A fantastic 1940s recipe to use up extra bananas

Bananas are a fantastic fruit. Not only do they contain various important vitamins and nutrients (potassium, magnesium, B6, vitamin C, etc) and boast an universally appealing sweet taste, but they can be put to use in a myriad of different recipes.

Sometimes however - especially if, like at our house, you routinely find yourself with several bananas that are threatening to turn overly mushy at any moment - you may find yourself wanting to take a break from the standard banana bread, muffin, smoothie, and cream pie repertoire. When such a mood strikes, one of my favourite ways to use up an abundance of this delicious yellow fruit is to make banana cookies.

A hit with crowds of all ages, banana cookies are (generally) soft, flavourful, and a snap to toss together. They freeze (and defrost) well, in my experience, and can also be a great alternative to chocolate and nut based cookies, if you're cooking for someone with food allergies to such ingredients.

Today's vintage Banana Drop Cookie recipe hails 1941 and employees a handful of fridge and store cupboard staples that most of us have at the ready (much like bananas themselves) all the time. Not only is the recipe itself terrific, but the charmingly adorable illustrations make this page one to print out and smile over time and time again.

 

{Tasty, speedy, and economical, this vintage banana cookie recipe is fun classic that will never go out of style. Image via curly-wurly on Flickr.}

These drop cookies are terrific as is, however you can also jazz them up further by including ingredients such as coconut (which with the banana backdrop instantly gives them a terrific tropical vibe), dried cranberries, blueberries, cherries, mango, or raisins; chocolate chips, banana chips (double banana cookies!), crushed pretzels, or butterscotch chips. You could also drizzle a little vanilla frosting, melted chocolate, or caramel over them once they've cooked and cooled.

So the next time you're wondering what to do with those soon-to-expire bananas and want a change of pace, take a page from the 1940s and whip up a batch of these thoroughly yummy drop cookies.

Polka dots and apple blossoms in East Kelowna

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outfit details
Prescription eyeglasses: (frames) Venus Eye Design V-12 Grey knit shrug: Fairweather 1980s does 50s pink and white polka dot dress: etsy seller Vintage Revolution Peachy-pink hued floral hairclip worn as a brooch: Arden Sheer white 1950s gloves: eBay Pink iridescent plastic bead stretch bracelets: Forever 21 Cream faux leather purse: Sears  White lace trimmed pettiskirt: Pettiskirt Style  Nude on nude seamed stockings: eBay White pumps: Payless  Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace  Photography by Antonio Cangiano 

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One of my favourite elements about the Okanagan Valley has always been its fantastic wealth of fruit trees. From those in the yards of the neighbours on my childhood street, to the tall hills flanking both sides of Penticton that abound with pear, apple, cherry, apricot, and peach orchards, there are few things more evocative - or symbolic - of this corner of British Columbia to me than its bounty of fruit trees.

As such, I couldn't wait for spring to (finally) start popping its head out once more so that I could use the occasion to take some outfit photos amongst some of the local agriculture. While on a quick trip out to Kelowna recently, Tony and I headed up to a part of the city that I'm actually not very familiar with: East Kelowna.

It's somewhat amazing to me that all though I've been to Kelowna more times than I could ever recall throughout my life (I even briefly lived there for two months eons ago), I don't know if I've ever veered off into the easterly part of the city.

My goodness, I didn't know what I was missing! In a matter of minutes one is free from the hustle and bustle of the downtown core and suddenly immersed in a world of breath-taking views (of Okanagan Lake), farmland, beautiful homes, and a plethora of fruit trees.

Pulling up to a park on East Kelowna road, we took a few snaps there before skittering across the street to a little apple orchard (at least I think these were apple trees, I guess they could also have been pear) and nestling down among the newly bloomed branches for a few minutes in the light of a pale, serenely lovely late afternoon sunset.

I hadn't planned this location in advance, so I was very pleased that the cute pink and white polka dot dress and grey shrug I was sporting that day worked well with the grass and tree filled spots where we were shooting.

Without a doubt this area, tucked just a stone's throw away from the heart Kelowna, is now one of my favourite locations in all of the Okanagan. The scenery and pasture meets orchard filled landscape has a romantic charm to it that instantly found a soft with my soul, and to which I'm quite certain I'll make a point of visiting often know that I've (ever so happily!) discovered it.

Broaching the subject of collecting brooches

One would be more than justified in saying that I need another collection like a need a hole in the head. In fact, I'd thoroughly agree with them - which part of the reason that right before moving from Ontario to B.C. earlier this year, I actually sold off two large collections of items I'd been gathering for nearly five years. However, there are times when starting a new collection - especially if it doesn't stand to take up much space - is completely acceptable, no matter how many other roundups of beloved items you already own.

As I've touched upon occasionally in past posts (such as this one about my hunt for plastic bobby pins), I'm extremely allergic to nickel. Be it on bra straps, shoe buckles, jeans' buttons, hair accessories, purse hardware, jewelry, or a myriad of other spots, I must always ensure that I do not let any metal which contains nickel come in contact with my skin (or else I will very rapidly develop a horrible case of contact dermatitis that usually takes weeks to clear up). This is not an easy feat when you consider that many metal items that one routinely comes in contact with do not include a marking or any other indication to let you know what they're made up of.

As such, I learned very early on in life that it was best to pretty much avoid putting any metal on my body unless I was certain (or as certain as one can - I've bought plenty of earrings from reputable shops over the years, such as H&M, that were marked as being "nickel-free" and which still bothered me, and which - according to my home nickel detection kit -  turned out to actually contain the offending metal) that they were safe (sterling silver, brass, copper, and gold that is 14 carat or higher are generally safe, for example).

This means that the vast majority of costume jewellery pieces (often including even high end and designer pieces) are completely off the (dressing room) table for me. I can admire them lovingly - and longingly - from afar or buy them to give as gifts for others who are not allergic to nickel, but there's rarely any way for me to wear them safely myself.

Thus, for most of my life I've not given much thought to the idea of wearing brooches (much as I've always liked them). That is, until this year. You see, I realized that if I put a couple of layers of fabric (clothing) between the brooch (decorative front and pin back) and my skin, and ensured it did not come in contact with my exposed skin in anyway, I could safely wear most brooches, even those with nickel in them.

This discovery might seem like a small one, but to me it was rather monumental because it suddenly opened up a whole new, massively yearned for corner of the jewelry spectrum for me. While many bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings, and hair accessories are still out of the questions (because, again, they'd come in direct contact with my skin), brooches - my new jewelry BBFs - are an avenue that I get to really explore for the first time ever.

Since determining this point a few months ago, I've been rapidly building up a collection of costume jewelry brooches from various online and real world sources. As with most things I wear, the brooches I'm purchasing are either vintage or vintage appropriate, and so far I've not paid more than $20.00 for a single one of them. In fact, the vast majority have been $10.00 or less (with a few being as affordable as $0.99!).

While one can certainly spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on vintage and antique brooches, I'm happy as a clam to seek out budget-friendly options and find myself especially drawn to brooches that feature some of my favourite things (roses, keys, cute animals, etc) or which I look at and can instantly see that piece working with one or more outfits I already own.

In the first five months of this year alone, I've taken what previously amounted to three or four brooches and morphed them into a collection of more than thirty! Of that, I'd say that about 15-20% are actual vintage (from the 40s, 50s, or 60s) and most of the rest are 1980s through present day pins that have a distinctly vintage appropriate vibe to them.

I've always adored the look of brooches and the accessory versatility they offer. One can wear them on a lapel, shoulder, waist, scarf, handbag, hat, or even tucked in your hair. They're very easy to find (even vintage ones) and truly do not have to break the bank, especially if you're not buying pieces made with precious metals, gemstones, Bakelite, lucite, or other pricy/highly sought after materials.
I'm definitely not looking for brooches of that nature right now (not, of course that I'd turn any down, if offered!), which means that on a shoe-string budget I can quickly add some much needed hits of sparkle, shine, and accessory elegance (or fun - as the case may be) to my wardrobe.

At the moment I find myself drawn to brooches that depict something, instead of just being a clustering or geometric shape of metal, rhinestones, gems, pearls, etc (though I do have a few of those types, too). Cameos, bows, lockets, animals, holiday and seasonal pins (e.g., snowflakes or wishbones), food (especially fruit), and flora (flowers, branches, leaves) are amongst my favourites right now. I love scatter pins and chain linked/double chain pins, too, though so far I haven't picked up any of those styles yet.

Down the road as my brooch collection (and knowledge on this topic) has grown even more to encompass a wider selection of styles and subject matters, I plan on doing a post showcasing how I store them and highlighting some of my favourites (which you'll also see in various "what I wore" outfit posts).

For today however, I thought it would be oodles of fun to share a mixed bag selection of twenty vintage brooches with you that I've spotted etsy lately (all priced under $50.00) and which are all firmly pinned onto my vintage jewelry wish list.


{A romantically charming vintage sweetheart brooch in which you can store super tiny photos of your favourite folks. $40.00 from Happy Moon Designs.}


{Whether you're an artist or lover of the arts, this delightful painter's palette brooch is for you. $8.00 from Vintage Necessities.}


{Sweet as the pie they're so often whipped into, this 1940s wooden cherry brooch is definitely worth picking! $27.00 from Sun City Center Jewelry.}


{Mr. Pink Kitty is chatting up a storm on this super cute 1950s novelty brooch. $38.00 from Orbiting Debris.}


{Luck be a lady tonight! With this cool pair of dice face scatter pins, you're sure to win big on the fashion front. $20.00 from RuthEyes.}


{Put on the kettle - and this wonderfully cute vintage teapot and teapot chain brooch - it's time for a stylish afternoon cuppa. $24.00 from Malibloom.}


{Instantly call to mind fond childhood memories of watching a classic TV western series with this great Lone Ranger brooch. $18.00 from Squidgie Peach Bottoms.}


{Whether used as a set of chained pins or as a sweater clip to hold your favourite cardi closed, this elegant double chain butterfly brooch is sure to set your heart a flutter. $16.00 from Buy Old School Jewels.}


{A poignant link to the tragedies of war that ravaged the 1940s, this red and blue "Remember Pearl Harbor" brooch is a meaningful reminder of a the hardships those who lived during one of our favourite decades endured. $20.00 from Ozark Prairie Antiques and Collectibles.}


{Measuring 2.25"x2.2.25", this lovely 1940s carved wood horse head pin is sure to be a favourite with wild west and pony enthusiasts alike. $28.00 from Wildfell Hall Vintage.}


{One of the neatest things about vintage brooches is the wide array of materials that were employed in their construction. Case in point, this cute blue sequins flower brooch from the 1950s. $18.00 from Flipsville.}

{If one vintage moulded plastic dog's face is cute, than two is bound to be extra adorable, and that is definitely the case with this fun novelty pin from the 40s or 50s! $34.99 from HartsCloset.}

{I really fancy vintage brooch with wirework words on them, so I was instantly drawn to this touchingly special US Navy wife heart dangle brooch from the 40s. $24.00 from Boopsie Vintage.}


{Keep a beautifully attired friend with you on the go with this sweetly sophisticated hand painted vintage lady's head brooch. $25.00 from Love and Dust Vintage.}



{Hued as brightly pink as a rhododendron, this lovely pair of vintage celluloid rose earrings with a matching brooch is so marvelously well suited to the vibrant days of summer. $27.00 (for all three pieces) from Malibloom.}


{Lend any outfit a hit of pretty lilac hued charm with this splendid 1950s ballerina brooch. $15.97 from Resurrections.}


{It's anchors away - or at least onto your lapel, with this colourful nautical themed 1940s brooch. $22.00 from Luxxor.}


{I've always associated bowling with the 1950s more than any other decade, so when I saw this fabulous heart charm dangle brooch with a gal bowling inside, it was love at first sight. $19.00 from Red Truck Designs.}


{No matter if it's the dead of winter or the dog days of summer, you can always keep a basket of beautiful blooms close with this sweetly lovely hand painted 1940s celluloid brooch. $38.00 from CraftySara.}



{This darling, adorable vintage cat's eye glasses brooch is just through-the-roof fabulous! $12.00 from Angeline's Attic.}


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I hope that you enjoyed seeing these delightful pins, too, and would love to hear about your own brooch collection and to know what your favourite kind of brooch to gather and wear is.

Happy collecting, and accessorizing, sweet dears - may you each have a Sunday that glistens with as much beauty as the most resplendent brooch in the world!

Maybelline's three quick 1950s tricks to eye beauty

It might sound strange to say that a week which begun on a holiday (Victoria Day) feels like it's been a long one, yet it has it. You know how the end of the month can be, as various issues that had been accumulating over the past three or four weeks suddenly seem to collide, each one needing to be addressed, and you find yourself more than a little tuckered out - akin in a way to the infamous "I need a vacation after my vacation" feeling that sometimes crops up as a holiday wraps up.

Fridays however, are meant to be light and fun, and free of the shackles of both the work week and life's pressing demands, in general, and so on that note, I thought I'd sure something quick and fun with you today: a great vintage Maybelline cosmetics ad from 1954 that highlights three quick tips to eye beauty.

 
{Charmingly pretty illustrated 1950s Maybelline ad via Van Michelle on Flickr.}

 

If - like me - you wear cat's eyeliner and eyebrow pencil, you'll likely find these three steps very familiar. I like how in the third step, after applying mascara, it's suggested that one "blends a bit of Maybelline eye shadow into the upper lid", thus creating a subtle smoky effect, long before the term smoky eye came into play.

While few of us still use mascara that comes in a compact and is applied with a separate brush (though a small handful of brands - such as Longcils Boncza Cosmetique Cake Mascara still exist), overall these three steps have remained unchanged for decades now, and are are still about the quickest, easiest way to give your lovely peepers an instant 1950s look that exudes glamorous beauty.

While I'm no stranger to a bold lip, I've always adored focusing on my eyes when doing my make-up, and begin with them when applying my daily cosmetics. I start with soft (white, ivory, beige and/or soft pink) eye shadow, then much as in this ad, apply eyeliner, eyebrow pencil (my natural brows are incredibly sparse and so pale they're almost invisible), and mascara.

For my eyeliner and mascara, I generally opt for classic black. My eyebrow pencil is a warm reddish brown that was actually designed to be an eyeliner (Cover Girl Chestnut 212), but which I find glides on easily and stays puts for the whole day better than most of the products designed specifically for eyebrows that I've tried (many, interestingly enough, of which actually bothered my sensitive skin).

Though these three tricks from Maybelline are scarcely secrets, I always enjoy seeing precisely how ladies of the past applied their cosmetics, and thought that as as a nice way to kick off the last Friday in May, you would, too. Do these steps differ much from how you apply your own eye makeup, or are they pretty much identical?

I hope that no matter what kind of week - and month - you've had, sweet dears, each of you will be able to enjoy as weekend that's every bit as beautiful as a classic mid-1950s eye is!

A new floral cardi dukes it out with the wind in Naramata

Though the classic saying we all learned as youngsters states that "April showers bring May flowers", this year I've been feeling more like it should be "April showers bring May winds!". It doesn't rhyme, I know, but it would certainly be a more fitting description of the weather around these parts over the past few weeks.

As you may remember, last week's outfit post featured a heavy handed dose of wind. Well, today's is following suite. Though perhaps the blustery breezes in this one are a tad more justified given that these photos were taken mere feet away from the water's edge at Okanagan Lake, it was still a thoroughly windy day as we captured these snaps recently which far exceeded anything that might have been attributed to the lake.

Located just a few minutes north of our town, Naramata - the spot where these photos were taken - is a charming, densely orchard and vineyard filled community of about 2,000 people. Comprised primarily of agriculture lands, homes (including some stunning luxury properties), and a few small beaches along Okanagan Lake, Naramata is a fun, laid back spot to venture out to every now and then when you're in the mood for a little drive through some rather gorgeous natural scenery (especially in the fall when all of the trees in the orchards and vineyards are bursting with the fiery, rich hues of the season).

As there are none around for hundreds of miles (unlike back when we lived in Toronto and there was one within walking distance of my house), I recently placed my first ever online order with Forever 21 Canada (only great things to say about the experience – very much including the super quick shipping speed). I picked up a couple of purses, a few accessories, and two cardigans, including the pink, green and white floral number in today's photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outfit details   Vintage green velvet hat: Jardin Antiques White rose stud earrings: Claire’s  Floral print cardigan: Forever 21 White lace top vintage slip (worn like a camisole): eBay Faux cinnabar carved plastic bangle bracelet: Forever 21 Taupe hued vintage gloves: eBay Pink faux alligator purse: Sears 1950s green corduroy skirt: eBay Black pumps: Payless  Nude on nude seamed stockings: eBay  Lip colour: MAC Russian Red  Photography by Antonio Cangiano 

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Have you ever encountered one of those scenarios wherein you've been looking for an item you don't have (or need to replace, get more of, etc) for ages, only to suddenly find two or more of the same type of thing in rapid succession? I actually tend to have this happen on a relatively frequent basis, and thin knit floral print cardigans were one such recent example.

No sooner (within the same week) had I ordered this cute one, as I found another floral cardi on etsy from a seller in Europe that I just had to pick, too (it features a black background and different coloured blooms, so it's actually fairly different looking).

I'd been hunting for a flower print cardi with flowers that weren't too big (as big patterns can all too quickly overwhelm my petite frame) for at least a couple of years, and was thrilled to find not one, but two mere days apart from one another. I'm definitely set on that front for a long time to come now!

The forest green corduroy skirt here was a deadstock piece that I picked up a few months ago. Though it always pains me in a way to snip the original tags of off a deadstock item, at the same time there's something really special about knowing that you have the honour of wearing a 60 year old garment for the first time (well, at least the first time outside of a dressing room).

If the green velvet hat here looks familiar, that's because it's the one I wrote about in this Monday's post about the five items I purchased at Jardin Antiques in OK Falls. As comfortable as a pillow and as light as a feather, this rich jewel toned topper has fast become one of the most beloved - and commonly worn - vintage hats in my collection.

While the wind out at Wharf Park in Naramata gave us a good whipping that day, at least it wasn't quite as cold or as brutal as our adventures in Rutland back on May 1st. In fact, my hat didn't even blow off once, which has to be a good sign.

The vintage items I picked up at Jardin Antiques

A little over a month ago, in a post called Blue Jean Baby, OK Falls lady, I mentioned the fact that around that time my husband and I had spent a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon in the neighbouring community of Okanagan Falls, where amongst our stops, we paid a visit to one of the Southern Okanagan’s longest standing and, in my opinion, best antique stores: Jardin Estate Vintage Jewelry and Antiques.

Nestled in a small building on OK Fall's quaint little main street, this shop  is one that I remember visiting occasionally as a child in the company of my mom and paternal grandmother (who, like me, has always adorned the Victorian era). Back in those days OK Falls had two antique shops in the same area, but today only Jardin Antiques remains.

I'm very glad that it does, because there are really aren't too many vintage and antique stores in this neck of the woods, and I think that the community needs to try and hang onto those few that we are fortunate enough to have. As such, whenever I'm in the vicinity of one, I love to stop in, chat with the employees and hopefully make a purchase or two.

It had been so many years since I lasted visited Jardin, that I couldn't say for certain any more what types of items they carried (aside from jewelry, which they are renowned for). I was delighted to find that amongst the gorgeous antique and vintage babbles, beads and jewels on offer, there as also a lovely, well curated selection of household goods (from fine china to recipe booklets), accessories (I hummed and hawed over a black lamb's wool muff, but decided against it in the end because I felt it wasn't in quite good enough shape to survive the many future Canadian winters I'd want to use it for), books, and sundry other terrific items.

While they did have a few vintage garments (mainly 1960s frocks) in stock, the selection in that regard was sparse. What they weren't lacking for however, was vintage hats (a blend of 40s-70s styles) and gloves - two of my absolute favourite wardrobe pieces in the whole world.

Though I could very easily have bought more, I spared my credit card a beating and opted instead for the following five items (all of which were, to my mind, quite reasonably priced).

Far from collecting merely for the sake of collecting, I frequently wear vintage gloves and hats, so I was tickled pink to find three of the pairs of 40s/50s era gloves (they had several other, too, but again, I was trying to be a budget-conscious shopper) and a gorgeous green velvet hat all in my size.

I'd been hunting for a dark green hat in that sort of hue for ages, and was thrilled to pick this one up for (if I remember correctly) $22.00. It's beyond comfortable and I've already worn it a few times since bringing it home to join my other vintage hats.

 

 
{Close ups shots of the dainty crochet, ultra tiny buttons, and chic rouching that, respectively, adorn my three new pairs of beautiful vintage gloves.}

As some of you will recall from this post back in March of 2011, I've long been a fan of the classic young reader series of books, Cherry Ames, and have been on the look out for a title from that series to add to my vintage book collection for some time now.

 
{I love that Cherry's cheerful, smiling face appears on the spine of this fun vintage book about the adventures of a young nurse, who, in this title, finds herself at a wild west dude ranch.}

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Given that Ok Falls is a mere 15 minutes or so away from our town, we'll likely be out that way periodically (especially during the summer months when the town holds a public flea market on main street there every weekend), and will no doubt stop in and visit Jardin's many more times in the future. I hope that on subsequent visits I'll find additional "must have" vintage treasures to add to my collection, too.

Should you ever be in this sage green, lake filled corner of British Columbia, I highly recommend stopping in at Jardin's. We spent over half an hour there and I still could have kept looking for longer, because every last one of their offerings is just the sort of thing that makes a vintage loving gal's eyes light up.