Food with Eyes: The Exhibit

Today marked the realization of a dream I've had for years: to have a collection of mine on display for the public. I've always loved museums and thought it must be wonderful to donate your collection to a museum for permanent display. I hoped to one day see a placard next to some wonderful exhibit reading "From the Collection of Lushie Peach." That day has arrived, although it's not at the Smithsonian or the Met, but at the Children's Room of the Schenectady County Public Library.

The glass display case there features a monthly exhibit, usually someone's collection or maybe crafts or miniatures. I make a point of looking at it every month. A few months ago it hit me that my collection might be a candidate for the case. I spoke to the librarian who seemed somewhat confused about what I was proposing to put in the case. Nevertheless, she took my contact information. I heard nothing and figured they had a full schedule of the usual collections of frogs or pigs or whatnot. But then I got a call asking if I could bring my collection in for September! Of course I immediately said yes, and gathered my items together.

This morning I installed the exhibit (ok, I put the stuff in the case). I also found a few books to tie in with the theme. So without further ado, Food with Eyes: The Exhibit:

Look for the exhibition catalog soon. I actually changed the setup a little after I took the pictures, using some stands and easels to prop up some things. I'm tempted to go there everyday now and watch to see if anyone looks at the case. I expect the Smithsonian, or maybe MoMA, will be contacting me soon to see about a traveling exhibit.

Stuck in Schenectady

I was walking along State Street in Schenectady yesterday when I came upon this sticker stuck to the sidewalk:

It features Appleby, spokesfruit for MVP Health Care, a regional HMO based in Schenectady. I can only guess a real live Appleby was recently walking around doling out stickers and health care advice.

Last week I visited Hudson, NY, known for its many upscale antique shops. I didn't buy any antiques, but I did spot this adorable picnic basket filled with stuffed food with eyes:

This play set is by Melissa & Doug. Further investigation has also turned up a cute Candy Jar Fill & Spill set. The age range for both toys is for 6 months +. I initially began to rationalize that 440 months is greater than 6 months, making the toy appropriate for me, but in the end I decided to settle for a picture.

From Soap to Nuts

I often shop in thrift stores; you never know what treasures you'll find there. Most stores have a glass case at the cash register where especially valuable or fragile items are stored. This usually consists of dollar store figurines, gaudy costume jewelry, and out-dated computer software. Imagine my surprise when I discovered a genuinely valuable item in the case at the local Salvation Army: a mint-in-box Mr. Peanut Avon soap set! At just two dollars I couldn't resist adding it to my Mr. Peanut collection.

Here's the lime-green box with Mr. Peanut on one side and non-anthropomorphic peanuts on the other:


The top - Avon Nutty Soap Dish:

And the back with the carefully packed soap:

The soaps themselves, nestled in their plastic peanut shell dish:

This soap dates from 1975, the height of the 70s novelty soap craze. First came soap-on-a-rope, then all kinds of strangely shaped soaps followed - I even had a box of Soapaghetti! Truthfully, the soap and dish are a little disappointing. The soaps are very realistically shaped, but they don't smell like peanuts, just a generic pleasant soap scent. The plastic dish can be used for serving real peanuts, as the inside lid flap suggests, but there's no trace of Mr. Peanut on the soaps or dish. Still, a very good find!

Recipe for Success

I recently got a baggie of old recipe booklets and clippings at a flea market that had a few great food with eyes finds inside:

This little pamphlet, "How to put Variety in your Milk Beverages" was produced by Carnation Evaporated Milk. Variety would be a sun bathing orange and an Eskimo pineapple complete with snowshoes and igloo. Kind of a Heat Miser and Snow Miser in fruit form.



This low-budget cook booklet was produced by the New York State Department of Agriculture to extol the many virtues of eggs. Not only are they incredible and edible, but they are also economical, plentiful, rich in Vitamin D, combine well with other foods, etc., etc.


A close-up of the top illustration:

And the bottom:

The rich egg doesn't look very happy about it.


This newspaper clipping recipe for creamed vegetable soup must be from the World War II years as it mentions using veggies from your Victory Garden (and provides a bit of trivia about tongue).

The veggies and milk bottle all look so friendly, but that cauldron is really terrifying!

Kingdom of the Crystal Spud

Just in time for the fourth Indiana Jones movie, Hasbro has released a special "Taters of the Lost Ark" Mr. Potatohead!Here's Indiana Potatohead complete with fedora, jacket, whip, and gold potatohead idol:

Can a Marion Potatohead be far behind?

Farewell, National Sticker Month

Closing out the first annual National Sticker Month we have a couple more examples of anthropomorphic stickers.

This set of ice cream cones, cake, and a cupcake is by Heartline, a division of Hallmark. I found these a couple years ago.


And lastly, these whimsical fruits and veggies are by American Greetings. I got these in the early-mid 90s, and in a fit of temporary insanity I actually used them! These are all I have left. I think the empty spots are peas in a pod, a pair of peppers, and cherries.



That does is for this year's National Sticker Month. Check back next year for more!

The Grapey Bunch and Friends

This next group of images rounds out my collection of anthropomorphic scratch 'n' sniff stickers. These stickers happen to be my favorites and were rare even in the 80s. I got all of these from a gumball machine at a grocery store my mother frequented.

The Grapey Bunch:

Vanilla Ice Cream Cone (this one hasn't aged too well):

Bubble Gum Machine:

Cream Cycle:

Peppermint Patty:
Orange Pop's Cycle:

Chocolate Sundae:

The origin of these stickers were always a mystery to me, but recently I found some information in a new Scratch & Sniff Sticker guide. Apparently they were made in Canada and are called "Goofy Stickers." There are ten designs in all including a few non-food with eyes ones.