Troubles...

Another dreadful month of 2020 is in the bag-- I honestly don't know how many more of these I can take-- but never fear, we'll see you all in September for lots more fun stuff to try and brighten the year up as we get closer to fall and Halloween season (yay!!!), and unfortunately voting season too, (barf!!) I found the perfect vintage postcard over the weekend that really sums things up...

A Feline Feast!

The cats are runnin' wild today at AEET, and if you saw the current purrin' post over at THOIA (HERE!) then you might just call this a criss-cross-over double feature! You know, like Peter Criss, aka The Catman of Kiss...??? Uhhh, okay, that was a stretch even for a hairball-brained introduction such as this. So just ignore me and please, curl up somewhere cozy whilst diggin' your claws into this 2 page, fancy feast quickie from the May 1975 issue of Weird Mystery Tales #18.

Ours is a Strange and Wonderful Relationship

Here's a cute little hardcover for all you love birds out there, published by Hallmark in the 60's or 70's, as part of their "Thoughtfulness Library" of greeting card alternatives. Incredible art "drawed" by Louis Marak certifies this as a real gem of a book.





















CLICK HERE to see another adorable greeting card alternative book from my collection, and this time from American Greeting's "Sunbeam Library."

Ancient Age Sports Idea Contest

While I'm definitely not a drinker, nor am I into hunting or fishing, this is still a fun booze booklet full of cute illustrations from Ancient Age bourbon whiskey and printed in 1963. It's filled with contest / patch winning ideas sent in by fishermen and hunters, and there's also a couple pages of drink recipes at the end too, of course. But seriously, I actually enjoyed reading these "tips" as some of them are downright humorous (fishing for crappie with bubble gum), and even ingenious (slip a pair of nylons over your sleeves when cleaning fish), and / or completely baffling to me, for example the one with the illustration that shows you how to hypnotize a snake with your gun barrel before blowing its head off. Annnnnd folks, THAT is why I'm not a hunter.

All in the Packaging

A quick word about how I choose one brand of say, cookie molds or decorator table covers over another brand. Does your product have a cute illustration on the packaging even though it's otherwise identical in every way, shape, and form to another product in a more generic package and minus a cute illustration? Then I will be picking the one with the cute package illustration, every time. Here are a few of my favorite recent finds for example:





Also, if I'm dropping off my film to be developed, (anybody still do this?!) does your return envelope contain a cute illustration on it while your competitors doesn't? Then you're getting my business!

Hill Billy Brew vs. Kickapoo Joy Juice

My fondness for Mountain Dew soft drink and related vintage hillbilly product character mascots for all of the similarly themed knock-off drinks goes way back, and a few more additions to that soda sector of my collection now contains a Hill Billy Brew / Lil Brown Jug double-sided bottle, as well as an unused Kickapoo Joy Juice bottle carton, both from the 60's, and both in great condition. They actually still make Kickapoo soda, but unfortunately, the Lil Abner characters are no longer associated with it.





Click HERE for some delicious Kickapoo Joy Juice!

Fatima the Harem Dancing Girl + Hula!

Found not one, but two of these vintage, hand crank novelty girls last week. I'm not exactly sure when they came out, I've read possibly as early as the 1940's... who knows? Anyway, Fatima the Harem Dancing Girl is the more splendidly designed of the two, and even seated on her fluffy pillow, her wiggle 'n twist action is surprisingly life-like. She's unfortunately not in the greatest condition anymore, as the rubbery material has started to deteriorate a bit so I think I'll rename her Fatima the Zombie Harem Dancing Girl, (plus she's missing her original carnival-esque box), but she was still quite a $10 bargain compared to most online prices!







SEE HER MOVE!

The Hula Dancer on the other hand comes conveniently packaged in her own clear case with the appropriate palm tee and beach background (including a gawking stalker!) painted right on it. She's not as intricately designed or as realistic as Fatima, (and could the paint job be any sloppier?), but she can still shake it like the best of 'em! She's also the easier of the two to crank into action.

SEE HER GROOVE!

Yes sir, an early form of daring, do-it-yourself animation-- right at your fingertips! Gentleman, start your dancers!

Bullwinkle Pinball Game

Your own frazzled face will most certainly look exactly like Boris Badenov's after playing a few minutes of this wonderfully clunky, but none the less fun old toy pinball game from Lido, made in 1965. I have a special fondness in my heart for all things Jay Ward, --the toys, the games, the incredible cartoons-- so this was an awesome find for me. And when I think back to my life without it, I start to get blue... just like Mr. Peabody is for some reason!



"Natasha wants a blast..."

Scissor Bugs

A cute idea for a rounded edges children's safety scissor turns terrifying, when a popular cartoon character is painted off-model, placed into the form of a high impact slicing device, and then "WTF's up, Doc?!" priced at the antique mall. Mr. Karswell stars in this 2020 antique mall nightmare from Warner Brothers, equaling NO purchase. RATED R (for ridiculous price.)

Wide Open Spaces

If you enjoyed the "wide open spaces" of our last post (*wink) then you may also enjoy today's revealingly deceptive Marcie Cowgirl Doll from the 1950's. Nestled away in her cute little window box and wearing an even cuter cowgirl outfit complete with hat, chaps, halter top vest, lasso, and holsters (she's definitely armed to the teeth in more ways than one!), our blinky eyed, blonde beauty from out west can certainly hold her own against the roughest of ornery high plains drifters.





But being cooped up in that box is no way for a lady to live, our gal needs to be free to ride, and to feel the wind blow through her hair! I mean, we already know she likes the wide open spaces. How do we know this you may ask? Why, just turn her over-- it says so right there on her tiny backside!



For another backside revelation, CLICK HERE!

Snatch A Match

A lotta bit cute, and a lil bit naughty pop-up matchbook I found the other day, made in 60's Taiwan, and definitely designed to heat things up fast! First off, the intriguing illustration on the front cover-- is she smoking an imaginary cigarette, or blowing on the barrel of a imaginary smoking gun? If it's the first option, then she's gonna need a light, and there's nothing imaginary about our matchbook. So let's do what the cover says and "Snatch a Match" for the lovely lady, and yes, suddenly we understand that "snatch" now has a double meaning! Two tiny paper legs pop-up and spread outwards, and a colorful, cute little nudie Ado Mizumori-esque nymph gives us a lil wink-- while also requesting us to "Screw It!" A small square of black rough paper (which I've somehow lost in my car somewhere) is also included for you to cut out tiny patch shapes to apply in the magic zone between her legs, thus creating a match striking area! Come on baby light my fire! *wink!