Blast from the Past!

So a couple weeks ago I got a big box from my Dad with a bunch of my grandma's old craft projects and magazines. I love getting things that were my grandma's and this box was particularly fun! The magazines were from the 60's, 70's, and 80's and I had a good laugh looking through them! Some of the pictures of what was "in" were so outrageous I just had to share! How did the world ever survive the 60's!?
I also found some lovely things in the box. There were some beautiful quilt patterns and fun kid craft ideas but the reason I love getting my grandma's old things is because they were hers. I love being reminded of what a great lady she was and am honored my family thinks of me when giving out her things! :)

So now onto the fun of peeking into a different era! This first picture is from 1986. I would have been 6 years old, that little girl could have been me!I don't know about you but I would love to crochet my own wedding dress and look like a doily!

This picture featuring three lovely ladies in "merry little washable prints" is from 1971. Scarily enough these are some of the tamer dresses I saw!

This picture of crocheted vests is from 1979

And from here they just get worse! My favorite is the green "Way Out Vest"!

Any takers on that gorgeous red skirt?

The sweater in this picture isn't so bad but I just loved the "damsel in distress" pose with the "oh no!" expression and the manly fireman saving the day! It made me laugh! By the way its from 1966.

This picture is also from 1966. All I can say is What's up with the button? Is it to mark her belly button?

I just love the sass in the first girls stance. I mean how else could you pose in something so outrageous?!

This poor girl is probably very pretty in real life but in that outfit all you can think is Scooby Do! 1969.

Another doily dress! Perhaps for the honeymoon? 1969.And lets not forget about decorating! These two pictures are from a "what can you do with a big wall!" piece from 1973. The other ideas were equally distressing sure to offend all the senses!One of my personal favorites-the wallpaper cape! This beauty is from 1971.

Another beautiful look from 1971, love the head scarf! She could match the teal living room "big wall" idea!

Can't find a sweater you like? No worries, just throw on your crocheted table runner!Or how about that pot holder you couldn't get to come out quite right? 1976.Let's not forget the children! This ensemble from 1971 is sure to get you beat up on the playground!Do either of these children look happy to you? The granny square has been done a great disservice over the years! It just makes you want to weep!

This makes me want to find all neon shades of yarn and burn them!Out of ideas for a Christmas present for the man in your life? How about a crocheted tie? It's very unique and sure to catch everyone's eye!And how about some nice, cozy, stay-at-home fashion when its just you and your sweetie?Nothing is quite as romantic as wearing a blanket that makes you look five hundred pounds heavier than you really are! This lovely idea is from 1973.

To be fair there are some pretty bad things being sold right now that are every bit as terrible as what you've seen above. My proof-these pictures were taken from a craft magazine I got in the mail yesterday! This one isn't so bad, nice color, but its the collar that gets me! It would be beautiful if not for that awful collar! at least its not teal!
So I hope you have enjoyed this blast from the past! If nothing else this could give you some great ideas on what to dress up like for Halloween!

Questions Answered

Okay, so I had a few questions in the comments from my last blog entry and I thought I should probably answer them.
First question-what is tatting adn why can I do it? Tatting is a craft that is a little like crotcheting. You use a shuttle wound with crotchet cotton and make knot like loops to form lacey pretty things. Its very old fashioned and hasn't been touched by the recent interest of women learning the "home arts". Here are some pictures of the shuttle and some pretty tatted lace. In the first picture the bobbin is next to the shuttle, the bobbin goes inside the shuttle and is what the crochet cotton is wound around.
I can tat because I thought it looked pretty and I wanted to learn something new since I was a little bored with crocheting and knitting. So when I was fourteen I found an old book on tatting, bought a shuttle and went for it!

Next question- Didn't I drive illegaly without a liscense? I had forgotten about that but yes I did! This was when we still lived in Iowa Joel was sick so I drove to HyVee and got some medicine, soup, Gatorade, & baby food (for Katie). On the way home I stopped by the library and picked up a couple of movies for Joel. Yep, henious I know but my Lovey was sick! By the way...I did have my permit so I knew how to drive so it wasn't as illegal as it could have been right? :)

Who Am I?

I read this list of questions on my brother's blog and had to answer them too! I don't know what it is but something in the Kilmer genes will not let us pass up a questionnaire!

1.) Are you really going to waste your time answering the rest of these stupid questions?
Yep!

2.) Checkers or chess?
Checkers! I've actually gotten a lot better in years past, mostly due to my husband who is an excellent player and has taught me a few things!

3.) Do you like British humor?
Absolutely! Yay for Wallace and Gromit!

4.) What color/pattern/picture was on your sleepwear last night?
Ummm...some pretty blue ones from Target that I love! They have pretty blue embroidery and round woven ribbon buttons on the front and embroidery around the cuffs of both shirt and pants.

5.) Do you sing in the car?
Yep, nice and loud! Especially if it entertains my girls!

6.) Are you a picky eater?
No, but I draw the line at anything that is pure fungi like mushrooms, ick!

7.) Does blood make you squeamish?
Nope, not even a little.

8.) Do you channel surf?
NO! I hate channel surfing! Pick something!

9.) Do you ever pick dirty clothes out of the hamper and wear them again without washing them?
No, ew!

10.) Whistle or hum?
both, but more humming.

11.) If you won $1 million, who would be the first 3 people you would tell?
My brother 'cause he would squeal, then my husband, then probably Joel's parents.

12.) Do you or have you ever seriously collected anything?
Yep, lots of things. I've always collected penguins ,they are my favorite! I've collected old books since I was 15 ( I still remember when I decided too and what book it was I bought and where), and recently thimbles. I decided on my train ride out to Iowa from Washington (1999) to start a collection of something to mark my journey and I decided on thimbles since I like to quilt. My first thimble I bought in Colorado (at a stop where I got brave enough to exit the train!) the next one at the Iowa State Fair. I've tried to get one form anywhere significant we go (I've actually driven my husband quite mad trying to find them).My most unique is a Spam thimble which I got from the Spam Museum on our honeymoon! I also collect tea pots and tea cups because I love tea! All my tea pots and cups decorate my kitchen.

13.) Are we there yet?
Nope!

14.) Can you Riverdance?
Nope! Anyone who knows me can tell you I am a complete and total klutz so while I wish I could I cannot dance!

15.) What is the best prank/plot/plan you have ever been in on?
:) My favorite is one I pulled on my brother Art! When I was a little girl I gave Art a penny as a present because it was the only thing I had and I rather liked pennies and thought he might like it too. Well, he laughed at me and said it was dumb. I never got over that and waited almost ten years to put my plan into action! I spent most of 1997 collecting pennies and by Christmas I had over 700, with some help from my friends (thank you Swopes!) I wrapped every single one of them, put them in boxes, wrapped the boxes and put them under the tree. Ah revenge! Oh the joy of watching him unwrap those boxes as the truth slowly dawned! Oh the satisfaction of hearing him grumble as he unwrapped each penny in the weeks following! In case you can't tell know I am apt to hold a grudge.

16.) Do you use “Google” as a verb?
Yep!

17.) What food have you sworn never to eat again?
Liver, ew! Does anyone realise what a liver is used for???!!!!ICK!

18.) Have you ever kept a journal/diary just because you wanted to?
Yep, since I was ten. Its juicy stuff too because I had to have an outlet for my thoughts and feelings. Sometimes I read back over them for a good laugh!

19.) What was the last CD you listened to?
The Muppet's Christmas CD. I know its only October but Christmas is just around the corner!

20.) Checkers or cheese?
Cheese! Cheese Gromit!!!!!!

21.) What is one thing you have done just so you could say you did it?
hmm....quite a few things ; one is my husband and I went to a Spam museum because it was in the town where we stayed the second night of our honeymoon (Austin, Minnesota).

22.) Do you give inanimate objects names?
Yep, as my husband has found out almost everything has a name in my little world!

23.) Who would play you in a TV series?
Well, I'm told I look like Drew Barrymore so I think she would be good.

24.) What is the worst injury or illness you’ve ever suffered?
Let's see, there's so many to choose from! I think the time I sprained my neck and had a concussion was pretty bad. oh yeah, I almost died once (literally) from an allergic reaction to penicillin.

25.) You notice that one piece of a tile pattern has been knocked out of place; what do you do?
MUST FIX IMMEDIATELY!

26.) Jewelry?
My wedding ring and my Medic Alert bracelet, sometimes earrings.

27.) How do you sleep (e.g. on back, curled in a ball etc.)?
Usually on my left side, I use to sleep on my tummy but being pregnant cured me of that and if I sleep on my back I have nightmares.

28.) Do you own any records, 8-tracks, or audio tapes?
I own some tapes, I want to own some records because there's nothing quite like the sound of vinyl!

29.) Do you remember your first crush?
Yep! And like Art I'm not telling!

30.) What can you do that no one else you know can?
I can tat.

31.) What was the last illegal thing you did?
I stole a pack of gum from the grocery store when I was five (I think, maybe 6) because it seemed ridiculously easy and I was sure I could do it and not get caught. I did and I never got caught.

32. If you could be any superhero, who would you be, and why?
Superman of course! How could you pass up flying?!

My Poor Katie!

On Sunday morning I was awakened at quarter 'til seven by Katie coughing. The first thing my brain said to me was "OHNO!" and then as I leapt out of bed the sound of Katie getting sick confirmed my suspicion, the tummy flu. Katie has had the tummy flu a couple of times before but the most she had ever thrown up was three times so I wasn't prepared for the record breaking 27 times in 24 hours! My poor little girl! She went through all of her pj's and all of our blankies at least twice! I have done so much laundry these past three days! The poor girl couldn't keep a thing down all day Sunday, not even Pedialite. I was afraid she would dehydrate which I know I did when I was little and had the flu but a little of the pedialite/apple juice must have stayed because she went potty that night. I have never been so relieved to have someone go potty in my whole life! This may sound silly but I put her in the bath for about an hour because I wanted to try and give her something to eat but didn't want to go through another batch of blankets, so I put her in the bathtub with a little piece of plain cake doughnut. I have never seen anything so sad in my life! She was trembling when she took the piece of doughnut and was so desperately hungry that she put the whole thing in her mouth and then made little happy sounds as she chewed and drank some Pedialite! Sad! I let her sit in the tub for about an hour during which time she did not get sick. I got her out of the tub, got her dressed, dried her hair, got her tucked back on the couch and then of course she threw up! The last time she got sick was 9:00 Monday morning and today she's acting more like her usual self so I think we're in the clear!

Abby was a good girl during Katie's whole sickness and was very curious about the whole throwing up thing. She was very loving to Katie and would pat Katie's back and give her kisses every once and while. She wasn't quite sure why Katie wasn't getting up off the couch but she sure enjoyed having all the toys to herself! She was very jealous of Katie's frequent bath's ( I gave her three because it seemed to settle her tummy) and was overjoyed when I let her take one too! I figured since Abby had played in the sick bowl (I rinsed it out after every time Katie got sick but still, icky!) sharing a bath with Katie couldn't hurt!

Joel was a very good Daddy and even though he too had tummy pains and bone aches went out to the store and bought Pedialite and apple juice. He even went the extra mile and rented Katie a movie (Snoopy Come Home), bought a little Princess Aurora doll, some plain doughnuts, bakery bread, and got me ice cream! What a thoughtful man! Katie loves her little dolly and has been playing with her nonstop! While Joel was gone to the store Katie decided she was going to go play, so I let her crawl off the couch to see what she would do. She crawled onto the little blue quilt that she likes to have when she's sick and laid on it! So sad! She was there when Joel got home and if you look at her hand she is holding Princess Aurora in her hand! After she fell asleep I moved her back to the couch but I had to get a picture first! By the way, the pumpkin she has in the pictures we bought her at JoAnn Fabrics for being a very good girl while we ran all over place shopping. Recently we've taken her places without her stroller and if she's a good girl and doesn't touch anything and listens to us, we get her something small as a reward. :)

So that is how I've spent the past few days, seems like more time has passed since she got sick than just two days! She's fine now and only had to lay on the couch for about twenty minutes because her "tummy was a little icky". Abby shows no sign of being ill and I really hope that lasts!

The day after tomorrow my brother his wife and their two boys will be here for a nice visit! Yay! We can hardly wait!