Back in the day, your lunch box was something you treasured. You eagerly picked out a new one each year…and carried it with a sense of pride. For some reason I feel like lunch boxes are much more utilitarian now. Sure, they still have cartoons and what not on them, but more and more kiddo’s on the elementary school playground have unbranded nylon totes. Even bento boxes, which can be darling, don’t have the same cache and magic of a Knight Rider lunch box, ya know? This photo sums it all up for me—and totally reminds me of my brother Karl. He worshiped Star Wars and looooved his awesome Super Friends lunch pail.

image: Benjamin_oderwald

Lunch boxes were SUPER trendy amongst collectors back in the 90s….kinda like Pez. Prices became so inflated that I wouldn’t even really look at them, knowing they would cost a pretty penny. But the other day I stumbled upon a great Snoopy lunchbox and it reminded me that I DID still love them. What kind of lunch box did you carry back in the day?

images: lunzerland

image: Kevin Rej

TV show based lunch boxed were especially popular in my day (the 70s). That Charlie’s Angels lunch box?? I sooo wanted one. Ironically, often lunch boxes were for TV shows that your parents would never really let you watch….or for bands you never really listened to at age 8 (KISS, Charlie’s Angels, the A-Team….LAUGH IN!). But you knew of them through pop culture and you wanted to be a part of it all!

image: christian montone

image: Sarah Kennon

image: gtykal

image: apricot x

image: dani senske

image: fleece boy

image: stacy monakey

image: Pastor Future

I understand why they have evolved….tin lunch boxes get a little rusty, and nylon/vinyl is easier to clean. But man I miss those days. Wolfie likes his lunch box, and we got him a sweet Pokemon one, but I know he doesn’t feel that same reverence we all did when we were kids.

image: big brown house

image: Greg Koenig

Do you have these same memories? What was your lunch box? And how about your kiddos….what are they carrying their lunch in these days? I’m curious!

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Friends, this was my first favorite movie.  I was four years old even then I knew that this was a brilliant movie.

And then three decades past before I saw it again and it TOTALLY held up.  I think it can be appreciated by kids as well as their parents.  Because what is there not to love about Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Natalie Wood?

In a nutshell, the movie revolves around a race from New York to Paris before WWI between two  dueling dare devils with a female reporter determined to cover the whole event.

When I first watched it, I loved Natalie Wood’s pretty dresses and of course Tony Curtis was perfectly dreamy in white as the Great Leslie.

But as I got older, it was Jack Lemmon’s deliciously funny portrayal of Professor Fate.

And of course the Crown Prince Federick too, but I don’t want to give anything away. Except this picture.  Which says alot…

Oh, Jack Lemmon, you are marvelous….

But I will mention that there is a pie fight in this film? Yup. Pie fight!

So, consider adding this to movie to your queue.

Are you familiar with this movie?

Happy belated Mother’s Day to all the mamas out there! I must say mine was pretty waffletastic and so much fun!

Spring has finally come with a wink and a nod and whole lot of fun!  So, I rustled up some great bits to share with you all! Enjoy!

Whoa.  Love. From Etsy seller, Sweet Shop Vintage.

For your little artist. From Etsy seller, Scarlet Bird Vintage.

With weather getting warmer, this little romper is perfect! From Etsy seller, Wee Love Vintage.

Lishyloo has such great stuff, like this perfect Polly Flinders dress.  So lovely.

I just can’t get enough sweet vintage Tiki for boys! From Etsy seller, Storybook Retro.

These mugs are perfection.  Perfect for sipping lemonade!  From Etsy seller, Evelynn’s Alcove.

This little tunic dress is a dream come true. And it isn’t too early to find a great Fourth of July outfit! From Etsy seller, Roc Vintage.

I just can’t help but love a good bonnet on a baby.  And this bonnet on a baby? Too wonderful! From Etsy seller, Story Tellers Vintage.

I wish Keds would make these shoes again. Because I think every single kiddo needs a pair of these beauts.  From Etsy seller, Ramshackle Vintage.

I love this little ship shape shirt that would look great this summer! From Etsy seller, Petit Lapin Vintage.

Happy Monday!

Ahhhh Friday Friday…..you’re finally here. I feel like every week I’m amazed we made it through it all….will life ever slow down?? Sigh. Methinks not. Despite the craziness, I have some very fun links to take you through the weekend. TGIF Baby!

1. COOL VINTAGE PORTRAITS


I love the whimsey and quirky cool of vintage portraits. So I especially loved Victoria/sfgirlbybay’s fun post on how to use them.

2. VINTAGE PHOTO ALBUMS GONE WILD!

LOL…..50 year old photos get a lil modern update in this collection of animated GIFs.

3. THAT TIME I DID KARAOKE WITH JGL

I loved hearing this story about running into Joseph Gordon Levitt at karaoke.

4. A LONG TIME AGO, IN A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY….

Amazing collection of Behind the Scenes shots.

5. HAMM BONE, HAMM BONE, HAVE YOU HEARD?

All I can say is, it’s about time someone made a Jon Hamm coloring book, amiright?

6. LEGENDARY MEET UPS.

Dali Lama and Mr. Rogers. The Original Star Wars cast. This collection of the Most Legendary Photographs is really fun.

7. WHO LET THE DOG OUT?

The photos in this Craigslisting for an apartment are the best thing ever….thanks to their photobombing dog!! He’s literally in every photo.

8. CRAY CRAY FOR CRAYONS.

Design*Sponge has a great little peek at the history behind Crayons. Check it out here.

9. SOMETHING TO TWEET ABOUT IT.

I totally want a little airstream for a personal studio or vintage storage workspace. Sigh. Until then, this adorable birdhouse will just have to do.

10. DOVE REAL BEAUTY SKETCHES.

This video is pretty incredible —and rather moving. A well-known sketch artist drew women based on their descriptions of themselves. The results were so thought provoking.

I read today that Ray Harryhausen died. Now that is not a name that I was immediately familiar with but he was a major influence in my childhood.

I grew up in a house full of boys in the seventies.  Our garage was full of skateboards, bikes, soccer balls, basketballs, pogo sticks, and at least two homemade go cart in different states of repair.  My mother bought Bactine by the caseload.

If they weren’t playing sports or fixing up the tree house on a Saturday afternoon, they were inside watching a movie featuring the mesmerizing work of  Ray Harryhausen.

My love of Ray’s work began with Mighty Joe Young. This was one of my favorites as it wasn’t as scary as King Kong!

And I loved Mysterious Island and that crazy crab!

But it was his Sinbad/ancient Greece/Rome movies that really got us kids excited! And for good reason!

Oh man, those skeletons! My brothers and I would re-enact this scene so many times one summer after watching it on KPIX.  It is still spooky!

Ray was a true genius and transformed special effects before we had computer generated abilities. How did he get this wonderful outlook and passion for his career?  Why, his parents, of course! YAY! Ray once said,

‘My obsession with fantasy has been lifelong, growing during my formative years and being taken to new heights by novels, paintings and of course films, and I was always encouraged by my parents.  They nurtured this unusual passion in me by taking me to films and theatre, and later enthused about my experiments with marionettes, models and animation, eventually even helping me with productions.  They never tried to discourage me in any way from my obsession, and could just as easily have said, ‘Get out there and be a doctor or a lawyer or follow some other profession that is going to bring you in money’.  Fortunately, they didn’t’.

These movies are so much fun for kids to watch today.  Even against the mind alteringly beautiful special effects of Spiderman and Ironman and all their manly buddies, there is still something utterly wonderful about Ray’s work.  Thank you, Ray, for some amazing memories of hanging with my brothers splayed out on the floor with our chins in our hands mesmerized by your work.

Did you watch any of these films growing up as a kid?