OffbeatAvenue

LOVE, LOVE EPHEMERA!!   It is the closest thing to a time machine that we have.   We just posted this fantastic magazine, Popular Science from November 1961  and the advertisements, projects, and mail order stuff is just fantastic! It is amazing what items were promoted at that time and have now slipped into oblivion. Which is actually why we are all collectors at heart of SOMETHING.   Let's take a little trip in the time machine....     Popular Science magazine from November 1961. Let's just look at the cover. I can tell three things already, can you spot them? #1 No way anyone today is putting a Native American Indian with a red face on the cover of anything. It would insult a whole lot of people. #2 The pipe. No one is supposed to smoke anymore. #3 Math? The math of today has changed beyond comprehension. I'm no mathlete, but I tried to help with what I thought was easy math homework last year, you know, basic multiplication. New math? No

With Halloween right around the corner, and with this great booklet selling recently, we couldn't let it out of out hands without first taking some snaps to share with you these fantastic mid century illustrations!   Not sure if these could really be re-created in such glory as shown, (these are all crepe paper!!), but it's really fun to look! And, if you ever find this out in the wild, pick it up for great inspiration.   Easy-To-Make Colorful Costumes of Dennison Crepe Paper Softcover, 1952, 31 pages. Amazing graphics for costumes, both black & white and color!   Isn't she adorable? Back then, this cost less than 50 cents to make!   I'll bet this one was more than 50 cents....   Just start with a regular jumper suit, add some crepe paper, and voila! you have a costume.     This is Rose, who starts off the flower fairies. Love the hat!   Above is Lily, gorgeous, but how quickly would all of that white be