Media Medley

I bought the most amazing hat on Thursday which I was planning to share with all of you. Unfortunately I woke up yesterday with a massive cold and it refuses to go away! (I was supposed to go for coffee with a rather dapper young gentleman today but that had to be cancelled. I do not enjoy being sick!) So, since I've been watching old movies all day, I've decided it's time for another Media Medley post!

I couldn't find an appropriate picture in my file of magazine scans (I really need to scan more of
my collection...). But since I can't have a post without a picture, here is a random image of soup. 

For those of you who missed my last "Media Medley" post, I basically share some of my favourite songs, radio programs, and movies that are in the public domain. So on with this weeks selections:

Music:
Say Arabella by Billy Murray - This is one of my favourite songs at the moment. I am really loving Billy Murray's recordings, and this is one of his best. It's from 1925.
Vera Lynn Collection - For those Vera fans out there, there are a bunch of her recording available. This is just one of the many collections available of hers in the public domain. 
The Freckle Song - Not sure of the date on this one, but it amuses me. I do love novelty songs.

Movies:
The Kennel Murder Case - I actually watched this one on TV so I'm not sure how the quality is, but I do know it's a good movie. It's a Philo Vance mystery, starring William Powell and Mary Astor.
Kitty from Kansas City - Not the best picture quality, but it has Betty Boop AND Rudy Vallee so I had to share. Just as bizarre as most Betty Boop cartoons (technically she is referred to a Kitty in this cartoon, but she looks like Betty, sounds like Betty and it was made by the same people so I'm calling her Betty).  

Radio Show:
Phillip Marlowe - This is an obvious choice, but it is my all time favourite radio show (I love the novels as well) so I thought I should share with anyone who hasn't heard of this series. Phillip Marlowe is a hard-boiled detective, and while the plot lines are rather predictable (he almost always gets beat up at some point, and there is ALWAYS a pretty dame involved) I always find myself thoroughly enjoying each episode.

I would love to hear your suggestions of great things to watch/listen to!

That's All.

Media Medley

One of the best things about loving old music is that a lot of it is in the public domain (and thus free). Archive.org has a great selection of various media in the public domain (including movies and radio shows!). However, unless you are looking for something specific, it can be difficult to sort through everything and find the gems. I've been rather lacking blog inspiration lately so I thought I might start a series highlights great songs. Then I decided why limit it to songs? My "Media Medley" posts will feature a movie, radio program, and a couple songs :)

This weeks selections are:
Songs:
Which Switch is the Switch, Miss, for Ipswich? This song is from 1915 and one of my all time favourite songs!
Piccolo Pete Perfomed by Stan Greening & His Orchestra this recording is from 1929.
Various Songs by Smith Ballew This small collections features 5 recordings by Smith Ballew. They are all great but "Just a Gigolo" is my favourite (it is such a sad song!).

Movie:
Lady of Burlesque Stars Barbara Stanwyck as a burlesque dancer who becomes involved with a murder investigation after one of her fellow dancers is killed. Worth watching for some of the costumes alone!

Radio Show:
Casey, Crime Photographer This show ran from 1943 to 1955 and followed the adventures of Casey, a crime photographer for a newspaper (often paired with reporter Ann Williams). Great 30 minute episodes which are perfect to listen to while knitting!

Photoshoots, Treasures and a Giveaway! (Extended until Oct 29th)

Thanksgiving weekend was a lot of fun! On Saturday I had a photoshoot with my friend Britt. These are my favourite of the photos (there were close to 300photos in total!)

The two other days of the long weekend was spend with family (I love family trips to the coffee shop. Mmmm Chai Lattes.....). One of the best parts of being home is being surrounded by my favourite treasures. Most of my favourite things stay at home when I am at school (in order to prevent them being damaged in transit) and I really do miss them.

My Teacups!

Northern Electric Telephone Circa 1940
(Still works!)

One of the many sewing projects I will finish... someday...

I love this teapot! It belonged to my great-grandmother. It was up at the cottage but I rescued it from certain destruction last time I was up.

Some really old books I've found at used books sales (the newest one is from 1911!). The lovely bookends were a wedding present to my grandma when she got married in the 1940s. They look very art deco!

And now for the giveaway! To celebrate reaching 50 followers, I am giving away:
1) A green and silver necklace (I used to make and sell jewelery at craft-sales. I no longer have time but I have lots of leftover necklaces!)
2) Disk 1 of Philip Marlowe radio broadcasts (from otrcat.com)
3) A little knitted bow attached to a hair clip, knitted by me :)

This giveaway is open to all my followers. Just leave me a comment telling me what you would like to see more of on my blog :) For an extra entry you can post about my giveaway on your blog and just let me know you have done so. Last day to enter is Friday October 22nd. Good luck!

One last thing, I just wanted to thank Sara for also giving me this award. See the previous post for the blogs I nominated :)
That's All.

5 Old Fashioned Hobbies

Everyone needs a hobby. Hobbies are especially good things to have when you are stuck at school, away from friends and family, and really don't feel like studying for your upcoming midterm. It's nice to have something to do that lets you relax and take your mind off your troubles. With that said, here is my list of my top 5 old-fashioned hobbies that you can do alone.

1) Knitting

Knitting has officially become cool again. Which makes me like it slightly less. But it is still a lovely way to relax and be productive all at the same time. There are lots of tutorials on YouTube on how to knit but I suggest getting someone to actually show you, as it is a lot easier to learn that way. Soon you will be knitting scarves for your friends and their stuffed polar bears.

Aren't they cute? :)

2) Crosswords

In true 1920's style, curling up with a good crossword is a wonderful way to while away the afternoon. The trick is to find puzzles that are challenging but, at the same time, not impossible. The paper is a good place to start but they get progressively harder later in the week. Another option is one of the many crossword puzzle books available. These are good but tend to reuse the same clues a lot.

3) Baking

The favourite pastime of many 1950's housewife's. Baking provides a good way to let off steam (whisking and kneading dough are great tension relievers) and you get a tasty treat at the end. What could be better?

4) Embroidery

Embroidery is surprisingly easy to learn (Threadbangers has some good tutorials on YouTube) and is a great way to customize your clothes, bags, linen, etc. I am working on a pillow at the moment while I am stitching on examples of fashions from the 1920s and 30s. (There will be pictures posted when I am finished).

5) Reading

This is likely one of the easiest and oldest hobbies. For authenticity I recommend reading Agatha Christie or PG Wodehouse. Or if you prefer to go farther back in time try reading North and South or Jane Eyre for some Victorian romance.

6) Old radio shows

Ok I lied, there's six hobbies I wanted to list but this last one involves cheating a bit. I am a huuuuuugge fan of old radio shows. The only thing is that you need a computer or a DVD player in order to listen to them. Not very authentic but it works. I buy mine from http://www.otrcat.com/ but they also have a lot of shows you can hear for free on their website. Philip Marlowe is my favourite show, with Bob Hope a close second. The next one I think I will buy next is "I was a communist for the FBI". They tend to be a little cheesy but that is what makes them so endearing. Perfect to listen to while you are knitting or embroidering.

Here's a few pictures from their website (in order, for the shows I mentioned):

Now go, unwind, relax and spend some quality "me" time. After a long day of studying, work or whatever, you deserve a nice break :)