Did You Know Tuesday: 5 Fun Facts About Pixy Stix

Do you remember Pixy Stix?  These little paper straws contained flavored, colored sugar.  They also came in GIANT plastic sticks.   (Those were highly sought after during my childhood.)

 Of course, they were also favorite Halloween treats.

I have not had Pixy Stix for many years ... they are too sweet for even me, a dedicated retro candy enthusiast.  But -- for some reason I was thinking about them and wanted to find out more.   Here are a few Pixy Stix facts for you:

1. They are Pixy Stix, not Pixie Sticks.  (I am not entirely sure that I knew this!)

2. This candy started out as Frutola in the 1930's.  The creator was J. Fish Smith.  Frutola was originally intended as a drink mix, but children preferred them as powdered sugar candy.

3. Pixy Stix as we know them today were first made in 1952 by the Sunline Company.  

4. The giant plastic Pixy Stix is 2 feet long.  Yes - two feet of sugar!

5. Pixy Stix are now made by Nestle under the Wonka brand.  Current Pixy Stix flavors:  Grape, Orange, Cherry, Lime, Shelly Belly, and Maui Punch

Do you remember Pixy Stix?  Do you still crave them, or are they too sweet for you now, too?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.

blueberry, orange, watermelon, lemon, pineapple, strawberry, Maui punch, cherry, green apple and grape.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5195333_invented-pixy-stix-candy_.html

blueberry, orange, watermelon, lemon, pineapple, strawberry, Maui punch, cherry, green apple and grape

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5195333_invented-pixy-stix-candy_.html

Music Monday - "California Sun" by The Rivieras (1964)

It is HOT here, in the 90's, and I am trying to remind myself of things I enjoy about summer. So far the list is short: frozen fruit pops, flip flops, and beach music.

"California Sun" was a hit for The Rivieras in 1964.  It made it to number 5 on the music charts.  The Rivieras were a band out of South Bend, Indiana (interesting! I always assumed they were from California).  They had a unique sound which featured an organ.  Their name was inspired by the Buick Riviera.  

And here's the song - enjoy some fun summer sounds!   If you have a moment, would love to hear from you about how your summer is going!   What are YOUR favorite things about summer?

Weekend Window Shopping at Birdhouse Books

Happy weekend, vintage friends! I have a few fun items to show you -- all new arrivals at Birdhouse Books. You can find these goodies: 

Birdhouse Books on Etsy

Birdhouse Books on eBay

This is a lovely Art Deco vintage Christmas postcard.  It is from 1930 and depicts the Wise Men and the Star of Bethlehem.

This charming 1923 vintage Christmas postcard features Santa Claus climbing into a chimney.  "May Santa Claus find you with the scene for joy set and the things you desire be the things you get."

This lovely 1911 vintage Christmas postcard features a rustic cabin behind a fence, with a pine bough.

How God Gives Us Peanut Butter is a cute 1960's vintage children's book by Mary LeBar.  There are illustrations of a sweet little Beagle dog through the book.

Illustration from How God Gives Us Peanut Butter (1964).  I love the cute Beagle!

How God Gives Us Warm Coats is a 1960's vintage children's book by Mary LeBar.  I love the sweet cover illustration of children petting a lamb.

I hope you've enjoyed this peek into the windows at Birdhouse Books ... and wish you a wonderful weekend!

Dear Abby: A Dachshund's Life in 1963

Hi, Friends! 

Hope you are having a good week. I am having fun and spending extra time helping Momma with her work. This week she let me help go through some vintage children's books. I found a book that has pictures of a dachshund from 1963. Momma said I could keep it, so it is on our little doxie shelf here. I loved glimpsing how a dachshund lived in the 1960's.

The book is called How God Gives Us Bread, and it is by Mary LeBar, with illustrations by Vera Gohman. The front cover has children eating bread with jelly.  There is no clue of what is inside the book.  If you ask me, they left the most important character in this book out of the picture!

Inside the book there are more pictures of the little children and their family.  They visit a farm to see wheat being harvested.  Best of all, their little dachshund carries his leash to them and they take the hint and take him along.  They must be a very nice family!   Look how hopeful that dachshund looks.  I can see why they took him along.

At the farm, the dachshund got to run and play, and he watched everything with big eyes.

When they got home, the dachshund found a red ball to play with.  The children were more interested in pointing at a bakery truck.  I wonder why that was?  That red ball looks much more fun!

Then at dinnertime, the children said grace and the dachshund was very relaxed under the table.  I wonder why he was not looking to see what was on the table.  (I would have done that.)

This was a fun book and I enjoyed reading it.  The pictures were the best part!  So there you have it - a dachshund's life, circa 1963.

How has your week been?  I am still looking for questions to answer here, so hope you will leave some questions in the comments.  

Love to all!

Abby xoxo

Throwback Thursday: Bottle Caps Candy

Sometimes I think of something retro and it sends me down a trail.  Bottle Caps are like that.  This candy was popular during my childhood.   It came in a packet (exactly like you see below, 1972) and had flat tablets that were shaped like soda bottle caps.  The tablets were flavored like soda pop, too:  grape, orange, cherry, root beer, and cola.  I remember these were sold at the little convenience store near my neighborhood's community swimming pool.   I would ride my bike or walk there with my friends on the way to or from the pool, and we would buy Bottle Caps.  This candy, which I haven't had since childhood, reminds me of summer.  Funny how retro memories work that way.

Do you remember Bottle Caps, or do you have similar candies that spark memories for you like these?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.