Hello dear friends! Keeping warm? We keep going from snowy days and spring-like days. Today it's cold, about sixteen degrees, and windy, so I thought it would be a good day to sit here by the fire and write a post.
Anyway, my trip down memory lane started when I discovered a skein of red and green Kresge brand yarn at the thrift store. How many mittens, scarves and slippers have I knitted with that back in the 60s? I had to sit right down and knit myself a pair of Christmas slippers.
It's not a very good picture. It's hard to take a picture of one's own feet. I used a knitting pattern from a vintage booklet, but I would have preferred to use the pattern I wrote about here. These slip around on my feet too much. Oh well! They are fun to wear during the month of December.
Another treasure I uncovered was an apron made from the old Cranston Christmas fabric that was so popular in the seventies and eighties. What was even more remarkable was that I had a piece of the companion print in my stash! Just enough fabric to be repurposed into making a small charm quilt for the back of the loveseat. I edged it with some red jumbo rickrack (another thrift store find) to give it a sort of vintage postcard look.
I love those old fabrics that came in flat packs and were sold at the Ben Franklins and Woolworths. How much fun it was to choose some for an apron to make for mother or grandma. We were busy making a lot of gifts back when. Christmas consisted of making presents and practice for plays and choir at church and school, with a good bit of ice skating and caroling thrown in for good measure. It was a busy, happy time.
BTW, see that little needlepoint pillow? I picked up the unfinished piece at a garage sale probably a decade ago with the intention of "doing something" with it. One of my weaknesses is that I'm always adopting other's orphan projects. Well anyway, I finally got around to making it into a pillow. Must have taken me about one-half hour. Should have done it years ago.
I've kept gift-giving simple this year. The only cookie I baked was our traditional eggnog logs and a small tin of fudge , those, along with several pounds of coffee (we are all major coffee drinkers) and a jigsaw puzzle were packaged and sent off to the children and grandchildren before we could be tempted by the goodies.
Recipe
One of my fondest Christmas memories was how excited my dad would get when the dime store got their first shipment of Christmas candy in. My sister Suzy worked there and would excitedly announce to my father that the candy had arrived. Oh, the many little white bags of various goodies he'd come home with; maple drops, divinity, chocolate stars and my favorite, seafoam! (Doesn't candy taste better when it is scooped into little white bags at a candy counter rather than coming in a package?) It's one of those things that is going the way of snow chains and skating on the pond, I'm afraid. I did find some at a Polish market, but they wanted something like $20 a pound for it! I might be nostalgic for the past, but not that much! I remembered that I used to make my own and had the recipe "somewhere". Well, the old receipt book to the rescue again! The receipt book is my own little hard-times cookbook. It is getting so old that many of the recipes are fading into oblivion. One of the reasons I write this blog is to record all those old recipes before they vanish from the pages forever. So anyway, here's the recipe.
Seafoam Candy
1 C. sugar
1C. corn syrup
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
Using a heavy large pot, boil until mixture reaches the hard crack stage on a candy thermometer (I use the old-fashioned method of dropping a bit into a cup of cold water, it should form a hard ball immediately when dropped into the water.
Immediately remove from heat and stir in:
1 Tbsp. baking soda
Mixture will foam and expand (that's why you need a bigger pot then you may think).
Working quickly, stir in the baking soda until combined and pour immediately into a buttered loaf pan. Allow to cool and turn out your "loaf" onto a cutting board and break into pieces.
Melt two packages of chocolate chips in a double boiler and dip the pieces. With the leftover chocolate I stir in nuts or coconut and drop onto waxed paper. Or spread the remaining chocolate on some waxed paper, allow to cool and break it into chunks to be used for chocolate chunk cookies at a later date.
This is so much better than the kind you get in the stores. It melts in your mouth and almost tastes buttery.
So that's what I've been up to since I last wrote. Many days you will find me sitting before the fire listening to old Christmas instrumentals and knitting or stitching. I only leave the house one day out of the week and that is just to the neighboring town to buy milk for Blackie our cat (he's very spoiled) and tangerines. Everything I could want is contained in my own little dear home. Choose everyday to take joy dear friends!
Hugs
Jane
You warmed my heart with nostalgia, Jane! I do wish we could have times like that again. Who would believe how things would change! I haven't had seafoam candy since I was 16! Beautiful snow photo, slippers, quilt and pillow. We surely are so lax in dressing up these days! I remember the first time one of my grown kids came over to our house in jeans on Christmas day. We were shocked! But for they most part, we do dress up on Sundays (and Christmas). My husband always wears a suit and I make sure I wear a skirt or dress. hugs, andrea
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea! That's funny about the jeans. Nowadays that's dressed up. Ha! I'm glad both you and your husband still dress for church. Ran had jury duty and the instructions were to dress as you do when going to church. Everyone showed up in jeans and a sweatshirt. At least Ran had on a dress shirt and pants but no tie.
DeleteThat seafoam candy is so stinkin' good! I shouldn't have made it! Got to find someone to give it to, to get it out of the house.
Aren't you glad that we at least had those times? I often wonder what our grandchildren will be nostalgic for. We didn't know it at the time, but we were so fortunate.
Hugs
Jane
So true, Jane...I'm oftentimes grateful for the times I had, even though times were tough financially for my parents. That's funny about the jury duty. Once a lady wore a swimsuit to a jury duty I had. I think she was hoping they would dismiss her. They made her go out in their office and pick up a jacket there to wear! hugs,andrea
DeleteI always thought we were wealthy, Andrea, because my dad worked in the winter in the welding shop, most dads were laid off during the winter when the lakes froze over. It wasn't until I grew up that I realized how poor we were. No one spent money like they do now. An old-fashioned concept but everyone knew the place and we didn't try to keep up with the captains' families.
DeleteSwimsuit, eh? That's a new tactic. I've tried many ways to get out of jury duty, but I will skip on that one!
Hugs
Jane
Hi Jane, wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteYour Christmas handiwork is lovely. I am trying to keep things simple this year too. I am hopefully on track to not be wrapping gifts at the last minute on Christmas Eve!
Jo
Hi Jo! I think simple is the way to go. It's so blissful to just sit back and enjoy the snowfall. My sons all live quite a distance away and have a lot of in-laws, so Ran and I don't make much of the holidays anymore. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise! Hope you have a lovely Christmas and a relaxing one too!
DeleteHugs
Jane
What a wonderful quilt you've made. The rickrack to make it look like a postage stamp is brilliant! The only two quilts I've made were both orphan projects. Needlepoint pillow tops have also been rescued. Yours is lovely. I love some of the old Christmas music. Peggy Lee was big in our home growing up. I hope you and Ran have a lovely, peaceful Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHi Laurie! I have to say, that little quilt was about the only one I ever enjoyed making. And it only took an afternoon! I just finished another rescued needlepoint this week. Pillows are invading the house! I had forgotten about Peggy Lee. Thanks for reminding me! My favorite is Nat King Cole. Hope you and J have a wonderful Christmas also!
DeleteHugs
Jane
When quilting had really taken hold in the late 80's and 90's our local Ben Franklin [Vermont] sold nice cotton fabrics as 'flat folds.' Cranston and VIP lines in coordinating prints and colors.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up we lived 30 miles from the nearest city with a Woolworths--it was a yearly event to shop there for Christmas.
With our children and grandchildren grown up we don't try to provide Christmas gifts. Most of the family birthdays fall in December and January so we make more of those and just have a splendid family meal for Christmas dinner.
Nostalgia--yes! For me, Autumn is a particular time for old memories as well as Christmas. Time has a way of softening the edges, so that remembering is mostly pleasant.
I don't decorate for Christmas--our resident felines make short work of collectible treasure.
Flat folds! That's the term I was trying to think of, Sharon. I knew you'd know! We are blessed to still have a Ben Franklin and they still carry flat folds. We didn't have a Woolworth in our small town either, just a family-owned five-and-dime. It wasn't until I moved to a much larger town when I married that we had a Woolworths. My boys still talk about it.
DeleteWe haven't any family living nearby, so my Christmas parcels are sent out early so the kids can enjoy the treats throughout the month of December.
Bet you have some wonderful memories of winter, growing up in Vermont. One of my most favorite states. So pretty!
Blackie is getting too old to get into any mischief, thank goodness. Hope you have a peaceful weekend filled with pleasant memories!
Hugs
Jane
Merry Christmas to you and yours, Jane! We spend Christmas Eve with extended family. We enjoy a buffet of all our favorite foods. We exchange little gifts -- we gift our siblings families with homemade English muffin bread and my parents with pumpkin chocolate chip nut bread. My parents just turned 90 this year so we are enjoying every holiday we have left with them. Christmas Day my husband and I spend at home. We will be missing our son who lives in another state and can't make it home this year.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds lovely, Mary! Looks like longevity must run in your family. Make the most of these days!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Jane,
ReplyDeleteOne of the benefits of getting older is all the memories we have stored up. I must have knitted those little slippers in various shades and colors for every female on my Christmas guest list one year. I was thinking about them recently and wondering if I should knit some for my grandchildren. Maybe I will because of your inspiration and no need to hunt the pattern since you included it...though I do believe I know where mine is😊.Like you I prefer having recipe books and pattern books.
Oh, by the way, my husband and I have always dressed up on Sunday. I can not get rid of the reason of doing so that was drilled into me as a child...give the Lord your very best. And truthfully, I like dressing up. Going to concerts, ballets, symphonies, and even fine dining...if and when I do. I do not mean evening gown type of dress here, just something a bit fancier. One day I must tell the story of the fur coat my mother-in-law gifted me.
Blessings, Cathy
Unfortunately, Cathy, living in a very rural area there are no occasions to dress up, the church harvest dinner is about as fancy as it gets. Truthfully, I don't miss those formal events, just the dressing up. Sometimes I dress quite formally, except from the Edwardian era, just because. It's more fun that way. I really don't even know what the latest styles are anymore, I've been marching to my own drummer for so long.
DeleteThose slippers are a quick fun knit to use up some of the yarn stash. And they are surprisingly warm. I used to knit up several pairs just to have on hand for unexpected gift giving. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Hugs
Jane
Jane,
ReplyDeleteDo you sew your Edwardian era clothes? I would love to read any blog posts you would want to share!
Some I sew, (I love Folkwear patterns), some I've found at estate sales. And there's always been Edwardian-like style clothing in every decade that while not historically correct is fun for make-believe. I found the most beautiful Edwardian petticoat at an estate sale on a rack of children's costumes. Only paid a dollar for it!
DeleteJane,
ReplyDeleteYour home is always beautiful and your Christmas touches just add to the charm. Husband and I still enjoy decorating the tree, setting up the Nativity scene, and I then add a bit throughout the season as I feel like doing it. Our formal holiday meal is Thanksgiving. For Christmas we usually make fajitas or tacos and our children bring in whatever snacks they enjoy. They are all adults but we have fun filling their stockings ( the regular way, none of this $100 stocking stuffers stuff) and a small gift for each. Husband and I will usually give ourselves a practical yet a bit more expensive type item. For me that is almost always a kitchen item and for him some type of tool.
I made gingerbread dough and sugar cookie dough yesterday. Today middle child said he was going to stop by for coffee and make a few cookies with me.
I adore staying home. After chores, I love to curl up on the couch with a good book or some type of project.
Oh, you might enjoy listening to Creator of the Stars of Night. It's a favorite.
I always enjoy reading everything you write.
Merry Christmas and Peace
Ginger
Hello dear Ginger! Your celebration sounds just about perfect. It is good to read that others do not go overboard at Christmas time also. Thank you for the suggestion, I'll check it out. Hope your cookies turned out well. I buy sugar cookies from my Amish friend's store. They make them with maple sugar. Oh my! You have to get there early on Fridays because they sell out quickly. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
DeleteHugs
Jane