Vintage Thingies Thursday: Oh Dear! What Shall I Wear?

For this Vintage Thingies Thursday  have a peek at chapter one from my well-worn copy of Oh Dear! What Shall I Wear!, a Complete Guide to Dress for Every Occasion, published in 1946 by Helene Garnell. (If you missed the 40s fashion collage from the frontispiece of the book, click here).  Ms. Garnell's witty and sarcastic tone makes this tome a fun read, I'm amazed that 60 years after she wrote it, the advice in Ms. Garnell's book still applies to today's "Mrs. Average Woman":

• Plan your wardrobe.
• Keep it simple.
• Be sure it is appropriate.

Chapter one is entitled, "I Haven't a Thing to Wear!"  (How many times have we said that while staring sadly into our closets?).  Just click on each image to enlarge the picture and read the text:

Enjoy, and be sure to stop by and visit the other Vintage Thingies Thursday party-goers today!

Madison Avenue Monday: Oh Dear! What Shall I Wear?

I've been thinking about fall fashion this week, so instead of an advert, here is a charming collage from the book Oh Dear! What Shall I Wear, published in 1946 by Helene Garnell as the "Complete Guide to Dress for Every Occasion."

Winner: 1960s Vintage Pattern Giveaway!

Thanks to all who entered the August giveaway for:

The lucky winner:

Congratulations, Khriste B of Stitch it Up Stella!

I hope that you enjoy these patterns -- I adore them and I hope that you will too.  Everyone else, I have a great giveaway planned for September, so be sure to watch for the post!

1960s Vintage Sewing Patterns Giveaway!

It's been a while since I've given away some sewing patterns!  So, in celebration of the one-year milestone this month for both Serendipity Vintage and Serendipity Handmade I will giveaway two vintage sewing patterns to one lucky winner! Both of these gems hail from 1967:

To enter, just leave a comment at the bottom of the post. Don't forget to include your email address, website, or profile link so I can easily contact you.

You also have the option of additional entries to increase your chances of winning. For each action post one additional comment:

2. Follow Serendipity Handmade with Google Friend Connect in the right margin.

3. Follow Serendipity Vintage on Twitter and tweet or retweet about this giveaway:

It's a groovy giveaway @SerendipityVint: win two #vintage 60s sewing patterns at http://www.serendipityhandmade.blogspot.com. #sewing #retro

4. Like the Serendipity Vintage Facebook page.

This giveaway is open internationally, and will end at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on August 31st. The winner will be chosen by random number and announced on September 1st. Good luck all!

Madison Avenue Monday : Hero Knitting

From McCall's Needlework & Crafts, Spring-Summer 1960

A wise reader of this blog suggested last year that I start on winter holiday craft projects in the summer...so I thought I'd remind you all that we have about four months until insanity sets in and  the winter holidays arrive.  Get started on those gifts now!

Happy Blogoversary -- With a Little Present For You!

Hooray -- today is Serendipity Handmade's first birthday!  This year has gone by in a flash.  I don't want to get sappy but I do have to thank all of you for being loyal readers and friends; I enjoy all of your comments and I'm tickled pink that you enjoy my blog. 

As such, I have a little freebie for you:

Vintage Workbasket embroidery transfer

Just print out and trace it on to your fabric using tracing paper with a stylus or ink pen.  Happy embroidering!  I have tons of complete and partial Workbasket transfers that have been separated from their magazines, so if I had to guess at a date for this one I'd say it probably hails from the 1940s.

As an extra treat, take 20% off of anything in the Etsy shop with the words "Blogoversary 2010" in the "message to seller" box this week (until August 15th).  Enjoy!

Blogoversaries!

Well, I'm excited. It is only two days to my blogoversary -- Serendipity Handmade will be one year old on Monday!  My, how time flies right?  We'll celebrate the whole month long, starting this coming Monday, so you should get excited too.

Today I'd like to introduce you to the lovely Carla, as her fabulous blog, Favorite Vintage Finds, turns one year old today. Happy Blogoversary Carla! I believe that Carla was the very first follower of Serendipity Handmade and she's become a supportive bloggy friend. If you haven't already visited Favorite Vintage Finds blog, be sure to do so, as Carla regularly features vintage and vintage-inspired creations from some very talented artists.  She sometimes shows off items from her own vintage and vintage-inspired collections as well.  And of course there are the giveaways....

I have been trying to win one of her 1940s era butterfly pendants every time she gives one away:

 

Darling, isn't it?  Just visit her blog to enter the giveaway!  Carla will be updating her vintage shops too, so be sure to pop by them soon:  she is *sensibility* on eBay, and also has a soon-to-open blog shop, also named Sensibility.

Be sure to visit Serendipity Handmade on Monday for a special little vintage something just for you!

Winner of the Meet the Artist Bennett Millinery Giveaway!

I'm excited to announce that the winner of the fabulous Black Beetle Whimsy is none other than:

Commenter #8, Jessica Cangiano
of Chronically Vintage!

Congrats Jessica!  Thank you to everyone who entered July's giveaway. And I want to thank Kelly for providing such a wonderful prize for those of you in the blogosphere who are vintage fashion lovers!

My one-year blogoversary and shop anniversary is coming up next week, so August is a special month.  I'll be taking a short break and will return on August 6th to give you a preview of next month's giveaways (yes, there will be more than one).  If some of you twist my arm, I might just offer a sale in one of the shops too....

Coming Clean

Time to come clean!  Some of you who I talk to on Twitter (correction:  used to talk to on Twitter!) or via email already know that over the past few months I've developed this awful inflammation in my hands from too much typing and repetitive-motion computer work.  I've had a hard time crocheting too, which is why you haven't seen a new project in a while.  It's also hard to sew when your hands hurt.

Dear readers, I do hope that you'll understand that this is why the pace of blogging and listing new items in the shops have slowed w-a-a-a-y down as of late.  I have to limit my computer time right now or risk further difficulties. Still, you'll have a brand new Tommorrow's Vintage Collectibles post this week, and then I'll take a short blogging break in order to post some vintage sewing patterns at SerendipityVintage.com. 

So, enjoy this rather silly late 1960s Joy diswashing liquid commercial, which is good for a gander at the hairdos and frocks of the period if nothing else:



And don't forget to enter the July Meet the Artist giveaway for a vintage-style fancy dress "whimsy" hat by Bennett Millinery.  It will be perfect with your little black dress at your next soiree!

Madison Avenue Monday: Who's Home Crocheting?

...not me...the weather's just too hot for woolen yarn right now. Though apparently you can and should crochet in any weather!

From McCall's Needlework &Crafts
Spring-Summer 1972