Sunday 5 June 2011

Magical Mobiles, 1966...


For some reason, I can't imagine why, mobiles have fallen out of fashion. No, munchkins, not the type that ring all the time and have grown attached to our noggins! I'm talking about the type you hang from the ceiling! Most of us had them hanging above our cribs when we were babies. Mine, made by my mother, had loads of different songbirds floating above my head...which is surely why my first word was 'bird' and explains my lifelong obsession with the creatures!
In the late 50s and early 60s, mobiles were all the rage for any well dressed room, not just for the nursery. I've just run across a delicious little article in Better Homes and Gardens from 1966 called 'Mobile Magic For Everyone'. They've some lovely ideas...and some rather silly ones. I can't wait to tackle making one....or three...


Super cool carousel mobile! I LOVE this one, especially the rick rack!!


Weird food mobile...they call it a 'Pop Art Kitchen Mobile'...how very Warhol of them...made from food labels pasted onto wooden shapes.


Cool kitchen utensil theme. I swear I remember my mom or one of my friend's moms having one of these when I was really little!


Even though it's made out of sandwich and toothpicks, which sounds a tish cheesy, I think this is my fave!


Cute little summery fishy-poo's! Perfect for a vintage cabana or tiki bar!!


The possibilities are absolutely endless with these!

Speaking of mobiles, this made me think of my very favourite 'mobile in a motion picture' scene. The lovely Susan Hayward as Helen Lawson singing in 1967's Valley of the Dolls. Unfortunately there is no version of this using Susan's original voice track on youtube, only this Judy Garland overdub of the scene...but nevermind, the mobile is as fab as ever!!!.....

2 comments:

  1. Mobiles are cool. The handmade ones look fab! x ps good luck in my giveaway!

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  2. I adore mobiles, such a quick and fun way to get a bit of 60s chic in any room. Although they do remind me of the episode of Ab Fab when Eddie gets entangled in one in an art gallery! ;)

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