Author: Deanna aka Pop Tart

I Love You Tutti Fruitti Elvis Hat

Authentic vintage Elvis hat: black-and-white gabardine crew hat with six-color images, song title graphics and original 1956 brown white and red tag still affixed. Part of a lot from that Auction At Graceland.

vintage elvis tuttie fruitti i love you hat

Wunnerful, Wunnerful, Easter

In case you were wondering why there was such a liberal use of the #LawrenceWelk on Tweety Machine tonight, hubby & I were Live Tweeting tonight’s PBS showing of the 1979 Easter episode of The Lawrence Welk Show. (Live Tweeting is like a Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) riff, only with even cheaper production value.) No, we didn’t blowup Twitter; but we did have an awful lot of fun. And so I thought, why not outline it all here for you, dear Kitschy Kitschy Coo readers. Typos and all; interspersed with some factoid linkage — you know, in case you wonder what the hell we nerds of kitsch are talking about.

— Oh, and before we get to that, we plan on Live Tweeting next week’s PBS episode of The Lawrence Welk Show. So if you’re at all interested, or just bored, join us on the Tweety at 7 PM Central.

https://twitter.com/DerekDahlsad/status/584869966874333184

(And then some Twitter bot account favorited the tweet because BOT.)

(That movie is here — yes, on DVD!)

(Hubby & I on FB.)

(Hubby is trying to reference the author of Mary Poppins, P. L. Travers.

(A bot trying to sell flowers favorited that because BOT.)

(My fav chime-in of the night!)

Pink Poodles – And Other Mid-Century Kitsch Dog – Alert!

pink poodles and mid-century kitschy dogs

Contrary to contemporary thought, these kitschy puppy prints were not sold as nursery items. Adverting for this very set reads, “To bring new decorating dash to the walls of your home, or to spice up a children’s room or den, place these lovable puppies with their all-loo-human expressions where everyone can see and admire them. …Portraiture of animals is the latest rage.”

Yup, you read that right; this was actually grown-up decor. (And don’t worry about pink being to feminine for dad’s den; tough cowboys wore pink too.)

Sold by Colonial Studios as “4 Lovable Wide-eyed Puppies in Full Color for Your Home”, this is one set of Mid-Century Modern dog prints! While not as sad as the big-eye art of Margaret Keane, these pups certainly are of the same exaggerated-cute style.

colonial studios dog art by coby

These vintage dog prints were the work of an artist simply known as Coby. According to the scant literature, Coby was a man referred to in the sales literature as “one of America’s most perceptive painters of animals” who “seems to known exactly the right touch to make these irresistible paintings spring to lite. Painted with love, each of the characters will capture a special place in your heart.”

While all the emphasis is on the pieces being painted, you’ll quickly note the mod 3-D effect of added touches of ribbon, felt, and other fabrics was likely added from photos. Combined with the pastel critters it creates the instantly recognizable look of a kitschy style which ran rampant throughout the the late 1960s and early 1970s.

PS The large pink rubber poodle squeaky toy (from Sun Rubber, 1963) can be found here.

Modern Woman Mondays: It’s OK To Eat The Pink Elephants

OK, normally I save the food recipes for Things Your Grandmother Knew — but this? This is not food. …Technically edible; but not food. Plus, it involves pink elephants. And pink elephants are pretty darn kitschy. A recipe from a 1956 Wilton candy & food molds booklet:

“Pink Elephants”

These are fun to make and serve as a garnish on an Hors d’Ouevre Tray! Use the little elephants as socles or holders for toothpick appetizers (such as olives, cubes of cheese, miniature meat balls, etc.). Should the guest be inquisitive, he can just eat the elephants!”

Number one, I am surprised that last sentence doesn’t read, “Should The Guest be inquisitive” — because I hear that said with a sigh and an eyeball roll, like there’s always that one guest, aka The Guest.

And number two — and that may be a pun? — once The Guest gets that pink elephant socle on his tongue, he is not going to be happy. The ingredients are dry cream of wheat; salt; cold water (I am guessing the temperature is important); onion juice Worcestershire or Tobasco sauce, pepper or mustard; and food coloring. Ugh.

Well, at least I learned the word “socles.” Hey, I may be a lowbrow, low-class, kitsch lover; but even without knowing the name of those things I know better than to eat one of ’em.

Full “recipe” details below, which include options for “Tawny Tigers” and “Bears”. (Poor bears, they get no cute colorful name.  …Though it does just beg for a crappy name anyway due to the emphasis on brown coloring for this pasty concoction.) Click for a bigger scan if you need it.

vintage wilton molds appetizer trays

The Saturday Morning Cereal Flashback Post

It’s Saturday morning, time to eat your cereal! How many of these vintage Post cereals do you remember?

vintage 1950s post cereals

Personally, I was most happy to recall the old Post-Tens and Treat-Paks. So much cooler sounding than today’s “assorted” or “variety” packs. I don’t even think Post makes the small boxes like that anymore… *sigh*

Found in in Cookies Galore (from Frances Barton, Consumer Service Department, General Foods Corporation, copyright 1956).