Vintage Video: Mad Monster Party?

Vintage Movies, Vintage Pop Culture

Do you remember the post I did in December on Rankin & Bass and their amazing animagic that was behind sooo many great holiday specials like Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer and Nestor the Long Eared Donkey?

Well, one holiday wasn’t enough for these guys–they needed to create something “unique” for Halloween.

Oh, and they did…

With the genius help of Boris Karloff and Phyllis Diller, Mad Monster Party is a complete hoot! It is a send up of horror films and at the time “spooky” was very chic–think The Munsters and The Addams Family! A lot of famous monster movies were also being played on TV and gaining a new group of fans.

The plot revolves around Dr. Frankenstein (voiced by Boris Karloff) who is making plans for his retirement and convenes a meeting of all monsters to announce his replacement, his adorkable nephew, Felix. As word spreads that the doctor is going to choose his young nephew for the position, the visiting creatures plot a coup d’état that would leave Dr. Frankenstein retired … permanently. Oh, and a bunch of skeletons in mod hair cuts sing a great song called The Mummy.

The monster characters are simply wonderful!  Dracula, Frankenstein, the Invisible Man (wearing a dressing gown and fez, much to my delight!)

Everyone is a little bit in love with the shady Francesca, Baron Frankenstein’s assistant–she’s so pretty–how could you not?

But I must admit it’s Felix’s Locust Lock Jaw accent that gets me a bit weak in the knees.  He’s like a young Thurston Howell the 3rd!

And then there is Phyllis. PHYLLIS!!

And Yetch, Baron Frankenstein’s lackey looks a heck of a lot like Peter Lorre…

Mad Magazine creator Harvey Kurtzman helped write the script and Mad Magazine artist Jack Davis designed many of the characters. Davis was a natural for the job, being famous both for his humor work and his monster stories in the pages of EC Comics. Although this was *supposed* to be a children’s film, Mad Monster Party does feature some rather dark humor and a few mildly risqué jokes–like a meowing cat at the beginning of the fight between Natasha and Phyllis Diller character–and both happen to lose their dresses right before the fight. Hmm….

And did you know that you can view it yourself for free if you have Netflix?!?

I’ll leave you with this genius trailer that will have you streaming the video tonight! Enjoy!

Have you see Mad Monster Party?

Monday Vintage Madness!

Kiddo Style: Vintage

I can’t believe we are already half way through October. Sob! This very special, beautiful month just scoots on by so fast! And this weekend was supposed to be full of all sort of Autumnal goodness, but I was on the cusp of getting sick, so I decided to lay low in hopes of shrugging off any full blown illness.  Sigh… But I did have a bit of time to round up some super cute vintage goodies to share with you. Enjoy!

Oh my!  If this stripey friend was a 5T I would buy it in a heartbeat! Orange stripes!  Perfect for this Halloweeny month! From Etsy seller, Little Part.

Look folks, I’m only human. So you understand that I HAD to share this darling vintage plaid boys jumpsuit with the lion applique.  Killing me with the cuteness here! From the marvelous Ms. Tips.

Now here is a rarity–a big girl size 10 vintage shirt in the perfect red gingham.  Couldn’t you just see this sweet shirt under a fun t-shirt? LOVE! From Etsy seller, Bondplace Vintage.

Um… There is a bucket of awesome crammed into this little vintage shirt. That skyline? Amazing. Beyond amazing. And didn’t one of the designers from Project Runway win the Rockettes challenge with this exact same idea? Hmm…. Just sayin’… From Etsy seller, Hey Sweetie Pie!

How could I not include a little Big Big vintage goodness after he’s been in the press so much this past week. Tee hee! But this puzzle is super!  From Etsy seller Oliver’s Forest, who also has a terrific Ernie one too!

I know I featured great vintage costumes last week, but check out this perfect little Pinnochio costume, hand sewn by a seriously awesome mama back in the day. I totally wouldn’t pass judgement if you told everyone that you made this yourself. From one of my favorite Etsy sellers ever 1 Sweet Dream Vintage, who sold me the sweetest rainbow ballerina costume and found the little arm puffs and sent them to me months later. What a doll you are, lady!

OK–another awesome find for in a bigger size! And what a beauty–this amazing kilt with a green yarn edging.  Pure seventies magic. And that buckle? Divine! Well played, FuzzyMama...

These sweet candy corn pants is just one of many different vintage Halloween treats Miss Lishyloo has in her shop right now.  Oh, why can’t all veggies be so sweet as candy corn!

Etsy seller LadiDottie posted a photo that was more of a close up of this sweet vintage kitty sweater, but I had to include the model because she is one of my all time favorite models on Etsy and you all needed to see that cuteness. And the sweater.

I would have traded my Mork & Mindy suspenders for this sweet rainbow vest when I was a kiddo.  All would have bowed down to me on the black top in this beauty. And good gravy, are those polka dots? POLKA DOTS?!?! FIE, A Pear’s Vintage Goodies.

Happy Monday, folks!

CRAFTOBER: Toy box cover tutorial

Crafts + DIY

Please tell me I’m not alone here.  I love getting those pretty wooden boxes with lovely toys in them, but I hate that all the toys come spilling out of them.  There has to be a more decent way to deal with this than shoving it in a loose plastic zip lock bag.

What an eyesore, right? So, I decided to make a little fabric cover. A nice pretty cover that wouldn’t look as lame as the  zip lock bag. And it took less than 15 minutes to sew and that’s no too much time to make something pretty.

You may already have the supplies in your craft room. And if not, the Internet can help out on that real quick.

And here is how you do it:

Here is a great tutorial on how to use fold over elastic (FOE) and it is seriously so easy, you’ll officially become addicted…

You could write on the side of the box the name of what is inside it. Or use iron-on letters too! Or ink stamps if you wanted!

It’s the little things, right?

As discussed, this is part of my month-long bonanza of getting my craft groove back!

How’s your crafting going?  What is your next craft inspired note.

Don’t forget to send me your Homemade Halloween Costume Goodness!

Uncategorized

I’ve already been getting some amazingly awesome Homemade Halloween costumes form people…..but I’m greedy….I still want MORE! Did you make an outfit for your child last year? Was is spectacular? Or was it a fiasco? Either way, we want to see! You can read my original post here or just scoot on over to your email and drop me a note at Alix {at} modernkiddo.com. These DO NOT have to be vintage photos. In fact, the more recent the better!

Some high lights from last year’s Parade:

Mama Jocelyn (from Etsy shop The Nesting Spot) crafted up two of the most adorable ensembles EVERRRRR. First up, sweet little Audrey as Red Riding Hood. This is one costume I never tire of. And Audrey is kind of the cutest thing around.

But wait til you see her brother Josiah….as Sherlock Holmes!!! Elementary!

Last year little Olive blew people’s minds with this darling rainbow.  Her mama Greta (from LayerCakeShop.com) is fantastic (and no she can’t make you one friends…even though we receive SO MANY emails from people asking if they can buy this!). 

Kristen, (from the amazing shop The Robot Parade for Kids), dressed her lil’ man Eli as a tiny MacGyver…

AND also as Transformer, Optimus Prime! The best part is that it actually transformed. Kristen told me, “People loved it and he got extra candy for transforming at some stops!” Go Eli!

If this doesn’t make you smile, you have a heart of stone people! Little Marlo Pearl  as Mary Poppins!!

And finally, I don’t usually feature grown ups, but I had to share Suzy’s brilliant “preggo” costume….she went as the sun and constellation and her hubs went as Gallileo! I love it! Sooo clever and cute.

OK people…send me those costumes! Even if it turned out a little wonky, we love them ALL! Alix [at] modernkiddo .com

Loving these Midcentury Preschool Puzzles!

Vintage Graphics, Vintage Toys + Fun Stuff

I was at the thrift store when I spied this little friend. The cover was a bit unassuming, but when I opened the box I was SO excited to see a collection of amazing illustrations staring back at me. The style is so terrific….playful and fun. I wish I could figure out who the illustrator was! Hmmm. The theme for this set is SHAPES. Let’s take a lil look!

THIN THINGS! I love the carrots and that clever lamp post! OK that worm is pretty cute too.

FAT THINGS! Heh. OK, so it’s *totally* not PC, but that walrus?? Adorable! And the piggie!

SHORT THINGS! Cute cute cute! The chip monk is a little bit Charley Harper no? And I just love that snail! And the mushroom.

TALL THINGS! Oh tall things….this one might be my favorite. The lollipop tree with tire swing! That super hip dad with his white tie! A clown on stilts! Even the skyscraper is cute. Alas, the flagpole is missing. But I love these!

I know these are for really little kiddos, but I was always a big puzzle fan. I’m trying to encourage Wolfie to do them with me too! Do you like puzzles?