Just a picture of Jack the Cat

Lovely "new" old books on sewing, cooking and housewifery

I've added some really charming books to my lists (see above) of old sewing, cooking and housewifery books.  If you enjoy looking at old books, or if you are looking for ideas for titles to add to your own collection, you might enjoy taking a look.

I included one oddball, an old gardening book for children that is so precious I had to share it.

I cleaned my room!

It took weeks!  I found things I'd forgotten I'd ever had!  And then I went out and bought new bookcases and a rug.  Doesn't this look purely gracious?

Happy Birthday To Me!

This sounds like a bad joke, but I'm so old that ...

Alphabet Soup comes in large print!  And, yes, it does say "Nappy Birthday," don't be so damn picky.

Just a picture of Minkie

Minkie the cat

Pleasures of late summer

Sis and her husband have this week off from work.  Yesterday they went for a drive and ended up in Pendleton, Oregon.  Meanwhile, I have put off all sewing until the start of National Sewing Month.  Instead I've been canning.  I've never done this before and it's lots of fun.  So far I have made spiced peaches and pickled beets.

Spiced peaches

Peaches and beets

And today I'm canning pickled vegetable salad: green beans, yellow beans, red bell peppers, red onion, cauliflower and mushrooms.

Fresh veg!

Veg prepared

The canning supplies and equipment are ready, I just need to wait for the jars to sanitize in the dishwasher.  And for that huge pot to heat up.

Makes me feel like my greatgrandmothers!  Not my grandmothers, of course, both of whom were legendarily lazy.

Sewing in the blood

It all began so innocently.  I was just having a bit of a wheeze imagining this book cover being ripped open by a vampire.  Honestly!  It was just a joke.

Vogue's book of smart dressmaking

But something there is that does not love a joke.  Why oh why did I not realize there was something seriously wrong when the second book mysteriously arrived in the mail?  But no, I made fun of it too.

Vogue dressmaking book

But now I am very seriously worried, frightened even.  Because today a third sinister book arrived in the mail, and now she's looking right at me!

McCall's sewing book, dressmaking made easy

Think I'm over reacting?  Then explain what these two are doing, because it isn't sewing as I know it.  Why has the little girl just ripped off her mother's sleeve?  Or, since she is holding a pincushion, is she about to set the sleeve in the sleeve cap while her mother is wearing the blouse.  And look at the little girl's teeth.  Is it my imagination, or are those milk tooth fangs?  Look too at the way the mother is holding those scissors half hidden in her hand.  But here's the real give away, the thing that can't just be explained away -- one of the headings in the table of contents is for "slashed neck openings!"  I've sewn for 50 years and I've never encountered slashed neck openings, and I don't want to now.

I am sew frightened!  Who is sending me these books and why?