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.

Ring-A-Ding-Ding, A Spy’s Phone

I’m a fan of FX’s The Americans. So I was thrilled when I spotted the mod round brown Sculptura phone aka “the doughnut telephone” in the Jennings’ master bedroom.

Keri Russell as elizabeth jennings on the americans mod telephone

Sculptura doughnut phone in bedroom Philip Jennings Matthew Rhys

I like to spot the vintage in TV shows; it’s just something I do. And spotting this retro phone made me hold onto it a bit longer… But now the Sculptura, made by Western Electric’s Design Line for Bell Telephone circa 1975, is up for sale.

retro sculptura mod round phone

The photos of Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys as Elizabeth and Philip Jennings in the characters’ bedroom set on The Americans came from set decorator Kelley Burney. More info on the difficulties of finding items for the show’s set in this article at Slate.

Right Down To The Miniature Cash Register

If you love dollhouses, shadowboxes, and other miniatures check out Miniature Shops How to Design And Make Them by Margaret B. Duda. It helps you make everything from a Victorian millinery to an ice cream parlor – complete with tiny hats, hat boxes, and a cash register.

miniature cash register

miniature antique shops

Elvis’ Penguin Suit Up For Auction

Of course, we can’t talk about Elvis without mentioning the fashion. His black & white “penguin suit” made by IC Costume Company in the mid-1970 is also up for auction.

Elvis Presley Black and White Penguin Suit

The Famous Elvis Chair

This green barrel-backed chair was one of a suite of six from Elvis Presley’s Hillcrest home in Los Angeles. It’s rather as one of these chairs was used in the 1970 family photo shoot with Elvis, Priscilla, and Lisa Marie. It is going up for auction on August 14. Via.

elvis presley green chair

elvis presley family photos

elvis-priscilla-presley

Elvis Presley and Lisa-Marie

the presleys