This week, the prize package is my tribute the women who kept the home fires burning during World War II....
1. Make and Mend for Victory, c. 1942 - A 50-page book covering alterations, making over clothing, mending, darning, and making your own accessories. By the Spool Cotton Company.
2. Knit for Defense, c. 1941 - 22 pages of patterns for every type of knitwear a military serviceman might need, including sweaters, gloves, hats, and socks - all "patterned after regulation specifications." By Chadwick's Red Heart Wools. (Note: Back cover is separated from booklet.)
3. The Victory Binding of the American Woman's Cook Book, c. 1943, Wartime Edition - An excellent cookbook jam-packed with great recipes and helpful cooking tips. I have two other editions of the American Woman's Cook Book and have found them an invaluable resource in the kitchen. Edited by Ruth Berolzheimer. (Note: Front and back covers have edge fade, but the interior is in excellent shape.)
"The machine beats time as well as batter
while you supply the brain that makes the cake."
while you supply the brain that makes the cake."
4. Red Crocheted Snood with Grosgrain Ribbon Bow - made by Miss CherryBubbles herself from a 1942 pattern.
To enter this week's giveaway, leave a comment below and tell me what you would have found most difficult to do without during World War II. So many things were rationed at that time, but I could get by on less or none of most, with the exception of cheese!
New followers will receive an extra entry, so make sure to mention this in your comment. If you post this giveaway on your blog, tweet about it on twitter, or post a link to it on facebook, you'll receive an extra entry - be sure to let me know in the comment section.
Entries will be accepted until midnight on Friday, February 26. I'll be drawing and posting the winner's name on Saturday.
Good Luck!
43 comments:
the materialistic me of today would be hard pressed to get by with rationed cloth/clothing, but the practical me would have enjoyed using the make do and mend/refashioning tips in the books to make do and still be fashionable!
If I legally changed my name could I still win this one? Yeah, I thought so.... darn- the best one too!
Just for fun, I'll play. I recently watched 1940s House and realized that the thing I couldn't bear to give up is the thing I take the most for granted- consistency. Nothing was consistent, you never knew day to day what was going to happen and that would make me crazy.
Everything else I could deal with. Well, maybe not the soap shortage :) I don't do stinky.
and i posted about it on my bloggie!!
We just got done doing a 1940's show this would have been great to have! Count me in as we are getting ready to do another!
ooo count me in for this one!!! I will post tn in my facebook too!
I have to agree with Shrinky Inky. I would miss being able to buy shoes and clothes, they are my addiction!! Love this giveaway!!
What an awesome giveaway!
Man, I'd have to say, I couldn't live without the internet. Those WWII people didn't know what they were missing!
Ha ha, but yeah, being in a recession is similar for me. I've had to cut back major in the buying clothes and shoes department.
What a fab giveaway! Please count me in (again!). I have always cried inside at the thought of making do with that tiddly cheese allowance, too! I eat that in one go, usually. But I think what I would probably miss the most would be my man, as he'd no doubt be packed off to the RAF, moustache and all! ;)
ooh how fabulous! Right up my street - would love to win these!
Clothes were rationed too, and I probably would have found that hard! Food I wouldn't miss too much - at least you get thin!
I found you via Inky, by the way, and I've become a follower. I'll link to you too.
Tuppence Ha'Penny
Hi. I'm new! Inky sent me :) This is an awesome giveaway! Yay for you!!! I think I would have problems with 2 things during the war: yarn rationing (I have a yarn obsession) and having my husband gone. I freak out when he goes to a WW2 reenactment for a weekend, I can't imagine having him gone for 4 years. UGH! But there is NO DOUBT in my mind I'd be working in some awesome factory so that would at least keep my mind busy.
what a fabulous giveaway! I had to look up exactly what was rationed before I decided:
http://www.ameshistoricalsociety.org/exhibits/ration_items.htm
The coffee & cheese would be difficult but honestly, I'm such a glamour-puss, I'd have a really hard time giving up my stilettos and/or stockings! ;)
I tweeted! http://twitter.com/pinuppursuit
Inky posted some Blog Love for you, so I decided to come over and check out Miss Cherry Bubbles!
I was going to say COFFEE would be hardest for me to do without. Heaven knows, I need a strong cup of Joe to get my day started! I can just imagine skimping on the grounds or reusing them and pretending rusty colored water was actually a cup of java. Egads!
As I thought a little longer, and a little deeper, I realized it would be the family and friends that would be toughest to live without. My Uncle, my cousins, our neighbor boys that deliver the paper and shovel our snow. They'd probably all be serving.
Stockings, sugar, coffee, foods, materials. I'm sure they were only minor inconveniences when you looked at the big picture. I am amazed that women of the decade were able to get out of bed in the morning knowing husbands and sons were at war. To think they not only got out of bed, but instantly became the backbone of a nation. So much for the weaker sex!
A hearty welcome to all you nifty newcomers! And an equally hearty welcome back to the fabulous followers who've already jumped on the jeep (well, it fits better than bandwagon in this case) ;)
I'm really enjoying reading all your answers so far. I would definitely find it difficult to be without my dearest - particularly knowing there was a chance he might not return. Both of my grandfathers served during WWII when they were newly married to my grandmothers. Yet, Grandma Jane and Grandma Elverna carried on their daily lives while they waited...
All the entries (plus extras) so far have been noted. Now, who else would like a chance for Victory on the Home Front?
HMmmmmm...Well back then I probably couldn't do without Silk stockings! But foremost if my husband would have been in the military and overseas, I couldn't do without HIM!!!! {My parents lived through WWII. My dad was in the Army and stationed in Germany.} I remember all the stories they told me. I don't know if I could have been as brave as my mom was. It was a lonely time for her......Dawn (Slapsymaxi) Inky Wine sent me. I will repost this on my FB page. This is my FIRST comment!
How could I resist this great giveaway !!!
The thing I would miss the most would have to be (and please forgive me the more sombre tone but)but it would have to be the NHS. which was founded a whole three years after the conflicts of WWII ended. I'm grateful for all the advances that I really take for granted every day. Though I would probably (secretly)miss internet shopping a tiny bit too. :o)
I posted on my blog abut this fab giveaway!!
OMG!! we have that cookbook at my local antique store adn I have wanted it FOREVER. OH how I hope I win this!
I think the hardest thing to give up would be full baths. Water was rationed or "conserved" and they would often draw lines on the tub to tell them how full they could take a bath. often people shared the bath water. I would cry!
Oh and it has been tweeted here: http://twitter.com/exquisitebones/status/9552587873
great giveaway! I'd find it hardest to give up time with my loved one(s). Impossible to have to sacrifice that precious time...
I think for me it would be sugar, I mean as a gal trying to cook for her family during the war it would be hard to do without one of the essential ingredients for most comfort foods, especially at a time when you want comfort the most. That being said, my Grandma has told me that the hardest for her was not knowing what her husband was doing and whether or not he was safe.
Probably my fella if he was over seas :(
What a great giveaway! I would miss the food, just in general - I know that's a very vague statement but I'm a gal who loves her food so rationing doesn't sound like fun to me. I'd like to say I'd miss the young men in my life but I haven't any!
-Andi x
I would miss my makeup liquid foundation the most, I think. And my man of course.
Maria
Hi, just letting you know I've linked to you from my blog
Tuppence Ha'Penny
Hi, new follower here! What a great giveaway - as to my answer, I'm not even sure I'd be able to function without coffee, so that is definitely something I'd miss!
Helli, Im a new follower! :) I would also have a bit of a materialistic longing for shoes clothing and dun dun dun seamed stockings oh no! If i had a loved one that was gone, I would miss him the most tho.
Hi. I'm new, sent by Inky. I've scanned through your posts and I really enjoy them. I think the hardest thing for me to be rationed would be tea. I drink a lot of it, especially in the winter, and I like it strong.
I would miss shoes that fitted, shampoo and conditioner, and stockings.
I think that I could cope with everything else, the restrictions on makeup would be hard but I could find a way around that the same with the food shortages.
I think I could live with the make-up and stocking shortages, but some of the food shortages would be especially hard. It would have made cooking more complicated and I really would have missed cheese and sugar. By the way, I'm new here and really love your blog. It's quite lovely! I quickly became a follower and look forward to future visits!
I would miss getting new clothes often. I doubt that happened very much. Also, I have quite a sweet tooth, so rationed sugar would be awful!
kynaroyal (at) yahoo (dot) com
And, I'm a new follower.
kynaroyal (at) yahoo (dot) com
Hi! I just found your blog from Charlotte's blog post, so I'm a new follower!!
I also saw PBS's 1940's house and they had to go without so many things!! They never knew what they would have. But definitely the hardest part would be all the men gone for so long and the worry about them! My boyfriend, my brothers my friends, that would be so painful.
But there were so many hardships, to work so hard on such little food, and the lack of personal hygiene products and beauty products! And all during a time when you were expected to look your best and "put your best foot forward" would make it just that much harder!
I recommend 1940's house, well all the PBS House series!! You can get them all on Netflix and they are so interesting and they really give you a great idea of what it would have been like to live in those times!
This was a great idea for a giveaway!!
Another new follower here (heck - I re-activated my 4-year dormant blogger for this :-}).
I think it would depends on whether I was living with my family in the UK, or over here in the States. If I were still in the UK I would miss my physical safety the most. We're from Hull, which was the second most bombed city in the UK (behind only London).
If I were here in the US? Probably cheese. I'm a cheesemonger, so those rations? Literally all in a day's work for me...
Oh my goodness! More new followers - welcome, welcome!
I'm loving reading all your answers:) Thank you all for stopping by my lil ol' blog!
Hi there! I think cheese would be hardest to do without - it makes everything taste better!
I just signed up to follow...
Cynthia K. (Beauty and Blessings)
Ooooh what a greaat giveaway! You've really outdone yourself!
I think the hardest for me would be gasoline. We live out in the country and I think I might go batty if I had to stay at home all the time.
I'm also linking to you in my blog!
I have my eye on that cookbook! I love to bake sweets so I guess sugar would be hard to do without. Cookies, pies, cakes, I love 'em all!
Hahaha forgot to say, I just found this blog through another and I think it's just swell so far, you have great style and it's always nice to find different places to get inspiration from!
I'm new here! Inky sent me! I've been having so much fun reading your blog! Thank you for the inspiration! :)
Oh yes, and as for what I'd miss... hmm. The food rationing would have been difficult. Coffee and chocolate, for sure!
I love your blog, just discovered it via Inky's, and i'm a new follower too :)
I think i would find the clothes and material the most difficult thing to live without during the war, although chocolate would come a close second. I'd just have to flirt with some GIs that were over here i suppose :) xxx
The giveaway is now closed. I'll be drawing and posting the winner's name this evening.
Good luck! :)
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