Plop plop fizz fizz oh what a relief it is....

Yesterday my mom went to the big Antique and Collectables show this weekend in Long Beach and because she knows I like to collect cat figurines( long neck cats mainly) she told me about a booth there that was filled with nothing but Black cats. I was thinking of the black cat shoe polish. This brings me to todays collectable blog..ADVERTISING COLLECTABLES.

Companies have used billboards,magazines,newspapers,calendars and the greatest TV to hype their products through catchy slogans and musical jingles. My favorite was the eveready cat.
Can you name the mascots below and above?

Whats in a Happy Meal?

Last night at a dinner party we got to reminiscing about Happy meal toys. I remember as a child getting happy meal toys and I would play with them for a couple of hours than it was just another piece of junk sitting at the bottom of the toy box never to be played with again. I must have passed this trait over to my son cause its the same thing. He is begging for that toy than during spring cleaning he has nothing but a toy box of happy meal toys.
Everyone would believe that McDonald's was the first to promote this great marketing ploy but it was really a local small regional fast food chain called Burger Chef. They introduced these little thin plastic hand puppets.
Oh and if toys weren't enough than came the Play gyms at McDonald's, The paper King Crowns at Burger king and the antennae balls from Jack in the box. Oh than for .99cents with the purchase of a meal you could get a cool glass or wacky straw.
So Cheers to the happy meal toys....... you will never really be worth anything but a fond childhood memory.

These were from Burger King

The Mac Tonight figurines from Mcdonalds

**all photos were taken from online toys dealers**

It's been awhile..Slideshows anyone?

Now that the Holidays are a thing of the past I can catch up on my blogging!
I have been seeing more and more people scouting out for old slides at yard sales, thrift stores and online. Some people just have a curiosity in reviewing the lives of people from other eras which actually can be quite fascinating.
Collectors are publishing books,and blogging, and even doing stage slide shows off of peoples abandoned family memories.

Charles Phoenix has made a HUGE following with his Hilarious comedy filled slide shows and also published some wonderful books which I own all of them all autographed by him.
My husband and I went to his Disneyland slide show and it was the best.
I strongly encourage for you all to checkout his site and his books.
http://www.charlesphoenix.com/


Not only are they collected for viewing but check out the awesome art you can make too!


Charles Phoenix

The beautiful world of Blythe

Now Blythe was before my time. Introduced in 1972 by Kenner for only one year.

What made this doll so cool?
Well besides the Oh so Groovy attire this doll had this string connected on the back and with a pull of the string her eyes would turn and look at different angles and would change color. It really was the only doll that can somewhat change expressions.

This doll is now being reproduced by other different brands. They make them custom now with wild hair styles and colors, tailored to your style of clothing, make-up and some even have piercings and tattoos. Oh and the accessories are unique as well.

They are quite expensive and extremely hard to find outside of the US. They are primarily being reproduced in Japan.

Anyways I would LOVE to start collecting these for myself..I just don't have the time and money for another addiction.

Coin Op Kiddie Rides and Bubblegum machines.

Mommy can I have a Quarter? A guaranteed question I asked my mom when she took me shopping and the same question I am always asked when I take my kids out shopping.

Oh those ever so tempting Gumball machines and little merry go rounds outside Zody's or Kmart how I loved them so.

I remember as a child I always was tugging away at mom or dad for a dime for the machines.
It was just not gumball machines either. It was the rocket ship ride that would slightly lift off, or the "ferris Wheel" seat that you sit in and it goes in circles , or the little mini theater you would sit in and close the tattered curtain and watch an old Heckle and Jeckle cartoon.

Anyways, it's not only old gumball machines that people collect but also the toys that were dispensed out. My grandmother had a drawer full of old plastic thin charms from the 40's and they had these frail little string on them. Than I remember the ones that had little mini books than you had Tattoos and Super balls ( Throw it down one time really good and it is gone forever) and you can't forget them Wacky Wall Crawlers that looked like an octopus and you bash them against the wall and they crawl down it. Only problem with that was once it hit the floor a couple of times it would get all hairy and that was it for the wall crawler.
In my opinon the coin op kid friendly machines will always be a past time favorite and a favorite for many years to come.

*pix taken from photos online*

Sneak a Peek at a Pin Up anytime

Swanky men all over must be well familiar with those sneaky peek a boo pin up ties.

These were produced as early as the 40's well into the 70's. There are companies now reproducing the classic pin up tie.

So when you just can't get enough of sneaking in the garage to check out those Nudie posters or checking out the girlie magazines at the local corner store you can catch a glimpse anytime and anywhere just neatly hidden behind your silk tie.

These pictures were taken from eBay where you can find these listed from time to time.

Fisher Price Little People

Whom ever grew up from the 60's through the 90's all know Fisher Price Little People!

Not those cartoony fat human like little people. I'm talk'n those colorful simple tubular bodies with the little round heads and plastic hair.

Who thought these would become so popular for collectors...

FP little people bring me back to soo many memories. I think my favorite was the A-Frame house. The green looking weinerschnitzal house looking one with the bell.
I have been collecting these playsets for a few years now and I think I enjoy collecting so much because there are so many different playsets.

The most sought after fisher price playset is the Amusement Park.

*pictures were pulled from a toy dealers site*