Vintage Movie Club

The Vintage Movie Club meets on the third Thursday evening of each month. We delight in movies from early talkies to around 1965, encompassing a wide variety of genre's - you are sure to find something you like ! We meet, watch a film, and then spend time discussing the various aspects of the film over supper. Much easier than a book club in these hectic times - there is no reading before hand required ! We also have occasional theme nights just for the fun of it ! If you would like to start your own movie club in conjunction with us, please feel free. Or if you live locally to Echuca and would like to attend, please contact us via this blog site. If you have any movie suggestions or reccomendations, we would also love to hear from you!


This months movie : Rear Window
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly

Year : 1954

Running Time: 112 minutes

Date: Thursday 18 June 2009

Homemaker Tips and Tricks

Best ever play dough

6 cups plain flour
3 cups salt
1/3-cup vegetable oil
6 cups water
1 cup cream of tarter
food colouring of choice

Place in a heavy bottomed saucepan, stir over medium heat until too difficult to stir. Allow to cool, and use to children’s hearts content! Store wrapped in gladwrap and in an airtight container. ** This makes a huge amount so I halve the recipe which is plenty for my three children to use.


Broken Glass

Use a piece of bread to pick up small fragments of broken glass

Window Cleaner

1 cup metholated spirits

1 cup amonia

1 cup kerosene

1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in large bottle. Always shake well before using. Apply to windows, then polish with a clean cloth.

Chewing gum in hair

Soak cloth in eucalyptus oil and dab on affected hair till hair comes free.

Another alternative is to wrap ice cube in a cloth and apply to chewing gum until it is chilled. It should then lift off.


Removing blood stains

Soak overnight is disolved salt and water, then wash in normal way.


Removing grass stains

2 parts metholated spirits, 1 part ammonia, 3 parts water. Soak soiled part, then wash in normal way


Removing lipstick stains

Dab stain with white spirit (available at hardware shops) on a damp rag until stain lifts. Wash in normal way.

Another alternative is to use spray on carpet cleaner on the stain, then wash in normal way immediately. Test the carpet cleaner on an unexposed piece of garment firstly to make sure colours will not run or fade.

Shine and clean floorboards naturally

Use a cap of eucalyptus oil dissolved in a bucket of hot water to add shine and remove marks from polished floorboards

Cleaning Sink/Drains

2 tablespoons bicarb soda
2 tablespoons vinegar

Place bicarb down the sink drain, followed by vinegar and leave to dissolve both unwanted odours and accumulation of grime.


Cut Flowers

Place cut flowers into vase of water with ½ teaspoon of bleach added. Flowers will keep longer.


Remove Fridge Odours

Wipe walls of fridge and freezers with vanilla essance dabbed on a damp cloth. Place saucer of bicarb soda in fridge to remove food odours.


Clean a Dirty Iron

Clean a dirty iron plate with cold tea.


Keeping a clean oven

Place aluminium foil on base of oven to catch spills and grease drips.


Cleaning stainless steel

Use vinegar soaked cloth to clean stainless steel items


Baked on food

Soak dishes in water and fabric softener for 2-3 hours to save scrubbing with steel wool !

Sources: Various cookbooks, magazines, grandmothers 'useful book' as gathered throughout the years.

Natural Beauty Tips & Tricks

Honey Cleansing Lotion

1 Teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons warm milk

Blend together and pat over face and neck. Leave 2-3 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

Thyme Cleanser

1 Tablespoon milk

1 Teaspoon wheatmeal flour

1 Teaspoon cornflour

2 Tablespoons thyme infusion

Stand a glass jar in hot water. Add milk, flour and cornflour and stir until thick. Add thyme infusion stirring well. Leave to cool. Use liberally over face, leave 5 minutes and rinse with cool water.

Facelift

Apply beaten eggwhite to your face, leave for 10 mins while your relax with a good book, then rinse with luke warm water.

Chamomile Skin Freshener

Use a mild infusion of chamomile flowers, strain and bottle. Use as a skin 'pick-me-up' whenever needed.

Honey Toning Lotion

1/2 teaspoon honey

1 Tablespoon warm water.

Combine ingredients, pat on face and neck and leave for 1/2 hour. Read a good book or vintage magazine! Rinse off with luke warm water.

Shine for dark or red hair

After washing, rinse with cooled brewed black coffee, then rinse in cool water.

Basic Shampoo

1 Cup herbal infusion (see list below)

2 small teaspoons liquid coconut oil

1 teaspoon glycerin

Combine all ingredients in bottle and shake together. Use as desired.

Herbal infusions for hair health

Fair hair shine: marigold, chamomile, yarrow

Lighten fair hair: Strong chamomile

Darken dark hair: Strong sage

Dark hair sine: Rosemary, sage, parsley

Highlight dark hair: Diluted lemon juice

For white hair: Strong infusion of cornflowers

Homemade hairspray

1 tablespoon sugar
1 glass hot water

Disolve sugar in water, allow to cool, place in spray bottle and use.


Cure peeling/ splitting nails

2 Teaspoons gelatine

1/2 glass of water, juice, or milk

Combine ingredients and drink daily for 6 weeks or more if needed.

Whiten fingernail tips

Soak finger tips in a small dish of lemon juice


Your make up kit:

Mascara will work better if the bottle/tube is soaked in a cup of hot water before application.

Nail polish will keep longer if kept in the fridge

Keep eye and lip liners in the freezer 10 minutes before sharpening for a fine point.

Eye Creams are more effective at reducing puffiness if kept in a cool place ie.the fridge.

Jewellery Tips

Clean your rings with a soft toothbrush and some toothpaste for a lovely shine

Clean pearls by shaking in a bag of uncooked rice

Photograph: Brooke Orchard Photography (see links page)

Sources: Various magazines clippings and grandmothers 'useful book' as gathered throughout the years.

Hairdo how to : 1957 -1958

The key to any great vintage 'do' is to start with the right cut. When following a particular look or photograph, pay attention to the length or lengths of the hair. Many hairdos from the 40's and 50's had a number of layers, so begin with an empathetic cut and follow any of the styles sourced below for that original look......

Pompadour pageboy – smooth and sophisticated. To achieve height and fullness, all hair is set in large rollers. Hair is brushed up and away from forehead; sides are turned under and brushed forward to frame face softly.

Another version of the short ‘Chanel’ look – this time all hair is set (rollers for front, large pin curls for sides and back) to achieve a feathery, up-brushed effect. Hair is three to four inches in length all over.

Classic and feminine, this modified ‘bouffant’ is flattering to most any type of face. Front and side sections are set on rollers to achieve height at forehead, wide loose waves for sides: back is set in large pin curls so that ends will brush up into fullness.

(Source: Ladies Home Journal April 1958)

Enlarge the article to the side for more wonderful '57-'58 hairstyling tips :

Eden Design - Package and Price List

Below is a list of my fees and charges as of June 2007. If there is anything that I can help you with, please don’t hesitate to contact me - I'd love to talk gardens with you!

Starter Package : $100

What do you receive?

1. Initial discussions (Free)
2. Onsite meeting if required (Free)
3. Three concept plans (not available for clients to keep)
4. Discussion of concept plans and arrangements for final plans.

Note: Package one items automatically included in all other package prices


Bronze Leaf Package : $400

What do you receive?

1. All items available in package one plus:
2. Final plan - completed in black and white, A3 size or larger as required
3. Plant list.

Suitable for? Simple residential gardens where the owner intends to complete all works and as costs allow.

Upgrade available? Colour plan available for $50 extra


Silver Leaf Package : $500

What do you receive?

1. All items available in package one plus:
2. Final plan – completed in colour A3 size or larger as required
3. Two elevation drawings
4. Design description
5. Plant list.

Suitable for? Residential, industrial or developmental gardens, to be installed and maintained by owners or landscapers.


Gold Leaf Package : $600

What do you receive?

1. All items available in package one plus:
2. Final plan – completed in colour A3 size or larger as required
3. Two elevation drawings
4. Site analysis
5. Design description
6. Plant list, plant numbers required and proposed suppliers
7. Product list and suppliers
8. Cost estimate for clients installing their own garden

Suitable for? Submission to planning authorities; small or large-scale residential, industrial and developmental projects undertaken by owner or professional landscapers; displays and promotion.

Extras :

Plans on CD $25

Plans Laminated $30

Multiple copies $30 per set

Items in package 4 added to other packages $40 per item



Contact : edendesign@aapt.net.au

About Eden Design - Garden Design and Advice

Eden Design is essentially a garden design and advice service. I specialise in gardening where plants are the main focus and attraction, however, I frequently design with hard scaping elements to suit the particular requirements of a client. My personal passion is period gardening, but with 'low maintenance and drought tolerance' the theme of most gardens today, I find contemporary landscapes are fast becoming my main work.

I choose to do my designs in water colours as this is the traditional artistic medium for garden designers of last century.... garden designs are as much a work of art as the gardens themselves! When I can find a computer program that can replicate a stunning watercolour plan, then I will use it!

I am inspired by the wonderful watercolour designs of renowned Australian garden designer, Edna Walling, and have toured many of the stunning gardens of Australia, England and America for tangible inspiration. It must be confessed, however, that many of my favourite everyday gardens can be found in my hometown of Kerang ! I love to walk around a garden that has been established through years of love and tender care by the owner - it is not only beautiful to everyone, but a joy and escape for those that live there too.

I find people don’t seem to take the time or the pride in their homes that way so much anymore, but this is where Eden Design LOVES to help out! A garden need not be high maintenance or water guzzling to be as beautiful, lush or stunning as the gardens of last century. It is a pleasure for me to help people live in a place of garden beauty and wonder once again....

A small selection of the jobs I have undertaken in the past year are shown in the images on this post... I do hope they prove an inspiration to you in your gardening endeavours!