Posts

Walt Disney World Mickey Mouse Vintage Backscratcher

Posted by on
Image
One last item from our recent Antique Mall visit and this one, too, is Disney-related.  Unlike both the Disco record and the Disneyland tray, this WDW Mickey Mouse backscratcher was something that I couldn't live without.

I never knew how much I had to scratch my back until this thing came into my life.  They're a dime a dozen (or more like $10 to $12) on Ebay, but this one was just a couple of bucks.  Thus, it came home with us.

But, the other part of this that I was drawn to was what you see below:  The Globe Mickey.


If you turn the backscratcher sideways, you'll see that there's a "Walt Disney Productions" printed on the backscratcher, which helps date it1.


There's a hole on one end of the scratcher which is just screaming out for a nail to be used to hang this thing.  Maybe down in my shop?  Or maybe next to the pinboards in the garage?

Also, it is clear that the Disney bug has struck me when it comes to vintage find hunting, right?  I mean...three o…
Read more

Mickey Mouse Disco Vinyl - One That Got Away

Posted by on
Image
Same story as the Disneyland tray from the Wisconsin Antique Mall:  I passed.  But not before picking this thing up, admiring it and giving it quite a bit of thought before, ultimately, putting it down and letting someone else own this.

Remember: It is enough to enjoy the existence of things without possessing all of them.

But, now, back to this record.  Or 'piece of vinyl' if you will.    It was released in 1979.  And charted as high as on the Billboard Pop Charts.

Here's the track listing:


The whole record can be found here on YouTube.  Not so great, if you ask me.

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah seems to be the standout.  Here it is:



Or Maybe Chim Chim Cher-ee:


Read more

Mitsubishi Regional Jet: MRJ In the USA (Infographic)

Posted by on
Image
In our work in the B2B Practice at Edelman, my team and I get the pleasure of working with clients who are doing amazing things around the globe.  One of them is Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, who is bring to market the Mitsubishi Regional Jet.  We're fortunate to be able to partner with them to continue to introduce the jet to the pubic, including at this year's Farnborough Air Show.
Ahead of the show, the MRJ crew in New York, Seattle and Chicago published a new post on their "Progress" content hub chronicling all the pieces of the puzzle that are coming together in the United States with partners, stakeholders and supply chain members.    The map above shows some of the locations, but if you click here, you can go into a region-by-region breakdown.    And you can download the full infographic (as a .pdf) here.  Nice looking stuff from Edelman's Creative Team.
Also recently released is this great video showing off the program and talking about why the MRJ is imp…
Read more

Six Cameras/One Intersection in Downers Grove

Posted by on
Image
There I was, minding my own business waiting for the light to turn green when - for some reason - I notice that there are a few cameras at the intersection of Maple and Fairview in Downers Grove.

I then look closer and start counting.  There are six cameras at this one intersection.  This is just a four-way intersection and if I'm being honest, I don't normally look around at the number of cameras, but I have to believe that this seems like a significant number of cameras trained on just one intersection? 

Now, Maple Avenue does run on a diagonal and this *is* just a block or so away from the BNSF line, but other than that, it seems to be an ordinary intersection.  Any ideas? 

I've embedded the map below:


Location: Downers Grove, IL, USA
Read more

Vintage Disneyland Tray - One That Got Away

Posted by on
Image
Up in Wisconsin, I came across this totally adorable1 Disneyland "California" tray.  It is about one foot in diameter and super thin with a shallow lip.  Not the kind of lip you normally see on the beer trays like this Schlitzerland one.

You can see the price tag on this one:  $18.  And I thought about this thing for a bit, but then I leaned hard on my collecting mantra.  I said it out loud to myself:
"It is enough to enjoy the existence of things without possessing all of them."   And after snapping this photo, I put it back for some other collector to pick it up, love it and (hopefully) use it.

I'm guessing it is from the 70's, right?  Like the late 70's?  It is in really great condition and *feels* vintage, but isn't *old*.

You can click here to see the same photo on Google Photos where you can really zoom in to see all the details.  Go ahead...go over there.

Ah, you're back.  Still have that Google Photos tab open?  Great.

You'll notice…
Read more

Getting Smart About Plywood

Posted by on
Image
With my shop floor done, my attention is now turning to some shop fixtures. And that has lead me down a path of learning all about plywood.  Veneers, cores, grades, types.  All of it.  It is a surprisingly deep rabbit hole to go down.
Read more

Marshall Field's Walnut Room - 1986 Santa Bear Mug

Posted by on
Image
Over the years, I've shared my family's experiences at the Walnut Room at Marshall Field's Macy's on State Street in Chicago.  We go every year and have gone since I was just a little guy.  It is something that my Mom organizes and I come to look forward to each season.  I've also chronicled the unfortunate fate of Uncle Mistletoe and Marshall Field's itself.

I've also begun to build a document of the annual mugs that are released by the Walnut Room each year at Christmastime.

This post has the full reference list that I've built so far.  But, the photo above includes a new one:  1986 featuring Santabear in red outline form1.  Or at least that I thought it was Santabear.  But, look at the band on his hat:  Mistletoe.  And if you look closely at the scrawl on the far right you'll see: "Greetings from Mistletoe Bear."

What the what?!?

Let's go back and look at the history so far on the blog as documented through the glasses I've com…
Read more