From the clipping files: 1959 partial magazine article on freezing food

You can view the above image larger by clicking on it above.

I only found one page of this article. The transcription of the text is as follows:

A real home management problem—and a timely one—is this story involving the health and pocketbook of the Paul Schuster family of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. When they learned they were to have a second child, they realized they'd need some sort of help, for it was right in the middle of the gardening and food-preservation season. Knowing that domestic help was too costly, they promptly made the smartest decision of their lives. They bought a freezer and "it has turned out to be one of the best, quietest, neatest mechanical helpers anywhere!" 

Previously, they had taken all their frozen delectables to a locker plant three and a half miles away—seven miles round trip—and the prospect of these almost daily trips was overwhelming, with all the added chores of a new baby, a present two-year-old, and a mother not yet physically up to par. 

When the freezer was purchased in April, it seemed wasteful to let it sit practically empty until summertime, waiting for fruits and vegetables, so that is when THE PLAN evolved. It turned out to be so successful that they have used a modified version of it all year. THIS IS WHAT EVOLVED FROM THE SCHUSTER'S PLAN: 

I. A well-planned diet schedule 

The doctor put Marcia Schuester on a strict weight-control diet, which eliminated all desserts except fruit. Sounds like it might be hard on the family, doesn't it? Thus the problem: Desserts for Mr. Schuster, but how could she pass them up?

Sadly, the text stops at this point.

The caption for the top photo reads as follows:

"Brown and Serve" rolls and loaves of bread are a real specialty of the Schusters. Homemade rolls are thoroughly baked, but not browned, and then dropped into a plastic bag in meal-size portions. When ready for use, they are placed on a baking sheet, put in the oven to brown, and then served piping hot, as if they had been freshly baked. Bet you won't be able to tell the difference at all!

DISCLAIMER: The sharing of the above vintage advertising is for educational and referential purposes only. Copyrights are most likely still held by the original publisher/agency. Use of these images for reproduction and/or derivative works for resale may be illegal and an infringement of the original publisher/agency's copyrights. So, in other words, don't make things with this image. It's illegal; it's wrong; and it could cost you a truckload of money when you get sued.

From the clipping files: 1959 Ideal Dog Food advertisement

You can view the above image larger by clicking on it above.

Original ad text reads:

"Way ahead of the class... Ideal--the 7-course meal for dogs. Inspected and certified by the U.S. Government. Watch his eyes sparkle... his tail begin to wag. No wonder. It's time for his Ideal 7-Course Meal. Ideal's cooks blend the seven foods your dog needs most for sound growth and development--capture all their clean, wholesome, meaty aroma. Look: How Ideal's 7 courses compare with your menu: 1) Meat animal protein--The same nourishment you get from steaks, chops, roasts; 2) Bone-building minerals--The calcium and phosphorus you find in milk, cheese, eggs; 3) Wheat germ--Vitamins B and E--the same as you get in whole wheat bread; 4) Cod liver oil--The same as you give to children for Vitamins A and D. Dog and cats like it! 5) Carrots--The crisp, nutrition-packed kind you serve at home; 6) Soya grits--Extra rich in the protein you find in those new, expensive cereals; 7) Barley--Used in so many of your favorite soups to provide carboyhydrates and vegetable protein. Your pet expects the best--feed Ideal!"

DISCLAIMER: The sharing of the above vintage advertising is for educational and referential purposes only. Copyrights are most likely still held by the original publisher/agency. Use of these images for reproduction and/or derivative works for resale may be illegal and an infringement of the original publisher/agency's copyrights. So, in other words, don't make things with this image. It's illegal; it's wrong; and it could cost you a truckload of money when you get sued.

Vinspiration: Vintage ice cream posters

A few years ago, I found a batch of four almost-mint-condition ice cream posters on eBay and bought them. Now, years later, I finally decided to scan them on my mongo art scanner so they are preserved digitally just in case something happens to them physically.

I love the posters' large size of 13-inches by 20-inches. I don't know if they ever hung in an ice cream parlor as was their intended purpose or if they stayed packed away in a storeroom for decades. I like to think that they hung on the wall of an ice cream parlor to entice customers to try luscious rare flavors like black walnut. 

I was once asked if it was hard to have giant posters of ice cream hanging on my walls—wasn't I tempted to constantly eat ice cream they asked. My answer was no. I have to admit that I've always seen dessert foods as art with their decadent colors, textures. and shapes. And with vintage images laden with reds as in the poster above, I am more distracted by the vibrance of the color than by the ice cream... that and the great typefaces used.

Yes, I am an odd one.

Vinspiration: Vintage Breck Girl Advertisements

Vintage + Inspiration = "Vinspiration"

Some things in my clipping file have been there a long time. These vintage Breck Girl ads are among the first things I put in my clipping file that I started when I was about 10 years old. Somehow, I managed to get my hands on a vintage magazine at that age (I've always been a bloodhound when it comes to finding vintage paper ephemera). I fell in love with the technique used to illustrate the Breck Girls. It is such a lost art.

Breck Girl ad 1957

(click on image to view larger)

Breck Girl ad 1959

(click on image to view larger)

Breck Girl ad 1960

(click on image to view larger)

NOTE: These images are being shared for reference and educational purposes only. I do not claim them as my own. No copyright infringement is intended.

Vinspiration: Vintage Hawaiian leaf snack set box

Vintage + Inspiration = "Vinspiration"

I grew up with my mom's glass set of snack plates and teacups, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I found a set of my own that came in the original packaging.

Of course I was in love with the pink and turquoise printing ink from the get-go, but I was a goner over the artful lettering of the words "Hawaiian leaf". Every time I look at this box, the lettering draws my eyes in and makes me stare at it a while. I SO wish one of my font designer colleagues at CreativeMarket.com would design an entire digital font inspired by this packaging.

I have a little confession to make... I think I love the box more than the glass snack set inside.

NOTE: These images are being shared for reference and educational purposes only. I do not claim them as my own. No copyright infringement is intended.

Vinspiration: Vintage Kordite freezer box

Vintage + Inspiration = "Vinspiration"

I acquired this seemingly unused box at one of the local antique shops. The colors, typography, and illustration style all captured my attention. It came home to live with me as an inspiration piece.

NOTE: These images are being shared for reference and educational purposes only. I do not claim them as my own. No copyright infringement is intended.

Vinspiration: Vintage Vogue magazine covers

Vintage + Inspiration = "Vinspiration"

The following images were reproduced in a 2002 calendar I received for Christmas 2001 and hung on my wall until the end of that year. I fell in love with a handful of the images (and had a hard time turning to the next month on those months). The images became part of my creative inspiration files.

April 1, 1953

What inspires me about the image above:

the brilliant shade of red

the lighting

the composition of the shot

May 15, 1936

What inspires me about the image above:

the "ballet slipper" pink background

the simplicity of the styling

the lines of the composition

July 1, 1936

What inspires me about the image above:

the brilliant shade of red

the contrast of the color palette

the lighting

July 1, 1953

What inspires me about the image above:

the fluid motion captured in the shot

the styling of having the model wearing only white

the framing of the composition

December 15, 1950

What inspires me about the image above:

the "technicolor" red

the creative lettering created with the ribbon

having the model hold a card with the handwritten date on it

NOTE: In an effort to downsize and organize my studio, I've been going through some of my clipping files and scanning the images, so I can send the original paper to recycling. I'm posting the images here for my reference and for pinning on Pinterest.

These images are being shared for reference and educational purposes only.

I do not claim them as my own.

No copyright infringement is intended.

Unfolding a beautiful find

Several years ago, a kind neighbor gave me a collection of travel brochures she had acquired in her youth in the 1950s by sending requests away to various travel boards around the United States and beyond. Being the vintage ephemera nut that I am, I was thrilled. I love using them as reference for my own work.

This is one of my favorites. The brochure has remained folded in its original envelope for about 60 years. The cover is a litho print with colors that really caught my eye. Imagine my delight when I unfolded the brochure to find that the art extended across four panels (see below). 

I was even more delighted to find a signature on the illustration art. It is signed "Bern Hill". I did a little sleuthing and found that Bern Hill (1911-1977) was a freelance illustrator and painter during the mid-20th century. At askART.com I found more information on his work:

"A free-lance illustrator and painter, Bern Hill is known for his aesthetically innovative and historically important railroad illustrations and for his regional scene painting of Connecticut where he lived for much of his career. Of him it was written that he had a 'running love affair with New England and its "magnificent architecture." His clean, precise technique is as cool as a Connecticut morning.' (Meehan) 

"For an illustrator of the mid-20th century, he had a unique style that combined abstraction with realism and challenged viewers with philosophical complexities that were unfamiliar in advertising art."

I haven't found this particular image from the Bermuda brochure cover out on the internet, so I wanted to upload it here in case anyone wants to reference this beautiful work.

You can view the above image larger by clicking on it above.

To download a free hi-res (600 dpi) copy of the image:

1. Click on the image below to view the larger size
2. Right-click on the image
3. Select "Save Image As..." and save to your computer

Illustration Inspiration: What Happened to George? illustrations by Marge Opitz

In the hope of helping to preserve vintage and historic illustration artwork from my own collection and in turn sharing it to inspire new artists and illustrators (and providing a reference for other fans of illustration), I am posting this series here on Rosehaven Cottage Studio called "Illustration Inspiration".

"What Happened to George" written by Betty Engebretson and illustrated by Marge Opitz was published by Rand McNally It has a copyright of 1958. It had been in print for over a decade when I received my own copy as a 2 year old toddler who loved picture books and greeting cards (anything with illustrated art on it).

The illustration style of the book is clearly fifties. As a kid, I so adored the pictures (I still do) because of Marge Opitz's illustration technique. The artwork has a soft feeling like it is done in combination of chalk pastels or color pencil with watercolor washes. I've never been able to determine exactly what medium she used. I do know that her technique is one of the reasons I loved the book so much as a kid. I had a great love for softly rendered colored pencil and pastel drawings even when I was 2 or 3 years old. I don't know why. I just did.

As I re-read the story to Hubby, I've concluded that it definitely wasn't the storyline of "What Happened to George?" that I loved. It was the art. The story is rather disturbing and probably wouldn't get published in today's children's book market.

Despite this twisted storyline, Marge Opitz's representatives of food are so charming aren't they? Especially the unadorned donuts. I think my favorite donut is the last one that is bursting out of the roof of the house. I know... it's supposed to be a tragic ending. But when I was a kid I was too mesmerized by the wonderful shading and textures of the exploding donut. Seriously, I was. And, frankly, I still am.

DISCLAIMER: The sharing of the above vintage illustrations is for educational and referential purposes only. Copyrights are most likely still held by the original publisher/artist. Use of these illustrations for reproduction and/or derivative works for resale may be illegal and an infringement of the original publisher/artist's copyrights. So, in other words, don't make things with these illustrations. It's illegal; it's wrong; and it could cost you a truckload of money when you get sued.

Happy creating and remember...

Illustration Inspiration: Grandpa Bunny art by Dick Kelsey and Bill Justice

In the hope of helping to preserve vintage and historic illustration artwork from my own collection and in turn sharing it to inspire new artists and illustrators (and providing a reference for other fans of illustration), I am starting a new series here on Rosehaven Cottage Studio called "Illustration Inspiration".

I received this book when I was 5 years old, and it was already a classic by the time I received it. The illustrations mesmerized me. I was transfixed by the artwork.

I can safely say that this book is largely responsible for making me yearn to be an artist when I grew up. It is probably why I hounded my preschool relentlessly asking her, "When are we going to paint with the easels?"

I also fell in love with seasonal color thanks to these beautiful illustrations and the storyline. To this day, I still think of the seasons and months of the year in terms of what color represent them best.

The funny thing is that I never saw (and have never seen) the film "Funny Little Bunnies" that the book is based upon.

DISCLAIMER: The sharing of the above vintage illustrations is for educational and referential purposes only. Copyrights are most likely still held by the original publisher/artist. Use of these illustrations for reproduction and/or derivative works for resale may be illegal and an infringement of the original publisher/artist's copyrights. So, in other words, don't make things with these illustrations. It's illegal; it's wrong; and it could cost you a truckload of money when you get sued.