Pack-O-Halloween-Fun!

We're officially halfway to Halloween 2022, and who says we have to wait until October to celebrate the fun? Not when your 'ol pal, Mr. Karswell, has a stack of late 60's / early 70's Pack-O-Fun craft mags loaded with great ideas to add a little bit o' Halloween trickery 'n witchery to this day! So let's take a look at a few things we can boo, errr, do: We can set up a spook house in our garage or basement! We can hang a witch! (later we can burn her in a bonfire too, just sayin'...), --and nothing on earth is more terrifying than-- PAPER BAG WIGS!!! I'll save a few more of these fun things to do when we enter a more fearful, Fall setting. So as always, stay tuned right here to AEET (and THOIA) for lots more...

The Burning Book / They Called Her a Witch

With Walpurgisnacht, aka "The Night of Witches" just a few days away, we're celebrating our (almost) Halfway to Halloween calendar status over at THOIA by looking at tales of 100% weirrrrd witchcraft! And so now today here at AEET it's a double Charlton fright feature as well, with two creepy classics from two very different eras of Charlton comics, highlighted by two very different types of witches! Our first is from the May 1969 issue of Strange Suspense Stories #7, followed by one from the November 1959 issue of Strange Suspense Stories #44! And as mentioned, don't forget to tomb in over at THE HORRORS OF IT ALL for non-stop horror comics all year long!

Bowlin' for Beer

Set of four kitschy fun, midcentury drink stirrers / swizzle sticks that I scored from my friend Todd a few months back. Funny lookin' people molded into / onto colorful painted plastic, just a'drinking beer and bowling --or are they lighting old timey, round fuse bombs like they used to have in cartoons? BTW, does anyone use a drink stirrer for their beer?!

See... The Flying Fleas!

Who's ready for the greatest show on Earth? Or how about the itchiest show on your dog turned into a buggy old big top themed tin toy made by Chein? I was definitely scratching my head in amazement after finding "The Flying Fleas" at an antique mall yesterday. And though being quite out of my price range (and quite broken too, I think, because I never could figure out how it works), I decided I still had to photograph it anyway from all sides because it's covered in some of the cutest midcentury, wraparound cartoon artwork ever! The game seems simple enough: little multi-colored, plastic "fleas" lay in the center ring, and I'm guessing you're supposed to do something that makes them fly up and grab ahold of the tiny metal trapeze danglers, and thus, flip them from one trapezie thingie to another. Or something, I seriously couldn't find any info online anywhere about this unique toy either, unfortunately. The whole "flea circus" phenomenon dates way back hundred of years, and many of us probably first became aware of it in a funny Tex Avery cartoon (HERE), or in a Ripley's Believe it or Not book. Having grown up thinking it was all just a kooky make believe concept where tiny, inanimate objects simply moved around, apparently powered by a flea (because of their near invisibility in size to the naked eye), I later learned that flea circuses were actually real, and actual fleas actually performed daring fleats, err, feats of wonder! If you don't believe me, you can take Sir David Attenborough's word for it, just CLICK HERE...

"Goodbye, Ruby Shoes Day..."

Occasionally while out hunting antiques, I see these midcentury Ardalt-Lenwile China figurines (made in Japan) with the soft cloth, stuffed fabric pillow base. They always seem to be a bit pricey though so I've never purchased one, --until today. Surprisingly affordable at $8.00 (I thought maybe there'd be some chips or cracks somewhere, but nope, just missing the trademark foil sticker on the bottom), she is definitely one of the more charmingly original figurines I've seen, featuring an adorable young lady in a pretty dress, slipping off her shoes while seated on her big comfy cushion. The overall paint job is nice, though does feel a little rushed in places, but that too lends a certain charm to Heidi as well. And is her name really Heidi? I don't know... but I guess it is now. It also looks like she was sold as a pair with an accompanying male figure too, though the few photos on Google that I've found never seem to have her paired with the same boy twice. I guess now I'll have to figure this out, as well as find her lost companion!  Where are you, Hans-- or is it Peter?! Maybe the Creature already got you! And what's the Creature doing in the Swiss Alps?!! This blog post is all over the place! AIEEEE!!!

Avon Magic Rabbit Pin (1975)

Easter just wouldn't be complete without a little bunny poppin' up somewhere-- so how about on the lapel of your jacket? The Magic Rabbit Pin from Avon (1975) is actually a fun animated pin, with mister bunnykins tucked away in a magician's hat until you give his ears a tug and out he comes! Even more magical than the pin though is the amazing box art, which is of course quite typically cute with vintage Avon kiddie gift packaging. Have a great holiday everyone!

Flintstones Friday: Mini Card Game + Remco Motorized Yacht Hobby Kit (Box Only For $ale)

Ed-U-Card's Flintstones Mini Card Game from 1967 is a teeny tiny deck of rummy lovin', prehistoric fun, with each card featuring fully painted, and occasionally slightly off-model artwork. And speaking of Flintstones and off-model, I recently found the box for Remco's Motorzied Yacht Hobby Kit (see photos at the end of the post), --and as much as I love this era of Flintstone toys, I certainly don't need an empty old box. If anyone wants it just send me an email or comment and we can work out the price in $$$ or trade. It's in good condition, with slight staining, a taped area, and typical cardboard corner / box edge wear 'n tear. Yabba Dabba Doo!