We lost power on the weekend. At about 1am loud buzzing and zapping noises, big orange glow, sparks flying out where the street wires meet our house. Scary! Caitlin woke up terrified as she has developed a fear of storms and thought it was thunder (Even went to bed tonight still saying ‘no thunder?’ poor poppet). So by candlelight at 1am on Sunday morning I was making some of these hand shadow puppets on the wall complete with silly voices. She seemed to appreciate it, and it even got her giggling her adorable almost two year old hearty chuckle.

This old card is just smaller than A4 and has no details on it other than shown.

If you place your hands as shown in these pictures, and hold them in front of a light, their shadows will make the many creatures shown here.

I’ve had this little book for a while and have included it in my little Zine experiment but never blogged about it. The Ghosts of My Friends is a quirky variation on the traditional autograph book. This little copy, is completely full, most entries dated around 1918. Published by Dow & Lester it measures 10cm x 17cm. It was compiled by Cecil Henland and originally published around 1906.

When googling to find out more info (as you do!) I discovered I am not the only one to uncover this wonderful little object! See the fabulous Design*Sponge . There are also some super images of ghostly signatures over at How Now Brownpau.

I picked up this lovely little autograph book when I was on my honeymoon in New Zealand several years ago. It was discovered in an antique store in a little village on the North Island (possibly in Huntly?). We were on our way from Auckland across to Rotorua. The book was a gift to ‘Jess’ from her Mum on 23rd of November 1915. Most of the entries date around 1915- 1920, and some are marked with the name ‘Waitoa’, a small village on the North Island not terribly far from where I purchased the book.

I enjoy looking through old autograph books and I love how they look. Sometimes they contain illustrations, pressed flowers and other treasures.  They also showcase many different types of handwriting! Some of the entries in this one were not very politically correct and really highlighted its age. The book also has lovely end paper!

Contributors include: M. McNaull, Gilbert Sealy, M Black, Jessie McNaull, W Turnbull, L.R.Lindemann, W.J.Hyde, V.J.Sealey, Margaret Weekes

When I found this little booklet at an antique store I couldn’t resist. It’s a truly fascinating step back in time. I’ve gathered a bit of a collection of vintage woman’s magazines and journals so this fitted in quite nicely to that genre. Within the bright orange printed pages Miss Murray gives us many tips and tricks on how to stay….well simply ‘lovely’!

Miss Murray tells us that ‘grey hairs are the enemies of youth’, that you can ‘overcome quite a number of defects in the shape of your face with the clever use of rouge’ and that ‘you could win the man you love by simply understanding certain peculiarities of male psychology’ (apparently one such peculiarity being their desire for a woman with ‘glorious hair’!). She also explains that lovely lips can be yours if you ‘practise blowing out a candle…to firm and mould them’ and tells how not to ‘mar your personal daintiness’ by using a ‘deodorant lotion’.
Sagging neck? No problems. ‘…slap the under chin with the backs of your hands until the flesh really tingles.’ Apparently ‘this greatly braces up tired tissues and prevents that scraggy neck which gives one such a haggard appearance.’ And you should ‘never be too tired to do this slapping night and morning.’ Also included are a clothes colour chart, list of four complicated weight-reducing exercises and detailed notes on how to apply correct make-up.

This little booklet is an advertising brochure for Dearborn, who manufactured ‘refined toilet essentials’ used and ‘recommended by the worlds most famous Theatrical Stars’. According to the brochure they manufactured ‘scientific Toilet Preparations…designed by experts for the universal use of refined womanhood’ that were ‘guaranteed harmless’. Seemingly their most fabulous product was ‘Mercolized Wax’ a face cream containing mercury!! Oh how I would love to slather mercury all over my face just like Miss Gladys Monicrieff, Princess of Pless, Dame Clara Butt, Miss Hetty King and all those other ‘wonderful women and beautiful girls’ who used and recommended it that are listed inside this booklet. It sounds delightful!

It sure is hard work being a girl!