. Often found tucked behind more respectable shelf-stable fare like Treet, Manwich, and Vienna Sausages, sardines are becoming fashionable again. I read an article actually written this year touting the health benefits of sardines. Then I discovered this recent article from Woman's Day (December 1952) celebrating the thriftiness of the very same fish. I suppose there are few legitimate reasons to stay away from sardines now that they have been deemed good for the body and the pocketbook. So, honoring Curly Wurly's mission to provide timely and educational information, here's a bit of what you can do with your Maine Sardines (compliments of the aforementioned Woman's Day - December 1952 issue.)

Take your cue from the floating head: save loads of money on pizza by skipping the delivery and the freezer aisle! Maine Sardine Pizza is the healthy option you've been yearning. It may look like a slice of cake with a long worm on it, but it's wholesome and cost effective!

When I think of the concept of Found Money, I think of the joy of discovering a $20 bill in a pocket that hasn't been searched in years. Apparently, other people's hearts leap at saving a few cents on a stack of sardine cans. If the notion of sardines means delicious savings to you, here is a page of actual recipes from Woman's Day. I don't normally emphasize the recipes on Curly Wurly, but with dish names like Broiled Sardines with Puffy Sauce, how could I deny this information to my readers?

Get your Sardine-And-Mush Fry recipe here! Get your Sardines and Cabbage with Creamy Mustard Sauce recipe here! Get your indigestion right here!

And that, my dear readers, might be all the frights you need to get you right through Halloween!

Giant Blocks!

2009-10-27T01:43:00.003-04:00

North Pole unemployment rates are at an all-time high, according to financial experts, and it has been reported that over 50% of Santa's workers, including his chief toymakers called elves, are scrambling for new jobs after mass lay-offs earlier in the year. So far, there is no consensus on how this will impact the coming holiday season, most notably in the customary dispersal of wrapped playthings. Worried parents are already fearing a backlash from their children. "Santa's double-checked list of good and bad kids is the only thing that keeps my family in line," one mother who would like to remain anonymous divulged to Curly Wurly. The worried mother added, 'if my kids discover that Santa might not even make it to our house this year, I'll have sheer anarchy on my hands!' Experts are already suggesting that it would be good to have a back-up plan in case Santa has to cut back his usual route this year. William E. Whitlock, director of Woman's Day Workshop, offers a plan for a versatile toy that will please every fussy Nancy and Teddy.

Giant Blocks are a miracle toy that just might have put the elves out of business had the failing economy not seen to that first. The blocks can be easily constructed by any handy person from just a few inexpensive materials. Giant Blocks are a patented light-weight cardboard construction that can be safely lifted by small children with only a slight chance of serious injury, but hidden reinforcement inside the blocks ensures it can hold the weight of a person up to 180 pounds! Whitlock will not explain how this can be, but these photos of Nancy and Teddy Whitlock hoisting and climbing on these Giant Blocks cannot be some kind of cruel hoax!

The versatility of Giant Blocks will not be denied. Since each block is hand decorated they can be customized to suit your own child's taste. In a Curly Wurly exclusive, we have a picture of Whitlock's prototype. As you can see, there are block designs for girls (pretty flowers), boys (the masculine 'bricklayers' design), and designs to please the Francophile in every family! Imaginative children can build rudimentary structures, like bartender sets, Japanese tunnels, and hospitals. Immobile vehicles, such as the airplane and the veterinarian's shuttle bus, can also be constructed. Despite the last picture showing a collapsing drawbridge, Whitlock insists that Giant Blocks are completely safe and probably will not lead to permanent injury or death. It seems as if the sky is truly the limit when it comes to Giant Blocks.

Below are photos of Mr. Whitlock's prototype of the Giant Blocks. If you are interested in giving your children a set of these bigger-than-life blocks this Christmas, contact Woman's Day Magazine (please cite issue December 1952) for Mr. Whitlock's plans.

(Note: Contacting Woman's Day will not yield further information on Giant Blocks!)

(Another note: Curly Wurly is officially on that new-fangled time-waster, Twitter. Feel free to follow if you like!)

Velveeta, the Man Pleaser

2009-07-15T03:21:00.003-04:00

Velveeta has been called many things through the years, but 'man pleaser' has to be low on its list of characteristics. This Better Homes and Gardens advertisement from October 1954 created a sensation with the introduction of five family recipes sure to please everyone: thrifty enough to satisfy the pocketbook, hearty enough for the hardworking husband, and wholesome enough for children and the calcium-depleted elderly! That makes Velveeta a winner, if you ask me!

When you serve this casserole of noodles, hard cooked eggs, and melted Velveeta, the only cries you'll hear at the dinner table will be cries for 'more!'

Who knew how gourmet Velveeta truly could be? Your table will feel a whole lot more cosmopolitan with Epicure's Chicken and Broccoli (it's like Chicken Divan... with Velveeta!) and the crowd-pleasing Party Special, a shrimp-Velveeta melt that will make your parties the hit of the social season!

Most importantly, just two ounces of Velveeta Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread has more calcium than a glass of milk!

Best of Better Homes - August '54

2009-06-22T01:09:00.002-04:00

Today's post is a medley of articles from the August 1954 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.

First up is the latest in the regular 'Famous foods from famous places' feature covering the restaurant Daven Haven in the Pines, located in Grand Lake, Colorado. Look at these humdingers! First, there's the regional Denver Sandwich lunch complete with an Ice-cream-cone Clown. Also, hobo picnics! Each hobo sack was stuffed with two sandwiches (chicken and cheese spreads), fruit, a lollipop and a personalized cookie. Now that's a lunch I'd leave my home for!

Daven Haven was just as admired for its elaborate breakfasts and buffets. A typical Daven Haven breakfast might have included Rocky Ford cantaloupe, Blueberry Pancakes with Orange Whipped Butter, and Frizzled Ham. But, it was their buffets that were gold standard; the centerpiece of the table here is the Ham Loaf with Horse-radish Sauce (food stylists take note!) served in a hollowed-out zucchini and Individual Spoon Breads.

'Come On -- It's a porch picnic!' Well, who would argue with that? Especially when you catch a glimpse of the ruby red gelatin salad cradling a yellowy dressing (Barbecue Salad?). And the tartlets awaiting their anointment of cream (Peach-blush Tarts?). By the time you tear your eyes up to see the fried chicken, it's starting to resemble normal picnic food.

It's not quite August (soon, too soon), but Myrna Johnston reminds us that it's never too soon to prepare with this menu of frosty-fresh fare. Quick party pleasers include the 'gelatin beauty', the Summer Chicken Salad, cute garnishes, and Sugar-frosted Grapes. Or have a full-blown Fruit Bonanza with Pink Jewel Molds, a marriage of cream cheese balls and sparkling gelatin.

More tutti-frutti favorites and towers of vegetable delights. And when you're looking to eat out on the terrace, make sure you have your bologna and deviled egg cornucopias and at least one Tomato Aspic mold!

Summer Bummer

2009-06-15T03:39:00.000-04:00

Summer, the bane of my existence, is back. Now, I realize that most normal people adore these sweaty summer months and insist on spending as much time as possible outdoors with the sun beating down on them. Apparently, this is not a new phenomenon. Better Homes and Gardens published a Summer Cook Book by Myrna Johnston in their July 1954 issue for just this sort of summer-loving person. From little vittles of the meat, cheese, and crudité variety to full-blown sandwiches and desserts, Myrna Johnston compiled a menu ideal for any summer get-together, be it a picnic, cook-out, or block party. (Remember, you can always click on these thumbnails for bigger pictures -- in every post!)

On those sweltering evenings when I hear neighbors enjoying their grilled cook-outs, I'll be imaging everyone is really noshing on these two menu items. The Summer Sandwich Loaf takes the perennial favorite one step further and gives it an unexpected seasonal twist (an olive-daisy trim). From the description: 'The pink filling's ham; the other, egg salad. "Frosting" is cream cheese. Men will applaud.' That explains the cheering people I hear at neighborhood get-togethers! This year, when you hear jubilant merrymakers and fireworks in the distance, you can rest assured that they just can't control their excitement for their Summer Sandwich Loaf. Better still is the bulls-eye-inspired Rye-pie Sandwich. This duo is really the only acceptable way to sneak ham, egg, and salmon salads into one menu.

For a spread as modern as your furniture: alternate deviled ham and tomato fillings in a crusty bread (Ham Line-up Loaf), skip the meaty burgers from the grill and heap baked beans in buns (Beanwiches), and set sail with egg salad and black olive boats (Black-eyed Susans). Serve as much as possible in foil cozies. This menu is incredibly versatile: it will go with either your Miles Davis or your Martin Denny album.

Small summer appetites can easily be sated with Ham 'n Eggs, Summer Style (that's rolled ham slices and deviled eggs to you!). As an expert, I have deemed this an impeccable presentation for the Deviled Eggs. Finally, create a platter of fanned-out finger foods, including cheese, cucumbers, beans wrapped in your favored canned smoked luncheon meat, and crunchy vegetable garnishes. These relishes are the epitome of pertness!

Even if you're far from any coast, you can conjure up a beachy scene with starfishesque platters of Ham Mousse, and don't forget to put out some Barbecued Franks with Macaroni-and-Cheese Salad and a plate of your brand smoked luncheon meat (Treet, Prem, etc.)! Looking to create the ultimate summer memory? Golden Liverwurst Balls! Unfortunately, I thought they were marshmallows with toasted coconut. How wrong I was!

Room for dessert? Certainly! You'll make room once you get a look at that Raspberry Sno-Cap Pie, a gelatin pie covered with symmetrical spume and banana slices that seem to evoke the water choreography of Esther Williams.

Even more desserts to whet your appetite! Get a look at the Rainbow Meringue Sundaes, meringues topped with whimsical pastel ices! They're like fairytale crowns or, at least, a carnival on your plate! The Moonlight Cake is far less romantic than its name suggests. '"Moons" are gumdrop candies.' What is the purpose of the comb (or is it a rake?) next to the cake?

Mid-Century Milk

2009-04-29T01:54:00.001-04:00

When you think of glamor and modern, cutting-edge cuisine that doesn't skimp on decadence, what ingredients immediately spring to mind? Caviar? Truffles? Of course not! Better Homes & Gardens wants to lure you in with the 'smooth, tempting flavor only Evaporated Milk can give'! Better Homes' February 1955 pictorial paean to that fast, thrifty modern miracle (and pantry staple) provides your kitchen magician with eleven fancy luncheon and dinner suggestions.

The Evaporated Milk fashion spread. I usually take a Tums when I experience 'come-again' flavor, but apparently that is a good thing when caused by Evaporated Milk!

'Evaporated Milk: It's what the blue bloods are having for dinner tonight'. Article (and this blog post) paid for by the American Dairy Association.

The new architectural (and literary) marvel: Choose Your Own Adventure Curry - complete with an impenetrable rice fortress!

The Peach Cream Salad looks like one of the mysterious stations run by the Dharma Initiative on ABC's television hit, Lost. What could be the purpose of all those cryptic red and green portals along the outer perimeter? Is the top decoration the sun or another sinister symbol made of cling peaches?? Why does a Peach Cream Salad call for horseradish??? Does Jacob live here???? Only 'time' will tell, but probably only one of these questions will be answered by the end of the series.

Decisions, decisions! Can't choose between vanilla and chocolate pudding? Try Twice Good Pudding! Note: This recipe spread must have been published before the advent of salad bars, where you can have Twice Good Pudding every day of the week. See, we take for granted how good we have it now! Also, I challenge you to find a noodle in the Noodle Ring with Mushroom Sauce! I see more potential noodle matter in the Cherry Almond Fluff!

The Loaf In A Loaf is the highlight of this page. It's an edible matryoshka with the outer loaf holding as many as eight other nested loaves! Or, rather, it's like a turducken. You can also try the Treasure Island Rabbit. Diced pimiento marks the spot!

Mickey Mouse and Goofy Explore Energy, part 3

2009-04-05T22:51:00.003-04:00

Mickey Mouse and Goofy Explore Energy concludes with a look at a few proposed alternative energy sources that we have yet to explore to their fullest and a quick primer of conservation methods. I think America was supposed to learn about the importance of resolving the energy crisis in these final pages. Now, we've wasted years not devoting ourselves to developing a new domestic energy system, and conservation hasn't been embraced (or, possibly, forced) as it once was.

Sure, this comic may seem like a relic now, but it was an admirable attempt to educate children and deliver a message of personal responsibility and of hope for the future. Sadly, I think this sort of booklet would fall on mostly deaf ears now. Maybe we can convince Disney to reprint Mickey Mouse and Goofy Explore Energy with Mickey charging up his cell phone and Goofy despairing over the high prices of gasoline as he's trying to fill up his SUV!

That fruitless, hopeless search.

Alternative sources of energy must be found. Here, Goofy and Mickey learn about nuclear fission and hydroelectric plants. Kids, please don't try to plug appliances into a waterfall!

Just imagine if we had five gallon limits on gasoline today! That would just be a drop in the tank of everyone's SUV.

Enny discusses renewable energy sources like solar power. The #1 user for solar power? Egg cooking!

Water power and nuclear fusion

Electromagnetic, geothermal, and volcanic energies

Welcome to Conservation Station. Take a gander at Goofy's wind-driven soup cooler.

What ways can you think of to save energy?

It was all a dream, but Enny's message leaves a strong impression on Mickey and Goofy. And Goofy discovers yet another source of power.....

.....MULE!

Mickey Mouse and Goofy Explore Energy, part 2

2009-04-02T22:36:00.004-04:00

As promised, here is part two of Mickey Mouse and Goofy Explore Energy. Yesterday we left off just as the dozing Mickey and Goofy were greeted by Enny, the Spirit of Energies past. Enny has a lot to show the eager pair about the history of energy usage. Soon you'll learn all about Goofy's contributions to our lives over the last few hundred years! Remember, everything you read below is indisputable fact! Click to enlarge all pictures. (© 1976, Walt Disney Educational Media Co.)

Documented early use of solar and mastodon power.

Goofy lucks into discovering water and wind power, and he develops the first windmill. He also accidentally invents the first batch of Silly Putty.

Goofy demonstrates the prototype of the Rube Goldberg back scratcher. The shortcomings of water and wind power are resolved by the discovery of steam power.

Goofy ushers in the era of coal and discovers electricity after almost being struck in a thunderstorm. All contrary to what text books will have you believe!

Is Goofy an idiot savant or just an idiot? Discuss. Also, remember learning about 'Goofy-power' in school?

The convenience and ease of electricity has directly resulted in our lazy and wasteful society. As more energy guzzling gadgetry are hoisted upon us, trash cans overflow with obsolete technologies, noise pollution saturates the once peaceful air, queues for the moving pictures clutter city streets, and many houses have too many butter churns! ..Then Goofy discovers Texas Tea.

Goofy and our dependence on Texas Tea ('Black Gold').

Welcome to the Petroleum Century.

We're all to blame!

The never-ending cycle of guilt.

Tomorrow's final installment of Mickey Mouse and Goofy Explore Energy delves into possible alternative energy sources and the lost art of conservation.

Mickey Mouse and Goofy Explore Energy, part 1

2009-04-02T01:47:00.002-04:00

America's biggest mistake to date was not heeding Mickey Mouse and Goofy's dire warning. We first experienced a devastating energy crisis over thirty years ago. Despite clever attempts at energy conservation and political promises to gradually lessen dependence on foreign oil and other finite energy sources, we are in the midst of yet another energy crisis. It's almost as if no lessons were learned from the last energy crisis!

But, to Mickey Mouse and his best pal, Goofy, this all seems like deja vu. Right now, they are probably in their castle in California (or possibly Florida), reminiscing about the 1970s, their shared hallucination about a preachy anthropomorphic atom named Enny, and how all their displays of Yankee ingenuity were wasted on the American public. Did any president after, say, Jimmy Carter even consult this comic? Or, perhaps, T. Boone Pickens was the only person to have taken this tract seriously.

*cue Disco Donald Duck*

Come with me back to 1976, as we look with shame at some of the ways (mule power!) our current energy crisis could have been prevented. I present to you in three parts: Mickey Mouse and Goofy Explore Energy (© 1976, Walt Disney Educational Media Co.).

Note Enny's approval of Mickey and Goofy's creative conservation. Shouldn't we all be driving mules by now?

This comic's thesis is already prominent on the first page. The energy crunch is bad, and it contributes to the unpleasantness of average mice and goofs. Energy crises may contribute to the impoliteness of some citizens as they become less punctual, are more apt to make ludicrous excuses for their behavior, and assuage their guilty consciences with nosy questions and hurtful accusations. Others might seem 'not themselves': weak, wan, and lacking vim and/or vigor. That's the energy crunch, folks!

Mickey explains the energy crunch with a (guilt) trip to the U.S. Energy Bank where Goofy gets a lesson in fy-nite energy.

Mickey sets us straight: We can't wish energy crunches away.

Oblivious as usual, Goofy goofs (as evidenced by the panel where the sky turns an alarming shade of magenta) and his car runs out of gas. Goofy and Mickey trek to Otto's gas station which is deserted and boarded up. Otto's mom and pop business hasn't actually 'moved.' It was bought out by Mobil Oil. (In the fifth panel, doesn't it look like someone in the distance is yelling about the fuel gauge?)

This comic probably terrified many kids with its 'we're all going to die (and it's all your fault for ever being born)' scare tactics. But sometimes it takes a good scare to jolt us out of complacency.

Trekking through the desert heat makes Mickey and Goofy grow weary, and they stop to rest under a tree. They become unnaturally sleepy (a la Dorothy in the poppy field in The Wizard of Oz), and their sleep sounds are oddly Batmanesque (zawp, bzazz, zoop!?). Enny instantly materializes out of thin air to take them on the trip of many lifetimes. Meet Enny, the Spirit of Energies past.

Stay tuned tomorrow for part two of Mickey Mouse and Goofy Explore Energy when Enny will take us on a trip through the history of energy. It'll be better than a day at the Epcot Center!

Jell-O Love Wheel

2009-02-14T01:54:00.001-05:00

Valentine's Day is the most romantic day of the year. All those cherubs and roses! Have you decided what delectable delights you will eat by candlelight tonight? As always, Curly Wurly has some entirely serviceable ideas that will undeniably set a distinctive mood. Heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and lobster tails have been done. Why not take a spin on these Jell-O brand menu wheels? Who knew that choosing which Jell-O salad goes with which meat is even more difficult than selecting the wine!

Feeling like Chicken tonight? This little coterie looks dazzling next to the Peaches a l'Orange! If you prefer your chicken fried, you might be interested in the Orange Glow Salad. That special crunch of pineapples and carrots is the perfect complement to the crispy coating!

Making Pork Chops tonight? Once again, if you're opting for fried, you want a crunchy salad accompaniment. Apple Crunch Salad is your best bet; it packs a triple crunch with its trio of apple, celery, and nuts! Apparently, breaded pork chops require something unusual and smooth. How about Saucy Yogurt Salad? I don't think I've ever seen an aspic salad quite like this one, though I have to say that there's nothing too objectionable in it.

There's no group of food that is more romantic than seafood; oysters, lobster, and shrimp have long been linked to love. I'm confident that fish slabs and this Pimiento Circle, that seems to shine as if lit from within, is the most romantic menu option for Valentine's Day. For something a little zestier, you can try the Pickle Salad (aka Cucumber Dill Slice).

It's never too early in the holiday season to make the ham. Give it a nice tropical glaze and pair it with the Pineapple Lime Temptation. Better yet, serve up the Banana Greens salad. It's so great that Jell-O insists it's 'great with any ham dish'!

Or, there is always the Carrot Cheese Ring, which is also great with any ham dish.

As many cookbooks have revealed, the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach. If that is so, hamburger is surely a one-way ticket. Leave off the buns, omit the fries, and feed him the Ranch Relish Salad or the Tangy Tomato Mold. Just wait until he tells the whole neighborhood what a great cook you are!

Another hamburger salad option is the Red Red Salad. Strawberry flavored gelatin, catsup, and green pepper! Best to serve with some Red Red Wine.

The Longhorn Salad is practically an extension of the steak dinner. Or, better yet, make him feel like a king with the Asparagus Castle! For future reference, food should probably not be named after an edifice that is meant to withstand attack from hostile invaders.

Bell Pepper Salad also goes well with steak dinners!

So does the French Bean Basket! Plus, 'basket' sounds less imposing than 'castle.'

For more Jell-O (and don't we all want more Jell-O?), wiggle on over to Months of Edible Celebrations to take a look at Louise's assortment of Jell-O booklets! Now, some of the desserts in her booklets might actually pass for romance!

Squiggles and Scribbles

2009-02-14T01:20:00.003-05:00

Sparkleneely, author of one of my favorite blogs, 97 Things To Do Before You Turn 97, gave me an award for achievement in the field of Blog Scribbling! I am thrilled and honored to be recognized by one of my favorite bloggers! I'd like to thank my agent, my personal trainer, and you at home!

According to the rules of the award:

'Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass the Award on to 5 most-deserving Blog Friends. You must link to the author and name of the blog from where he/she has received the award.

You must display the Award on your blog and link to THIS POST, which explains the Award. Each blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit THIS POST and add your name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, they will be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives this prestigious honor. You must post these rules on your blog.'

According to the fine print, not doing all of the above is a serious offense punishable to the full extent of the law, much like removing the tag from a mattress, so I have no choice but to obey! Unfortunately, my first inclination would be to award this to one of my favorite blogs, 97 Things To Do Before I Turn 97, but I don't think that's possible since she already received it! It was a well-deserved win, and if you've been searching for one of the most engaging and endearing, and one of the funniest and most poignantly relatable, blogs on the internet, I'm excited to point you in her direction! Get caught up on Sparkleneely's list of accomplishments before she's checked everything off her list!

Now I'm faced with the most difficult part: I must name five worthy blogs. All of the blogs on my blogroll (and the ones that I follow and read daily) are worthy of receiving this, or any, award; however, I have been directed to name only five favorites. Here they are, in no particular order:

1) Food With Eyes - I don't know what it is, but I almost feel like I know Lushie Peach, author of Food With Eyes, in real life. Besides posting the best graphics on the internet hands-down, she seems to have an uncanny talent for finding images of foods with eyes wherever she goes!

2) Expo Lounge - Jason has an unbelievably fabulous collection of Expo 67 collectibles and other vintage ephemera. His blog has to be one of the must-see stops for anyone interested in reliving the Montreal World's Fair, and his collection is an inspiration!

3) Kitchen Retro - Kitchen Retro is one of my newer favorites. Lidian's blog is one of my daily doses of humor. Of course, once again, she has managed to find some of the most intriguing and inane vintage advertisements and images, and her commentary is beyond superb!

4) Months of Edible Celebrations - Louise's blog is better than Wikipedia! I am always awed at the depth and the deliciousness of her culinary explorations. It's amazingly topical and informative, and, once again, she finds some great pictures!

5) A Sampler of Things - Years ago, I got a fantastic book of vintage packaging called Krazy Kids' Food. It became an instant favorite. I was thrilled to discover its author, Dan Goodsell, shares even more packaging images on his blog and on Flickr. It's like a Krazy Kids' sequel every day!

Once again, thank you Karen for the award! Have fun exploring the blogs of all the new award winners!

Resolution #5: Have Fun With Alcohol And Astrology

2009-02-09T02:38:00.003-05:00

Curly Wurly's final New Year's Resolution post promises not only to instruct you in the art of having fun but also how to learn more about yourself. So, if the Coke in the previous post hasn't helped to 'add life' as promised, it may be time to take a gander at Mixology featuring '44 famous mixed drinks' and, most importantly, a primer of Happy Hour astrology! This booklet was published in 1971 by the Southern Comfort Company who offer this disclaimer to all moon-children of legal drinking age: 'Intent of astrology data herein is simply to inform, not to advise. Therefore any personal application is the individual's responsibility.' I guess Southern Comfort can't be held directly responsible for the humiliation an Aquarius might experience when he or she discovers that electric blue, their birth color, is an unappealing shade for their attire. (Remember to click on the pictures for full-size pages with astrological and drink information)

Mixology is about more than having you drink bottles of Southern Comfort every week. It's also about having fun and finding yourself spiritually. While this booklet is mostly an advertisement for Southern Comfort and a guide to the many beverages you can make using Southern Comfort, it is, more importantly, an invaluable 1970s fashion spread. It's impossible to pull your eyes away from the clothing and hair styles and the mesmerizing artificial smiles. I don't think I've ever been so aware of how many teeth people have; you can practically count them here!

Southern Comfort will school you in making your Happy Hour party out of this world! What's Southern Comfort, you ask? Well, it's not like ordinary whiskey: 'It actually tastes good, right out of the bottle!' Basically, it's special, it's delicious, it's remarkable. And, if you want your party to be special and remarkable, it must be the only whiskey you buy. Once you're serving the whiskey that all the pros endorse, your party needs only a few astrological charts to make it truly out of this world!

No, it's not enough to know your sign! What's your ruling planet? What's your element? You can know everything about that person you have your eye on just by finding out their birthday!

Wide lapels? Janet and Chrissy? This must be a 70s cocktail party! Remember, this suave Tom Selleck-like dreamboat will only come to those parties that serve Southern Comfort. Don't expect his RSVP if you plan on serving one of those other brands!

Resolutions are all about improvement. Take, for instance, the drink recipes in Mixology. You could have ordinary cocktails or you could have improved cocktails. All it takes is some Southern Comfort in place of your regular, bad-tasting whiskey, and you're all set!

Today's your lucky day! This crowd posing with their Comfort Old-Fashioneds is smugly considering how all the ritzy celebrities and fashionistas in Beverly Hills and Paris are sipping on the very same drink.

Glen Campbell and Erik Estrada popped in to learn a bit about palmistry (and they heard you were serving a ~~Whiskey~~ Comfort Sour)!

200: Resolution #4: Add excitement!

2009-01-26T01:34:00.003-05:00

Was 2008 a humdrum year for you? Perhaps your resolution for '09 is to break through the barrier of monotony and routine and create for yourself a more exciting, lively year. But how do you transform yourself from lifelessness and fatigue to vim and vitality? The Coca Cola Company has long insisted the 'Coke adds life,' so the obvious extension of their claim is to guzzle down as much Coke as you can possibly muster. And none of those second-rate other brands will do; if the can or bottle doesn't specify 'Coke,' then not only will it not 'add life,' but it will probably taketh away!

Once you start drinking more crisp, refreshing Coca-Cola, you'll notice that your diet just can't keep up with this amazing elixir. How could it? The Coca Cola Company divined this problem in 1978 and had a set of recipe cards created to address the issue head on. Feast your eyes on this 'Easy Meals' set from the 'Coke adds life to... your cooking' recipe collection.

Introductory card from Helen Geist, director of the Culinary Arts Institute.

Baked Ham and Sweet Potatoes - This dish requires two beverages: the mandatory Coke accompaniment and the orange juice marinade in which the ham is soaked. The ham does sort of look as if some of the Coke was spilled on it, though.

Beef Polynesian - The contents of this platter are largely unidentifiable. See if you can spot these ingredients: ground beef, mushrooms, golden raisins, green peas, orange slices, and cashews. The fried rice may or may not be seasoned with an ingenious mixture of Coca-Cola, curry powder, and soy sauce, but it must definitely be served with Coca-Cola.

Chicken Hawaiian Turnovers - Don't stray from Polynesia just yet! Chicken Hawaiian Turnovers capitalize on the crepe craze by stuffing chicken, banana slices, and pineapple into a paper-thin crepe. To ensure the authenticity of the dish (not to mention your enjoyment of it), it is best served with Coca-Cola.

The Comfy Buffet Casserole - You weren't thinking of making this delectable casserole and not drinking Coke with it, were you? To be fair, it's only spaghetti with added corn, but the Coke makes it so much more than that!

Lamb Patties on Eggplant Slices - This is a hideous crime against eggplant. Only that cure-all, Coca-Cola, can make this sight better!

Parmesan Macaroni Casserole - Usually one thinks of Coke as the ideal beverage for meats, but it's equally good with pastas or, in this case, macaroni and cheese with ham and green pepper!

Planked Fish Fillet Dinner - Ahoy there! Have a filling banquet on the high seas with this slab of fish and potato.. and a few cans of Coke!

Pork Chops with Onion and Lemon - So simple yet so classy.. made all the more stylish with cans filled with the energizing tonic, Coca-Cola!

Shrimp and Rice Au Gratin - Shrimp nestle near a bed of processed cheese cubes in the fanciest dish yet! Skip the wine and the champagne, and uncork a bottle of domestic Coca-Cola!

Man, is Coca-Cola good!!

Resolution #3: Eat Well On A Budget

2009-01-22T02:08:00.002-05:00

The introduction to Grace White's One-dish meals to pamper your pocketbook says it all: 'happy solution[s] to that old bogy meal-fixing--for where can you find a bigger bargain in easy serving, good eating, fast cleanup?' This Family Circle article is appropriate for all your resolutions, including thriftier living, simplification, more wholesome dining, and, most definitely, waist watching!

When you're short on time, just boil it! The New-style Boiled Dinner is ideally paired with lots of red beets. Don't be skimpy on the red beets (my mantra)! You can also make the Double-treat Lamb Stew in just one pot! It's just-right for men, and it practically makes itself! Just add Pep!

Noodles Milanese (aka lasagna) is great with Bananas Jubilee! Try the Creole Pork Chops or the... Polenta. The polenta may be easy-put-together and easier-on-the-budget, but it is anything but easy-on-the-eyes!

Travel to exotic locales in 2009 without leaving your zip code or spending a fortune on plane tickets with these authentic Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Germanic staples! Give the Chow Mein Bowl a whirl for Chinese New Year, or maybe the Near East Casserole is more your speed. All it requires is budget-priced lamb (does that even exist, and is it actually lamb?) and eggplant! And what's the first Middle Eastern dessert you can think of? Why, Apricot Shortcake, of course! For a European touch, indulge with the bargain Chicken Strogonoff and some Cheese 'n' Crackers!

When your dining budget is dwindling at the end of the month, it's time to pull out the comfort food menus, including Winter's Best Soup (aka Marrow Ball Soup), Wiener Salad Bake, and Supper Sandwich!

If you follow these menu suggestions, you'll have more time, more money, less frustration, and another figure altogether by the end of 2009!

Resolution #2: Renovate!

2009-01-20T00:48:00.001-05:00

Changing your surroundings and moving into a $7,000 house may not be feasible at this point in the year. Maybe you already have a house, but its uninspired furnishings and odious walls make you want to pull your hair out. It might be time for a renovation! Just call on the trusty Family Circle for a few ideas from their 'Mild Makeovers: Home Edition' section!

First up is the model kitchen. Sue Shumeyko (pictured) had her cabinets, countertops, and appliances outfitted with a stylish combination of birch and copper-finish. Not only does it look a dream, but it also has the latest gadgets: can you believe this state-of-the-art kitchen has an undercounter dishwasher and a two-door refrigerator!? As you can see, these new conveniences allow for a lot more in the way of free time and counterspace. Here Sue is exploring her other love, flower arranging! While Sue is cutting flower stems, Sue's exuberant husband, Ted, tests the temperature of Junior's dinner on his wrist (bottom left). We also catch a glimpse of their shiny new wall oven unit!

In 'The house of many ideas' by Evan Frances (Family Circle, January 1956) we are treated to a smorgasbord of sheer speculation. From the copy: 'Here's what happened to a termite-ridden old house when its owners put their dreams into the hands of a sound architect.' Does the phrase 'termite-ridden old house' describe your current living situation too aptly? If so, you'll want to pay particular attention to this article welcoming us into the (frankly.. a little bohemian) Schrieber's hot new digs.

Some before and after shots. Below, a daybed, a hi-fi, and a Hollywood hunk poster? I think a teen-ager lives in that room!

I'm sure you'll agree that there's a lot of room for improvement in your life, and Curly Wurly is devoted to showing you how to fancify every aspect of your existence! Our resolution series will soon be addressing topics such as eating better than ever in the new year and how to become the life of the party!

It's Never Too Late

2009-01-19T01:33:00.003-05:00

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 81% of all Americans over the age of 18 make a New Year's resolution. Single Americans are 63% more likely to make a resolution than their married or divorced counterparts, and homeowners are more resolution-prone than renters.

Since change is ostensibly the theme of the week, now is the time to revisit and reenergize those resolutions that have probably fallen by the wayside in the past two weeks. For the remainder of the month, Curly Wurly will be your one-stop resource for information regarding the most popular resolutions. Remember, it's never too late to make a change, as my recent Dr. Phil-approved fortune cookie fortune can attest.

The first resolution guide is this very topical article on becoming a homeowner, '7 Budget Houses From $6,700 to $9,700'. Yes, your dreams are within reach with this January 1956 article from Family Circle! The original article was written by Joseph B. Mason. Unfortunately, I can't decipher the artist's signature. House designs are all by Robert A. Jorgensen.

Mason suggests that this two-story would be the perfect setting for Romeo and Juliet. I'm sure, in an alternate play, Ma and Pa Montague would have been quite at home in this cozy farmhouse throwback.

If a secluded outdoor paradise is what you're after, this cute one-level (top) with its large terrace (with barbecue) will be a favorite hangout for friends and family! Or, if your dream-come-true is to own a house that includes a 'roomette', look no further than the 'salt-box' house (bottom)! This 728 square foot cutie is all ready for your dolls to move in right now!

Now, here's some style! These two mod designs (with carports!) are smart options for any young couple!

Finally, here we have another cool modern design (top). I can agree with the description: 'There's a zest to this two-bedroom design that holds special appeal for young people.' The smallest house of the bunch looks like one of the biggest (bottom). The roof is made of marble chip!

All of these houses would be quite affordable considering our current economic downturn, but I notice that there's no way to tell the price of each design, how you can buy one of these dwellings, or if any of them were ever actually constructed. But, you must admit, the price was right!

If you already have a home, stay tuned for hints about renovations, and more popular resolutions will be covered throughout January. Change will come not only as you get better but also as it gets better!

Calling All Gift Givers!

2008-12-24T01:00:00.005-05:00

According to the daily reminders on the news, times are tough right now. It's stressful juggling all those holiday gift giving expectations with emptier pocketbooks. Calling All Girls (December 1945) suggests making Christmas Gifts-for-Everybody, and there's just enough time to churn out these mini-masterpieces! From babies, siblings, friends, and older relatives, there are enough ideas for useful and glamourous tidbits to excite every taste! Try the Date-Bait cap for your best friend and a gift that would now be considered quite politically incorrect for a young girl to give her male relatives in the bottom corner. And, who couldn't use another pincushion?

You know what they say: it's never too early to get your holiday presents out of the way. But now it's Christmas eve and, if you haven't made your trip to the dollar store yet, you could take a cue from Jane Richard, Food Editor of Calling All Girls. Richard recommends the best way to impress your friends is through their collective sweet teeth. If you can't be bothered to actually try out the art of confectionery, you could at least pose for a picture in your apron. Everyone will appreciate your efforts!

Happy Holidays from Curly Wurly!

The return of So-good food!

2008-12-23T01:47:00.001-05:00

There's nothing quite so good as so-good food, especially when you've been on your feet all day going from store to store. By the time you stagger home, arms filled with packages and blisters on your feet, you need some nourishment that is 'fast, filling, and just festive enough to be real aids when there is so much to do.' Nancy Lynn has a plan!

You can't have it all. Some might tell you differently, but they're just wrong. Sometimes you have to compromise; sometimes you have to prioritize. Inevitably, you're going to be set with the task of feeding a choir-sized herd of ravenous people at some point this season. So, when figuring out your menu, you can have it simple, you can have it speedy, or you can have it scrumptious. But you'll have to choose. It can't be two, and certainly not three!, of the aforementioned descriptions. I think that the author got the menus scrambled, though. Simple sounds scrumptious: Crab-cheese Chowder with crudites and dessert. Speedy, a set of Tuna Ramekins with Paprika Potatoes, doesn't seem speedy, simple, or scrumptious, but I'm neither a cook nor a tuna lover, so I could be mistaken. Finally, the apparently scrumptious Baked Puff Sandwiches with Tomato Bouillon seems like it would either be simple or speedy but not really that scrumptious. Either way, Family Circle has three menus to meet your busy holiday needs!

Are 'Holidays' Electric?

2008-12-23T01:08:00.002-05:00

Why not make this an electric Christmas? (aka, My Amazon Wishlist) by Jessie Bakker is a two-page spread of the latest electronic gadgets. I know that few people think of electronics and appliances as suitable holiday presents, and that sales of such products actually decline at this time of year, but seriously, why not make this an electric holiday? Just think about it. And feel free to send me an aqua drum-shape vacuum cleaner for my utility room, okay?

The Noted Tables Of Evan Frances

2008-12-22T01:20:00.004-05:00

Make your table a holiday table! It's easy with some odds and ends from around the house. Put the kids at the kids' table, complete with a fairground kioskesque centerpiece with ribbons attached to all the chairs. This might be some sort of elaborate way to ensure that the kids stay put; one kid need only push his chair back to destroy the entire display.

More varied holiday tables from Evan Frances. You can try to reenact the 'Snow' musical number from White Christmas with miniature pine trees and whatever else you have lying around (bottom right). When New Year's Eve rolls around, you can try out the glitzy table on the top. I love the wreath of silver and turquoise tinselly stuff that the punch bowl is set in! And, every mother knows, if it's baby's first Christmas, there's no sense getting the whole family together for anything special (center). Better just have a small dinner this year, and cram the whole family in the smallest nook you can find. Your holiday will be the better for it!

Christmas Candlelight Buffet

2008-12-22T01:06:00.001-05:00

It's a Christmas Candlelight Buffet! Grace White's fun menu was published in the December 1955 issue of Family Circle. Photos are by Bernard Gray.

Party Tetrazzini! Buttered Peas and Celery! Crackle Thins! These are the foods you will be seeing at every single wintertime soiree this year! But, as Grace White demonstrates, your buffet table presentation is the most important aspect of your party. If you follow her style guide, yours will be the most beautiful table in town!

Christmas magic at your fingertips

2008-12-18T01:51:00.002-05:00

In this December 1955 article from Family Circle, Dorothy Waugh brings us some unusual decorations you can make with little effort from simple materials. Click the thumbnails for Dorothy Waugh's article.

Behold the Snowflake Tree, a paste-paper-and-scissors holiday mobile. Cost? Why, just pennies! Next, shock the eye with Family Circle's own Holiday Mantle, a three-part decoration: wall covering featuring family photos, sign-wielding paper doll cut-outs representing the whole family, and 'stockings' filled with tiny boxes of candy and cones of popcorn. Add the very upperclass Gold-Leaf Wreath to your front door (secret: it's spray painted crumpled newspaper!), and your house will be the most festive on the block!

Santa's Sweets - This St. Nick requires little more than a no. 2 1/2-size can! And a pile of candy!

Red and green Christmas decor has become a tired holiday cliche. Assert both your femininity and your love of Christmas with these girly decorations. They'll all be clamouring to stand 'neath the tree-shaped marabou feather hanging.. and they'll never guess it's actually tissue paper! Dorothy Waugh describes her side table set-up, a Rosy Goblet Tree, as Christmas-in-fairyland, and you can even get a head-start on Valentine's Day at the dinner table! Don't forget to break out the Wedgwood! It will be the loveliest Christmas ever!

Some decorative odds and ends: Bird-of-paradise Buffet decoration and Ice-and-snow Wreath, an ingenious ring mold made of paraffin, pecan meats, and popcorn! I'm not sure if the latter is edible and, if so, by whom, but it's certainly striking! And, yes, that is bird pudding on the wreath on the bottom left! It's typically made from a mixture of winter birds, but you can make it during the summer and freeze the 'rosettes' until you're ready to use them.

Croon Another, Crosby

2008-11-24T22:50:00.002-05:00

Think that modern internet and texting slang is impenetrable? Well, LWQX*, as they say! The December 1945 issue of Calling All Girls has an equally indecipherable collection of slang and overheard exchanges from classrooms, lunch counters, and soda fountains. Nancy Pepper, with the help of her tireless Hi-Style Scouts, have culled the choicest hip lingo from movies (Pix Trix), the military, and everyday life for all trendsetting linguists out there. And hold on tight for more Van Johnson references than you can shake a stick at!

Think it's all a little silly? Nancy Pepper's column had enough clout to influence the manufacturing of raincoats and belts decorated with 1940s slanguage and, oddly, miniature 'drool cups' to wear on your lapel. Those were the days.

* I'm assuming this is meaningless. Curly Wurly apologizes if it is actually inappropriate.

Calling All Incomplete Girls!

2008-11-24T00:14:00.002-05:00

Here is a fantastic exercise by Marguerite Barze from December 1945's Calling All Girls magazine. It's part personality test, part guilt-inducing connect-the-dots! All you have to do is answer a series of thirty questions testing the strength of your character. The accuracy of your end result depends on your honesty! Once you have your responses, shift your attention to the unknown figure on the left. Connect only those lines that correspond with your positive answers. Do not connect the lines that correspond with your nos! When you're done, you will be left with a scientifically proven measurement of your worth as a human being. If you didn't perform so well, you are obligated to have the figure blown up to poster size and attached to your wall as a constant reminder of your shortcomings. (Click image below for full-size)

I wonder why girls' and women's magazines stopped printing games along with their quizzes.

A Cheese Happening

2008-11-18T00:50:00.001-05:00

The title of this article, the last one from the October 1955 Family Circle that I'll be sharing with you, is Snappy snacks with Cheese. If that doesn't sound like a little bit of paradise, I don't know what does! Author Nancy Lynn's all-consuming passion for cheese is like a torch that lights the way from beginning to end. Photographs by Bernard Gray, one of the greatest mid-century food artists.

Deviled Deckers is the height of temptation: melted swiss cheese and deviled ham cubes. Escaping the hellfire for a little slice of bliss. Like most sins, these are great paired with shrimps!

Now, this is a fon-do! Meet the seductively smooth Paprika Rabbit, a heady concoction of process American cheese, bacon bits, and paprika! Spoon it over a double-toasted English muffin, and you've got yourself a dish of molten warmth for a chilly Autumn evening.

While a fine selection of fruit and cheeses is a classy end to any dinner party, it would probably be best not to indicate that this course is actually called Fruit 'n' Cheese. I suppose we should be happy it's not Froot 'n' Cheez, though.

Autumn Meat Harvest

2008-11-16T22:38:00.002-05:00

Family Circle is the queen of all ladies' magazines for the wide range of topics from high fashion to fine cuisine and from design to hard-hitting pieces on the current events of the day. From October 1955, here is an exposé of the beef industry. All photography is by Bernard Gray (hey, it's not every day that I can actually give the artists credit!)

This set of pictures is like one of those brainteasers where you have to spot the difference between a set of scenes. Same utensils in same spot? Check. Same platter? Check. Same food? A ha! The bottom picture shows the Savory Pot Roast or, should I say, Chargrilled Heart/Liver Hybrid with Roasted Vegetables.

These are the bit parts, the lowly extras, to those strapping dishes of beef encircled by their loving public (the roasted vegetables). The Dutch Slaw, Fan-tans, and Orange Sponge may blend into the background, just an afterthought on your dinner plate, but they surely fill out the gaping plot holes with which a solely meat and vegetable dinner would fall prey.

Ground beef is the charming country cousin of the sleeker beef cutlet. Why, you wouldn't find Mm-m-m meat balls and these adorable Saucy-good twin meat loaves on an uptown table. But don't they seem less affected than the coasters of beef in the first picture?

What makes the Heavenly hamburgers so out-of-this-world? Well, it's a fork food, it's accompanied by cheese topped bread, and it's served on a trivet made from an old milk crate. I'll say that's heavenly!

Tired of beef? Shame on you! Well, I guess you could try pork, the other hearty Autumn meat. But, really, look how much less masculine this menu is! Pork must be what one serves a large party of mere acquaintances. Notice how the flamboyant and frivolous accompaniments are less classic and are all served in ridiculously shaped dishes!

There are a few things that a man can count on: dog is man's best friend, and potato is beef's best friend. Nothing is more tried-and-true than the beef-potato-carrot-tiny pearl onion combo. Here pork shocks with its perversity. Squash rings? Sparkling apple slices!?

Happy Birthday To You!

2008-11-12T00:20:00.002-05:00

Join me in wishing a Happy Birthday to Lushie Peach, author of my favorite blog devoted to anthropomorphic edibles, Food With Eyes! I hope your day is extra special!

I Was A Highlights Kid

2008-11-11T01:40:00.002-05:00

If my recent series of Halloween crafts from Highlights for Children brought back some fond memories of enjoying that iconic children's magazine, you might have been a Highlights kid! Now there's a website just for you: the official I Was A Highlights Kid, a collection of readers' reminiscences. There are two outstanding reasons to stop by the site: the 'Are you a Goofus or a Gallant?' quiz and, a dream come true for me, 'Write your own captions for Goofus and Gallant' (.pdfs)! You can also enter to win old back issues of Highlights (if you have a specific issue in mind).

As I was looking around the site, I was reminded of the Timbertoes, a family of wooden figures that tackle many of the same issues as you and me. I don't think I truly appreciated this simplistic yet endearing group when I was young, but, as I was reacquainting myself with Pa, Ma, Tommy, and Mabel (and Spot and Splinter!), I was impressed with John Gee's distinctive style. Get caught up in the juicy drama of the Timbertoes at Highlights' exclusive online archive. The complete back story of Timbertoes writers and illustrators can be found on Wikipedia.

Kitchens of Distinction

2008-11-05T02:06:00.003-05:00

In the same October 1955 issue of Family Circle as the featured article, Show house on a tight budget, there was another piece about kitchens that would go splendidly in your mid-century model home! Here is Here is our newest model kitchen by Jessie Bakker.

Feast your eyes on some of these modern amenities that are making their way into many homes across the country! (Click pics for full-size, readable article)

Also, I would like to thank Lidian, of the fabulous Kitchen Retro blog, for awarding me with an I Love Your Blog award!!

Right back at you, Lidian! I'm a new devotee of Lidian's blog, and I can't get enough of it! If you haven't had the pleasure of discovering Kitchen Retro on your own, do yourself a favor and follow this link. I guarantee that you'll be there all night!

Show Home Showcase of 1955

2008-11-04T00:45:00.002-05:00

Show house on a tight budget is an article by Joseph B. Mason published in the October 1955 issue of Family Circle. It showcases the thrifty but gorgeous mid-century modern home design of Tacoma, Washington-based architect, Robert B. Price. Joan Price, his wife, was responsible for the interior decoration. And it was thrifty, indeed. The full price (including furnishings) was $17,500! Don't you wish you lived there?

Let's take a tour! (Click thumbnails for full-size article)

Table-Top Circus of Blood

2008-10-30T22:22:00.002-04:00

Our final Highlights for Children Halloween craft idea shows how to bring the Big Top to your Table Top: the Table-Top Circus. What exactly does a circus made of bottle caps and pipe cleaners have to do with Halloween? In the world of Highlights, apparently nothing. However, clown-based hysteria is one of the most common and completely understandable phobias that plague the human psyche. In that respect, this is perhaps the most unnerving of all the Highlights Halloween handicrafts. There's still time: click the picture for instructions to construct your own cannibalistic carnival of chills!

On that note, have a gruesome Halloween!

Tricky Treats

2008-10-30T00:16:00.003-04:00

This Owlet is a cute craft idea for the kids. Its body isn't a Frosted Mini Wheat, as I had thought, but a cotton-wrapped glue bottle. (Click picture to see how!)

If you'd rather wrap up something larger than a glue bottle, try a broom, which would make a great Witch For Halloween. Lean this dentally-challenged broomlady by your door to frighten trick-or-treaters! Or you can 'surprise your friends by holding the broom up at a window where they will be sure to see it.' A Highlights for Children-approved way to lose friends! (Click picture to see how!)

Kiddie science experiments masquerade as Halloween Witchcraft. Perfect to awe the little goblins and ghouls at your Halloween bash!

Handicrafts From Hell

2008-10-29T00:41:00.001-04:00

Oh, the humanity! This is not the sort of fate I would wish for anybody, man or pumpkin-man.

No, Corni's not a long-forgotten Pee-Wee's Playhouse prop! He's simply the best craft in the history of Highlights for Children (and, certainly nothing in Pac-O-Fun could ever compare)! How could you not love a corn cob with a gummed-star nose, anyway? Remember, 'the more colors, the better'!

The cute marshmallow-headed Halloween Hobgoblin rounds out today's Halloween crafty hints. As was stated in earlier posts, this book was published in 1963; the Hobgoblin predated the King Tut craze (note the pose) by almost a decade!

Making Faces

2008-10-28T00:22:00.004-04:00

While the economy continues to go down the drain, it's getting harder in these cash-strapped times to execute the sort of elaborate Halloween celebration that such an important holiday demands. Highlights for Children has the hair-raising touches for your haunted house that won't break the bank. In fact, these three sets of faces fit for a fright are all made out of disposable packaging already lying around your house! Here Highlights demonstates the makings of an insta-macabre mug.

Take a good look at the Pie Faces. If they don't already bear an uncanny resemblance to existing horror flick serial killers, they soon will. Right now Hollywood is probably working on Pie Face (and its ten sequels), and the killer will look even creepier than that puppet in the Saw movies. It will involve a group of popular, good looking high school kids who mysteriously find pies on their doorsteps. Three days after the pies are eaten, the killer comes to reclaim the empty pie tins... oh, and to kill the teenagers one by one. The Pie Face in the middle is named Harpo.

Frankly, I was excited to find the Halloween Candy Man. This craft calls for a cylinder-shaped cereal box, and I have just too many to know what to do with them. As you can see, he's quite handsome with his single tooth and festive bowtie, and his pie tin head is far less terrifying than Highlights' first proposed pie tin craft.

Halloween Window Decorations are a more kid-friendly, calming, and cute option in the world of homemade holiday decorations. These Halloween icons require only the plastic spool from an adhesive tape refill and your imagination!

Crafty Costume Party

2008-10-27T00:17:00.005-04:00

Here are a few more ideas from Highlights for Children's 1963 book Jumbo Holiday Handbook that are so terrifying that they may cause madness!

Cucurbitophobes rejoice! If your fear of pumpkins fills you with dread every autumn, Jumbo Holiday Handbook has a few clever substitutions that will get you in the decorating spirit! Why not draw faces on some left-over oranges with a permanent marker and use pipe cleaners for stems? Better yet, marshmallows make the best jack o' lanterns of all! Daub food coloring to create dainty features, and then poke a toothpick in its head. Maybe it will be too small next to all the real jack o' lanterns. And maybe it will attract ants, but maybe Halloween could use a little more variety. What other foods would make good jack o' lanterns?

Highlights also has a solution for adults who wish they had a child or helpless pet to dress up for Halloween. Clothespins! Here the author's beloved clothespin is dressed as (from left to right) a French pierrot, a piñata, a phoenix, and a donkey who is also a pimp (just its head). What will you dress your clothespin as this year? (Click on picture for instructions!)

Curly Wurly will have plenty more craft hints for the rest of this fun-filled holiday week!

Pumpkins With Multiple Personalities

2008-10-22T00:08:00.002-04:00

I get weary of same-faced pumpkins year in, year out. They all have those same triangular eye sockets and toothy gapes. Sometimes I can't tell them apart, and when I mistake Roger for Beverly, I can tell Roger gets pretty steamed. This year, you can avoid confusion by giving your pumpkins different expressions. The pumpkins who have been more forgiving of your bad memory could have welcoming grins or flirty eyelashes. But you can punish all those pumpkins (the Rogers of the pumpkin patch) that have held grudges with frightful grimaces of pain, sad eyes denoting an eternal melancholia, or a mocking leer that will encourage the local hoodlums to kick them or hurl them into the street. This guide to facial features is from the 1963 book Jumbo Holiday Handbook, a Highlights magazine publication.

Here's a crafty idea from a Miss Langenberg, the Happy Witch Decoration. It's worth a try, if only for the enlightening 'how to make a witch look happy' instruction (click picture for full article): 'draw the corners of her mouth pointing upward.' A ha! Those snaking laces making up her torso are supposed to be 'skeleton ribs.' It's baffling how she could be so happy whilst her innards are on display in such a macabre sort of way, but, after all, it is Halloween!

Halloween Treats

2008-10-20T02:21:00.002-04:00

Many years before Nestlé started cranking out bars of Baby Ruth and Butterfinger, the Curtiss Candy Company made a name for these icons of American confectionery. The Curtiss Candy Company of Chicago was founded in 1916 by Otto Schnering. Their first confection was called a Kandy Kake (not to be confused with the Tastykake Kandy Kake), which later became the famed Baby Ruth. Apparently the original Kandy Kake had more of a pastry center enrobed in chocolate and topped with peanuts. When the bar was rebranded as the Baby Ruth in 1921, it was also reformulated; the pastry center was replaced by a bar made of caramel and peanuts. The Baby Ruth has been a popular Halloween staple ever since.

In small print, this Curtiss ad lists some of their other products, including Coconut Grove, Caramel Nougat Dip, Saf⋅T⋅Pops, Fruit Drops, and Mints.

Julie Newmar and Bozo the Clown for Tootsie Roll, America's favorite chocolaty, chewy roll! This advertisement also shows a set of Tootsie Pops from a simpler time: a time before kids started questioning the quantity of pop around the Tootsie center. Tootsie Roll Industries is another Chicago-based candy company.

These two Halloween candy advertisements date from October 1955.

Stitchery and Mishaps

2008-09-26T04:20:00.002-04:00

Introducing the new Friday internet sensation: the ugliest wall hangings of the week! Yes, soon these newly popular wall hanging posts will pop up on every blog. Eventually, they will feature funny net-speak captions with adorable cats peeking out from underneath them. That, in turn, will become one of the most-downloaded Flash games of all time. Before any of that can happen, however, we have to start with the first Wall Hangings Friday post. These wall hangings, each one an assault on the eyes, were all found in the wonderful Better Homes and Gardens' Stitchery and Crafts. Just take a look at these wall hangings!

Undeniably, Wall Hangings Friday will take the internet by storm. (Soon to be) as seen on Boing Boing (or wherever quality internet trends begin)!

Stitchery and Scraps

2008-09-25T01:11:00.004-04:00

The lesson for today's post is 'sewing for the home can be fun'! Better Homes and Gardens shows you just how much of a hoot sewing, weaving (or knitting with a loom), and summer stitchery can be in these four pages from Stitchery and Crafts.

Surely if weaving (or knitting, rather) had been this simple in Penelope's day, her plans would have been foiled much sooner, and history would be forever changed. Also, she would have been able to make many fashionable shawls in a jiff!

From afar, these cushions look pretty neat with their boxy geometrics, bold colors, and textures that seem to pop off the page. Up close, however, you realize just how useless they really are and that they resemble the bottom of those cheap Easter baskets.

It would be worth it to toil all winter long just to have your summery stitches all ready for those warm days out by the lake. You'd better get started now; you'll need pillows, rugs, runners, cushions, fabric awnings to hang off the bridge, covers for your wire-framed chairs, parasols, table cloths, covers for directors' chairs and tree swings, and, of course, your ottomans. You might need to quit your job to get them all done in time!

Stitchery and Gasps

2008-09-22T01:19:00.002-04:00

Crochet is the most venerable of all forms of needlework. But don't take my word for it. Better Homes and Garden's Stitchery and Crafts has this to say on the matter: 'Crocheting is a venerable art.' See? The art of crochet might have hit rock bottom in the 1970s, but in the 1960s it was still a fresh way to create unique details and breathe new life into your various doodads.

Odd tufts of yarn is a perfectly acceptable way to create texture and intrigue in a room. If your furnishings are a curious mélange of styles and colors, red tufts on the wall will draw the eye away from the general decor and create a sense of panic and confusion that will silence any critiques of bad taste in a jiffy. Crocheted designs can also be attached to store-bought pillows and cushions. The middle cushion, for instance, has a handmade trivet glued to it.

Ancient bearded god or fancy trilobite?

Sheets with personalized embroidery say all the things that mere words cannot. The blue sheet set on the right, for instance, says, 'I breed rabbits.' My favorite part of this page though is the doddering, bespectacled cat on the bedside table of the first picture.

Check back soon for more crafts-related wonderment!

Stitchery and Laughs

2008-09-10T02:54:00.003-04:00

Here are some more knitted and quilted wonders from Better Homes and Gardens' Stitchery and Crafts.

These quilted beauties for your boudoir display all the colors that matter. The copy on the page concedes that there is no color scheme or actual design to the various quilted accoutrements. So you can have full control over your vanity stool cover and swing chair cushion!

'In the past, creative knitting was limited by the scarcity of yarn,' says the book. Lucky for us all, the yarn boom of the 1960s and 70s made it possible for amateur knitters and crocheters everywhere to blanket the world in knitted covers and crocheted mats.. and crocheted cushions and knitted pouches. These days, everything rightfully belongs hidden underneath a tastefully crafted cover. Just think of all those ingenious toilet paper holders! This page has some pillows that look like they were made from some pretty nice sweaters and some knitted placemats and chair cushions made from Cliff Huxtable's sweaters.

This is, apparently, a picture of the interior of a new age-y center. Maybe this is a room where you go to recharge the balance of your life force. I think there is some sort of spiritual significance to the placement of the plants. The knitted pieces on this page include a dust-attracting wall scarf (or, perhaps someone is knitting a scarf for an elephant) and a blanket for the chic swing chair. I'm not sure what the appeal of the swing chair was. Is it because it kind of resembles a cracked eggshell, and curling up in it evokes memories of a fetal state? If so, that's pretty new age-y.

Stitchery and Gaffes

2008-09-03T04:37:00.001-04:00

It has been said that life is a great quilt of experiences, of joys and sorrows, and the thread of humanity binds us all together. This is one of the two most poignant quilting-related quotations that have been said. Lucille Ball, in all her wisdom, urged women to 'use a make-up table with everything close at hand and don't rush; otherwise you'll look like a patchwork quilt,' but that probably doesn't resonate as much. If careless cosmeticians would create a look that resembles any of the quilts in these pictures, though, there would probably be a few tearful ladies. For your viewing pleasure, here are some bedspreads and other quilts from Better Homes and Gardens' Stitchery and Crafts.

Here we have the sort of sparse, faceless bedroom that any child would love. Especially any child who would envy the fittings of hospital rooms and prison cells or are excited by signs on restroom doors. Basically, the design is a little creepy. I prefer the second project: 'platter' party supplies, including a tote for carrying records and a matching cushion to sit on.

This quaint children's room has an adorable circus theme. The bed linens and rug are bright and cute, and I believe there is a giant popcorn machine in the corner behind the photographer. The problem, however, is the horse's head. Regardless of whether the horse's head is right in your bed or just on a shelf of the bedside table, it's never a good sign. The living room in the bottom picture is far less scarring, luckily. Note the use of harvest yellow predating the wild popularity of the color by a few years.

I think the bold geometric pattern of this quilt and the vivid green wash of the walls (which looks as if it might glow in the dark) would cause sleeplessness and, possibly, eventual madness. The headboard looks like it was fashioned from a car seat.

The top photo shows one of the few quilt designs that could leave a positive impression on the reader. Amazingly, it looks like it's made of hundreds of sand dollars! Or, maybe, it was made of hundreds of potholders.

The thing about this bedchamber is that it clearly is supposed to be the most tasteful and luxe of their designs, a majestic room fit for a queen. But it only succeeds in being cheaply flamboyant. The pom-pom trim was a nice touch, though.

Stitchery and Crafts

2008-09-01T03:49:00.001-04:00

To the discerning eye of the kitschy cookbook collector, Better Homes and Gardens is the pinnacle of quality. No matter the occasion, meal, or ingredient, Better Homes is always filled to capacity with fascinating, frame-worthy works of art. It should come as no surprise that every picture in their various non-food volumes is just as sensational. Their decor guides abound with tasteful mid-century modern furnishings that would look perfect in a fashionable apartment. But it seems to be their craft books that provide the most varied eye-pleasers. For the next few weeks, I'll be highlighting some of the most dazzling works from Better Homes and Gardens Stitchery and Crafts, published in 1966. It promises to be a 'complete guide to the most rewarding stitchery and craft projects for the whole family' and includes examples of the artistry of weaving, appliqueing, knitting, paper designs, mosaics, and bazaar ideas.

This is the front cover. On a cool spring afternoon, mother and daughter work on their tapestries and rugs in the barn. Mother wears her sweater about her shoulders to combat the slight chill in the air and daughter sips a soothing cup of tea whilst admiring her regal handiwork. But, as is common for all of these publications, there are usually hints of something more sinister in the background. Notice the great rudimentary farming tools strapped to the wall. There is, perhaps, a shovel and a hoe. Much to my horror, I notice that the last implement is actually the severed hand of Struwwelpeter! Clearly he got what he deserved, but it was still a shock to see it hanging there. This visual sets a macabre tone for the rest of the book.

A few lovely burlap sacks and a gorgeous striped tote bag. I would buy that striped tote bag if I saw that in a store. It's beautiful!

Where is Mrs. Bates? Though this rocking chair does have a bright and jaunty cushion, this picture is still reminiscent of Psycho.

There will be more alluring (or alarming) craft items in the coming days, and if you're interested in seeing more 1960s Better Homes and Gardens handicrafts (specifically of the yuletide variety), you can revisit last December's month of crafty Christmas cheer!

Borden's Comedy Hour

2008-08-14T02:29:00.002-04:00

Here's a delightful little pamphlet entitled Cheese Puts On A Variety Show. It's an advertisement for Borden brand cheeses. While there are a few recipes, the pamphlet mostly has descriptions, serving suggestions, and drink pairings. The best part is the illustrations of the packaging of the time. Unfortunately, the pamphlet is undated, and I'm not even sure of its decade of publication.

Ladies and gentlemen, Cheese Puts On A Variety Show.. starring Sonny & Cher, The Osmonds, Tony Orlando and Dawn... and the Borden's Cheese dancers! (As always, click on pictures for enlargements!)

If your favorites are Grated American cheese and Borden's delicious cocktail spreads, then here are 'All your favorites at their best'!

The lineage of the 'royal family of Borden's fine Cheeses' can be traced back to the easily digestible Chateau and poignant Early American varieties, as well as recipes for Brick, Pimento, and Limburger Sandwiches.

Borden's continental cousins include Buffet Cheese, Roquefort, Camembert, and America's 'most distinguished cheese', Liederkranz.

Borden's isn't all American cheeses! Here's a bit about Borden's imported cheeses: Gruyere, Edam, Gouda, Brie, and Gorgonzola.

So-Good Meals (1963)

2008-08-04T02:21:00.005-04:00

So-Good Meals is an odd mishmash of themes from the editors of Better Homes & Gardens. Is it a book detailing men's tastes or a kid-friendly cookbook? Maybe it's for dieters or busy wives who have to prepare a week's worth of food ahead of time. Or could it be for the penny pincher who has to serve 'leftovers' to make ends meet? Why, this slim 60 page cookbook is all that and more! Plus, only a book filled with slightly above par cuisine could be titled So-Good Meals, and the only way you can determine the authenticity of the titular claim is through the Better Homes & Gardens seal of approval. And, as if the title weren't alluring enough, the front cover promises to teach you how to 'eat at home and like it'! Note: This book might be 'So-Good', but apparently it's not good enough to charge more than 99 cents for it (that's less than a penny per 'tasty way to please your family'!).

Front cover features something called Chicken Garden Skillet

The first part of the book concentrates on Meals Men Like, and you know what that means: beef roasts, burgers, ham steaks, veal birds, and lamb chops! Here's the world famous Betterburger. What's the go-with that makes your Betterburger rate 'super'?

If there's one thing we've learned from the few cookbooks I've posted here, it's that a little creativity goes a long way towards establishing a memorable meal. That inspired flight-of-fancy needn't be all gelatin molds and oddly shaped foods; a snappy menu title will keep the compliments coming! Case in point, this menu is called Come-and-get-it Ham Supper. Don't you wish you could come and get a plate of this Swirled Ham with Marshmallow Sauce? I mean, Mustard Sauce. The Sweet Potato Balls are especially ingenious (the text says they 'look like a party', but I think they look like hedgehogs), and the menu calls for a Curly Wurly favorite, Perfection Salad! Men might like this meal, but everyone else will love it, too!

Watch out! The kids are cooking! The two less handy kids join forces to figure out the Saucy Franks, but the real artist of the family is constructing the eye-popping Totem-Pole Relishes. From the introduction to the Kids Are Cooking section: 'Now you're about to fix dinner for the family. Be safe ... cook with care. Talk it over with Cook, Sr. ... O.K. Kitchen, here we come'!

'Almost two sandwiches in one. Good!' It is good, indeed. In fact, dare I say it, Cheeseburger Towers look So-Good! (Much better than the Betterburger)

The Russian Winter Garden Loaf (aka Vegetables Laid Bare), which, oddly enough, 'tastes just like spring'!

Here's a great do-ahead dinner from the Dinner Loaf-style menu: Pineapple Ham Loaf. I think the caption says it all: 'This handsome glazed loaf is bursting with real ham flavor, boasts parade of broiled pineapple slices and cherries'! And, who doesn't love a parade (and real ham flavor)? Goes well with succotash.

And some head cheese, the ideal August repast.

Bananas - How To Serve Them, part 3

2008-07-28T03:08:00.004-04:00

If you haven't gone bananas from all the bananas yet, here's the final installation of the great 1941 booklet, Bananas...how to serve them.

'He put my banana in Jell-O again?' Did you know?: 'Nature seals bananas in a germ-proof package'!

Banana Milk Shake - This is the cutest page of the entire book. The recipe yields a shake large enough to share, but if you have an appropriately sized stool, straws that resemble stilts, and some time to kill, why would you want to?

Serve your hairy grubs and other creepy crawlies with Hawaiian-style Pineapple Sauce! If you want your sauce to ooze with tropicality, drip in a little green food coloring 'to tint the sauce a delicate green.' Add toothpick parasols, and you've got yourself an Insta-Luau (whole roasted pig optional)!

Finger sandwiches make great snacktime in Geometry class. Or, use them for elementary school-age word problems: 'If Jack's sandwich has five banana slices and Sylvia's has four, how tall is Rodolfo?'

Don't Skip These 'How-To-Do-It's'! Includes the enlightening 'How to slice bananas section,' as well as fluting methods. 'How to keep bananas from turning dark,' also looks like a school project: one of those national science projects everyone has to do! You can just imagine the poster board covered in pie charts detailing the effect of the fruit juices on banana coloring!

Once again, if you're interested in viewing more of the illustrations from the booklet, have a look at my Flickr set devoted to these sprightly bananamen!

Bananas - How To Serve Them, part 2

2008-07-21T01:12:00.002-04:00

Today we'll continue with the second installment of the Bananas...how to serve them booklet, introduced in this post.

Now, here's a luncheon plan you can take to the bank! Say you've got some bananas and some slices of ham. Why not wrap the ham around the banana and smother it in cheese sauce! Adorable, sign-wielding bananamen agree, 'Cheese Sauce improves your Ham Banana Rolls tenfold!'

As far as banana recipes go, nothing is more standard than a nice loaf of banana bread. What could be more commonplace? While that is true, this is the Volvo of banana breads and deserves to have all eyes travel down its precise angles, beholding its perfect boxiness. In fact, this bread might contain more molded wood pulp than tree fruit.

According to the distressing illustration, recipe 21 should read like a newspaper headline. These aren't drop cookies that contain banana! No, they're cookies that a clumsy banana dropped from high on a ladder! If you fancy a look at vaudevillian bananas, this dazzling stage features not only Banana Juggling Marvels but also an amazing strongman who can lift his weight in banana cookies! And, how's this for a novel idea: 'Enjoy your favorite cereal with sweet, ripe bananas'!

Straight out of Scotland, this irritable scoundrel in kilt and tam-o'-shanter introduces us to the authentic Banana Butterscotch Pie. I love the ring of banana that looks like carved ivory. That's a level of artistry one doesn't normally see in a simple cream pie!

Food of the Gods: Banana Ambrosia

And, finally, here is a page with some exceptional illustrations. Featured on this page is a disturbing depiction of Banana Apple Betty and a bit of rousing artwork for the Banana Tap-Tap-Tap-Tapioca Cream (I could really go for the Shredded Lettuce, Beet and Hard Cooked Egg Salad, too!).

I'll be posting the conclusion to the Bananas...how to serve them series in a few days, and don't forget to check out my Flickr set, especially if you want a close-up view of the glorious illustrations!