Ring In 2008 In Retro Style
One thing that never ceases to amaze me is how—if you just wait long enough—all the clothes you wore in junior high will someday pop up on trendy tweens and teens across the land.
Seriously, if you’d told me in 1983 that emo kids in skinny jeans would be raiding The Attic for Mr. Bill and Gumby t-shirts in 2008, I would have laughed you all the way out of the video arcade. And then I would have played some more Donkey Kong!
Here we are, minutes from the dawn of a new year and I’ve decided to accept and embrace the recycling of my childhood heroes. Why fight fashion?
So, to help all of you Boomers and Gen X-ers out there, I’ve assembled a list of my favorite hipster-tees guaranteed to change your kids’ tunes from “Please don’t talk to my friends, Mom, you’re embarrassing,” to “Can I borrow your Underdog t-shirt for the Fall Out Boy concert?"
To which you can triumphantly say “Sorry, kid! I'm wearing my Underdog shirt to the Van Halen reunion concert!”
Happy 2008 to everyone out there! Now hide these shirts from your kids pronto!
..and the Granddaddy of All Things Retro And Cool—
Enjoy your bad self!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Friday, December 28, 2007
Celebrate The Super ‘70s!
Go Ahead—You Know You Love It!
Here are a few of my personal favorites: What girl didn’t want to don that Wonder Woman cape and tiara? Forget jewelry and fancy perfume—all we women need to feel gorgeous and invincible is this bright red Wonder Woman T-Shirt! I like to think of it as what Wonder Woman wears on laundry day!
And last but not least, my older brother’s (still) favorite band, The Hottest Band In The World: KISS! I used to tease him and say they were “gross,” but I secretly loved them! Now that I’m older, I love them even more and delight in embarrassing my kids by bringing my KISS Beach Towel on trips to the lake and the sandy shore. If it’s too loud, you’re too old! Rock on, mom!
As my kids text their friends about what they hope they’re getting for Christmas, Mr. Betty’s Attic is putting the finishing touches on the Cart-Style Popcorn Maker we bought for the family room this year. Since he likes to do those “construction things” by himself, I thought I’d take a little “me time” at the computer to regroup before The Big Day, and as usual, I'm browsing through our Betty’s Attic ‘70s stuff!
There’s something about The ‘70s that makes me grin. Maybe it’s the memories of feathered hair, polyester pants, disco balls, and Afterschool Specials, but I feel sorry for kids who don’t know what it was like to live through that fabulous decade! Sure, it had its embarrassing moments, but it had a lot of fun times, too!
Here are a few of my personal favorites: What girl didn’t want to don that Wonder Woman cape and tiara? Forget jewelry and fancy perfume—all we women need to feel gorgeous and invincible is this bright red Wonder Woman T-Shirt! I like to think of it as what Wonder Woman wears on laundry day!When I was in the 6th grade, I had a friend named Cindy who was 
obsessed...obsessed...with John Schneider from The Dukes Of Hazzard while I was more of a Tom Wopat gal. We hung out every week watching the TV show, dreaming of riding in the General Lee. With this Light & Sound General Lee Die Cast, I can dream of being Mrs. Luke Duke when no one’s around!
obsessed...obsessed...with John Schneider from The Dukes Of Hazzard while I was more of a Tom Wopat gal. We hung out every week watching the TV show, dreaming of riding in the General Lee. With this Light & Sound General Lee Die Cast, I can dream of being Mrs. Luke Duke when no one’s around!
And last but not least, my older brother’s (still) favorite band, The Hottest Band In The World: KISS! I used to tease him and say they were “gross,” but I secretly loved them! Now that I’m older, I love them even more and delight in embarrassing my kids by bringing my KISS Beach Towel on trips to the lake and the sandy shore. If it’s too loud, you’re too old! Rock on, mom!Maybe 2008 will be the coolest year ever? Who knows? Until we find out, I'm sticking with The ‘70s...where every day is groooovy!
Happy Happy Holidays to all of you!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
It’s The Holiday Home Stretch!
Give Yourself A Snuggle Break In Comfy Robes & PJs
When holiday stress threatens to drive us crazy, some of us hit the cookies, and some hit the treadmill (we cookie people despise the treadmill people). Is there a way to survive the holiday home stretch and keep our waistlines intact? Of course! Put the sugar cookies back! Soothe yourself by slipping into a pair of super-soft PJs and your own cozy robe!
Not only do they keep you calm amidst the chaos of parties, dinners and relatives on roll-away beds, they’re a gift to yourself that keeps on giving year-round! For Mister Manly Man, there’s the thick Harley-Davidson® Robe. It’s the perfect combination of “I like to fix heavy things in the garage,” and “I want to watch cartoons on the couch with a bowl of cereal.”
And for you gals, relax inside our thirsty plush Lucy Robe. It’s like a warm fleece hug you can wear all day long! Or, if you adore Betty BoopTM and her shiny spit curls, pamper yourself in our fuzzy hot pink robe.
More the traditional type? Nothing beats the comfort of old-fashioned Footie Pajamas, sure to bring back memories of waiting up as late as you could, trying to catch a peek at Santa! You’ll make it through the holidays yet!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Get Your Yuletide Groove On!
December 1965—The Grateful Dead Play Their First Show
I hope you’re remembering to stop and sip the eggnog as we descend deeper into Holiday Mania! I’ll tell you—one thing that adds to my shopping stress is the music we’re forced to endure in some of the department stores! Nothing against chestnuts or dashing through the
snow, but let’s just say that some renditions of holiday classics are in the bargain bin for a reason! My secret weapon? Why, The Grateful Dead, of course!
I hope you’re remembering to stop and sip the eggnog as we descend deeper into Holiday Mania! I’ll tell you—one thing that adds to my shopping stress is the music we’re forced to endure in some of the department stores! Nothing against chestnuts or dashing through the
snow, but let’s just say that some renditions of holiday classics are in the bargain bin for a reason! My secret weapon? Why, The Grateful Dead, of course!When I’m in the car alone (because we all know the torture of listening to our kids ridicule our golden oldies) and I’m up to here with fa-la-las, I put in my CD of American Beauty and pretty soon, the honking traffic dissipates into the stratosphere. The Dead fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, country, jazz, psychedelia—even gospel—for a brew no other band could dream of duplicating (although many have tried). Songs like “Sugar Magnolia,” and “Box Of Rain” are perfect introductions to their genius and, as stated 
above, a dreamy antidote to holiday frustration! Celebrate the anniversary of their first concert at the legendary San Francisco Fillmore on this day in 1965. It truly was, as they say, the beginning of an era!
above, a dreamy antidote to holiday frustration! Celebrate the anniversary of their first concert at the legendary San Francisco Fillmore on this day in 1965. It truly was, as they say, the beginning of an era!Think Jerry’s guitar solos were “puzzling?” Try your luck at this cool 500-piece puzzle ingeniously combining individual classic photos of the rock icon to form one large mosaic sure to wind up on your wall. Fancy yourself as the ultimate Deadhead? Then our Grateful Dead Trivia Game is for you! Players collect "concert tickets" by answering interactive and trivia questions spanning the band’s history from Pigpen to Ratdog.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Judy Garland Saves Christmas!
How A Song Was Born In St. Louis
Having just caught In The Good Old Summertime with the sublime Judy Garland last night, I started thinking about the holiday gem Meet Me In St. Louis starring Judy at her most luminous. Did you know that the mega-famous holiday ditty from that film, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” started out as, well, a total bummer? It’s true! When it was originally penned for that bittersweet scene between Judy and the young Margaret O’Brien, it contained lines such as “Have yourself a merry little Christmas, it may be your last...” and “Faithful friends who were dear to us will be near to us no more...”
Wow! That puts a buzz in the old eggnog, eh? Eventually (due, in part, to Judy herself), the lyrics were revised to the version we know and love, and a beloved Yuletide sing-along was born! To be sung at office Christmas parties and merry martini mixers for all eternity!
Personally, I think anything to do with Judy is a Christmas “must,” and that definitely includes The Wizard Of Oz! So slip into your party dress, freshen your lipstick and add some of her plucky chutzpah to your holiday with our Wizard Of Oz Jingle Bell Ornament Set and our Ruby Slipper Christmas Stocking. Because, with Judy, “all your troubles will be out of sight!” Keep the magic of Oz going strong throughout your holiday decor!
Having just caught In The Good Old Summertime with the sublime Judy Garland last night, I started thinking about the holiday gem Meet Me In St. Louis starring Judy at her most luminous. Did you know that the mega-famous holiday ditty from that film, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” started out as, well, a total bummer? It’s true! When it was originally penned for that bittersweet scene between Judy and the young Margaret O’Brien, it contained lines such as “Have yourself a merry little Christmas, it may be your last...” and “Faithful friends who were dear to us will be near to us no more...”
Wow! That puts a buzz in the old eggnog, eh? Eventually (due, in part, to Judy herself), the lyrics were revised to the version we know and love, and a beloved Yuletide sing-along was born! To be sung at office Christmas parties and merry martini mixers for all eternity!
Personally, I think anything to do with Judy is a Christmas “must,” and that definitely includes The Wizard Of Oz! So slip into your party dress, freshen your lipstick and add some of her plucky chutzpah to your holiday with our Wizard Of Oz Jingle Bell Ornament Set and our Ruby Slipper Christmas Stocking. Because, with Judy, “all your troubles will be out of sight!” Keep the magic of Oz going strong throughout your holiday decor!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Have Yourself A Merry Little Kitchen!
Fire Up The Oven! We’re Going Retro!
Harvey Wallbanger Cake, anyone? Maybe some sparkling 7UP® cake? I discovered long ago that baking is highly therapeutic! There's something about rolling around in dough that melts stress away and what better way to bake than with the Pillsbury® Best Of The Bake-Off® Cookbook? Everything from the famous (bundt-style) Tunnel Of Fudge Cake to an Orange Kiss Me Cake will have you licking the 
bowl when no one’s looking!
Need another reason why the fifties rocked? The Bundt baking pan was invented in 1950 when Minneapolis engineer Dave Dalquist was approached by a sweet little lady who wanted to recreate the dense, heavy European cakes her Old Country family had once made. The hole in the center of the bundt pan proved to be the key—it allowed heat to evenly cook the thicker European batter. The result was a glorious symbol of Americana that created a cake craze!
Harvey Wallbanger Cake, anyone? Maybe some sparkling 7UP® cake? I discovered long ago that baking is highly therapeutic! There's something about rolling around in dough that melts stress away and what better way to bake than with the Pillsbury® Best Of The Bake-Off® Cookbook? Everything from the famous (bundt-style) Tunnel Of Fudge Cake to an Orange Kiss Me Cake will have you licking the 
bowl when no one’s looking!But why stop at dessert? Go to town on an entirely retro-themed feast with our Food Of The ‘50s Cookbook (chicken fricasse, Swedish meatballs, lemon bars), the Retro Hot Dog Stand (for quick fixes) and the über cool Milkshake Maker!
Share some goodies with your neighbors in your very own Personally Engraved Baking Pan, perfect for everything from pot luck casseroles to holiday cookies!
That’s what’s so great about the holiday season—it’s completely acceptable to eat until you pass out! So, bring on the meatballs, I say! Ladle some more gravy onto that roast, and save me some frosting on the big wooden spoon!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The Christmas Countdown Begins!
On Your Mark...Get Set...Go!
Shopping online and clicking one’s way through the holidays can eliminate 99% of yuletide stress and keep you from accidentally-on-purpose tripping the perfume-spray lady with your umbrella as you innocently glide through the Estee Lauder section.
That said, there’s a corny part of me that misses shopping at Christmas, at least the way it used to be. Not entirely unlike Ralphie and Randy from A Christmas Story, I was often bundled-up so heavily during winter months by my well-meaning mother that my arms struck straight out at my sides at a 90-degree angle. In the chilly evenings, our family would pile into the station wagon and putter on down to Main Street (yes, there really was a Main Street), where we’d walk with cups of hot chocolate, peering into shop windows. We were mesmerized by Kewpie dolls, teddy bears, baseball gloves, and model trains all framed with candy canes and rows of glittery garland.
Nowadays I send most of my gifts through the mail and my family’s celebration lasts two days instead of two months because we all have jobs to fly home to—but, no matter how much e-shopping, text messaging, or video chatting we do, there’s one place we meet up that takes us right back to those fairy tale storefronts.
We end up back in The Attic because year after year, as trendy “must-have” toys come and go, we always find the truly magical gifts right here. So, as my tribute to the spirit of Christmas Past, from now until December 24th, I'm going to offer a few of my personal favorite gifts each and every week. All available right here on our web site. No snotty cashiers. No sore feet. And no need to assault the perfume lady.
Just you, your mouse and the peace on earth that comes from shopping in your sweat pants. Click on them to read more and remember: it really was better when you were a kid!
Shopping online and clicking one’s way through the holidays can eliminate 99% of yuletide stress and keep you from accidentally-on-purpose tripping the perfume-spray lady with your umbrella as you innocently glide through the Estee Lauder section.
That said, there’s a corny part of me that misses shopping at Christmas, at least the way it used to be. Not entirely unlike Ralphie and Randy from A Christmas Story, I was often bundled-up so heavily during winter months by my well-meaning mother that my arms struck straight out at my sides at a 90-degree angle. In the chilly evenings, our family would pile into the station wagon and putter on down to Main Street (yes, there really was a Main Street), where we’d walk with cups of hot chocolate, peering into shop windows. We were mesmerized by Kewpie dolls, teddy bears, baseball gloves, and model trains all framed with candy canes and rows of glittery garland.
Nowadays I send most of my gifts through the mail and my family’s celebration lasts two days instead of two months because we all have jobs to fly home to—but, no matter how much e-shopping, text messaging, or video chatting we do, there’s one place we meet up that takes us right back to those fairy tale storefronts.
We end up back in The Attic because year after year, as trendy “must-have” toys come and go, we always find the truly magical gifts right here. So, as my tribute to the spirit of Christmas Past, from now until December 24th, I'm going to offer a few of my personal favorite gifts each and every week. All available right here on our web site. No snotty cashiers. No sore feet. And no need to assault the perfume lady.
Just you, your mouse and the peace on earth that comes from shopping in your sweat pants. Click on them to read more and remember: it really was better when you were a kid!
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