Ad of the Day: Shadowboxes, 1974

Remember these? We had one in my house when I was little as did most of my friends...a holdover from the previous decade! And I love them! In fact, I've been mulling over making one for a while now, beans, corn, wheat, dried flowers and all! So earthy! So crafty! So Seventies!!!

Here's a not so great photo of the one I remember as a kid hanging behind my nanny! (this pic was taken at my first birthday party...I'm the little baby!)...
xx-
DollyBird

Rosey Grier Tackles Needlepoint, 1975

Alright you crafty mamas, the doll has a rare treat for you today!





When a man takes up needlepoint, there will always be a few chuckles...unless that man is Rosey Grier.








I mean, would YOU laugh at one quarter of the original 'Fearsome Foursome'?? I sure wouldn't!

Rosey, the defensive tackle, had a legendary career in football.
Rosey also had a music career that began in the early '60s...




He was also the man who 'tackled' Sirhan Sirhan after Sirhan shot and killed Senator Robert Kennedy...

But, in the '70s, he became almost as famous for his needlepoint as his tackles. And why not? The man was quite good at it! So good that, among other things, he wrote a book on the subject...
...and, in 1974, even had one of his designs featured on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post....

Here's a great little skit with Rosie and the members of Sha-Na-Na where he promotes his needlepoint patterns....too funny!!



He was featured in a 1975 issue of Decorating and Craft Ideas and it's a must read! What a sweet, good natured, and super talented man he is! Here's the article in its entirety:

Isn't he the living end?! Rosey's turns 80 in July, and is now a minister and inspirational speaker...and what an inspirational guy he is!!


Hope everyone has a 'Rosey' weekend! And if you're in the East Tennessee region, don't forget the reason I'm doing these crafty '70s posts!....next weekend is the revival of the much beloved Old Oak Festival at Tusculum College in Greeneville!!!

Sophisicated(?) Seventies Patchwork, 1975

Hey, hey, hey my little pigeons! Are you ready for a little change....for a couple of weeks anyway? I've decided that, in the run up to the Old Oak Festival at Tusculum College in my hometown of Greeneville, Tennessee, I'm going to focus on great mid 1970's (the festival originally began in 1975) artsy-craftsy lovelieness! From patchwork decorating to applique fashion to making apple dolls!! You'll be getting at least a post per day, sometimes more! Now, doesn't that sound fun? And don't worry, the '60s will be back in full force here at DollyBird Vintage soon after!

First, for today, 'Sophisticated Patchwork' from a 1975 Crafting magazine. I don't know if I'd call it 'sophisticated' myself, but it sure is fun! Enjoy and get to work crafting, my little Holly Hobbie wannabes!

Everyone, meet our new friend Wendy....

(ok, so it's a different spelling, but did you like how I injected a little '60s fabulousness in here just so my fellow little mod dolls wouldn't feel too lost?)

....Wendy, is going to show us just how fun mathematics can be when used along with patchwork to make a super '70s table setting....


...A patchwork apron...

...plus some cute quilty placemats...

...plus a couple of patriotic potholders...

...plus a pot of fabulous fabric flowers...

...equals one snazzy seventies dinner party!!!We're told that, "Wendy models her patchwork apron as she serves dinner with her patchwork potholders. Placemats and fabric floral centerpiece are also her creations." Well done, Wendy.

Now, for you crafty critters out there, here's a loverly little 'how to' for that crazy centerpiece:

You will need:

Assorted Fabrics
26 Guage Wire for wrapping
16 Gauge Wire for stems
Green Floral Tape
Ball Fringe
White Glue

1. Cut a piece of fabric large enough for 5 petals per flower. Soak the fabric in a mixture of one part glue to 3 parts water. Hang to dry. Do not iron. Cut petals in desired shape and size.

2. Attach a ball from the fringe to 16 gauge wire with floral tape.

3. Add petals one by one with spool wire--winding wire after each addition. Wind excess wire around stem.

4. Cover exposed wire at base of flowers with floral tape.

I may actually try making some of these! I remember several of my mom's friends having them in their houses when I was really little back in the '80s. I also seem to recall them being sold by a crafter at one of the Old Oak Festivals when I was a kid. Would be super for a little girl's room...maybe I'll make a vase-full for my soon to be born 'niece', Aspen....she'll be here any day now!!

Toodles!
xx

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!!!.....

Stockings!

I've been looking for ages for some white knit look tights. You know the type don't you cupcakes? Those scrumptious ones that all the mod girls seemed to have in the mid 1960's? Well, it's bloody hard to find white tights at all, let alone the pretty knit ones...unless of course you're 4 years old. So imagine my delight when I found this article with the directions for making them! It's from 'Golden Hands' magazine, which makes me think of Napoleon Dynamite and the Happy Hands Club every time! It was a weekly sewing and craft magazine that was printed in 1966 and again in 1972 in London. This particular issue is part 44. I love that the London street on the cover looks exactly like my old street in Camden...good old St. Martin's Close! I can't wait to try and make these...even though I swore I'd never knit or crochet ever again after having to design and knit an entire dress for my textiles class a year and a half ago! Once I do, I will of course let you know how they came out!





And if they end up not turning out well, I found some great ones on Topshop.com for $24. Golly, I may just order them anyway!