Happy New Year!

This year your only resolution should be to be more like Betty! Start by planning a rocking retro New Year's Eve cocktail party. Sparkly silver mid-century barware is all you need to plan your event. As Betty always says, start the New Year right with a cocktail in your hand! Happy 1958...no, wait... 2011!

From Top: www.RustBeltThreads.etsy.com, www.Kibster.etsy.com, www.KatyBitsandPieces.etsy.com

Happy Holidays!

With Christmas around the corner Betty is busy trimming the tree, wrapping presents and, of course, baking! Her favorite holiday tradition is making a gingerbread house. But being the mid-century woman that she is Betty does not go for a traditional look. Each year she creates a new twist on a modern home and you can do the same! Find this cute kit at RedEnvelope.com or check out the architectural design below. Every December the firm Hometta comes up with a take on the gingerbread house based on a home they have actually built. You can find their instructions for this one at http://www.hometta.com/holiday-2010.

Happy Holidays!

Gift Wrapping Christmas

Betty knows it is the thought that counts and the thought will look a whole lot better wrapped in one of these retro- inspired papers. They will take any gift from drab to fab in a pinch! In fact, these prints are so pretty your friends and family will resist tearing into their gifts. Instead they will take a cue from grandmothers around the world, carefully opening their presents and then smoothing out the paper to save for another use.

From Top: Smock Paper (2), Hello! Lucky (2), The Paper Studio, Paper Mojo (2)

Giving Thanks

This Thanksgiving Betty is grateful for her family, friends and festive fall aprons. As she prepares a four course meal, she is able to keep her dress neat while still looking fashionable when she brings out the turkey to the ooohs and aaahs of her guests. On Thursday you can look the part of the midcentury woman with one of these etsy finds.

Clockwise from top left: www.uncommonvintage.etsy.com, www.CoffeeKlatch.etsy.com, www.NeatoKeen.etsy.com, www.janet5643.etsy.com

As American As Pumpkin Pie

Betty knows that the only thing more American than apple pie is pumpkin at Thanksgiving. But Betty puts a twist on this traditional dessert by baking Pumpkin Chiffon Pie. Whether you are carving the turkey at your house or serving potatoes as a guest at someone else's, Betty's recipe will be a hit. Evoke the spirit of mid-century bakers with these retro baking supplies. You may not need a pie bird for this treat, but it is a cute addition to your vintage kitchen and useful with other pies as it lets the steam escape while baking.

From top left: www.BehindTheScreenDoor.etsy.com, www.harlowmonroevintage.etsy.com, www.BeeJayKay.etsy.com, www.Sadieolive.etsy.com

Better Homes and Gardens:

Pies and Cakes

1969

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 cup milk

2 slightly beaten egg yolks

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 egg whites

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

1 9-inch graham-cracker crust

Combine first 7 ingredients in saucepan. Stir in milk, egg yolks, and pumpkin. Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture boils and gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and chill till partially set. Beat egg whites till soft peaks form; gradually add sugar and beat to stiff peaks. Fold into pumpkin mixture with whipped cream. Pile into crust. Chill till firm. Trim with whipped cream and California walnut halves.

Pumpkin Treats

With Halloween around the corner don’t forget the sweets! Perfect for a party or trick-or-treaters, pumpkin whoopie pies are both retro and irresistible. First created in the 1920’s, this version adds an Autumn twist to the classic dessert. Martha Stewart has two great recipes - one for pumpkin cookies with cream cheese filling, the other for mini chocolate cookies with pumpkin cream cheese frosting (see links below). Betty knows you can’t go wrong with either one. Don’t have time to bake from scratch this year? Pick up a whoopie pie mix (photo above and link below) from Stone Wall Kitchen. With treats this good there will be no need for Halloween tricks.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pumpkin-whoopie-pies

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/mini-pumpkin-whoopie-pies

http://www.stonewallkitchen.com/shop/speciality-foods/baking-mixes/552634.html

Eerie Entertaining

This Halloween make sure the cocktails you serve aren't the only thing that is chilled. These spine tingling decorations will evoke the mid-century ghosts of decades past. Keep your guests going all night long with hors d'oeuvres displayed on black cake stands and drinks mixed in a deadly shaker. To liven up your party pull out some festive games and this 31st everyone will feel like a winner.

From Left to right by pair: www.potterybarnkids.com, www.FrogPrincePaperie.etsy.com, www.potterybarn.com, www.rosannainc.com, www.blumchen.com, www.avintageholiday.com

Your invited...

Betty knows that invitations set the mood for a party. With these retro cards your guests will get to step into the past while attending your mid-century Halloween bash. Now all you need to do is select your guest list; it is invite only after all.

From top: www.vintagehalloween.com, www.trendytreasure.etsy.com, www.marthastewart.com

Dressing Up!

Halloween is Betty's favorite holiday and she is here to help you get everything you need for the 31st. Count down the next four weeks with our hauntingly retro posts. They are sure to bring out the wicked in anyone.

Whether you are planning a party or going out, dress like a mid-century woman this year. Bring sexy back in the classic sense of the word by making an appearence as Joan Holloway from Mad Men. If iconic is more your style, Jackie Onassis is always fashionable. Or inspire fear in all you pass as Melanie Daniels from The Birds.

Clockwise from top by costume- Joan: www.jitterbuggin.etsy.com, www.yellowsquirrel.etsy.com; Jackie: www.bommar.etsy.com, www.TheVintageVortex.etsy.com, www.recycledwares.etsy.com; Melanie: www.haywoodcreektures.etsy.com, www.pineapplemint.etsy.com

A Sunday Drive

Betty and her family savor the season with a Sunday drive in the country. She packs a picnic of seasonal fruits and veggies with hot soup to keep them warm. After a hike, they enjoy baked apples filled with cinnamon and sugar. Betty and her husband spend the rest of the afternoon laying on a blanket reading while their kids play in the leaves.

This weekend plan your own Autumnal picnic. All you need is a basket, blanket and plastic kitchenware. Check out Betty's favorite finds and recipes below.

Clockwise from Left: www.ourhousevintage.etsy.com, www.lagelle.etsy.com, baked apples, www.goodvintage.etsy.com, www.VintageNewHampshire.etsy.com, potato leek soup, www.MyraMelinda.etsy.com

Potato-Leep Soup

From: Quick Dishes for the Woman in a Hurry

Shop-Rite Cookbook: 1960's

Bring to boiling in a 2-qt. saucepan having a tight-filling cover 3 cups water.

Meanwhile, wash, pare and dice 3 medium-size (about 1 lb.) potatoes (about 2 1/2 cups, diced)

Add potatoes to boiling water with 1/4 cup (2 or 3) thinly sliced leeks (white part only)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate

1/8 teaspoon peper

Cover saucepan and simmer gently about 15 min., or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, dice and panbroil 3 slices bacon.

Remove saucepan from heat and drain vegetables, reserving the broth. Force Vegetables through food mill, ricer or sieve into broth.

Blend in bacon and

1/2 cup cream

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Reheat soup and serve hot.

6 Servings

Baked Apples

From: Betty Crocker's

New Dinner for Two Cook Book 1964

Choose baking apples such as Rome Beauty, Jonathan, Wealthy, or Greening.

Heat oven to 350. Wash and then core apples. Either pare upper half of apples or pare one strip around center. Place in baking dish; fill center of each apple with 1 to 2 tbsp. granulated or brown sugar, 1 tsp. butter, and 1/8 tsp. cinnamon. Cover bottom of an with water about 1/4 " deep. Bake uncovered 45 to 60 min., or until tender when pierced with fork (time varies). Baste occasionally. Serve plain or with cream.

Baked Apples Vermont

Bake apples as directed above-except fill center of each apple with 1 tsp. butter and 1 tbsp. maple syrup.

An American Classic

Keds are Betty's go to shoe. Perfect for around town or an afternoon in the park, they are always in fashion. The original Champion style was worn by lots of retro woman including Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Onassis. Betty has them in red and blue!

www.keds.com

Soda Fountain Fun

A one-stop shop, the soda fountain is sure to have something for everyone. From egg creams to root beer floats, not only can you satisfy your sweet tooth, but at most shops you can also have lunch, pick up your prescription and grab the latest issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Betty makes it a summer tradition and every Monday she and the kids indulge in burgers, fries and, of course, dessert. On warm autumn and spring afternoons she surprises them with a trip to the soda fountain for an after school snack.

While these versatile ice cream shops started to decline in popularity in the 1970’s, it doesn’t mean that they don’t still exist! Below is a list of a few of our favorites. And if you can’t find one near you, recreate a retro soda counter at home with Betty’s Etsy picks, some classic pop and ice cream.Clockwise wise from top left: www.HelloVictory.etsy.com, www.amberfilkins.etsy.com, www.SweetAnneVintage.etsy.com, www.olderthanyouare.etsy.com, www.swoonshop.etsy.com, www.ehunt72.etsy.com, www.BehindTheScreenDoor.etsy.com, www.sportsmansguide.com, www.papertreats.etsy.com

Dr. Jazz Soda Fountain and Grille- Lebanon, IL
Brooklyn Pharmacy and Soda Fountain- Brooklyn, NY
Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain- Pasadena, CA
Hall’s General Store- East Otis, MA
Highland Park Pharmacy Fountain- Dallas, TX
Jimmy’s Old-Fashioned Soda Fountain- Duncannon, PA
Kaiser’s Grateful Bean Café and Soda Fountain- Oklahoma City, OK
Lagomarcino’s- Moline, IL
Mundt’s Candy Sales and Soda Fountain- Madison, IN
Skipper’s Soda Fountain and Ice Cream Parlour- Minden, LA
Sodie’s Fountain and Grill- Flipping, AZ
Village Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant- Lebanon, OH

So Take A Ride With Me..

Before the kids, Betty and her husband would pack a picnic and take their bicycles for a spin. With her red cruiser she was ready for a beach trail or woodsy ride. These romantic weekends were among her favorites.

The summer may be almost over, but it's not too late to enjoy a weekend ride on a retro bike. You can easily find vintage cycles on craigslist or a wonderful reproduction. Betty recommends the two listed below. She loves the simple design of the Micargi Tahiti and the 21 speeds on the Giant Suede GX W.

www.beachbikeoutlet.com

www.giant-bicycles.com

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/bik/1917721040.html

Bathing Beauty!

When the summer heat is too much Betty hits the pool. As a member of the local country club, she finds the indoor pool the perfect place to escape the mid-day heat and enjoy a cool dip. This summer dive into the deep end while looking like a 1950's bathing beauty. All you need is one of these retro suits from Mod Cloth and your God given curves.

Cool off with these fun fans!

It is hard to imagine life before air conditioners but Betty survives the summer heat with just a fan and an ice cold drink. This summer save some electricity and live like a real mid-century woman with one of these cool finds. And you can keep any of these fans out all year! They will look wonderfully retro on any shelf or table.

Clockwise from left: www.FishboneDeco.etsy.com, www.industrialrelic.etsy.com, www.kizzyrayan123.etsy.com, www.thehopetree.etsy.com

Happy 4th of July!

Being the all American girl that she is, Betty loves the 4th of July. Every year she plans a festive barbeque, which her friends and neighbors rave about for weeks. Her Independence Day party is patriotic down to the smallest detail.

Before planning your own backyard bash check out this retro photo shoot by Tinywater Photography. It is sure to inspire! Then take a peak at Betty’s red, white and blue Etsy picks to help you recreate this summer event.

From top left: www.WantsandWishesDesign.etsy.com, www.prosttothehost.etsy.com, www.BirdCraftsShop.etsy.com, www.Abundancy.etsy.com, www.LemonThread.etsy.com, www.rule42.etsy.com, www.WhimsyQuilts.etsy.com, www.HeyYoYo.etsy.com

Rustic Arrangements

Photos: Jose Villa

Vintage tins make wonderfully retro centerpieces for outdoor entertaining. Betty fills hers with wildflowers she picks with her daughter. Whether yours are filled with flora from the garden or market, spice up any drab table with these old-fashioned canisters. They are easy to find and a great way to add a little nostalgia to any dinner party.

Clockwise from top left: www.Birdie1.etsy.com, www.MissMossy.etsy.com, www.OctaviaBrown.etsy.com, www.SarahAnntiques.etsy.com, www.VintageInsanity.etsy.com, www.funretro.etsy.com, www.Elstreasures.etsy.com, www.ModishVintage.etsy.com

Caravan Camper

From top: No Chintz, Snail Trail (2)

Long weekends are the perfect time to escape suburbia in a caravan outfitted with the bare essentials. OK, Betty's camper may not be bare, but who wouldn't enjoy a little peace and quiet in the country in this home away from home? Whether you skip town or stay in, create your own retro paradise inspired by a vintage getaway.

If you're lucky enough to have your own caravan, you can find the perfect fabric to make everything from an awning to cushions at www.nochintz.com. Or check out the beauties for rent at www.snailtrail.co.uk. Otherwise, make your kitchen or den feel like a mid-century trailer with Betty's Etsy picks.

Clockwise from top left: www.MarionberryCottage.etsy.com, www.MinjisShop.etsy.com, www.MaryLittfin.etsy.com, www.nickandnessies.etsy.com, www.knottednest.etsy.com, www.Ruthscrafts.etsy.com, www.BettysKitschen.etsy.com, www.JodysVintage.etsy.com, www.TheWeeShelf.etsy.com

Paper or plastic?

Betty is back and getting down to business. Summer is about sweet tea, fresh juice and sunshine. So for your next soiree take it outside and bring these fun retro paper cups! They are perfect for entertaining or for the woman on the go. From picnics to parties, the alphabet never looked so good.

(ABC Paper Cups)