Perhaps These Hats Would Go Well With Scarlett O’Hara’s Curtain Dress

Melinda’s napkin folding skills were so great, she was no longer content to confine her skills in the dining room.

Via.

Is It Too Early For Wreath Shopping?

Not only do we eschew the rules for when to blog holiday stuff…

Not only do collectors of holiday items collect all year long…

But we must present what we find when we find it — especially when it’s goodies for sale.

Plus, as the back of this vintage photo of Iris Adrian reads, “You can come down our chimney anytime, Iris, and no need to wait for Christmas.”

Iris Adrian posing atop a roof in a festive holiday romper and holding a wreath

you can come down our chimney anytime, Iris, and no need to wait for Christmas.

Not to mention that the wreaths that Ida Lupino is shopping for are so fake, they are neither perishable nor time-sensitive. Don’t you just love the idea of a glamorous movie star wearing a fab hat and a mink coat while shopping for kitsch?

Vintage Ida Lupino Art Deco Christmas Decorations Photograph

Vintage Ida Lupino Art Deco Christmas Decoration Wreath Shopping

Bat En Pointe

A vintage 8 x 10 inch glossy of Joyce Blanche Murray dressed as a bat — if bats actually have or wear images of themselves on themselves. Oh, and if you think it’s too early for the Halloween costumes, there’s no mention of that holiday. After all, this was Hollywood — and this is Kitschy Kitschy Coo. Rules don’t apply.

Press snipe on verso reads:

EXCLUSIVE
PERFECT PROFILE AND DANCING FEET

These are the two things that won for pretty Joyce Blanche Murray a long term contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. Not only is Miss Murray a lovely person, but she holds the world’s endurance record for toe-dancing, almost 17 minutes. She has also stood on her toes for as long as 45 minutes. While doing a dance part in the sensational M.G.M. film, “The Broadway Melody”, she did the “triple-wing,” the “web-foot wing” and the “fast raffle,” the first time these dances have ever been done on the toes. The world-famous dancing instructor, Kosloff, calls her “Joyce of the iron Toes.” And rightly is she named.

vintage Joyce Blanche Murray bat costume

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).

He Sleeps With His Slingshot — & One Eye Open

A good cowboy would sleep with one eye open, so I’m guessing the eye we can’t see is open.

It’s kinda weird how few vintage greeting cards boys are out there… I guess boys were quicker to toss them out. Via.

cowboy bday card