Check Out This Jar Lamp I Filled with My Childhood Toys!

This, my friends, is a lamp I made way way back in 2007...yep, over ten years old, and it still lights up just like it did the day I put it together. (Of course, it's probably in all that time have seen it's share of bulb changes!) One day I was out shopping somewhere in a venue that carried real old antique stuff and I saw this lamp that was made out of a glass jar and filled to the brim with something like seashells....It was love at first sight - I didn't actually buy it, as I had a better idea...I chose to be inspired by it, as what I really wanted was a lamp just like that one, just not filled with seashells. (I have nothing against seashells - I just wanted to put something else in there, just what ? I've always been quirky like that.) Out of nowhere I had the idea....I got to thinking about all the cute little toy miniatures I had from my childhood that I kept in shoe boxes or whatnot, and I got to wondering if I should put them in some kind of display case so I could enjoy looking at them....and then I just got this genius idea out of nowhere....Jars are great to display stuff, and jars can make great lamps too, and then..well something about a stone and birds comes to mind!

The meson jar I used is also an old timer too, if you collect them and you see "Perfect Mason" on the front, that's the big giveaway, most new ones don't have that anymore. But it's a half gallon 64 oz jar big enough to hold all my cute little toys from way back when. Everything from Cabbage Patch Kids to Strawberry Shortcake and friends, found a way. Then came the bottle kit - I've always been scared to death of messing with electric wires, but this kit is not the least bit as scary as it sounds as long as you just read the directions and follow them.

Actually the most scary part is the step where you have to create a hole in the jar to thread the wires through....I was in luck as my boyfriend at the time was used to power tools and was able to do the much-intimidating job of drilling the hole without a disaster on my hands. Boom - I was in business! I must have obsessed about this lamp all through the summer of 2007, adjusting the toys, the shade, and that stuff.

I also run a craft blog (which I spend more time on that this one) and I discussed it in a post there too.but I went into more depth talking about putting it together and how readers could do the same. I guarded this baby like a well-kept secret, but felt like I ought to share this, when you reach adulthood and you realize you collect stuff like I do, there are ways you may not have considered to repurpose them and bring them to new life! Hope you enjoy!

These Top 80s Hits Are, Like Totally Overplayed on the Air

Did you ever like a song or two from way back when, but after awhile, you heard it just too many gosh darn times that the novelty has worn off. Why are some songs just so, so overplayed? While that's a question I could never answer and much better presented to someone who actually works in the radio industry, I have come up with my own list of the most grossly overplayed hit songs I remember from the 80s that literally get played like they are going out of style. I'm sure you may be familiar with at least a few of them. Here goes:

1. Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard

This one was a big hit when I was in the 5th grade and one of the kids had the main album tape and brought it to our end of the school year party, which was a great memory to always cherish. Yes, I believe we were still playing tapes back then and life was simpler. Back to the song, yes I get why it's a great rock ballad, but, still, overplayed.

2. Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams

Honestly not too big of a fan (apologies) and while this one is good to hear every now and then, it seems like it is played at least two or three times a day; or maybe it's just my perception. Who knows-judge for yourself.

3. Heaven is a Place on Earth by Belinda Carlisle

Honest to gosh, this lady could be a very talented singer with a nice roster of songs but unfortunately, my ears get subjected (or is that more like "assaulted?") by this non-stop hit that the radio stations don't seem to let up on. Please, please, please, let me hear something else by this artist instead of THIS one over and over already, geesh.

4. More Than a Feeling - Boston

Nothing wrong with the song itself, and most of the time I don't even notice it in the room...but I do have to say, "If I had a dime..." Yep, I have literally heard this one so many times that I just don't really notice it on the air much. Kind of weird, but I guess it happens to all of us. We get either annoyed by something that plays incessantly or we get desensitized to it, and I guess I'm mostly the latter here.

5. Livin' On a Prayer - Bon Jovi

This one was a very big hit once and yes we did have our share of really great power ballads, but this one seems to hog a lot of airtime more than others. Just my two cents, anyway.


OK...I almost thought about making this a top ten list, but I thought I'd stop at five since I think it's better to dwell on the positive side of life. Right? These five were the top contenders for most overplayed if I had to keep it to a handful.

What do you think...Are there any other songs highly overplayed you would have chosen instead? Do you agree, or disagree with any on the list?

Gel Bracelets and Bodacious Bangles For 80s Jewelry Junkies!

Classic Jelly Bracelets-Set of 12

Remember Jelly Bracelets? Here They Are Back and More Versatile Than Ever

Jewelry was such a flamboyant affair in the 80s, with its loud, attention-grabbing colors and bold shapes. I was the perfect age to be a big collector of jelly bracelets - Yep, it's not just shoes made out of that stuff! Jelly bracelets came in every color in the rainbow and you could complement them with so many color combos you often ended up getting a gazillion of these to mix and match with your wardrobe. What fun!

I remember days when I was wearing pink, I would cull out all of my pink bracelets and combine them with black ones and other colors that complemented pink like purple or orange, boy did I get fashion or what? You could also find them in transparent, glitter, and pearly looking colors too which you could combine together.

Sometimes it was all a contest of she who has the most bracelets wins. You could wear enough of these so your entire forearm was covered in them. (I wondered how hard it was to take them all off after awhile? I know I used to take mine off in little clusters which made it easier when you were donning like 30 of them!)
If you want to revisit that innocent pastime of jelly bracelet collecting, these babies are BACK and in bunches...great for parties, sleepovers, or just to start a new contest of she who has the most wins the prize. The colors that I remember like the neons, glitters, and solids, and some for good measure like pearl and metallic.

Bold Bangles To Top It Off 

Did you ever wear fancy looking bangle bracelets for the fun of it? I did - I had some of the coolest ever that were filled with water and glitter when I was in grade school. So much fun to wear - but I'll bet they were distracting enough being so pretty :) I managed to find some here - sorry, these aren't filled with water but they are glittery and operate on LED light; kind of a modern take on the ones I had.

 I also had stretchy bracelets with elastic...they contained plastic seashells in bright colors and would go on my wrist by stretching a little bit. I found some in heart shapes which are pretty much the design I had. Have fun! Pretty close to what I remember - there are kids and adults sizes too :) Put some of these on and get the party started!

Coral Entertainments Led Bracelets 12 Pack Set Battery PoweredNeon Nation 6 Pack Set Ridged Saucer Shape Hinge 80s Bangle Bracelets

My Latest Additions: Collectible Drinking Glasses with Characters

Collectible Drinking Glasses Sporting 80s Characters

Do you know what I miss the most about visiting different popular chain venues back in the day? All of the promotional items like drinking glasses that restaurant chains like Pizza Hut and McDonald's actively advertised as an incentive to get us on the road to the fun hobby of collecting.

I've got Care Bears, I've got the McDonaldland characters (which probably go back a little further than the 80s) and a few of the famous Muppets. And as of late, I recently inherited these collector glasses showing the Wizard of Oz characters....there was this 50th anniversary edition commemorating the movie's magical and joyous impact on us. The glasses are circa 1989 but they have held up nicely with no paint chips or fading.

I've been encouraged to try listing them on eBay, something I probably won't be in any hurry to do right now as this is not the greatest shopping season; plus there's a caveat that comes with the packaging part of something like this if I do land a bidder: these guys are fragile.

I actually did sell some collectors glasses a number of years ago sporting the lovable Smurfs on them. It looked to be going well until one buyer wrote to tell me that one of the glasses arrived broke...Yikes! We do our best to prevent things like that from happening, but glass is fragile and Murphy's Law is always around the corner.

I followed the correct SOP...I apologized and said I would be certain to send her a replacement at no charge. Here's the catch, or punchline...the Smurf on the glass that broke was "Giggly" I just happened to be in luck that I had another Giggly glass, as I had only had one Brainy, one Papa, and one Doc; and at the present time I can't quite remember the names of the other Smurfs. I'm not even sure if "Giggly" is the correct name (If you're reading this right now, please let me know)

Well, I am glad I could regale you once again with another nostalgic tale, hopefully I will be better able to remember the Smurfs' names as well as I do the scenarios surrounding them; and for now, enjoy looking at my glass collection. Some of these are too cute to sell. I might change my mind later, but for now....I'm going to collect on :)

Remember the Famous Rubix Cube? It's Back...With a Vintage Vengeance

The Original Rubik's Cube

Remember the Rubik's Cube? It's Back!!

Anybody who was anybody back in the 80s had a Rubik's cube....but it's only, like two decades later that we realize that this baby had some nostalgic value...including yours truly :) I remember when I was half-heartedly attempting to solve the puzzle, I was probably in grade school and I probably gave up after awhile, sorry to have to disclose that, just being totally honest. Maybe we had lost the paperwork that came with it at the time that might have continued the clues.

Moving on, this colorful cube has gotten so much mass appeal that it's no surprise it has bounced back onto the fun brain-teaser market once again....along with some cool new extra features like this little pyramid shaped stand (mine didn't have one of those) and some other unique things that appeal to the generation after mine, like social sharing for scorekeeping so your friends can see what you've been up to; and maybe even invite them to join along with their own cubes too.

It's said that brain-teaser games are very beneficial for young developing minds, so no time like the present to give the gift of eye-hand coordination, problem solving skills, and logic to the kids of today. In this day and age when STEM games and activities are the hottest addition to the market, it only makes sense to introduce something that complements it perfectly. Don't forget to tell them that when you were a kid "This was the most popular toy on the market; anybody who was anybody had a Rubik's cube" And the Millennials (or should I say Generation Z now?) with a sense of nostalgia will definitely get it!

Treasure Trove of 80s Toys I Found in My Aunt's Attic

Ok a long story short about 10 years ago my paternal aunt passed on, and we were undertaking the big job of going up into the attic doing some in-depth searching...

I remember a few things I pulled down like it was yesterday: first was a vintage Lite- Brite (yeah I think it was spelled that way) That was the coolest toy EVER that worked on the principle of using a real electric bulb, this "screen" with rows of small empty holes, in which children would insert different colored pegs to form a design that kit up once they switched the bulb on.

Trouble is we were at the start of a horrible recession and my sense of practicality over sentimentality for the better of me when I listed it for auction on Ebay. I know, right? I don't remember how many bids I ended up getting on my LiteBrite set, but I hope I played with it a few times before I sent it to a new home.

After all, family attics are a treasure trove of secrets, some very priceless indeed. For awhile I kind of regretted letting that one go so easily.

Not too long ago I was shopping and found a little version that was handheld and kinda meant for car trips, but yeah it was the same concept  just in a little compact version. It operates on double-a batteries. I ended up getting it for my MR older brother as a Christmas gift, among a few other choice retro toys.

Is there a moral to this story? Perhaps....you may get a second chance with a cool retro toy and see a new revamping of it, but other times, it pays to cherish it long time instead of putting it up for auction.