Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Did You Know Tuesday: Play-Doh


Play-Doh was invented in the 1930's by Noah McVicker in Cincinnati.  He worked for Kroger to invent a product that was originally marketed as wallpaper cleaner.  Noah McVicker worked with his nephew, Joe McVicker, to market this product.  The early product was off white and came in a 1.5 pound package.

In the 1950's everything changed when children in a nursery school discovered how much fun Play-Doh was to play with - as modeling clay.  In 1956 the McVickers formed the Rainbow Crafts Company.  The early working name for this toy was Kutol’s Rainbow Modeling Compound.   Thankfully, it was renamed with something cute and catchy: Play-Doh. 

By 1957 Play-Doh was made in three primary colors.  It was originally sold in one gallon cans and purchased for school use.  Play-Doh was sold at Macy's and Marshall Fields.  Play-Doh commercials appeared on popular children's shows, including Captain Kangaroo.

Pictured below, a mid-1950's advertisement:

In the 1960's, Play-Doh was purchased by General Mills and manufactured for Kenner.  The Play-Doh brand expanded with toys as well as modeling dough.   I had one of the Fun Factory sets and loved it.  This ad is from 1968:

The original Play-Doh mascot was Play-Doh Pete, a little boy in a beret.  Over the years the mascot changed, and he eventually wore a baseball cap.

This 1970's ad gives another glimpse at retro toy marketing:

Play-Doh is now made by Hasbro.  It is still loved by children, and over 100 million cans are sold yearly.  This popular crafting toy even has its own special day - September 16.

Did you love Play-Doh as a child?  Any retro Play-Doh memories to share?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Let's Connect Via Social Media!

Hi all!

Just a short and sweet note.  I would love to connect with YOU via social media:

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I'm very active at these sites and love to chat with book friends, blog friends, and anyone who loves retro/vintage!



Book Review and Giveaway - Inspector Dewey by Kristen Heimerl

Book Description for Inspector Dewey:

My name is Dewey--Inspector Dewey.

I live in the big green house on Hampshire Avenue with my family: Thumper, Lily, and Anna. I am the Big Cat—responsible for keeping everyone safe and in order. I do this quite well, in spite of the fact that managing my family is like, well, herding cats!

Mostly our life is peaceful. But one night it wasn’t. That was the night the bad guy showed up on our block. Of course, I knew exactly how to outsmart the outlaw, but—miserable mullet!—would Anna and the police understand my instructions?

To find out how the adventure ended, you’ll have to read my book. But I’ll give you a hint: there’s a reason I’m called Inspector Dewey.

Fifty percent of the profits from the sale of this book will fund veterinary care for pets whose families are in financial need, so that the animals can remain in their homes and out of the shelter system.

BECAUSE PETS BELONG WITH THEIR PEOPLE™
To learn more, visit threenorwegians.com
Buy the book: Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble

My Review:

Inspector Dewey is a big, beautiful picture book that is sure to delight children who love cats.

This book tells the story of how Dewey (also known as Inspector Dewey) stops a would-be robbery with the help of his cat friends Thumper and Lily, and his person, Anna.

The book is told in Dewey's voice and he has an engaging tone.  I must say that Dewey is a born storyteller!  I can imagine this book as a read aloud.   Children will sit on the edge of their seats waiting to hear what happens next in this fun and suspenseful story.

The book design and illustrations are beautiful.  They truly catch the nature of cats.  Each cat depicted has a different personality, seen not only in the book's text, but in the illustrations as well.

I recommend this book highly for preschool children.  It would be a great addition to a child's book collection or to a school library.  

Author's Bio:

Kristen Heimerl

Marketing Officer, Strategy Expert, Innovator and Brand Builder, Kristen’s business career spans 20+ years serving the biggest brands in industry and the biggest hearts of start-ups and entrepreneurs. Kristen revels in bringing compelling products and services to life and helping leaders and individuals with big dreams realize their big goals.

Kristen’s life joys include her 2+ year obsession creating the most beautiful self-published picture book possible, the breathtaking forests and lakes of her Minnesota birthplace, the family that really does love her no matter what, and her three magnificent Norwegian Forest Cats who together, with Kristen, helped catch the bad guy on their block that inspired her upcoming book (stake out and high speed chase included!)

She holds a master of science in eCommerce from Carnegie Mellon University, an MBA from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, and a BA from the University of St. Thomas. As the great transformer in her life, Kristen supports others’ education and literacy as an adjunct professor of business and strategy and, more recently, through her children’s book, Inspector Dewey (Available September 2015).

Kristen’s site for her work “Inspector Dewey” will be premiering on May 31st, 2015. In addition, you can read more about Kristen’s work at threenorwegians.com, also live on May 31st.

Connect with Kristen:
Giveaway:​
Prizes:
1) 1 of 10 copies of Inspector Dewey (International) or
2) 1 of (4) $20 Amazon gift cards (international) or
3) 5 books to the literacy non profit, library or school of your choice (USA only) or
4) $100 payable for vet visit for family/pet in need (USA only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
I received this book from iRead Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

Guest Post and Giveaway - Nobody's Fool by Sarah Hegger

Nobody’s Fool
Willow Park # 2
By: Sarah Hegger
Releasing August 25, 2015 
Zebra

Blurb

In Sarah Hegger's latest Willow Park Romance, long-held crushes and past frenemies reunite--and wonder if there's ever a second chance to make a good first impression. .

Holly Partridge had no plans to return to Willow Park, Illinois, until her troubled younger sister Portia fled her home and aimed herself straight at Holly's high school nemesis--too-gorgeous-to-be-true Josh Hunter. Riding a manic bipolar high, Portia's only a danger to herself, but Holly needs to find her before she crashes. That means asking Josh for help.

The ultimate love 'em and leave 'em lothario, Josh was never good for anything but a broken heart. But now he's lending a hand when Holly needs it most--and revealing surprising generosity and compassion. Has Josh shed his bad boy ways? Or is Holly suddenly grown up enough to acknowledge her own mistakes? Trusting Josh could be a disaster--or the first step in banishing the past to make way for a future happier than Holly ever imagined. 

Guest Post by Sarah Hegger

My all time favorite books…


Man, this is a tough thing to answer, because I have so many. I know as soon as I finish writing my list, I’m going to come up with about twenty more that should have been on the list.

Okay, let’s give this a go.

Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice and Emma - Who can resist her wonderfully flawed heroines, or those delicious men she pairs them with?
Adam Bede by George Elliot – such a heart-wrenching story
Our Mutual Friend – Charles Dickens. Not his most well-known work, but I had to read it for my Literature degree and devoured it.
Being There – Jerzy Kosinsky, which I loved so much I went to find his other novels and loved The Painted Bird just as much.
I Know This Much to be True by Wally Lamb. Words to rip your heart out, and they did.
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy- Douglas Adams. If you’ve read it, you’ll know why.
The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett.
All of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables books.
The Dragon Riders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey. And most of the other series she wrote. I’ve read and reread, and reread again.
Georgette Heyers’ romances with a particular soft spot for Arabella.
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. Although I haven’t read the last one as it was written posthumously by another writer. Still good, but not the same
Just about every book Robin Hobb has written, but loved the Farseer Trilogy and then the Tawny Man series.
David Eddings, specifically The Belgariad and The Mallorean.
All the Daughter of the Empire books by Janny Wurtz and Raymond E. Feist

Fantasy is my favorite genre after romance, you might have guessed. As for romance, it gets even harder to choose. But let me mention a few that come to mind.

The Courtesan Chronicles by Claudia Dain
Faking It by Jennifer Crusie. Best failed sex scene you’ve ever read. Fall off the couch funny.
Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas. Hardy Cates *sigh*. And while I’m doing Lisa’s books. Let me add Devil in Winter, Lady Sophia’s Lover and Sugar Daddy.
The Charley Davidson Series by Darynda Jones. Epically funny, and Reyes is another of my book boyfriends.
Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins
A Duke of her Own by Eloisa James
Mystery Man and Motorcycle Man by Kristan Ashley

Time to stop, I know, but I could go on forever. The thing that draws me to a book and keeps me loving it, and often coming back to reread is great characters. Give me character with heart and substance and I’ll read anything.

I’d love to hear about your favorites. There is always space on my To Be Read pile for more.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22891400-nobody-s-fool?ac=1

Goodreads Series Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/130735-willow-park


Buy Links:  Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

                                     
Author Info
Born British and raised in South Africa, Sarah Hegger suffers from an incurable case of wanderlust. Her match? A hot Canadian engineer, whose marriage proposal she accepted six short weeks after they first met. Together they’ve made homes in seven different cities across three different continents (and back again once or twice). If only it made her multilingual, but the best she can manage is idiosyncratic English, fluent Afrikaans, conversant Russian, pigeon Portuguese, even worse Zulu and enough French to get herself into trouble.

Mimicking her globe trotting adventures, Sarah’s career path began as a gainfully employed actress, drifted into public relations, settled a moment in advertising, and eventually took root in the fertile soil of her first love, writing. She also moonlights as a wife and mother.She currently lives in Draper, Utah, with her teenage daughters, two Golden Retrievers and aforementioned husband. Part footloose buccaneer, part quixotic observer of life, Sarah’s restless heart is most content when reading or writing books.
She loves to hear from readers and you can find her at any of the places below.

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Rafflecopter Giveaway 
Prizes: (1) $50 Amazon Gift Card, (2) $20 Amazon Gift Cards and 5 copies of Nobody’s Fool (Paperback for US, eBook for International)
a Rafflecopter giveaway