Pho-TOY-graphy: Some exceptional photos of vintage Fisher-Price toys found around the internet

Photo by Dutempsaperdre78

Fisher-Price absolutely takes the cake when it comes to picking my favorite vintage toy brand. Those toys made me very happy as a child, and they still comfort me as an adult. Even just seeing them in a photograph tends to really excite me. And this li'l group of toy pics is a fine example of some that have turned me on lately...

Photo by Chris White

Photo by Lolie Jane

Photo by Cracklin Tulip

Photo by The Aunt with Gum

Retro Book Fair: Walt Disney's 'Alice in Wonderland'

As a child, this book was magical to me. And it still is, actually. There's just something about the artwork in particular. The colors... the painterly style... it all comes together and creates this perfect fantastical world. And I doubt it would've affected me the same had it not been a Big Golden Book edition. That big beautiful storybook enveloped me and took me to a place like no other - Wonderland!

Aside from the cover image, I've also included specific pages here which I can remember seeming particularly special to little Anthony. Pages that I'd tend to linger on just a little while longer than the rest, my imagination buzzing with colorful intensity.



Easily the most iconic moment

in the story, and my absolute fave!






























For some reason, both the water

and bubbles REALLY fascinated me.






























I loved getting to see

inside White Rabbit's house.

This page is awesome. I loved

how the thatch roof of the

cottage doubles as Alice's hair.

The garden of talking flowers...

Another beautiful and awe-inspiring

sight to behold!

Our brief trip through storybook Wonderland ends here, for now, folks. But check back periodically because you never know when I might decide to go again...


~ Unfortunately, no specific art or illustration credits are given inside the book. It's all just credited to Walt Disney Studios. If anyone happens to know names of individuals, please contact me. I'd like to give credit where it's due. ~

Retro Book Fair: Corinne Malvern's 'Mother Goose'

It's that time once again, folks...

Yes, come with me and "get your book on"!

Today I'm sharing a children's book that is chock full of colorful and charming illustrations. It's Corinne Malvern's 'Mother Goose' and it was published/printed in 1953. The book's condition is pretty awesome, too, when you consider that it's almost 60 years old! I'd love to frame a few select pages, but I wouldn't dare separate them from the original book. That just IS NOT allowed! Did you hear me? NOT allowed!

So, anyway, check out the great cover, below, followed by a few of my fave nursery rhyme/illustration combos from inside...



As if the cover wasn't cute enough,

it actually wraps around to the back

with even MORE adorable characters!





I love the colors, here, and all

of the care-free romping. Do

kids even "romp", these days?





"She whipped him, she slashed him..."

NOT much of a lady in my book!





You and I both know that MUST

be a cubic zirconia she's holding...





This one's my absolute favorite!

It's really cute and just a tad creepy...



There are many, many more within the book, but I wanted to keep things short and sweet. I did a pretty good job of that, huh?

Retro Photo: Old, family album snapshots

By far, the most valuable material things in my world are photographs. Sure, I love my old toys and games a lot, too, but nothing is as priceless or irreplaceable as an old family photograph! That's why I'm so pleased to have borrowed a few of my family's old albums from my mom; I can scan and make copies for my own collection. Plus, now I can share some of my personal favorites with you. So if it sounds like fun, just grab a seat next to me and we'll get started...



This is my mom and dad on New Years Eve, 1969,
"sealing the deal" in a Las Vegas wedding chapel.
They made quite the handsome couple, if you ask me!





Here are the stylish newlyweds, again! Look how
very dashing my dad appears in his suit, smoking
a pipe. And check out my mom's HAIR! Wow!
Actually, it's interesting to note that my mom
was about 5 or 6 months pregnant with me in this
photo because if I didn't know better, I'd swear she
was carrying ME under that HELMET of hers!





Not sure WHAT I DID to deserve THIS... But at
least I look happy. And I should, just look at the
bottle of port they threw in there with me!
Here, I'm about 1-year-old and happy as a clam.
A drunken clam.




























Did I ever mention that my grandparents were robots?





















"Now, what??"
Here, I'm about 2 or 3 and quite
obviously less than impressed.


























Grandpa

























Sheesh! You'd think that riding HUGE turtles
and carousel horses would make all the little
boys smile, but NOOOO, not this kid...



Viva, Las Vegas!
I think my mom looks WAY cool, here. She's totally
rockin' that retro look and vibe... only it WASN'T
retro back THEN! It was the real deal.






















"Allo. Parlez-vous francais?"
This shot cracks me up every time I see it!
And it makes me think of Pepe Le Pew,
if he were a little boy and NOT a skunk.

























Well, I hope all of that didn't bore you too much, folks. In fact, thanks for indulging me! Until the next 'Retro Photo' session, remember... Today's snapshot could be tomorrow's priceless treasure.

~ All photos property of Anthony See ~

A Boy's Toy Joy: The Fisher-Price Little People Play Family Action Garage

This was yet another toy that fascinated me as a young'un. And yes, it was also made by Fisher-Price. Why such consistant brand-loyalty when it comes to my childhood toy memories? Well, I certainly wasn't a label whore! Not back then. It must have something to do with [1] My parents bought me a lot of Fisher-Price toys, and/or [2] All of those toys were super colorful and real fun to play with! So it's easy to see why they made such an impression, and why I remember them so fondly.

For sure, the Little People Play Family Action Garage was definitely one of the best! I loved rolling the cars up and down the ramp, a lot. It was especially satisfying to "drive" one of them into the elevator, crank it up to the top level and then let it roll back down the ramp super fast, all 'Dukes of Hazzard' style! Disregard the fact that I was too young to know what 'The Dukes of Hazzard' show was, and forget that it wouldn't even exist until 1979. All that mattered to 5-year-old Anthony was playing, and having lots o' fun with that toy!


~Photo by Laura McConnell of Dog Bone Art~

My very first art film, 'The Red Balloon'

I must begin by clarifying that my post title is not intended to infer any involvement on my part with the creation of this wonderful film. That credit goes to the Academy Award winning writer/director of 'The Red Balloon', Albert Lamorisse. Besides, I wasn't even around when it came out in 1956! But 21 years later, sitting in a darkened 2nd-grade classroom, I had my first experience viewing this memorable piece of foreign cinema and it made a real impression on me.

Even at the tender age of 7, I realized on some level that this film was special. Or, at least, it was special to me. It really struck a chord, deep within...

I received the newest, restored and digitally transferred edition of the film on DVD as a gift a while ago, but hadn't actually sat down to watch it until yesterday. Boy, I was so glad I finally did because it was even better than I had remembered it! I mean, I was grinning ear-to-ear from the very start. It certainly took me to my "happy place".

I found it interesting that the film was brighter and more colorful than I remembered. I guess that could be directly due to the restoration and high-definition transfer, but all these years I had thought of it as having much darker tones in both mood and color. Except for that BIG red balloon, of course! In fact, Tommy told me I'd have to watch the DVD without him because he hated watching the film back in elementary school. "It was too depressing", he said. And I was like, "Are you freakin' kidding me?! You're completely missing the entire point of the film, dude!" Well, I might be paraphrasing a bit, but that was the gist of our differing opinions on the matter.

I do feel passionate about this little french film. And I think that anyone who watches it can see the amount of passion that Albert Lamorisse must have felt for the project, as it plays like a cinematic love letter to the city of Paris. The shooting location couldn't have been better, either. It was in the Menilmontant section of Paris, a labyrinth of narrow alleys, cobblestones and steep streets. Since this was my first impression of Paris, I know that if I ever do travel there I will want and expect to see all of the key scenic backgrounds featured or I won't be satisfied... NOTE TO SELF: Prepare for disappointment.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the simple story of this precious gem, here's the brief synopsis right off of the DVD:

"Pascal, a young Parisian boy, retrieves a balloon tied to a lamppost, only to discover that it seems to have a mind and personality of its own. At times the balloon follows him around like a loyal dog, at others like a teasing best friend. The two form an almost inseparable bond, one that only an uncaring world would dare untether."

I couldn't help giggling as I typed that description because I kept hearing Mr. Deep-Voiced-Movie-Trailer-Announcer-Guy saying it! Then I had to actually try doing the voice! Good thing I'm alone, right now... By the way, does anyone know what that guy's name is? Oh, wait. I think I heard somewhere that he died. Oops, here I am making fun of him. Do you think that whoever gave the eulogy at his memorial service delivered it with a similar deep voice, like it was also a movie trailer? That would've actually been pretty damn cool, huh? Some might think it was in poor taste, but not really, if you think about it. Of course, it would sort of depend on whether the guy had a sense of humor...

Sorry, about that! It's getting late, and the A.D.D. is kicking into high gear. Where was I before all of that? Oh, yes. I was going to share a gallery of production stills.


So here's the gallery...





On his way to school, Pascal (played
by 5 1/2 y.o. Pascal Lamorisse, the
director's son) discovers something...







The temptation is just too great. Aaaand since no
one's around to stop him, he shimmies on up the
lamppost to take down that shiny, red floaty-thing.







Pascal and his new "friend", running late for school!







Street corner shenanigans...







"Now, don't go anywhere! I'll be right back."

While passing a boulangerie (bakery) shop window,
Pascal sees something he'd like to have. So he leaves
his balloon outside the shop for only a moment...
Just long enough for some bratty kid to sneak up
and take off with it!







I don't have a picture, but Pascal manages to get his
balloon back. Here, he's desperately running down a
narrow alley to escape the gang of mean bullies that
took it from him! Oh, what now? A fat, old woman
carrying groceries?! Come on, give the kid a break!







Sadly, they do catch up to Pascal. They completely
outnumber him (the gang of bullies is much larger
than pictured), too, which is totally unfair!
But, then... so is life.







After much bullying ensues, a real nasty boy pulls
out a slingshot! Then, as you can clearly see, he turns
'The Red Balloon' into... the dead balloon.







Do not despair! Yes, Pascal just lost his best
"friend", but somehow, magically, all of the
other balloons in Paris start floating right to
him! So many, they're overwhelming. Then...








It's up, up and away!



If you've never seen this award-winning film, you should check it out. Even if you have, but it's been many years since (like about 30, in my case), I highly recommend watching it again! Especially this latest restored, high-def print on DVD. I'm gonna try talking Tommy into watching it with me because I really don't think it's as depressing as he remembers it being, but that might be fruitless effort on my part. He'll probably just shoot me down like that poor balloon...


~All photos via Google Images~

My Baby Box: Yo-Yo Clown Doll

I'm digging through that old, dusty box again... The big cardboard one, with my baby toys in it. What did you think I meant?!

Anyway, today I'm sharing with you a doll that my grandmother (on my dad's side) made for me. It's what I believe is called a Yo-Yo Clown doll. See how the body is made of different pieces of fabric circles? Those are called yo-yos, and they're typically made out of unused fabric scraps.

I love this thing! And I also love picturing my grandmother Hazel creating this wonderful doll at home in her trailer park, in Hemet, California. For those who may not know, Hemet is largely like an old-folks community. At least, it used to be when I was a kid. Or did it only seem that way from my perspective? I can remember being fascinated with my grandparent's elderly neighbors, mainly because they were ALL elderly! And I enjoyed going for walks around the park with my grandma Hazel, especially so I could see all of the interesting little landscaping decorations people had out in front of their trailers. You know, like garden gnomes, squirrels, gazing balls or cactus gardens. Some even had all of that! We couldn't walk fast enough to get to those...

I can also remember being perplexed by the large Shuffleboard patio area that was right next to the swimming pool. I don't think that I ever saw anyone playing, so it remained a mystery. Speaking of the swimming pool, I always enjoyed getting to go in there during our Summer visits, but not just for the refreshing dip. I was also amused by the old bathing beauties in their skirted one-piece suits and rubber swim caps!

Boy, did I veer off course!
Let's get back to the clown doll, shall we?

Here are just a few "artsy" shots that I took, trying to create a certain mood:






Photo by Anthony at Pop Circus






Photo by Anthony at Pop Circus





That's it for this episode of 'My Baby Box'.
Stay tuned, I have more to share with you!



~All photos by Anthony at Pop Circus~

Happy Halloween!

I'm sure we all remember sitting in class, back in elementary school, working away on some arts 'n' crafts project that involved colored construction paper, glue (or rubber cement), tape and safety-scissors because of some forthcoming holiday, such as Halloween. That "Cat Boy" up there sure knew how to use the tape! And you can tell he's proud of his creation! I miss those simple times. Yes, I can still sit and work on an art project at home on a weekend afternoon, and I occasionally do, but it's not the same. As an adult you'll never again have that sense of total freedom to create, or the young mind that was virtually uninhibited by the types of thoughts we now have as adults, like paying for rent/mortgage, bills, groceries, etc. Being a kid certainly had its perks! It's too bad we didn't know how good we had it, back then. Seems like most of us just couldn't wait to grow up... and do grown-up things.

I know that's why I was sooo excited when I became old enough to start going Trick 'r Treating without my parents! Nothing personal against them, of course. It was just that new taste of freedom, if only for one night a year, that I found very exciting! And I think that it plays a big part in the development of children's independence. Yes, times are different now, and a lot of neighborhoods are not as safe as they once were. However, I do think that lots of modern day parents over-react by not allowing their kids to go out unchaperoned, even if they are technically old enough. And it's not like the kid is going to want to go out totally alone, anyway... He or she is more than likely going to want to join some of their other friends, and then see what sort of havoc they can wreak! Good-natured havoc, I'm sure.


Please enjoy my gallery of Halloween treats, below. They're just some of my favorites from a book of collected vintage holiday images put together by Editor/Art Director Jim Heimann, and published by Taschen.







"Sshh! I'm a very, very quiet little
mouse... Could I trouble you for, maybe,
one small piece of candied cheese?"







"Billy, you know that bitch Jane is
talking shit behind your back to that
new boy, right?! All the while, she's
sitting there "innocently" cutting out
her paper bats..."

"Well, Dick, I guess it just means
this pumpkin won't be the only
thing that I'll be carving today."







"Yes, that's right. I've been a baaad
skunk! Don't you want to spank
me? You do want to spank the baaad
little skunk, don't you? Sure you do!
Now, come lift my tail and I'll
give you a good reason to spank me..."







(Alright, they're in the kitchen, so we
know that the butcher knife
can't be too far away...)







"So long, everyone! Thanks for stopping
by! Have a safe and
spooky Halloween! And
remember to always inspect your kid's
candy before you eat it, parents!"




Gee, I think J.P. (Jaunty Punkin) pretty much wrapped everything up for me! So my job is done here. For now, anyway...
Bwa, ha, ha, ha, ha!


~All images taken from Jim Heimann's book, 'Halloween: Vintage Holiday Graphics', published by Taschen~

I Got My Baby Box, Baby Box!

Several years ago, my mom gave me a big box of toys and nursery wall decor that were mine when I was just a wee, little Baby Anthony. My family actually called me Tony (and still do), but I tried to put a stop to that at some point in my teens when I had decided that Anthony sounded more mature. Besides, that is the name on my birth certificate!

Anyway, I know that it must have been a bitter-sweet moment for my mom when she gave me these things because she told me that she had been saving them for the day when I might have a child of my own. Well... back then, adoption by gay couples wasn't as prevalent as it is now (may not have even been legal), and she certainly knew a grandchild wasn't coming by natural means! So figuring it was a lost cause to save it, but also knowing how special it would be to me, my mom went ahead and handed over that magical box of babyhood memories.

It's interesting how I can remember some of the things perfectly, and others not at all. What really amazed me was the smell inside the box and on the stuffed animals. After lo these many years, it all still has a very distinct scent that (((WHOOSH))) instantly takes me back to the nursery. Fascinating, the way our sense of smell is so strongly connected to memories. It can almost evoke more than a photograph. Or, at the very least, the scent of certain things can conjure something that a photograph just isn't capable of capturing. Know what I mean?

Speaking of photographs, the one at the top is of my mom and me. Just thought I should clarify that in case it somehow wasn't totally obvious to everyone. And below you'll see a few that I took of two very psychedelic pieces of wall decor which came from grandparents on my dad's side. I imagine that they probably hung over my crib. The wall hangings, not my grandparents. When looking at them, keep in mind that I was born in the '70s!







Colorful enough for ya? Both wall
plaques are likely responsible for
why I'm so drawn to color...







This one is my favorite of the two!
Not quite sure if it's because of the
particular color combo, or that this
bear is cuter blowing bubbles with a
horn while wearing a nightcap?
Probably both.





That is all, for now. I plan to continue sharing the rest of my Baby Box contents as a series of exclusive posts, much like the 'Happy Music' and 'A Boy's Toy Joy' series!

Stay tuned...