Playthings Past

When I sat down to recall playthings past, I first remembered the abandoned oven in my great grandmother's garden and the many many hours spent there making mudpies and meals from all the garden goodies she allowed me to use. The chickens scratching at my feet.

I thought I had hit heaven when we ascended the attic stairs and went through boxes of old records and turned the handle on the Victrola, me in a vintage dress that I had rummaged from a dilapidated trunk and she in her calico cotton smelling of coffee and cookies and soap and earth.

Oh sure, I had a few Barbie dolls. But the thing I remember most was not hours imagining Barbie's life with Ken, but rather the hours spent sewing scraps for Barbie's new wardrobe and then cutting her hair only to find my agility with the scissors led to the original punk Barbie.

Retreating to the pine grove with a book and a blanket.
Lying there listening to the wind rustle the needles as I immersed myself in imaginary worlds.
Roller skating.
From those rusty adjustable skates to the boot skates we scored at a garage sale when my foot finally slowed growing.

These are the things that come to mind when I consider my nostalgia for vintage toys.

I have vague memories of Big Wheel and Betsy Wetsy and Inch Worm and Merlin but I don't recall that these were the playthings that molded me. 

Don't get me wrong, I dog-eared  the Sears Wish Book like crazy. However, in retrospect it seems now that it was as much about what we didn't have as what we had.

Back then we didn't have playrooms stuffed to the gills with the latest whatnot.
Back then it was more than receiving all that we wanted.

It was about the hoping and wishing and experiencing some disappointment. 
Then ultimately calling on creativity to fill the long summer days.
Those were the things that informed our hard work of play.

__________________________

Thanks to Jessi at Scrappy Jessi for hosting the Vintage Toys post today.

Comments

[jessi nagy]

so so fun!!
i remember so many of these toys!!
i had the jcpenny wish book.
i carried it around all the time. that explains why i love catalog shopping.
thanks for sharing, and coming to my party.
oxoox,
jessi

[lori]

Those my dear are wonderful memories and priceless! What a beautiful childhood to remember! Thank you for sharing! Lori

[Karen Young]

thank you for taking us along on your trip down memory lande. I love how your very favourite plaything was your imagination.

Karen

[Mendy]

I have a victrola in my living room and still play it all the time! I remember all of your toys...great photos!! :)Mendy

[Fabulous Finds Studio]

I made so many Christmas Lists from the SEars Wish Book..what wonderful memories :-)

Have a fabulous day!
Julie

[Lori]

"It was about the hoping and wishing and experiencing some disappointment."
yes Yes YES!!! everyone is SO darn spoiled now, it really makes me nuts
your great grandmother sounds like a wonderful lady! thanks for sharing your memories:)

oh, and the picture is fabulous!!!

[fated follies studio]

how fun. i remember cutting my barbie's hair too! i loved roller skating. i still love it but now it is morerollar blading.

jenny

happy may day!

[Alisa]

What a wonderful post! So true about today's lack of creativity and imagination. Thank you for sharing.
Alisa

[PyroPagan]

I love this post. You made me nostalgic and stuff! Gorgeous photo, too- what a treasure! I had an Inch Worm, but he was called Silly Sammy. I adored him and the dachshund, Charlie, would chase me on it :D

[Uncle Beefy]

What a lovely post. Funny what stands out to us so many years later. I still love my old bag of misc. legos! A nice way to start the day :)

[katrina]

what a lovely post. and that photo is dreamy.

[karin@creativechaos]

The rusty adjustable skates!!!! It's a miracle we're alive without a broken neck to relive the memory. The big wheel molded me. Nothing like riding and skidding it until you wore a hole through those plastic wheels......ahhhh the memories....

[delta waters]

got junk? i do...i love my junk posse tee, just arrived! thanks, delta