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View entire thread: Mafia Made Holiday Craftacular!

Posted by Petaluma Craft Mafia on 2008-11-23 17:44:06      Post Subject: Mafia Made Holiday Craftacular!



Dreams of holiday tinsel and Sugar Plum fairies waltzing through your head? Have you ever wanted to meet Bumble the abominable snowman from "Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer?" Stir that together with a sprinkle of Nightmare before Christmas and you have Mafia Made HOLIDAY CRAFTACULAR! - http://www.holidaycraftacular.com. You can bet your candy-cane striped toe socks, we've got another crazy show planned!

The Petaluma Craft Mafia is pleased to announce our first annual holiday show, "Mafia Made HOLIDAY CRAFTACULAR" to debut on Saturday, December 13th from eleven to five at the Petaluma Veteran's Hall.

Our first show CRAFTALUMA was such a success, we keep getting requests for when we would have another show, so we decided to put together a holiday show with some of the most talented DIY'ers, crafty crafters and kick-ass artisans we could assemble - that includes you!

We will have plenty of crafty how-to demos from many of our inspiring and talented vendors. Mojo talented and local live entertainment from the ever-fresh and pretty dang crafty themselves, Bluebellies and adorable Gabby LaLa. You'll be thrilled to know that the Petaluma Craft Mafia plans to have another crafty raffle. **Vendors, (please send us your swag and any goodies you would love some lucky person to have to promote your wares and your crafty company). Swag bags to the first 50 folks through the door. Our theme is a Retro Winter Wonderland with a hint of kitsch and a bit of underground fantasical Holiday flavor going on -remember, this ain't your dear granny's craft show. Bumble the Abominable snow man may drop by and take pictures with the young folk...and you never know who else....

Get your Holiday Shopping done in one fell swoop, and come away inspired by our crafty cast of characters this year at Mafia Made HOLIDAY CRAFTACULAR.


** VENDORS: Vendors, applications are now available, Send me an e-mail (here or at cheryl@petalumacraftmafia.com) and I can forward you an application. FYI: This show is for Crafty, DIY, craft and art, items only, no re-sale or multi-level marketing items, thank you!
** SPONSORS: Please contact cheryl@petalumacraftmafia.com if you are interested in sponsorship and/demo table.

Show attendees and adoring public: We heart you! Thanks for coming out to support your crafty famiglia and their friends at CRAFTALUMA, and making our first show such a success. We couldn't have done it without you!

HOLIDAY CRAFTACULAR starts at noon and admission is 2 dollars. You will get a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of our awesome crafty prizes, and if you bring a toy for our "Toys for Tots" you will automatically get another chance at the raffle. Children under 16 are free. Crafto'licious swag bags for the first 100 folks through the door!

Come on down and meet Petaluma's Crafty famiglia, we'll have a jolly 'ol tinse'licious time!

Cheers,

Cheryl and the PCM


"Mafia Made" HOLIDAY CRAFTACULAR
Saturday, 11-5 December 13th, 2008
Petaluma Veteran's Memorial Hall
1094 Petaluma Boulevard South
Petaluma, CA 94952



http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm179/Moxieville/holidaygetawayposter-2-1.jpg

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View entire thread: interesting article on crafting

Posted by CraftyChicaAZ on 2005-03-20 22:47:10      Post Subject: interesting article on crafting

this is in the new issue of an crafts industry newsletter (creative leisure news):

"There's a new trend emerging in craft design and it's not cute. It's fueled by a younger demographic, consumers looking to express their individuality rather than following preset rules, and they prefer a more sophisticated look. In other words, no smiling bunnies. Examples:


1. Two craft stores that are appealing directly to this new demographic are the Spark Crafts Café in suburban Boston (www.sparkcrafts.com) and Urban Arts + Crafts in Kansas City (http://urbanartsandcrafts.com).


2. Craftster (www.craftster.org). The site says, "Craftster is a forum for people who love to make things but who are not inspired by scrapbooking with die-cut teddy bears, cross-stitched home-sweet-home plaques, wooden boxes with ducks in bonnets painted on...."


3. Scrapbooking may be catching on, too. SOHO Publishing put out a call for "edgy and unconventional" layouts for a book, Scrap and the City ("for the thousands of stylish city-dwelling and hip country-living women who are turned off by scrapbooking’s good girl reputation"). For info, call Paul Gambino at 917-916-0521 or email gambinopaul@aol.com ... Darcy Miller, the editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings, has published Our Wedding Scrapbook. "Aesthetically, what Miller does has little to do with the current scrapbooking trends and the kitsch-heavy industry it has spawned," wrote W magazine.


4. Get Crafty (www.getcrafty.com.) For insight on this new type of crafter, click on "Jean's Manifesto."


5. The Mar. 7 edition of Time, reported in CLN's previous issue, also gives a good analysis of the trend. Visit www.time.com and type Pretty Crafty in the search engine.)


6. Media. A new HGTV series, Crafters Coast to Coast, (www.hgtv.com/hgtv/shows_hcc2c) premiered recently and features a wide variety of non-cute projects. "Rather than bring artisans into our studio to share their ideas for viewers to try at home, we visit their homes and studios-wherever they may be. The result is a show that goes beyond "how-to" as we see how these crafters' personalities, lives, and communities influence their work." The projects are described as "cool," "hip," and "unique." (The series is aired almost daily at a variety of times. Check your local listings.) Notice the number of quick camera shots; it's crafts for the MTV generation.


(Note: HGTV is looking for designers to appear on the series. Email a recent picture of yourself smiling, images of your projects, contact info, location, and short bio to CoastToCoast@wellergrossman.com.)


This trend is having its effect on almost every product category. The yarn companies spurred the incredible resurgence of knitting and crochet by introducing new, stylish designs, but the changing demographics are affecting other categories, too.


Michelle Temares, one of the industry's best and most thoughtful designers, says, "I believe that this turn to individuality and self expression has been a significant contributing factor to the decline of craft categories such as counted cross stitch and decorative painting and the growth of categories such as scrapbooking and altered art. The former value and emphasize rote sameness while the latter recognize, encourage, and structurally support individual creativity and expression.


"Industry players who can recognize, synthesize, and decode these attitudes and trends will have the advantage in capturing new market share.""

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View entire thread: Kitsch Culture websites......

Posted by moon_lemming on 2005-03-11 13:44:47      Post Subject:

have you seen http://www.naughtysecretaryclub.com ? she has tons of links, too (not all kitsch, but some). also, if you look through rockabilly sites, sometimes you can find links more along the kitsch than the rockabilly line. (whoa, typed rockabilly too many times -- how weird does that word look?) umm . . . http://www.mcphee.com is a store, but it might help a little.

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View entire thread: Crafty Artist Statements

Posted by lunacouer on 2005-08-12 04:09:35      Post Subject:

Well, darlin', if I were you, I'd lose the statement about art theorists, and that art theory scares most people (the last 2 sentences of your first paragraph). The reason is that art theory, and the discussion of kitsch in art theory has nothing to do with your statement of purpose (I really like that!).

I love, love, love the 2nd paragraph. I don't think it sounds art theory-like at all. It sounds like it was written for someone like me...an appreciater of art, but who hasn't been to art school, and gets disgusted with pretentiousness, too. I think if you keep people like me in mind, you are going to put together something wonderful and descriptive. You obviously love your subject, it's very clear from what you wrote about it. So all you need to do is keep going in the same manner.

I personally would love to see a little history about populuxe. I didn't know that's what it was called, and I think that if you wrote about it the way you wrote your second paragraph, it wouldn't be boring, it would be fascinating.

And you don't sound ironic at all. You really do sound like you love kitsch (I love kitsch, too, because of those reasons; their vibrancy and colors, the wild shapes). So, just keep on going, and you're going to have your statement. I really do like 'Statement of Purpose' (suggestion from your blog), I think that captures what you trying to convey, and it's direct, to-the-point, so it doesn't sound pretentious.

Good luck, and I would love to see the finished product!

Kristina

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View entire thread: new craft + tunes night in ottawa, ON

Posted by craftcaver on 2005-05-16 17:04:09      Post Subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
** SPINS & NEEDLES 4 - monthly craft + dj night **
May edition
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*spins & needles* is back for the 4th edition on Thursday May 26th.

Location: Clocktower Brew Pub in the Glebe: 575 Bank St. just south of
the Queensway. Starting time: 8pm. Cover: $4. 19+

Bring your own hip project to work on or use the materials provided.
Enjoy a few drinks too, including the clocktower's own *handcrafted*
beers. See what Ottawa's DIY community is up to this month.

For all hip crafters and non-crafters who want to share ideas, trade
materials, barter for goods, hear some good music, and have a few
drinks. . .

Funky beats will be provided by our usual suspects:
-Zattar (funktion!/mercury lounge)
-Ruby Jane (house of kitsch/hump/helsinki)
-Jason P. (stay house!/helsinki/trio lounge)

For more info or to join the mailing list for this monthly event,
e-mail spinsandneedles at gmail.com

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View entire thread: Kitsch Culture websites......

Posted by h_pets360 on 2005-03-11 13:25:01      Post Subject:

it depends on what kind of kitsch ... i like this site sometimes: http://www.craftychica.homestead.com/
but you've probobly seen that one.
fruits magazine has lots of japanese over the top kitcsh-y stuff. http://www.japaninc.net/article.php?articleID=1063

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View entire thread: looking for plastic charm wholesaler/buying in bulk

Posted by Dawn32 on 2007-06-22 12:40:25      Post Subject: not exactly what I was looking for

Thanks but unfortunately I'm looking for PLASTIC charms, like the 6-shoooter, toy food, plastic skulls, etc. Sacred kitsch was a good place but that girl doesn't seem to be selling anymore and I'm looking to buy in bulk. Again, I'm not looking for glass or pewter or silver charms. I'm looking for plastic charms. Etsy has a lot of people selling them but if you want more than 5 it runs a lot of money and some Etsy vendors cannot accomadate big orders.

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View entire thread: Making the ordinary beautiful

Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-11-02 14:48:35      Post Subject: Making the ordinary beautiful

You might call this a continuation of several threads that have been going on.

I thought about why the ' this ain't your grandma's ____' statement bothers me. And I finally figured it out.

My husband and I were both collectors. He loved old electrical equipment. I love old kitchen items. However, I kept most of my collecting to a minimum. Every once in a while though, we'd be in upstate NY, and I'd see wonderfully embroidered items. What I loved about them is that even though they were kitschy, they were useful. They reminded me of a quilt I own that was made by my paternal great-great grandmother, in that some anonymous woman had tried to make her world a little bit more pretty.

The other day I was on line looking up infor for the Charity Project here, and saw a site that sells dishcloth embroidery pattern- several were for 'mammy' stuff. Now, a few years ago, I would have gotten offended. But a few years ago I wasn't trying to decorate my kitchen 1930s style, I wasn't channelling my dead maternal grandmother who had tons of those kitschy kitchen items, and I wasn't as appreciative of both the irony and reclamation of black history by having these items. And as I was figuring out which pattern I had to have, the whole thing came together in my head. On both sides of my family I come from crafters. Both my mother and father are handy. My grandparents, great grandparents, and who knows how many generations back were handy. Unlike many members of the new craft revolution, I didn't grow up on frozen dinners and ready-made items. I also didn't grow up with badly made craft items like the ones associated with thrift shops. No one in my family ever made tie-dyed vests during the 60s- they were all busy putting food on the table and going to marches.
But as I looked at the 'mammyware', I fell in love, but not for the simple kitsch value. My favorite towel pattern was one marked 'Sunday', in which the woman was resting by reading. Except for the bandanna, she was me.

Now I happen to be a great lover of art, but I also know art is where you find it. Art can be found in an artisanship of craft that tries to make everyday objects more beautiful, particularly ina bleak world. Up until a few days ago I didn't really undeerstand why my grandmother, the descendent of slaves, would have wanted mammy and pappy spice shakers, but now I know that in her world, they were the only portraits of herself and the people she knew that were real. When she was born on a remote farm, there was no radio, no tv, no anything- even Jesus was white. but happy, smiling black people? She could relate to them. On my father's side, there was nothing kitschy about making a quilt. It was real, and it was the only inheritance a woman had to give. These things weren't sleepaway camp projects, or items made for a jumble sale, or a way of recycling junk. They encapsulated a world, a world in which poor people with very little made do, but also made what they had into decorative objects within a relatively small vernacular. The real question isn't whether making a handbag out of popcicle sticks is ironic or not (and what is the irony, anyway, since women have been crafting bags out of such objects for quite a while); for me, the question is how I can use crafting as a way of channelling my ancestors and honoring them, while at the same time, making something beautiful and potentially lasting. If I can use old techniques to make new things but still, in a tiny way, address the ways in which women's work is often deemed irrelevent even when it is sometimes the only way to leave behind an historical and cultural record that matters, then I don't have to feel superior to my grandmothers. Instead of making something to please my momentary whim for the hip, the quaint, the unusual, and the bizarre, I can create gifts for my virtual granddaughters and grandsons that will show how my generation defined itself. The real irony will be when the mammy dishtowel kit arrives and I start sewing it, but imbue those pictures with a different meaning because the woman doing it will be a well-educated granddaughter of black tenant farmers on one side, and of black people who somehow came to own property in South Carolina in the 1910s, on the other. Why? Because on that Sunday dish towel, Mammy will be reading a book with an embroidered title by Zora Neale Hurston, the first black anthropologist.

So my question is, what have you made, or will you make, to create a more beautiful and lasting world for yourself?

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View entire thread: Crafty Artist Statements

Posted by quixotic on 2005-08-21 22:16:59      Post Subject:

i like what you wrote, but...

for me, it's too long, especially if you're going to have loads of people read it in conjunction with your work.

but it may just be a personal preference, as i like shorter artist's statements, preferring to note the main points the artist is trying to get across- a link between the artist and the work.

is there anyway you can have kitsch and populuxe (i didn't know that's what it was called....rad!) defined on a seperate page (ie, you could write more about them on another page and then link to it- that way you could read about if you're curious. or not)?

does this make any sense? sorry if it doesn't, i'm way too sleepy to be typing right now!

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View entire thread: interesting article on cool crafters

Posted by CraftyChicaAZ on 2005-03-20 22:51:09      Post Subject: interesting article on cool crafters

i'm sorry,i accidently posted this on share a craft, i meant to post here...
this article is in this week's creative leisure news (a big crafts industry newsletter). i think its funny that they call it a NEW trend:

"There's a new trend emerging in craft design and it's not cute. It's fueled by a younger demographic, consumers looking to express their individuality rather than following preset rules, and they prefer a more sophisticated look. In other words, no smiling bunnies. Examples:


1. Two craft stores that are appealing directly to this new demographic are the Spark Crafts Café in suburban Boston (www.sparkcrafts.com) and Urban Arts + Crafts in Kansas City (http://urbanartsandcrafts.com).


2. Craftster (www.craftster.org). The site says, "Craftster is a forum for people who love to make things but who are not inspired by scrapbooking with die-cut teddy bears, cross-stitched home-sweet-home plaques, wooden boxes with ducks in bonnets painted on...."


3. Scrapbooking may be catching on, too. SOHO Publishing put out a call for "edgy and unconventional" layouts for a book, Scrap and the City ("for the thousands of stylish city-dwelling and hip country-living women who are turned off by scrapbooking’s good girl reputation"). For info, call Paul Gambino at 917-916-0521 or email gambinopaul@aol.com ... Darcy Miller, the editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings, has published Our Wedding Scrapbook. "Aesthetically, what Miller does has little to do with the current scrapbooking trends and the kitsch-heavy industry it has spawned," wrote W magazine.


4. Get Crafty (www.getcrafty.com.) For insight on this new type of crafter, click on "Jean's Manifesto."


5. The Mar. 7 edition of Time, reported in CLN's previous issue, also gives a good analysis of the trend. Visit www.time.com and type Pretty Crafty in the search engine.)


6. Media. A new HGTV series, Crafters Coast to Coast, (www.hgtv.com/hgtv/shows_hcc2c) premiered recently and features a wide variety of non-cute projects. "Rather than bring artisans into our studio to share their ideas for viewers to try at home, we visit their homes and studios-wherever they may be. The result is a show that goes beyond "how-to" as we see how these crafters' personalities, lives, and communities influence their work." The projects are described as "cool," "hip," and "unique." (The series is aired almost daily at a variety of times. Check your local listings.) Notice the number of quick camera shots; it's crafts for the MTV generation.


(Note: HGTV is looking for designers to appear on the series. Email a recent picture of yourself smiling, images of your projects, contact info, location, and short bio to CoastToCoast@wellergrossman.com .)


This trend is having its effect on almost every product category. The yarn companies spurred the incredible resurgence of knitting and crochet by introducing new, stylish designs, but the changing demographics are affecting other categories, too.


Michelle Temares, one of the industry's best and most thoughtful designers, says, "I believe that this turn to individuality and self expression has been a significant contributing factor to the decline of craft categories such as counted cross stitch and decorative painting and the growth of categories such as scrapbooking and altered art. The former value and emphasize rote sameness while the latter recognize, encourage, and structurally support individual creativity and expression.


"Industry players who can recognize, synthesize, and decode these attitudes and trends will have the advantage in capturing new market share.""

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View entire thread: Scrapbooking Paper w/ Tattoo theme?

Posted by red_rosary on 2005-03-24 09:52:44      Post Subject:

http://www.sacredkitschstudio.com/
Sacred Kitsch Studio has tattoo-themed rubber stamps.

Also, I put up a background on a page I maintain at lj that you're welcome to snag and play around with in PhotoShop and print out. :) It's based on an Alexander Henry fabric.
http://www.livejournal.com/community/librarian_mods/

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View entire thread: interesting wedding site suggestions?

Posted by WildSnowflake on 2007-08-28 14:02:30      Post Subject:

lots of people rent their houses for special events... years ago went to some place not far from the federal court building downtown. their bedroom was closed off but the rest of the place (i think it was a former church) was open. easily 100 people .

i remember a budget living (rip) wedding that took place in a high school cafeteria. did the whole kitsch thing

in jersey... usually firestations have a banquet room that's pretty nice looking and cheap.

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View entire thread: sigh, already one of my least favorite things

Posted by Snufkin on 2004-05-20 13:59:36      Post Subject:

if an actual person had joined the conversation, made some effort to be conversational and friendly, and then said "Oh by the way, I have this company that makes iron-on letters; check 'em out if you want"—I'd be all for that.

It's kind of like when the WSJ did the news article and the original boards were suddenly hit with all the Kountry Kitsch Kraft advertisements. People knew right away because they weren't actively using the boards for networking or resources anyways! But if this board is moderated, there shouldn't be a problem with simply closing the thread and explaining to the poster that it's not okay just to advertise (unless they want to pay for it!) if they're not participating in the community.

And I am the only person who noticed that one of the attempted advertisements put in a wrong URL for their company? So they were trying to spam, but it didn't really work!

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View entire thread: how do you plant a flower bed?

Posted by lookingglassgirl on 2005-05-17 22:30:41      Post Subject:

i want a fake plant yard now, too. maybe just mixed in with the real stuff. thats so cute.

It doesn't sound like a bad idea to me! I'm all about the kitsch, anyway. =D

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View entire thread: The Queen of Indiana in Texas!

Posted by jeknee on 2004-12-25 23:26:34      Post Subject:

Fun! I used to work at Toy Joy, my favorite job ever.

Oh, I should say, though, if you're in Wimberley, be sure to explore downtown (should have put that in quotes) a bit. Lots of fun local merchants, such a pretty town! If you want some real kitsch, walk around 7-A Ranch Resort.

http://www.7aranchresort.com

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View entire thread: décor at work? share ideas and stories!

Posted by lalamark on 2005-07-18 04:57:28      Post Subject:

Right now I'm a temp, so my work space is either completely generic and stocked with whatever bits other people have discarded from their desks, or is covered with pictures of someone else's kids, dogs, nights out with friends, etc. It's quite sad.

When I was a university TA, I really went to town. On the walls I put up lots of postcards, photos, and other ephemera collected on my travels--Edith Piaf's grave, a ruined Irish monastery, a pocket-sized London Underground map, etc. I framed photos of my cat, some friends, and my favorite authors (photocopied from the Dictionary of Literary Biography). My students were always asking, Is that your boyfriend? (No, it's Douglas Coupland.) Is that your dad? (No, that's F. Scott Fitzgerald.)

I kept my office supplies in a footed tin chest from Salvation Army and my pens in a glass jar covered in pretty Asian paper. I got a little green boudoir lamp at the thrift store and recovered the shade with a pink, Pucci-esque scarf.

I wanted to make a little shrine, since I collect religious art and always have extra Madonnas around the house, but one of my officemates was Latina and I didn't want her to feel I was appropriating her culture for the kitsch factor.

Damn, I miss that office!

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View entire thread: brini maxwell

Posted by elixirbeth on 2006-01-19 07:03:27      Post Subject:

i love brini! i dont have a tv, but whenever i go to visit my folks, my mother and i watch it together. i love the quirkiness and camp... plus im a huge fan of retro-midcentury kitsch.

I love the time that she redecorated the pay-toilet (in columbus circle, i thnk?) and calculated that it was more affordable to live THERE than in many NYC apartments... come on! thats fucking hilarious!

yeah... i love brini.

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View entire thread: Favorite Motif

Posted by deborahthecraft on 2004-06-10 17:25:07      Post Subject: Favorite Motif

So I'm not sure where this actually belongs but I was wondering:
What are your favorite motifs?I (for some weird reason) love the shapes of feathers and leaves on fabric,carved,painted...whatever.I also like strawberries and peaches kind of a la kitsch decor.
My friend likes sculls when accompanied with harts.(?)

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View entire thread: Baltimore Crafters?

Posted by lockedupspirit on 2004-12-30 13:39:33      Post Subject: Baltimore Crafters?

I used to scoff at the idea of craftiness coming from a Mom who is the Mother of all crafty ladies. She is a WHIZ--Sews, knits, crochets, Scrap books, paints....Everything, I mean EVERYTHING. I just couldn't stand what she was actually churning out. It was "country kitsch" and I abhored it all. I always critisized her for it, telling her there were much cooler projects out there, and much more creative things she could do with all that talent. The formula stuff she did was the same stuff you could find at JoAnn's. She needed a push in the indie direction. And, frankly, So do I

But, I have the bug!!!! It's in my blood and It's brewing. I live in the Fells Point area of Baltimore and after buying the dream home, I'm finding myself a bit broke with NO CURTINS or Decor! I'm looking to start a circle of Knitters, Stitchers, artists (photography is my art, Yes, *I* have a dark room) and Craftistas who want to get together with funky music, projects and good food. (I've baked for years...and I do Vegan and Vegitarian selections)

You can contact me at lockedupspirit@verizon.net if you're interested. I need some new buddies, too. Oh, and Fells has a great Knitting store.....


BTW--this is a GREAT site!

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View entire thread: brini maxwell

Posted by the-kitschen on 2006-01-19 09:26:43      Post Subject:

I love Brini! I am all about retro-kitsch.

It *is* weird though. The first time I saw it I was like ... "Is this for real? ... Wait ... is that a man?" I'm so amazed that show is on TV. It's really funny and cute, but at the same time, it does bring up some interesting gender role points.

The owner of my dance studio loves my vintage clothes, and she often asks if I watch the show. "Have you seen that show on the Style channel? It's all about the 50s!" and then in a whisper, "I think that might really be a man though. Do you think so?" Heehee she's so cute.

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View entire thread: help me decorate for moms 50th!

Posted by Parrsnip on 2005-11-18 04:51:07      Post Subject: Some Ideas...

What kind of personality does your mom have? Because... she was born in 1955, so that's a veritable hot-house of crazy 50s themed decoration, from naming each table after movie stars or TV shows (Marilyn, Elvis, James Dean) "Yes darling, why don't you join me at the 'I Love Lucy Table?"
Did she have teen idols in the 60s-70s?
Monkees? Beatles? Greg Brady? You could use those, or heads of state, or even famous book titles for your centerpiece decorations or table names.
Centerpieces could have timelines printed with various aspects of your Mom's life/achievements "1963- Wins Poetry Contest" 1975- "Eats entire jar of pickles in one sitting"
I love getting crazy with centerpieces, unorthodox stuff like old cigar boxes and drawers packed with grass and flowers and votives nestled inside. They look retro and well-loved, and they end up being so cheap, people can take them home and then you won't have to deal with them.

If you use fake flowers, spray them gold, and dust them with glitter, since plastic flowers look cheap, kitsch them up so that people know that you know they're cheap! Have FUN with them, get those 99 cent xmas lights and stuff them into the bottom (battery powered, hooray) so that the light hits the glitter, and they also light up the table a little and add some lovely ambience. Target and IKEA both have really great deals on small light sets, I was just there this week.

Do you have older photos of her over the years? I made a compilation of photos of my mom from over the years, from when she was hanging out at the drive-in in bobbysocks, to her "hippie days" to her "powersuit 80s" days.
I put them all together and printed them on a small banner at Kinko's, but you could assemble a smaller compilation and make copies for each table for people to look at and say "Wow, remember that?"

50 is a GOLDEN anniversary, so make sure your "auxiliary colors" exist only to accentuate the main hue.
It takes WORK to get golden!
Fun fact: Your mother is the same age as Disneyland, and they are making special "golden mouse ear" hats right now for their 50th.

My Mom was born in '43, and I found her the LIFE magazine for her birth year and month, she loved it, and so did her friends, they looked at it and yelled things like "Oh wow, remember Burma Shave?" and stuff like that.

If she's wanting a more elegant celebration, you can't beat fresh flowers, and sometimes at the 99 cent store, they have simple glass containers and glass baubles you can put them in... as cheezy as the 99 cent store is, I always go there first, you never know what kind of miraculous deal you might find!
Pillar candles are also quite nice... as long as they aren't too close to decorative foliage. Tapers always make me nervous... so easy to knock over and they burn quickly and require more attention.
Hope some of this helps!

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View entire thread: Kitschy Pampered Chef Party Ideas??? + clip art!

Posted by MissAmyO on 2007-01-12 15:29:57      Post Subject:

Thanks LuluB! I think the 50's housewife is the direction I'm going- and all the way! A girlfriend and I are going to hand make the invitations and mail them (no E-vite this time) and add a couple of mixer games. It's also a women in business networking gig so I think the extra kitsch fun will add to the ease and comfort.
Now, where does one find a giant punch bowl in 2007...

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View entire thread: Trading Spaces and the like

Posted by sun bear on 2004-07-23 17:41:40      Post Subject:


Exactly! And I get the feeling that when you request a designer the producers think it would be funny to give you the exact opposite - so you get to work with Vern and get all these cool ideas and then come home to find out that Hildi has used toxic glue to attached tiny Fisher Price farm animals to your walls.


HAHAHAHA! Some poor homeowner better hope that Hildi doesn't read this board and think..."hey what a great idea!" :)

I think they liked to create drama b/c they were always getting people who say "I like country kitsch, I hate japanese or asian or simple" and they'd get genevieve but she'd suddenly want to do asian simple, instead of gluing moss or painting something green...or GASP having frank the master of country kitsch help out, noooo, he gets sent to work with sorority girls...yeah that's what all college girls want...

jt

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View entire thread: Retro Camping Projects?

Posted by Gluey on 2005-04-13 12:49:46      Post Subject:

When we used to go camping, the people with the pop-ups usually had tiki lights strung from the awning with the highlight being one of those hanging lamps made from plastic flowerpots embedded with lite-brite pegs. You'll also need one of those engraved wooden plaques with a furry woodland creature painted on the front that says "The Jones's" (or whatever your name happens to be). Very kitsch!

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View entire thread: Ideas - what to buy for my son's preschool teachers?

Posted by DJules on 2007-05-29 11:52:28      Post Subject:


However, as a first year teacher, I'm somewhat sad that the "Best Teacher Award" kitsch has been outed as tiresome - I'd like a little bit of a collection for those days when the kids write on my pants! (I teach middle school, it's not like cute little Billy forgot to put the cap on his marker and walked past me. Little punks.)

Hmmm....So maybe the teachers who are newer to the job would like a "Best Teacher" tchotchke or two?

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View entire thread: Ideas - what to buy for my son's preschool teachers?

Posted by kindarana on 2007-05-24 23:07:28      Post Subject:

Has your son's teacher been teaching for a while? If so, then I'd definitely say that the gift card/flowers route (especially if you explain that flowers are what is given in your home country) is best.
However, as a first year teacher, I'm somewhat sad that the "Best Teacher Award" kitsch has been outed as tiresome - I'd like a little bit of a collection for those days when the kids write on my pants! (I teach middle school, it's not like cute little Billy forgot to put the cap on his marker and walked past me. Little punks.)

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View entire thread: Ideas - what to buy for my son's preschool teachers?

Posted by Joyosaurusrex on 2007-05-25 01:38:32      Post Subject:

Has your son's teacher been teaching for a while? If so, then I'd definitely say that the gift card/flowers route (especially if you explain that flowers are what is given in your home country) is best.
However, as a first year teacher, I'm somewhat sad that the "Best Teacher Award" kitsch has been outed as tiresome - I'd like a little bit of a collection for those days when the kids write on my pants! (I teach middle school, it's not like cute little Billy forgot to put the cap on his marker and walked past me. Little punks.)

haha, yea i understand, although with me it's 1 year olds who say look! pretty! at the pink and purple dots all over my thigh. and i think 'wonderfull, they're getting the hang of holding a marker!' at least we use washable

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View entire thread: Going to NYC-need advice

Posted by iamsonotcool on 2007-08-29 02:41:32      Post Subject: hello

well... i can give you a list of the best thrift stores on long island, if you're interested in that. I am a thrift junkie and I get my best bargains on the island. If you wanna save a buck on kitsch-name brand items you should shop on canal street in the chinatown little italy area. Its the best bang for your buck and if you know how to haggle you can get everything for a couple of bucks. there are also some fab eateries in that area, if you're into italian. I agree with the above comments about the east village, it is by far the coolest spot in manhattan, but williamsburg is tight if you go to brooklyn. if you stay at a hotel on long island it will be significantly cheaper and you are a train ride away from NYC. Although, the roosevelt has haunted rooms if you're willing to pay a few bucks. For some jams by original folk, the village is the place to be. on macdougal you have cafe wha which is relatively inexpensive eats as well as live music. there's some good falafel across the street too. live music is stellar on long island as well... if you go to village voice.com you can see a lineup of the goings on, also you can pick up a copy just about anywhere. times square is kind of a rip off, just a heads up. and the hard rock in times square is quite possibly the worst food you will ever eat. the ride on the empire state building is overrated, but its worth doing at least once. feel free to pm me if you want any more info on any of these topics. i hope you have a fun and safe time in Ny:) best wishes:)

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View entire thread: yo' mama, what what, yo' mama

Posted by stella on 2006-11-18 21:51:34      Post Subject:

"little black Sambo" was Indian, and it's so weird how the racism ended up being about black people instead. there's still a Sambo's restaurant in Santa Barbara. i am really turned off by white people who collect golliwog/sambo stuff for the kitsch factor. my great-grandma owned an antique shop for many years, and my grandparents still have some figurines of little pickaninnies eating watermelons. they're fascinating and horrifying, but they're not cute or retro or funny to me. i'm not articulating this very well, but to me it's like a man collecting creepy Victorian medical devices that were used on women, or old corsets or something. i feel like, as a woman and a feminist, i can appreciate those kinds of things as symbols of my cultural past, and by taking them on as my own and understanding them, i reclaim my identity... but a man who views them as just weird artifacts, and has never experienced gender discrimination, doesn't have a right to label those things collectible.

okay, i should really stick to writing about science...

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View entire thread: yo' mama, what what, yo' mama

Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-12-03 22:44:19      Post Subject:

I hope it will too. I love the yarns that are out there- they're fantastic. I love the internet and the patterns that can be had. I like a lot of the new books. I just have a desire to learn how to be a craftsperson, and really learn crochet in detail, which means learning a lot of older patterns and techniques, even while using new yarns. I'm the same way with cooking too- I like using Escoffier-type techniques in order to do new school recipes. Right now I'm learning more about 'mother sauces', and how to cook cuts of meat not usually found in supermarkets, and how to use techniques like braising to bring out the flavor of meats. Going for the simplest, easiest, or least complex way of doing anything doesn't turn me on- by learning the more complex ways, even my quick and dirty recipes and crafting techniques look better than they would have without putting in the time to improve my skill set. My only concern with the 'mama' thing is that in many cases it covers up the fact that skull-covered kitsch is just as whimsical, ephemeral, and ultimately as dated as tie-dye or Kewpie dolls. As long as one gets that, that's fine. Everyone should have ephemeral fun. One just shouldn't pretend tat it's innovative or even necessarily clever.

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View entire thread: yo' mama, what what, yo' mama

Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-11-12 21:40:15      Post Subject:

You're welcome. I'm going through a period where I'm exploring 'traditional' items and flipping the script. I just ordered iron-ons for cross-stitching patterns on dishtowels; the patterns are of mammies. I said this in another post, that I can't think of anything more subversive than to be an educated black woman with mammies on her dishtowels. Especially since I intend to give the mammies different skin colors. But in order to be truly subversive, I have to understand the tradition. I've mentioned a crochet pattern for a potholder I saw in The Happy Hooker that I don't really like- it's of a skull. I think it's not very good kitsch (although I appreciate the talent of the woman who made it). What I think would be funnier, more ironic, and more pertinent would be a skull and crossbones on a potholder- because a skull and crossbones is the international symbol for poison. pulling your microwaved dinner out of the oven with one of those and putting it on the table would be a hoot, not hipsterish. It would also be in the long tradition of women making items for the kitchen that were risque, like those pottholders with pictures of women bending over and showing their behinds.


Yes, I do have a sense of humor, and irony. It's just not the sense of humor and irony that I had at 25.

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View entire thread: yo' mama, what what, yo' mama

Posted by xuli on 2006-11-19 10:27:00      Post Subject:

"little black Sambo" was Indian, and it's so weird how the racism ended up being about black people instead. there's still a Sambo's restaurant in Santa Barbara. i am really turned off by white people who collect golliwog/sambo stuff for the kitsch factor. my great-grandma owned an antique shop for many years, and my grandparents still have some figurines of little pickaninnies eating watermelons. they're fascinating and horrifying, but they're not cute or retro or funny to me. i'm not articulating this very well, but to me it's like a man collecting creepy Victorian medical devices that were used on women, or old corsets or something. i feel like, as a woman and a feminist, i can appreciate those kinds of things as symbols of my cultural past, and by taking them on as my own and understanding them, i reclaim my identity... but a man who views them as just weird artifacts, and has never experienced gender discrimination, doesn't have a right to label those things collectible.

okay, i should really stick to writing about science...

No, don't stick to writing about science! What you said was really eloquent. I guess I would just take what you and anthrogirl said a little bit further and add that it's really hard for me to believe that anyone honestly and truly finds that stuff kitschy in a harmless sort of way* ... that white people who actively collect mammy/Sambo stuff and men who actively collect Victorian medical devices are doing it, consciously or not, because they do have a psychological affinity for/investment in the kind of social inequality that those objects represent.

* I'm not talking about the subversive uses of those symbols here, but the de-historicized "aren't these cute and kitschy" uses.

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View entire thread: yo' mama, what what, yo' mama

Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-11-04 18:02:42      Post Subject:

I think you bring up some excellent points.
I try to take 'tradition' with a grain of salt, and often with a truckload of one. Most 'traditional' crochet patterns were invented by ladies' magazine editors in the mid to late 1800s. Being old is not equal to being beautiful, any more than being young is.

The class issue is important also. One of the reasons why I stayed away from machine sewing for so long is that even though I own a machine, I subconsciously associated it with poverty and not being able to afford store-bought clothes. Crochet as an artform has a declasse whiff for many people too. Which, oddly enough, is why I like it- I've finally accepted and embraced my working class roots. But it's also why some (not all) of the new hipster crafting turns me off. The 'irony' seems to be about making fun of poor people whose class tastes and aspirations lead them to decorating their homes with poly afghans and ballerina tissue covers. I don't find that mindset ironic. I see it as being patronizing, unconsciously cruel, and wrongly superior. While I or you may want to adopt or adapt certain things from the past, we need to understand how those things came into existence, and what they meant for the creators. It's like wearing a trucker hat or cowboy boots to look cool, but actually looking down on truckers and cowboys because they don't all look sexy and youthful, or spend hundreds of dollars on one pair of jeans. It also ignores that working-class kitsch is often more humorous and inherently ironic in the true sense than it might seem on the surface. working class people are not mute, passive vessels who create things solely out of a love of tradition or naivete.

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View entire thread: Used Books

Posted by Ratti Pillo on 2006-02-07 17:45:34      Post Subject:

i haven't gone used book shopping in a while. i miss it! there was this really awesome used book store that i usedto go to up where i grew up all through high school. it is definitely a quest, especially since i work @ a big corporate bookstore, looking through and rummaging and not knowing what you'll find is always a treat....

when i was in high school i used to hunt down first/second editions of VC Andrews books(flowers in the attic). I have all of them (well the older ones, i'm not a huge fan of the newer stuff) except for one.The first printings in mass market/pocket book format, had a double cover that revealed an entire family portrait/ picture , so when you look at it through the front , you just see the main character (always a girl)'s face, and then the picture/portrait would reveal something about the book- (i don't thin kthat made anysense, but whatever)

i also like looking out for old pulp fiction pocket books for framing, more so than reading, old cookbooks (mainly for the kitsch factor, most of the recipes sound unappetizing), and whatever fiction books that sound appealing to read.

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View entire thread: yo' mama, what what, yo' mama

Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-11-13 18:56:09      Post Subject:

...Or, people who see mammies as powerful. I once knew a guy who was a fetishist. He was white, and he had a fetish for fat black women. The fatter the better. It drove him into ecstasy to go to the local post office, because most of the civil servants there were fat black women. He told me that to him, they were both powerful and motherly. They could scold you or love you. He liked me, but told me I wasn't fat enough to be desirable- he would go see dominatrixes who were really large and black, and pay them a lot of money to sit on him, make him clean their apartments, or smother him. Needless to say, when he looked at mammyware, he had a very different reaction than most people. To him, they were sex goddesses. What's interesting is that over the years I've had quite a few white people tell me similar stories. Not all people are responding to mammies as ugly or stupid or passive servant-women. Some people- white and black- respond to the mammy image as comforting. Still others, like me, picture family members who worked as domestics and who were anything but passive. My grandmother was large, a domestic, and didn't take any crap from anyone. She was also a great cook. When I see mammies, I see her, with lots of attitide. http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/mammies/

Actually, I've read 'Little Black Sambo'. It's not really that offensive, of itself. A little, but not much. The tigers chase each other around a tree until they turns into butter, and Sambo and his family use the butter for pancakes. http://www.sterlingtimes.co.uk/sambo.htm

What makes it so offensive isn't the story, though. The problem is in the name 'Sambo', and the fact that when the book was published, the word 'black' was a horrible name to give to a person of color. It was an offensive term. Not only that, but the original drawings were atrocious, and fit with stereotypical pictures of golliwogs. Later pirated books used even more racist images. The names and images can't be separated from the original book that easily- nor should they. We need to understand why certain things are racist or sexist, or what have you. But not looking at the past isn't the way to do it. My simply wanting to have mammy dishtowels isn't subversive or ironic. What will make them subversive will be how I make them and use them. Otherwise I'm simply replicating racist kitsch and I haven't learned anything from the past. http://www.handprintbooks.com/html_files/REVIEWS/SAMBOpubnote.pdf

That's my point about a lot of the hipsterism out there too- there seems to be a lack of understanding. A girl seductively sucking a lollypop and calling herself a 'Suicide Girl' isn't subversive, no matter how many tattoos she wears. Bad women have always been portrayed in similar ways. they are seen as sluts, and tattooing for women was a mark of looseness and a lack of middle class values. Tattoos were associated with whores. What might be subversive is to look and act like that if you are a lesbian, and to do it only for other women, or to make it clear you are celibate, or to go that way to a gun club or karate class while you are learning how to defend yourself or practicing hand to hand combat. Or to embrace whoredom and work for the rights of whores while living among them, and accepting that you might be raped or treated like a whore even if you are not one. Being a 'Suicide Girl' isn't a subversion because it's still using sexist imagery to cater to male desire, while coyly pretending that you aren't selling sex. The only difference is that it's about exploiting yourself instead of being exploited by a man to men- but women have always exploited other women or exploited themselves. The selling of women by women is as old as humankind. The only thing new is the lack of honesty. The best courtesans are always the ones who keep all the money because they have no pimps. and they control their own images. But courtesans don't play at being whores- they ARE whores. And they know it. They don't really care if others don't like it either- that's waht makes real whores such a delight, and fake whores such pretentious bores. I see many women playing at being subversive, but they won't jump in the deep end of the pool. Sticking your toe in the water is not the same as swimming, even when you are wearing a bathing suit.

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View entire thread: What is Your Favourite Movie?

Posted by Karla on 2005-01-31 13:12:20      Post Subject:

Oh yes, diggityk, Saturday Night Fever is one of the best. I don't think that movie gets half the credit it deserves. I've spent many nights in the company of friends and family trying to convince them of the subtle genius of John Travolta. I also love Staying Alive but, I'll admit that's mostly derived from it's kitsch-appeal and my 1980s nostalgia. Most movies appeal to me for that reason.

The most eduring and often-watched favorites in my collection are Valley Girl, Pee Wee's Big Adventure , Xanadu, Pretty in Pink and The Goonies. I don't neccessarily think this qualifies them all as the best (or even very good) but, it's the only way I could limit my choices to just a few.

John Hughes, Kevin Smith, Wes Anderson and Baz Luhrmann rule. And I would watch anything that featured Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire.

It really is impossible to choose one.

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View entire thread: Crafty Business Links - list 'em here!

Posted by the-kitschen on 2005-06-23 16:17:01      Post Subject:

http://www.the-kitschen.com

beaded jewelry, glass window pendants and retro-inspired artwork

be fabulous! get more kitsch in your life!

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