Kitschmas Decorating (And a Review of The Vermont Country Store Tinsel Tree)

I may never achieve my dream of a mid century home perfectly decorated for Christmas:

but I still enjoy decorating my urban home for the Holidays every year.   I generally collect much more vintage clothing then I do knick knacks and home wares, but over the years I have gathered a sizable collection of kitschy vintage holiday stuff.  In fact in our home I say we celebrate Kitschmas.  

The number one Kitschmas requirement is of course a tree in a color never found in nature: pink, white, or silver.   I've been in love with such trees every since I saw Edward Scissorhand's at age 12 and begged my horrified mother for a tinsel tree, she said no.

As soon as I grew up and got my own home I bought a vintage 1960s tinsel tree.  I loved that tree:

Sadly though it lost more and more tinsel each year until it had sizable bald patches and I began to worry about the dogs or cats ingesting shedded tinsel.  So last year I tossed it. 

 At first I planned to buy another vintage tree but in my research I learned lights on vintage aluminum trees are a major fire hazard (obviously I hadn't known that).  So I decided to go with the Vermont Country Store's reproduction tinsel tree that is pre-lit and fire safe.  The tree retails for for 170 dollars in the 6 foot option and ships quickly with no extra charge.  

Initially when I opened the box I was a little disapointed because the trees material is very different from the 1960s original, but then that is probably why it is fire safe.

 

Once I got it up and decorated though it started to grow on  me.  Silver is the perfect background for Star Trek ornaments and I have a lot of those (we celebrate Trekmas in our house too.)  My latest ornament is the Gorn Captain, I got it at the Star Trek Convention in Cherry Hill and I gave it a prominent spot on the tree.  Nothing like Christmas with the Gorn.

I have a lot of talking Star Trek Hallmark keepsake ornaments that John has gotten me over the years too and I never tire of listening to them.  The Tribble one is my favorite.

I have some mid century blown glass ornaments too.  I just got this little pipe cleaner angel on a pink ball for a dollar.

I had to take a selfie with the tree when I had finished decorating it.  You can see some of the blown glass ornaments I inherited from my mother in law.  

Once I saw the tree lit I had no more doubts.  I love it!  It's really, really bright.  

The color wheel is from Vermont Country store too.  I reviewed it here.  

Isn't it pretty?

Of course the tree is just one part of the Kitschmas decorating.  I had to put up the dog and cat stockings.

 and my 1950s punch bowl and Christmas corsages, and I have a lot of mid century greeting cards.

On the mantle I displayed most of my cards and my Christmas albums.  

I was so excited when John got me this Colonel Sanders album, I had wanted it for years.

The card on the end was made for me by a former student, my favorite ever.  I almost cried when I found it.

I also have a 1960s Christmas Dream Pet poodle, its so cute I want to leave it up all year.

My all time favorite decoration though is my geeky garland, its my one and only somewhat successful crafting attempt. 

Three years ago used photo shop to make myself cards form all of my favorite shows.  I posted about it here.   Talk about geeky!


What are your favorite Holiday decorations?

Sci Fi Saturday Fry and The Planet Express Stuffies

Some  of our readers might remember that our Fry's full name is Philip J. Fry.   His fictional name sake is the main character from Futurama 

See the resemblance? 

For Valentine's Day my sweet husband gave me two new Futurama Stuffies, Morbo and Dr. Zoidburg, to join my Kiff stuffie.  We had fun photographing Fry with his friends

The shoot was pretty short because was Fry was keen to eat the crew.   So they had to go back in the china cabinet.

  I'm a very lucky lady the Stuffies weren't even the best part of my I also received the greatest piece of Star Trek kitsch ever.  Leonard Nimoy's 1969 album: The Touch of Leonard Nimoy. 

I don't have a record player but now I may need to get one.  I'll need to devote a full post to the record kitschy glory  at a later date.  Hope Everyone has a fabulous weekend.  

Futurama Valentine Shirts from Cafe Press

As you know if you are a reader of this blog we are big fans of geekery here.  Our newest family member Fry (or Philip J. Fry)

is named after the sweet, but lazy, 25 year old delivery boy who gets frozen in the year 2000 and thawed in the year 3000 on the television show sci-fi comedy cartoon Futurama.  

See the resemblance, I think our Fry needs a red jacket.



In case you are unfamiliar with Futurama it is a really funny send up of science fiction shows, like my beloved Star Trek. Futurama, is also a great show to watch on Valentine's day because it has a lot of episodes dealing with the holiday and romance in general in a very funny way.   My favorite Futurama Valentine's episode Love and a Rocket has Fry searching for the perfect candy heart to give his crush.  

Other episodes have a slightly more sardonic take on the holiday, as any search of Futurama memes will demonstrate:

Anyway I had a cafe press coupon I received as a promotional offer from an earlier purchase and I had decided to use it to make Fry and Weasley Valentine's shirts, it seemed given Fry's name that Futurama themed shirts would be perfect.  I use the design our own shirt component on the Cafe Press website and by using quotes from the show and some free clip art made the shirts (I apologize for the hideous pictures of me below holding Fry and Weasley was the only way to ensure the shirts could be seen).

Fry's shirt reads: "This concept of "Wuv" confuses and infuriates us."   A reference to the candy hearts episode.   Weasley's reads: "It's All So Complicated with the Flowers, and the Romance, and the Lies Upon Lies."  A reference to Dr. Zoidberg's line in Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love.

Suffice it to say but you have to be a Futurama fan to appreciate these shirts, which is why I love them, and the pugs don't seem to mind wearing them at all.

You can use the cafe press site to many any kind of pet, or human, shirt you would like.  They have a wide range of styles and you can design your own around you favorite sports teams, books, films, or TV shows.  Its a fun way to personalize your own, or your dogs, wardrobe.  Now we are ready for our Valentine's day Futurama episode binge!