The Aqua Net

I think it's time to add another regular, themed day-of-the-week, don't you? Something along the lines of what Way-Out Wednesdays are around these here parts, only not as odd. Or maybe it will be, who knows at this point. What gave me the idea was a convo (I said "convo" like I'm hip with the modern lingo or something) I was having with some peeps recently about specific colors of things they love. Personally, I collect original pink 50's things and it's gotten to the point where my house looks like it wharfed up a bottle of Pepto. (It's getting a little too girlie up in here y'all, and am starting to re-think my decor plan, but that's another story.) Some people like the 40's red and white kitchen schtick, some people go the mid-century modern/minimalist earth-tone route. But one thing that just about everyone I know agrees on is the color aqua. What gives? Why do 50's fans so dig the aqua?

So starting today and every Friday from now on, I'll be posting aqua-hued vintage finds, because apparently what I really need to be doing is making more themes for this blog. Monday's looking a little bare, so I might have to do a Monday-Wednesday-Friday theme thing. ANYWAY. Onto the first installment of Aqua Net Fridays. (Ha! What a cleverly stupid name. I'm so easily amused.)



Today's aqua love is in the form of vintage 50's stools, taken out of an original A & W, so the story goes. They're located in Nebraska, of course, because all great old finds are stuck in the midwest, aren't they? (But if you really have the hots for them, the owner can ship them to you. Click the pic for the listing and all the gory details.) Screw the happy family soda shop thing, I would sooo mosey these stools up to the bar!

Way-Out Wednesday: I've Got The World On A String

Not too long ago, I was rambling on about grody (to me, anyway) 70's art (like those big-eyed girl paintings made hip again by those damn hipsters, with their stringy hair and...Lip Smackers or...Sassoon jeans...or whatever, I don't "do" hipster) and my friend over at Monkey Muck reminded me of a grotesqueness I haven't thought about in forever, and that, my dear friends, is 70's string art. You all know it. If you're in my age group, then your parents probably had a string art picture hanging up in their rumpus room (I love that word), if you were an adult in the 70's, then you probably had a string art picture in your basement next to the 8-track, bean bag chairs and hanging above the table where you stashed your pot. Don't act like you didn't because I know you did. Which leads me to a question or 2, maybe 6:

1.) Where have the string arts gone?
2.) Have you seen any recently?
3.) Does anyone currently own a string art?
4.) Were the string arts an American thing or was an international phenom as well?
5.) If the string arts did travel overseas, what were the popular themes?
6.) How drunk do you have to be before hammering nails into canvas and tieing
strings to them is fun?

So for this Way-Out Wednesday, I went on a quest for the string arts and found a handful of wonderfully painful examples, and as always, all pictures are clickable so you can go to the listing and buy it. Which means either you're a patchouli-stinking, Birkenstock-wearing, Phish-listening, dope-smoking, wanna-be hippie hipster neophile who's probably going to an ivy league school on Daddy's bill, or you just have an affinity for remembering your youth. Please do enjoy the wonder that is called 70's String Art:




Here's a whole kit! What joy.






Sooo...this is muy macho, right? Just checking.





Why so angry, Mr. Owl? I'm not the one who stole your damn Tootsie Pop, so don't blame me! Don't bite my head off, grumpy pants. GOSH. Stupid mean owl.






I have GOT to say something, or my head might explode...this is the only time I'll probably ever be able to say this here and it not be filthy...can't keep it in...LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT COCK! Wheeeew. Praise jebus! The demons have been ex-or-sized! I have been cleansed! Ok. Much better now. Glad I got that out.





I know owls are a ubiquitous 70's theme, but my grandmother collected all things owl in the 70's and had the exact same one as this! Actually, I bet everyone's grandmother collected all things owl and had the exact same one as this.






Oh. Good. Lord...Eeeew. I don't feel so good...I NEED AN ADULT! I NEED AN ADULT!...THINK OF A HAPPY PLACE...GO TO THAT HAPPY PLACE...UNICORNS AND RAINBOWS, UNICORNS AND RAINBOWS...*blaarf*...Okey dokey then, all better.




"I've Got the World on a String" by many peeps, though the version I'm thinking of is Louis Prima's.

And the winner is...

...of the vintage 50's, embroidered bowl o' soup tablecloth...Terry!
Drop me an email with your name & mailing address or leave me a comment here (which won't be posted!) and we're ready to rock. Congrats, Miss T!

Thanks so much to everyone who took part in this month's Vintage Giveaway! You guys make it fun to do and make me want to keep upping the vintage ante, as it were! OK, enough of the warm fuzzies, I'm making myself wanna barf. Stay tuned in the next couple of weeks for June's giveaway.

And because June's giveaway is the kitschiest and funnest (I know it's not proper, lay off me, people! I'm a big ol' grammar Nazi! Though I do make up words all the time...but that's different...somehow...) giveaway so far, I'll let you all in on a hint...



**Skip this part if you like the drama of not knowing anything and like total surprises!**








Hint: it's tiki themed, has never been used, is not technically vintage but I don't think you'll care and is stupid cool, if I do say so myself. Do with that what you will.

White And Nerdy

I almost forgot to celebrate the nation's other holiday that happens today~ the day of my people, my homies, my nerdlingtons...Freaks and geeks, lend me your ears, for today is Geek/Nerd Pride Day! Not all nerds wear pants that are too short, taped-up glasses and carry protractors, nay, we've cast off the shackles of dork cliches and come in many forms. Yeah, yeah, we all think about dorks like Urkel or Bill Gates right away, but we're so much more than that. To honor this day of kings, here's a mini homage that I just made up off the top of my head of outcasts and unconventional nerds that helped pave the way for the rest of us:


Cartoon nerd!


Wonder Years nerds!


Head of the Class nerds!


Weird Science nerds!


Duckie the nerd!


16 Candles nerds!


Mork the nerd!



And me, the biggest dork of them all. Seriously. I'm just going incognito in this pic. My pocket protector is in the shop.

And for you hardcore, vintage nerds, here's a vintage 60's tie for you, complete with math equations. It's almost painfully nerdy, isn't it? Geek love!



And for your entertainment this evening, enjoy the best scene of Revenge of the Nerds, the lamest rap and also the best rap of all time, and don't think I'm not going to try to find this song for my ring tone, because I totally am. That's how we dorks roll.




"White and Nerdy" by Weird Al.

Happy Memorial Day!

Just wanted to pop in and wish all my peeps here in the US a great Memorial Day! Be careful on the roads today~ there seems to be a plethora of butthead drivers out there already. Eat drink and be merry, but let's not forget what the day is really about. It's not about getting drunk and watching the foosball match on tv.



Also, I'll be be posting the Vintage Giveaway winner tomorrow (tuesday) since there's alot of action going on today (I said "there's alot of action", uh huh huh), so there's still time for anyone to sign up for the free vintage giveaway!