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Giveaway: Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book

October 2, 2017 by Stefanie Girard

Giveaway: Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book: How to Plan Colors and Furnishings That Reflect the Personality of Your Family

Leave a comment in today’s post by October 11th 2017, and you are in the running for this vintage decorating book that is an amazing look into the past.

Open to U. S. residents only please.

Take a walk down memory lane with this 1950s decorating classic, re-released for a whole new generation

The year is 1956. America is a mere decade past World War II. Richard Nixon is next in command to President Dwight Eisenhower, the Dow Jones soars above 500, and Norma Jean Mortenson legally changes her name to Marilyn Monroe. Two words described the decade, as John Updike wrote in the short story “When Everyone Was Pregnant”: Fear and gratitude. And during this boom period, grateful young families thrilled to find themselves homeowners after the uncertainty of the Great Depression followed by a second Great War. Those empty rooms needed filling in order to make the house a home, and homeowners turned to the iconic Better Homes and Gardens brand.

Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book, the first edition of a title that would spawn ten editions over the years, became the new home bible for injecting class, style (and the occasional misguided cowboy wallpaper) into American homes. While exploring numerous styles, the main theme of the book is the on-trend mid-century modern sensibility, a style as appropriate today as it was six decades ago when the book was initially released.

Filled with hundreds of full-color period photos, dozens of adorable illustrations, and decorating tips and tricks that are both helpful and nostalgic, the book remains a fun classic. With this welcome hardcover release, reproduced exactly as it looked and read in the 1950s, everything old is new again.

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Comments

  1. LD Siess says

    October 2, 2017 at 9:47 pm

    Ooh, ooh! This appeals to me – I was 2 in 1961 ????

  2. Jan OBrien says

    October 3, 2017 at 2:25 am

    We would LOVE to have this wonderful, inspiring mid-century modern book full of fabulous 50’s style, including the cowboy wallpaper : )

  3. Marsha Burtch says

    October 3, 2017 at 12:48 pm

    I would be thrilled to win this book! Thank you!

  4. KatieS says

    October 3, 2017 at 1:56 pm

    That looks wonderful. I just bought a house this year and am planning to decorate mid century so this would be perfect!

  5. Molly Gibbs says

    October 3, 2017 at 4:43 pm

    Just love mid-century!

  6. Kim Reid says

    October 3, 2017 at 6:18 pm

    I would love to enter for this Better Homes and Gardens mid-century decorating book, it sounds amazing!

  7. Mary Helene says

    October 3, 2017 at 6:21 pm

    Love the gorgeous cover of this book

  8. Linda Tillis says

    October 3, 2017 at 7:11 pm

    I remember these 2 tangerine leather chairs that my Mom had in the living room when I was 10. The color was incredible.

  9. MARY SWITRAS says

    October 4, 2017 at 8:49 am

    Wow, useful nostalgia! This only predates me by two years – i love it.

  10. Sally H says

    October 4, 2017 at 9:32 am

    What a find! Would LOVE to read the articles on color and see the illustrations.

  11. S says

    October 4, 2017 at 9:34 am

    Gorgeous!

  12. Donna Jean says

    October 4, 2017 at 10:42 am

    My most memorable decade ever.

  13. Melody says

    October 4, 2017 at 11:13 am

    I am vintage!

  14. Bree says

    October 4, 2017 at 11:21 am

    My favorite time period for style. What a treasure this book must be!! Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy.

  15. Julie Henderson says

    October 4, 2017 at 11:44 am

    So smitten am I by all things retro/mid-century, as I was born in ’62. My minor in college was Interior Design, such a rich & fascinating study. Would be thrilled to win this….thanks for the giveaway!

  16. Shay Simmons says

    October 4, 2017 at 12:45 pm

    Some of the projects in a 1956 McCall’s Needlework & Crafts that I own, would look right at home on that cover.

  17. Brenda J Moore says

    October 4, 2017 at 1:08 pm

    Cant enter- being a Canadian; but I remember playing , looking through that book throughout my childhood…it’s the year I was born.

  18. Elizabeth Jane Gotts says

    October 4, 2017 at 2:41 pm

    Such a cool looking book – thanks for the chance to win

  19. Rose Schlem says

    October 4, 2017 at 3:41 pm

    I graduated high school in 1962 and would like to win this book. What a book to refresh memories!

  20. Susan Stone says

    October 4, 2017 at 5:05 pm

    I love vintage because I am vintage. I would love to have this book. Can we buy this somewhere?

  21. Jeano Matters says

    October 4, 2017 at 6:14 pm

    Growing up in the 50’s, I had cowboy wallpaper in my bedroom and loved it, would like to see some in this book.

  22. cassews says

    October 6, 2017 at 8:14 pm

    Oh my what a great give away and its mid century modern stuff … Oh thank you for the chance to win !!!!

  23. Shelley S. says

    October 7, 2017 at 6:10 am

    Love it! I remember Gramma’s house and the home I grew up in and love the retro look. I would be thrilled to have this book!

  24. Debra says

    October 8, 2017 at 11:15 am

    I would love this book! My son just bought a 60’s ranch and is restoring it back to it’s glory…

Have you read?

Recycled Paper Cylinder Face Art – A Colorful Win for All Ages

I recently stumbled across this super creative project on Instructables – “Face With Recycled Paper Cylinders” – and I had to share it with you all because it’s just the kind of craft that checks all my favorite boxes: recycled materials, hands-on creativity, and fun for literally any age.

The idea is simple but genius—roll strips of recycled paper (think junk mail, old magazines, leftover printer paper) into cylinders, then arrange and glue them to form a unique abstract face. You can make it funky, realistic, Picasso-inspired—whatever your mood or style dictates!

What I really love is the blend of eco-conscious crafting with true artistic expression. This isn’t just another kids’ project—it’s something you could easily do with a group of little ones, a classroom full of teens, or even as an adult art therapy or weekend wind-down activity. It’s super relaxing and surprisingly satisfying seeing all those paper rolls come together to form something new and expressive.

The tutorial itself is easy to follow, with plenty of visuals to guide you along the way. You don’t need any fancy materials—just glue, paper, scissors, and a board or piece of cardboard to serve as your canvas.

I also appreciate how this project leaves so much room for personalization. Want to make it into a full face? Go for it. Prefer to focus on a single eye or mouth? Totally works. You can even play with color schemes by choosing papers with a certain palette, or painting over them once they’re rolled.

In short: this is a total keeper for anyone who loves crafting with purpose. It’s the kind of project that sparks creativity while gently reinforcing the idea that beautiful things can come from what we usually throw away.

Highly recommend giving it a go—solo or with a group. And if you try it, tag me or drop a pic—I’d love to see your recycled masterpiece!

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