Build for Your Needs

I have a growing collection of mid-century magazines, including issues of House and Garden.  I thought today I'd share an article (from the Sept. 1950 issue, by Douglas J Birrell) about building a house for needs, rather than wants, as we seem to do today.   In Australia in the 1950s most people saved and paid upfront for their homes - and many built their own.  Not many people had mortgages.  How I wish!   This short article shares some tips and ideas for building a basic 'nucleus' of a house that can be extended as needed.

MCM Audette House and Castlecrag

Today a look at an iconic Australian mid-century home, Audette House, designed in 1953 by Peter Muller.

Born in Adelaide on 3 July 1927, Peter Muller graduated in Architectural Engineering in 1948.  He was the first architecture recipient of The United States Education Foundation  Fulbright scholarships in 1950, and did post-graduate study in Philadelphia. On his return to Sydney in 1952 the chairman of the Foundation, Mr. Hauslabe, and his step-son Bob Audette approached Mullerr and asked him to design a solar - efficient house for their block in the Sydney suburb of Castlecrag - they thought that with Peter having been in the US for his studies he would understand Colonial architecture. Instead, Muller presented them with this modern model and plans:

via

Wash Day Blues, Sore Hands & Hand Cream

I've been posting about washing and laundry recently. Here is a little 10 minute snippet from The 1900's House, which shows the ladies of the house on washday.  It gives a  good feel of what  washday was like before washing machines were invented. At the end of the video the girls make their own hand cream for their ruined hands, and then start on the ironing.

After centuries of home made preparations, hand and body creams began to be commercially manufactured in the late 1800's. Early ingredients came from plants and animals, such as olive oil, bees wax, whale oil and lanolin from sheep's wool, and from the 1860's formulas took advantage of mineral oil (baby oil) and petroleum jelly (Vaseline) created in the production of gasoline.  The basic assumption was that fats and oils helped make the skin soft and supple, although in truth mineral products do not absorb into the skin, although they  can keep moisture in the skin by making a barrier.

 

           Old Vaseline Ad, c. 1890s source and glass jar, c. 1910 source

Glycerol, or glycerine, was added as a lubricant and humectant, to enable to the creams to be absorbed into the skin.  Glycerol is also a component of glycerin soap, like the famous Pears soap, first produced and sold in  London in 1789 by Andrew Pears, which was advertised as a complexion soap and for babies, as well as for "soft, white hands" as it's moisturising properties help prevent excessive dryness compared to some other soaps.

  

Pears is still available today, although I fear it is much an inferior product.

Cold cream was also commercially manufactured by the late 1800s, although it had been invented centuries earlier by a physician named Galen, in second century Greece. Galen's cold cream was based on beeswax and water, with olive oil and rose petals for softness and scent, respectively. From the 1780's whale oil was used instead of olive oil, and later mineral oil and then from t he 1970s, thankfully, jojoba oil.  Borax was also added early on to give the cream it's white appearance. 

Cold cream, and Vanishing cream, another popular product in the early 1900s were both used a a healing cream great for chapped hands, before they became popular complexion creams.  American scientist Theron T. Pond (1800–1852) invented a medicinal cream in 1846 which contained healing witch hazel, which he named "Golden Treasure." In 1846, the "T.T. Pond Company" was formed, and when Pond died in 1852, the company named his cream "Pond's Extract."  

When the children hurt themselves, 1913, source

 From 1886  the company advertised nationally under the name of Pond's Healing . By 1915 Ponds moved from healing to beauty,  and so "Pond's Vanishing Cream" and "Pond's Cold Cream" were created.  Both products are still available today.

  

      Vanishing Cream ad, 1912 source and How to relieve chapped skin in one application, 1916, source

Vanishing creams are called that because they seem to vanish into the skin (not the other way around).  Another early vanishing cream was introduced by Burroughs Wellcombe under the name Hazeline Snow. Also made with witch hazel, it was first marketed in the 1890s as a medicinal cream,and was included in first-aid cabinets that the company produced for sale around the world. Hazeline is also still available today.

1912 Burroughs Wellcome first-aid cabinet
 containing Hazeline products, source

   


In 1900 German Dr Leifschuz patented a smooth ointment he called Eucerin "the beautiful wax", and sold from 1903 under the name Paul Beiersdorf und Co.  Dermatologist Professor Unna wrote in 1907 that it was a cream "easily prescribed by the doctor", "sold by the pharmacist" and "creates a good feeling for the patient due to its smoothness and cooling effect." It was available in the US from the  1920s under the name Eucerin Original, and is still available today.

My favourite hand cream is a balm I buy here locally, made with beeswax and olive oil and essentials oils of lavender and rosemary.  I call it Mum's special cream, and the kids ask for it as soon as they have a scratch, a mozzie bite or even a headache.  One day soon I will make my own - I found a nice easy recipe here.  

Have you made your own cream? Any good recipes or pointers?

Deb xx

Victorian Nostaglia & Steampunk

I have come to a realisation.

I love Steampunk.

What is "Steampunk?" you may ask.

Basically Steampunk is Victorian science-fiction-fantasy, or the past that never was.  Old done in a new way or vice-versa - Victorian outfits with a modern twist, or mobile phones made of leather and brass. Steampunk takes it's name from the time of Steam power, and the punk genre of being different and questioning everything. Why do we have to have boring clothes made in China or plastic everything and sameness?  Why can't we have beauty and fun, traditional materials like leather, timber, brass and copper, items that can be tinkered with and not just thrown away when broken or uncool.  With Steampunk, you have the best things of the Victorian era, without the hardships, racism, sexism and child labour. It's Victorian nostalgia in a way - looking at the past through rose coloured glasses.
.

Put these on baby!

If you love vintage, you're part steampunk already.  I have been Seampunk for years and just never knew it had a name.  My first house (twenty years ago now) was built in 1910, with high ceilings and  lots of timber and we renovated it with brass light fittings and fans, and had brown velvet sofas and Persian rugs.  I so miss it, but hoped in Queensland I would have an old timber Queenslander - I am still waiting. One day I may have something like this!

Brooklyn House, Fraser Coast QLDc. 1890  source

Probably not, but while I am waiting I shall continue to research the Victorian and Edwardian eras, and Steampunk.  As well as this blog I have started a tumblr page, which explores Steampunk in all it's forms, with photos and quotes.  It's called Brass Butterflies and the link is in the side bar.

As well as being a little bit 'Steamy' in my daily life, I am working on some costume ideas for a Steamfest next August in Ipswich, Queensland, so I'll jot about then too.  Any input is welcome!  And if you are in Queensland next August, think about attending.........

Go to the website for more information.

Farewell for now, tumblr awaits.

Deb xx

Red, Blue & Yellow in House & Garden 1957

Some images from Australian House & Garden, February 1957, with a touch of red, blue and yellow, and some great lounges.

The cover image of the kids bedroom is so modern (including the lego blocks on the floor) that it could be this years issue instead of 55 years ago!

Don't you love the curves!

Incidentally, I am listing this and other magazines for sale in my Etsy Shop!

What's your favourite decorating era?

Deb xx

A celebration and a new color scheme

Yes, we're celebrating!  The house is sold, contract signed, and the contract is also signed on the new place (the cottage in yesterdays blog). Now it's just paperwork, building and pest reports, and then packing and moving. Here in Queensland settlement is only 30 days, so there's lots to do and not long to do it.  I am getting some small cardboard boxes from the wine shop across the road to start packing books tonight.

We have already started de-cluttering, but we intend to get rid of lots of furniture, since we are moving from five to three bedrooms and a small living room.  At present we have two modular corner lounge-suites and two three piece suites, plus a two seater and a four seater couch, occasional chairs and a bamboo three piece suite.  That's what happens when you shop at thrift stores!

I am also planning to change colour schemes.  At present we have a lot of red, with some black and autumn tones.  Our new house is basically a country cottage near the beach, with lots of internal timber and it's quite dark.  I envisage a colour scheme that is light and airy and beachy - lots of white and natural fabrics, with touches of sandy beige and blues and aquas. I want to paint some of my old dark furniture white, and recover sofas in either white or cream cotton duck or even pale denim.

Some inspiration from some great blogs:

  source

I love the Ottoman idea - we all put our feet on the coffee table anyway, so I am definitely going to do this.

 source

More white wainscoting, and a lovely blue rug and couch.

 source

The white painted panelled walls and French doors with sheer curtains look lovely - my dining setting is not this lovely, so it may get painted.

 source

The same room from a different angle - love the couch and the blue throw.

Here's my first project - an old chair I picked up from the op shop a few months ago for about $5.

The seat cover is old green and white vinyl, and I am going to paint the timber white and distress it, and cover the seat in a blue fabric.  Update next post.

Deb