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February 5, 2013

hoard (hord) noun: a hidden accumulation

 collect (ko-lekt) verb: to bring into one body or place; to gather, as in a collection

 semantics (sim-an-tiks) noun: studying or interpreting the meaning of language

 So . . . . if your accumulation isn't hidden, it's a collection, right?!  

























The backs of these hand mirrors are lovely but . . .  





. . . . . these are charming with the mirrors turned out, too.






An unframed, beveled mirror is a beautiful work
of art and enhances natural light so effortlessly.






These weather vanes are beautiful, aren't they?


We should introduce them to . . . . .
Yummy Mummy Club
. . . . . . this owner of weather vane arrows!






Rinne Allen






I never thought that antique rug beaters
were that interesting until now.






Do you understand the desire to
display doll heads in a cupboard?
(Kinda'  creeps me out.)























Rustic Grace





The Home Look
The chicken wire is a brilliant touch.





The antique mantel is the perfect frame
for highlighting the vintage suitcases.
And the clock faces are so quaint,
especially the little, bitty, tiny ones.








Dishfunctional Designs







Sweet Pea Home






Pennie Lily






My Home Ideas
Cameras have been capturing the moments of our lives for over
150 years and are one of the most popular of collectibles.









Who knew pepper grinders could be so interesting?!









Remember Greg Kinnear's character, Frank Navasky, in the
movie You've Got Mail?  I thought of him when I saw this collection
of vintage portable typewriters hung on the wall.




The small space at the foot of the stairs perfectly
accommodates the shallow shelves for the figurines.






A souvenir spoon rack was cleverly repurposed
to display a collection of vintage hankies.








The simplest of collections can have a powerful impact.



Isn't this rusty wire basket a compliment to the driftwood?






 C.R. Shafran
What a delightfully simple display idea.






 Lynary
Although the matting is different for each of these
silhouettes, the gold frames ideally bond this arrangement.












The wall mounted display case is proportional
to the small match books it holds.

Houzz

Click here to view Houzz's thousands of photos
of collections.  (Caution: this could take all day!)
Posted by at 13 comments

February 4, 2013

TODAY   IN   HISTORY



Fifty-four years ago today, on February 4, 1959, the first Barbie doll was introduced by the Mattel Company.  And, a legend marketing empire was born.



Retailing for $3.00, the original Barbie was clothed in a strapless, black and white striped swimsuit.  Her nails and lipstick were bright red and she was available as a blonde
or as a brunette.  Over 350,000 Barbie dolls were sold in
the first year of production.

'How did this Mega-Marketing Phenomenon begin?' you ask.
In the mid-1950s, Ruth Handler, wife of Elliot Handler, a co-founder of the Mattel Toy Company, urged her husband to manufacture a more adult-appearing doll for
pre-teen girls.  Neither Mr. Handler nor any of the other Mattel directors were
interested in the idea.  
The original Bild Lilli
While traveling in Germany in 1956, the Handlers came across an adult-figured doll called Bild Lilli.  Immediately realizing that this was the type of doll that she had urged
her husband to produce, Ruth bought several Bild Lillis.  

 She gave one to her daughter, Barbara, and turned the others over to the design engineers at Mattel.  After a
little tweaking, the doll was renamed Barbie (for Ruth's daughter!) and the rest is history.  
What happened to Bild Lilli?  Well, in 1964, Mattel acquired the rights to her and production was stopped.




                                      
 


Barbie was marketed as a 16 year old "Teen-age Fashion Model" but she looked a lot older than a teenager, didn't she?  Maybe it was the high heels, eye-liner, and pearls.  

 Barbie's appearance has morphed over the years but the most significant change was in 1971 when her eyes were adjusted to look forward rather than sideways.  
In order for Barbie to appear sophisticated, Mattel hired fashion designer Charlotte Johnson to create her impressive wardrobe.  Over the years many haute couturiers have designed for Barbie including Vera Wang, Calvin Klein, Bob Mackie, Diane von Furstenberg, and Christian Louboutin.
 



 


 Not only were Barbie's fashions beautiful, they were educational - I had
never heard of jodhpurs until I saw that Barbie wore them riding!
 


Mattel executives quickly realized that little consumers would need something in which to
                                                     hang Barbie's extensive wardrobe.
Viole - the doll case and trunk were introduced:
 



The black and white double-breasted dress, below, with matching
wide brim hat was the first outfit my mother bought for my Barbie.




Not only did Mattel produce the world's most recognized doll,
they made Barbie the first toy to be marketed exclusively
through a national television campaign.  Radical stuff in 1960.



       
 

In addition to using the burgeoning television industry for advertising, Mattel
was one of the first major manufacturers to partner with other brands such as
McCall's, American Airlines, and Pan Am.

 



As the booming Barbie tsunami swept the globe the Mattel machine worked
overtime, producing a wide range of accessories and 'toys' for the world's most
popular doll - cars, houses, furniture, trailers, bicycles, swimming pools - you
name it and Barbie sold it. 


 


                              Looking back, it makes me sad that Barbie's
                              miniature scales were stuck at 110 pounds.





Here are some random facts about Barbie that many of you might not know:

o Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts and she's from the fictional town of Willows, Wisconsin.  In the first Random House novels that were published about her, Barbie attended Willows High School but, in later Golden Books novels, she attended the fictional Manhattan International High School in New York City. 

 o  Although Barbie went on sale on Feb. 4, 1959, she made her official debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York City on March 9, 1959 - which is also her birthday.

o  Barbie's parents are George Roberts and Margaret Rawlins Roberts.  He is an engineer and she is a homemaker.  Barbie's siblings include Skipper, twins Tutti and Todd (discontinued in 1971), and Kelly (renamed Stacie and later Chelsea).  An infant sister, Krissy, was produced between 1999 and 2001.

o  Ken Carson, the All-American boyfriend, was introduced in 1960. The second character added to the Barbie line, he was named after the Handler's son, Ken.

o  Manufactured to a scale of 1/6, in real life Barbie would be 5'9" and, at 110 pounds, would be considered severely underweight.

Career Girl Barbie,
1963
o  Barbie has had 126 careers over the last 50+ years including being a pilot, stewardess, teacher, astronaut, doctor, nurse, veterinarian, chef, NASCAR driver, rancher, farmer, secretary, babysitter, dentist, ballerina, engineer, Olympic gymnast, and Major League baseball player.  You can view a complete list of Barbie careers here.

o  Midge Hadley (1963) was Barbie's first female friend.  She married Allan/Alan Sherwood in 1991.

o  Over 40 dolls from many different countries have been introduced as Barbie's friends including Stacey (a "British chum" in 1968), Christie, P.J., Jamie, Steffie, Cara, and Whitney.

o  Barbie has been in 2 rock bands: The Rockers (1986-87) with friends DeeDee, Diva, and Dana; and The Sensations (1988) with Bopsy, Becky, and Belinda.

o  Since her introduction in 1988, Teresa Rivera has been marketed as Barbie's best friend.  She's been labeled Island Fun Teresa, Beach Blast Teresa, Wet 'N Wild Teresa, and Rollerblade Teresa.  


Barbie has caused quite a bit of controversy among adults who view her as an unrealistic role model for young girls.

But, with over 1 billion Barbie sales in over 150 countries since 1959, most young girls just think that she's beautiful and fun to dress up.

P.S.  A $3.00 vintage Barbie in its original box recently sold at auction for $17,000.   Wish I had kept mine.
Posted by at 8 comments

February 1, 2013

Get out your pencils, kids.  We're having a Pop Quiz.  

 My husband once asked, 'Don't you get tired of looking at old decorating magazines?'

 I threw him the side-eye, heaved a huge sigh, and replied (as if explaining to a 4 year old why we can't see the wind), 'An interesting tableau never goes out of style and every time I look at it I see something new.'  

 Every time I look at these images, I do see something new . . . . 

What do I see?
1.  The fabulous 60's credenza, of course
2.  The pastel portrait
3.  The interesting tablescape
4.  The tall mirror to the left which visually extends the room
5.  The television!  They made no attempt to hide it but it doesn't scream
     at you when you walk into the room.
What do you see?



What do I see?
1.  Oriental meets Contemporary: a marble-top Eero Saarinen Tulip Table
     and black lacquer Bambooserie-style chairs
2.  The black and white theme infused with black framed map prints and a
     zebra-ish ceramic bowl
3.  A Mother-of-Pearl trimmed Art Deco mirror 
4.  An amazing grey wall paint and Chevron striped light pink chair cushions.
What do you see?

What do I see?
1.  Obviously, a gallery format of interesting prints,
    paintings, and etchings; I especially like the mix
    of frames and matting materials
2.  A rug that I would kill for (not kidding)
3.  The desk - French Provincial, similar to the one
    on the right - with a caned Louis XVI side chair
4.  The brass Grecian-style lamp is in perfect proportion to not overpower the wall of art
What do you see?




What do I see?
1.  Serenity.  The taupe/putty walls highlight the painted paneled wainscoting
    (which bridges the dark stained flooring and  paneled ceiling) and the
     natural-finish furnishings.
2.  Many designers would have chosen an oriental rug instead of the muted
    natural fiber one but they would have been wrong, wouldn't they?
3.  Deceptively, this seemingly simple setting is quite powerful.  The round
    Dublin mirrors and  the newel post offset the "boxiness" of the space with
    the mirrors reflecting the natural light from the door's side panes.  Ironic
    that the lighting is a boxy lantern, isn't it?
What do you see?



The Lennoxx
What do I see?
1.  Harmonious tranquility and balance reign even though a mixture of
    textures and shapes dominate the design.  An oval rug, a rectangular
    brass and glass console, two Charles of London style sofas, glass,
    ceramics, metal, acrylic - the muted palette makes this potpourri of
    materials work.
2.  The window panels are magnificent in their simplicity.  Color and
     design are wisely presented in the accessories.
3.  I love the pop of yellow, don't you?
What do you see?



What do I see?
1.  The blues and greens are effortlessly linked through the reproduction
    vintage Thibaut Design wallpaper.
2.  The glass and brass bamboo table is timeless.
3.  A contemporary chest quietly sits in the corner, offering a charming
    platform for the stark white ceramic lamps, reflecting the traditional
    chair rail and molding.  
4.  The mirror above the chest picks up the ocher brown of the whimsical
    squirrels and vines in the wall covering perfectly.
5.  The Grecian trim on the white window panels is a tiny touch of
    ingenious design.
6.  The "tufted & stuffed" contemporary club chairs are amazing.
What do you see?

And, now, your Bonus Question: 
What one element was included in each of the examples we disected? 

v
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You're right - flowers!

Flowers are an ESSENTIAL element of any decorating scheme,
whether it's traditional, contemporary, country, or vintage.  

This weekend pull out the old decorating magazines you've been saving and
revisit your favorite designs.  Bet you'll find something new in every one of them.
Posted by at 17 comments
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