From the Pinterest Files....

So obviously, Catch Up July is still in full swing, which means that you're going to be bombarded with this month's posts as well as any I may have missed this year. Next week is Vintage Spotlight Catch-Up, so along with the other couple of months I missed, I'm going to post the Etsy File for this month next week in a double posting alongside this month's Spotlight (since it was Etsy that prompted my idea for the Spotlight, I wanted to publish both posts around the same time so that you'd understand a bit more about where I was coming from). The Random File will be pushed to the week after next, so I won't do an extra Files post this month. I'm actually going to stick to my word this time! You might even get a couple of extras thrown in there--operative word being might; I won't promise a three-tier cake when I only have enough ingredients for one. LOL Anywho, let's get on to our second week of Americana and what I found on Pinterest!

Even though this is a repro collection of images, I think it's a good representation of American-based snacks. This Pin links to ideas for a good 4th of July party, and caramel corn is a popular carnival/event food for people to have. American snacks and food, obviously, were a large part of the Americana state of mind, so the vintage-looking decor for the food items made this something I wanted to include. I also just liked the ideas that I saw, even if I wasn't making them for a 4th-related event.

Speaking of American snack foods, another big American treat, especially for festivals and fairs, is cotton candy. This Pin links to a list of today's favorite carnival foods, but this is a longtime member of the list since it was around during the Americana mentality. I'm not a large cotton candy fan anymore, but I still remember how much I used to love the texture of the candy as well as the overwhelming sugary taste after biting into it. What's your favorite American carnival food?

Part of the Americana design when it comes to integrating decor is having an older, more worn look, as if an original piece from the 1700s, which brings me to this blanket. I think the way that it's styled for this Pin is suitable enough, but I also think it would be fine draped over a sofa or used for sitting on outdoors. I really like the worn look; to me this is more the definition of 'rustic' than other products I've seen with that label.

I didn't put this on here for the cigarettes lol, I included this because of the pin-up photographs on each pack. Pinups are a large part of the Americana mentality, and society jumped on that during the World Wars. I believe I touched on this last week during the eBay Files, but pinups were a symbol of motivation and boosted morale for the troops stationed overseas. I think the mentality behind this age of pinups is what maybe inspired the boudoir photos and military costumes for women that are still quite common today. I'm probably wrong, but that's what I think. LOL

This Pin is for a site that sells a lot of retro-themed American memorabilia, which I think is perfect since the design of those images falls in with the Americana culture. Vintage Vending is a company after my own heart, I tell ya. Different pieces of Americana culture from vending machines, gas pumps to posters and other promo materials are sold here. Original pieces from the '50s and '60s are some of my favorite things, more so from the latter decade, and they all seem to have that vintage vibe about them that I love. A lot of the design elements are classified as Americana, since American designs were distinctive, even then. 

I put this on here for two reasons. Firstly, this cover image was made during the time that Americana was popular, and secondly because diners were popular around the same time. Diners were and still are seen as an American staple, so including this recipe book seemed like a good idea in case you've a-never had diner food and want to try it, or 2-don't have a diner in your local area and miss the food. I don't see too many diners nowadays, but cooking up some diner favorites brings back flavors we don't get too much anymore and if cooking for older people, will certainly bring back some good memories for them. 

Drive-in theaters were another popular pasttime for Americans back in the day, but unfortunately they're a dying, if not already dead, breed of entertainment. Most of the drive-ins we had in my hometown were closed when I was a kid due to graffiti, fighting, or lack of funds. I think the only legit drive-in theater we have now is an adult-themed one, if you catch my drift. LOL Going to a drive-in is on both my summer and main bucket lists because it looks like it'd be a lot of fun and probably a lot more comfortable than sitting in a cold theater in one of those stiff chairs. This Pin is a link to 10 of the best drive-ins still in operation across the country. I'm so jealous. 

I think this is probably the most 'signature American' thing on the list. The Hollywood sign, which up until 1949 actually said 'Hollywoodland', is something I had to put up here. Many people migrating to Los Angeles, whether it was from across the country or another country altogether, usually had this picture in mind as motivation to chase their dreams. Over a century after its creation, the Hollywood sign is still that visual representation of America and the city of dreams. It's still on countless bucket lists for all kinds of people today to just get to the sign and be able to see it in person. 

This wouldn't be a list of beloved American things and places without including apple pie, and I had to go with Martha Stewart for it. I'm not a big fan of apple pie or any kind of pie for that matter that isn't pumpkin or sweet potato, but weirdly enough I love pie crust. Now that I can eat all day. I can also bake pies all day. I just won't eat them. LOL Strange confessions aside, however, apple pie has long been considered the quintessential American dessert, especially when alongside ice cream. I love Martha Stewart's recipes so this one was a no-brainer for me. 

I had to end this with a personal favorite of mine. I'm not a roller blading kind of gal; I'm way too clumsy for all that and expectations of me are way too high if I am ever expected to maintain my balance on a single line of wheels. I like my wheels to be on both sides of my feet, preferably with a brake at the front. lol Roller skating was another favorite pasttime for Americans, but this is another one that, at least in my local area, doesn't have the following it once did. This Pin is an ad for some roller skates, and the writing that accompanies the photo cracks me up. I'm glad that they didn't take the shaming mentality when it came to describing different body types. Do you still have a roller rink in your local area?

It was actually really hard for me to find Pins that fit the look of Americana that I was trying to find, mainly because so much of the images were repeats of other Pins I'd already seen. I had to start searching specifically for Americana elements to find what I was looking for, but either way, I got it done. lol Can I confess something? Even though I'm liking that I've forced myself to get these posts up and stay caught up, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed again when I think about SUTS coming up and the craziness that usually accompanies that. It's hard when I start feeling overwhelmed not to just call it a day and run, especially because I still have the review blog, which I usually end up neglecting in favor of this one, but I'm going to stick to my word. It's just difficult as all hell. If you have multiple areas that you blog about, how do you achieve a balance and avoid getting things stacked on top of each other? It's not about having a schedule for me; I've had one for awhile, but when health issues or other unexpected personal things kick in, that's when I have issues. Sticking to my schedule is the issue for me. Any suggestions? Anywho, that does it for me for today; I hope you enjoyed this post and I'll see you soon!