Thursday, February 25, 2010

Spirograph Glassware

Spotted at a thrift store, these vintage glass trays with atomic designs which resemble Spirograph geometric drawings.

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Saturday, January 16, 2010

Set The Table With Olga Baclanova. Literally.

Olga Baclanova as the centerpiece, 1929.

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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Hefty Hefty Chalkware

Huge (easily 14, maybe even 18 inches, tall) vintage plaster or chalkware pieces I didn't add to my collection because they were $65 for the pair. I love the lady reading!


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Friday, September 18, 2009

Craft-Scan Friday: Should Coat-Hooks Be "Leafed" Alone?

My grandma totally had old plastic leaf coasters like these shown in this how-to from Popular Mechanics, June, 1957.

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Friday, September 11, 2009

Craft-Scan Friday: Women Are Delighted By Shills

Err, Shillcraft -- women are delighted by Shillcraft.

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Friday, May 15, 2009

Craft-Scan Friday: Make Amusing Table Favors From Fruits & Vegetables

Mrs. George C. Wagoner of Glendale, California, must have never been told by her momma not to play with her food; here she show how to make a tiny orchestra from hairpins, paper clips, modeling clay, and a basket of common fruits and vegetables. Talk about your anthropomorphic fruits and veggies!



Found inside this vintage issue of Modern Woman Magazine.

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Sunday, April 5, 2009

You Can't Dust M&Ms

I had to buy this retro turquoise glass snack dish -- I mean, come on -- it's fab-u-lous! As the rooster says, "It's something to crow about!" (The photos don't do the turquoise color justice.)


At $2, it was a thrift shop steal.

But then, being 9.5 inches tall, and having a mouth diameter of 4.5 inches (much narrower than the base), it would cost, what, $45 to fill it with peanut butter M&M's?

Plus there's the additional cost of "a lifetime on the hips" -- because you cannot dust off M&M's, you have to eat them.

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Thursday, February 5, 2009

Old Green Glassware

I snapped this at a local thrift shop; the sunlight coming in around and through all the green glass turned the table of odd remnants into a really pretty display.



It reminded me of a few things too:

Simple pieces of glassware can be rather powerful when combined in a presentation like this; they'd look even prettier when filled with light candles too.

And then I am reminded that such things can only safely occur without children, pets or clumsy people; I live with all three.

Don't pay retail for glassware; it's plentiful and dirt cheap at thrift stores.

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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Retro Turquoise Smoking & Magazine Stand

This is too cool for words:
It has a hanging magazine holder, a center stamped template for glasses, cigarettes, matches and a multi colored glass lined area. The turquoise painted portions are wood while the pole is a brass colored metal. It is 18 1/2" tall, 15 1/2" wide and 12 1/2" deep.


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Thursday, January 8, 2009

Macramé A Lampshade

From Macramé with Potpourri (Hazel Pearson Handicrafts, 1981), instructions for making this um, "spectacularly kitschy" spice jar lamp with macraméd shade. (Here's info on how to make basic macramé knots from the same book.)



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That 70's Furniture

Furniture never looked so bendy and so uncomfortable.



Via Conde Nast.

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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Reminds Me Of Sarah Palin

I totally remember kitschy retro bathroom decor -- and being embarrassed by it whenever some friend's mom had put 'potty people' on display in her bathroom. Mainly it was wall plaques of folks taking baths, little boys with bums sticking out of drop-bottom pjs, and lots of things with toilet paper themes. I did not find them cute, but wildly inappropriate. I remember on more than occasion pondering just how badly I had to pee -- and was it worth going into that bathroom with the 'potty people'.

I still cringe and say Eeeeiiwwww. Which is why when I spotted a pair of such wall plaques at the thrift store, I did not buy them.



I was both brave enough & amused enough to take photos of the girl applying lipstick to the family dog tho. (Even if she has exposed her bare bottom.) For some reason both the little girl applying lipstick to her dog -- and wildly inappropriate bathroom decor -- remind me of Sarah Palin.

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Long Hair Saucer Chair

Discovered at WalMart last night (and apparently sold out this morning; I called to get more info to find a link for you -- how dedicated am I?!), the Long Hair Saucerchair. I bet it's more fun to say than to sit in. In truth, I just keep saying long-hair-saucer-chair over and over again -- but have no desire to sit in it.



This was the closest I could find to the chair. They make them for pets too, of course -- it would be cool to train a dog to take to his chair at the command of "Long Hair Saucer Chair."

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Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Flower Over-Power

Ticky-tacky paper flowers cheerfully scare away goth girls and other nightmares. Or maybe they cause nightmares. I know Fire Marshal Bill would see this as literal over-kill, what with paper flowers being so flammable.



In any case, if you really need instructions for it let me know. But it's cutting paper, people; not rocket surgery -- so I may mock you when sending the info.

Also in that first issue of Good Housekeeping Needlecraft magazine (Fall-Winter, 1968-1969).

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Christmas Decorating Tip

Your drapes should not be louder than your tree.



Via Flickr.

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Monday, December 1, 2008

1921 Doll Lamp


Ad for the "Cute Lite" found in the April 1921 issue of The Modern Priscilla.

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Friday, September 12, 2008

Back When Davenports Made The News

It's 1936 and women are being encouraged to have sleep-overs -- as long as the furniture is discreet. Why else would the newspaper be pushing sofa beds?


First it was a day bed and it was kept in the sewing room or the children's playroom where it served for guests. Then it evolved into the studio couch and it found a life of service in the one-room apartment. Now it is a sofa bed and has a definite place in the living room where it is hardly distinguishable from the ordinary sofa, davenport or love seat.

The newest versions of this two-purpose piece of furniture are offering interesting innovations both in appearance and in operation. Practically all of them are provided with backs of some sort, so that the cushions need not stand against a wall in order to maintain an upright position; and many of them have sides. Perhaps newest of them all is the love seat which opens into a four-foot bed.
Scans from The Milwaukee Journal (Sunday, August 9, 1936) sent from Silent Porn Star * (yup, adult content present at site), who wrote about the Sanity in Art movement article.

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Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Barking Mad For Books


With the number of books and magazines we have 'round here, we certainly would need a Pack of Dogs -- and I don't think stacking them would be appropriate with kids around.

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Sunday, July 6, 2008

Sweet Melamine Dreams

And kitschy nightmares for you too.

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Thursday, July 3, 2008

Because All Men Still Look Up To See Planes

And because all men are about 8-12 mentally, the Louise Antoinette Adams Airplanes Chandelier (found via A Tad Too Tan For Taupe) works for boys of all ages.

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Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Roller Coasters Of Love, Say What?


Even if you're not The Ohio Players, get a set from Words, Inc.

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Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Behold The Bejeweled Pink Poodle Paintings



From eBay, of course.

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Friday, April 4, 2008

Craft-Scan Friday: Get Yer Space-Age Santas Here

Remember the 60's and how they promised us a future of hover cars and jet-pack travel? Well, some of us do, anyway. The rest of you can put down your Tommee Tippee cups and see why the rest of us all believed so hard.

See, our moms were busy creating space-age Christmases. Just like Ethel Peterson who had covered the face of her clock (now at a thrift shop near you) with a half-circle of gold-flocked cardboard. "Stars, pasted onto the blue crepe paper, give 'sky' effect."



Pretty potent stuff, merging forever, the idea of travel, space, and free gifts.

Here Santa rides a rocket -- which they call a "jet" ("cut from linoleum rolls and covered with shelf paper, then painted"). Not only better than that, a reindeer rests on the rings of Saturn.



What the heck can be better than typing "a reindeer rests on the rings of Saturn"? Seeing it. I can't wait to make hundreds for next year's holiday craft fair.

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Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Have A Coolie Christmas

All you thought you had to worry about was your neighbor with the black lawn jockey...

Included in the Pacific Palisades Holiday Tour was this exotic outdoor decoration that blends East and West. Set on an outdoor patio, the antique rickshaw carries a Santa Claus figure and a collection of brightly wrapped Christmas gifts.

The coolie figure was made of papier mache with an Oriental mask face under his collie hat. This holiday display decorates the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Kalasardo of Pacific Palisades.
Found in the 1959, Better Homes & Gardens' Christmas Ideas.

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Saturday, March 15, 2008

1959 Disneyland Candle Shop

From the 1959 Better Homes & Gardens' Christmas Ideas magazine comes this photo of Disneyland's candle shop.

Mrs. Robert Beals, and her daughter Jani, find the choice of candles fantastic and a difficult decision to make. Which one shall it be?
Well, of course it's difficult to pick just one -- even if you are allowed to be known by your own name and not as your husband's property.

I never just pick one candle. Hence I am not only a huge boon the hostess of the home candle party, but have been put on candle buying prohibition; I'm not allowed to by any more candles.

Hubby thinks having a cabinet designated just for candles is silly. This, even after he's seen my sister has an entire pantry just for candles -- which should prove that I'm really deprived, not depraved, as he believes.

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Sunday, February 24, 2008

In Lieu Of Cards, Send Art



Why send a card, when you could send art? Why send it as a paper gift, when they are suitable for framing?



By Jellygnite at Etsy.

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Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Gregory's 60s Bachelor Pad

Gregory has a swingin' bachelor's pad -- not just one room, but the entire rambler is decked out in vintage housewares:

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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

It's 2008, But Not For Everyone

Remember Brendan Fraser in Blast From the Past?

Well, Brian aka Ted Valentino (who is nearly as cute at Brendan) has completely decorated his home to look as if his home had been preserved for since the 1950's in a bomb shelter.

Before I show you, I must mention that I found Brian/Ted's site via Planet Fabulon -- Thom, consider yourself Kitsch-Slapped. You too, Brian/Ted. (And feel free to grab the Kitsch-Slapped icon from the sidebar.)

OK, now just look at the retro kitschy goodness!








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Friday, February 8, 2008

Craft-Scan Friday: Vintage One Evening Wood Projects

From a 1953 Deltagram, two projects you can make in one evening.



I love the shelf; but I believe that's not only because I own kitschy knick-knacks, but because of the kitschy knick-knacks shown in the photo.

The elephant ring toss is cute, so cute it "will amuse the older folks as well as the children." The suggested rings to toss are fruit jar rings, so while Mom may be a bit perturbed to find she's short a few rings at canning time (and who's mom isn't?) at least the walls won't be marked.

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Thursday, January 31, 2008

Magazine Mental Illness

Most collectors will admit they are more than a little mad... But it takes a special kind of crazy to collect old magazines.

First there's the sadness as you grab box after box of vintage and retro crafting, how-to, and do-it-yourself magazines at an estate sale or auction... All the unfinished work speaks of lives that weren't finished.

And then there's the general craziness of what's inside the pages. Who said these were good ideas? And when it comes to women's magazines there's the perpetual, "Who bought this crap -- bought into this crap?"

One cannot help but mull the sanity & happiness, insanity & unhappines, of the former magazine owners... Today, I do so with 13 examples of mockable magazine scans.

(And yes, whenever I mock the previous owners of these magazines I am reminded of what others will think of all these boxes of magazines that I'll leave behind. I said it's a special kind of crazy.)



1) Via this 1971 Pack-o-Fun, "The Only Scrap-Craft Magazine", I am reminded why I don't recommend putting your children in scouting. Or elderly folks into those crafting classes at the old folks' home. Little's much sadder than instructing people to make dolls out of garbage -- unless it's dangerous dolls made of plastic dry cleaner bags, stuffed with facial tissue, and drawn on with markers.

While they admonish giving these dolls to babies who will put things in their mouths, they also say that "these cuddly little dolls will become favorites of the toddler set." Toxic teethers, poisonous pacifiers; a garbage doll by any other name is just fine as long as your child is mature enough, by 2, to know better. (No mention that suffocation by plastic dolls or marker fumes may cause retardation, rendering your smart toddler as dumb as a baby.)

2)
Foiled again. From the same magazine, this is eggs-actly what you think it is: egg cartons covered with tin foil, used as a lighting fixture.

What? You're waiting for me to add something? The idea should be enough -- plus, you've got the groovy photo.

3)
Home Kinks magazine isn't what you think it is. Or maybe it is; maybe you're not as twisted as I am. Or maybe you are just as twisted, but you just knew this was a Popular Mechanics publication (1947).


The cover boasts of a frying pan shield on page 18. I didn't scan it, but to end your suspense, I'll confirm that it's precisely what it looks like: a cake cover cut-out to allow access to the contents of the frying pan.

4)
On page 9 we all learn how to make a Dutch Boy cutout to hold a kitchen broom. I'm not going to mock this; I long for the good old days when copying corporate logos for home use was de rigeur.



5)
On page 94 we have (further) proof of my mental illness. Something has been cut out -- presumably the order form for the 102 time saving, money saving, money making, helpful, inexpensive easy to use... guides, as selected by the blue X's. But that's not good enough.

This magazine is incomplete; therefore I am incomplete.

6)
The October 1975 issue of Women's Circle Homeworker "shows you the way to home money making." (I have to admit I read the title as 'homewrecker', but maybe that's because I just know a lady making extra 'pin money' isn't the sort of girl dear old dad can stay married to.)


The cover proclaims, "Women Paperhangers Earn $5 Per Hour". I guess that was startling in 1975 -- but not for the reasons you think.

7) As the story continues on page 31, the headline, "Women paperhangers are still around", tells us that in 1975 paperhanging was considered to be on the outs with the modern home working woman. I guess wallpaper hanging was that 'oldest profession' folks refer to.




I'd also like to note that in 1975, the was a shortage of pithy, pun-ny writers or else there should have been a pun about women paperhangers still hanging around.

8) At the end of the article, Edna Shimp, wallpaper professional gal, recommends, "If you are contemplating decorating, think wallpaper." Surprise, Edna shills!

9) Super double bonus points for a women's lib mag calling women 'gals'.

10) And tack on an extra 100 points for the corner call for 'junior achievers', women "below the age of 20". Sheesh.

11) In the January, 1964 issue of The Workbasket, there's an ad for Yum Yum perfume.
When you are asked say Yum Yum!

Our new perfume is so delightful that we just had to name it YUM YUM. The fragrance lasts and is very subtle. Its exquisite tones are remembered fondly.



When you are asked, say "Yum Yum!" OK, so picture it... Your meet a swell feller, and whatever he asks, you reply, "Yum Yum," as directed. Later on the feller asks his buddies, "What was the name of that retarded girl... I am fond of her smell."

12) On the opposite page, we are asked to choose between "this or this" with the choices being to have, or not to have, bunions.



Naturally, all we can reply is, "Yum Yum!"

13) Below that ad, an ad for a job to work at home doing invisible mending.


In many communities invisible menders are scarce: service is expensive -- often unavailable. Can you learn to do this fascinating, profitable work?
"Yum Yum!" is our instinctive reply. (Oh, yes; it sucks to have the ads near the Yum Yum Parfums-Degas ad.)

But then again, perhaps we are just high on the subtle but exquisite smell of our $1 bottle of perfume and so we think maybe, must maybe, we are able to learn such fascinating, profitable work... Or is that the smell of our marker colored suffocation doll? $240 a month buys a lot of $1 per bottle, postpaid, perfume. (We reckon about 180 of 'em.)


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