The Story of Walt Disney World Book Review

Walt Disney World enthusiasts are always wanting to learn more about one of the world's most famous destinations.  The Story of Walt Disney World is a big square paperback book with 50 pages of information, pictures and illustrations from the park and bears the date of October 25, 1971 on the first page. I expect that it was released as a souvenir to celebrate the opening of the park, which occurred on October 1, 1971.

It opens with a dedication taken from the plaque in Town Square on Main Street at Walt Disney World from Roy Disney O. Disney that reads, "Walt Disney World is a tribute to the philosophy and life of Walter Elias Disney...and to the talents, the dedication and the loyalty of the entire Disney organization that made Walt Disney's dream come true. May Walt Disney World bring Joy and Inspiration and New Knowledge to all who come to this happy place...a Magic Kingdom where the young at heart of all ages can laugh and play and learn together."  If you have experienced the park, you know that they Disney delivered.

Today, the book offers up lots of pictures, information and even a map of what the park looked like in 1971. It would make a wonderful gift idea for anyone who has fond memories of visiting the park or for someone who is interested in the park's history. You will find The Story of Walt Disney World on eBay by clicking right here.

See you

on eBay!

Brenda

Treasures By Brenda

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See all of the new, used and vintage Disney items in my eBay store.

Dazey LA for Anthropologie Coffee Mug

I love this retired coffee mug that Dazey LA designed exclusively for Anthropologie. I love the simple message, Love More, and the vintage-style or retro theme. 

The company Dazey LA is owned by a woman named Dani who aims, according to Anthropologie, to "empower today's woman by encouraging conversations on self-care, women's rights, and inclusivity through energetic art, apparel, and lifestyle collections." 

Dani, who you may or may not have heard of, is an artist, graphic designer, textile designer, interior designer and fashion designer who has created pieces for companies like Anthropologie, Hot Topic, Torrid, Urban Outfitters and Macy's. Forbes magazine calls her designs "cheeky and feminist-leaning" and I agree. Though I am older than I expect is her target market, I do enjoy her designs. 

Her mugs are dishwasher and microwave safe and this Love More cup will hold 14.5 ounces of your favorite steamy, hot beverage. It measures 3 1/4 inches tall by 3 3/4 inches in diameter excluding the handle. It features a white speckled finish on the exterior and a warm, yellow or amber speckled finish on the interior. 

The simple message, "Love More" encourages happiness and positivity. The design evokes feelings of peace, love and harmony from the 1960s and 1970s. Though now discontinued, Dazey LA mugs like this one are available on eBay by clicking right here.

Quick Links: 

Learn more about Dazey LA from Forbes magazine.

Find more ANTHROPOLOGIE items in my eBay shop.

Vintage 1970s Coffee Mugs

Let me introduce you to Ring Ring Vintage, an Etsy seller direct from Milan, Italy who specialises in selling vintage wares including but not limited to the beautiful coffee mugs and cups that you can see on this page.  I love them, am totally impressed with the colors and the look and just had to share them here as a part of my second series of 31 coffee mugs.

THE LOOK…

These gorgeous coffee cups are all bold and beautiful featuring styles and colors of the 1970s.

THE COLORING…

I have chosen to focus on cups with some bright orange coloration. I think it is such a warm and friendly color and the designs, whether graphic or floral or both, are stunning.

GOOD FOR…

These pieces are, of course, excellent for your morning coffee or tea. They are also great for filling with candy or other treats as a gift for a friend, for offering as a vintage 1970s themed gift idea or for filling with pens and pencils on your very own desk. Love orange? They're for you. Love the 1970s? You will love these, too.

They're all beautiful. The hard part might be just picking one though in some cases they are sold in sets. Whichever pattern you choose, you would definitely be drinking your coffee in style! Find all of the vintage kitchen items in Ring Ring Vintage's shop by clicking right here.

You never know
what coffee mugs
I might have in store for you!
Brenda

More Vintage Mugs:

Taylor and Ng coffee mugs. (Some of them are naughty!)
Federal Glass Zodiac Mugs. (For horoscope fans.)

31 DAYS OF COFFEE MUGS: Vintage B. Kliban Cat Coffee Mugs

The famous B. Kliban cat was created in the 1970s as a cartoon character and went on to appear on a host of merchandise including coffee mugs…so for this entry in the 2016 version of 31 DAYS OF COFFEE MUGS, I bring you this vintage "Love a Cat" B. Kliban coffee mug. Whether you are just window shopping, searching for a Kliban mug or you are collecting all of them, I know this one will make you smile.

A few of my favorites include the B. Kliban-themed travel mugs, which include Hawaii and San Francisco; the athletic mugs, including a colorful football mug in which Kliban declares his love of football by clinging to it; and the Christmas mugs that include Bah, Humbug! Peace, Season's Greetings, Pizza on earth and Christmas antlers. Of course, I also love this simple Love a Cat mug and the Sigma Taste Setter figural mugs, the high class cat mug, the chef cat mug...

Some of these mugs are rarer than others. They are, after all, vintage mugs from the 1970s and 1980s. A few of the most valuable ones sold in December, 2015, were the New York themed 'I Love New York' mug that sold for $77 and the 'Big Cat Pink' face and 'Love that Java' mugs, which sold for $50 around that same time frame. Today, you can find Kliban's New York and L.A. themed mugs here on eBay.

If you are also a fan, I recommend clicking all of the B. Kliban cat mugs that are available on eBay by clicking here. 

Do you have a favorite? Or do you like them all like me?

You never know what
coffee mugs I might
have in store for you!
Brenda

More Cats:

More B. Kliban Collector's Items.
You've Cat To Be Kitten Me Right Meow Coffee Mug.

Vintage Texas Instruments Speak and Spell

Do you recognize this vintage learning toy?  I remember it though I was too old to play with it in the late 1970s or early 1980s.  It's the Texas Instruments Speak & Spell, an electronic toy designed to help youngsters improve their spelling skills. 

The Speak & Spell was one of the first handheld devices that had a display and changeable game cartridges.  I have been reading about it and it really does have an ineresting technical history, which you can read about on Wikipedia by clicking here. It is interesting that there is a Speak & Spell on display in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. 

This toy has a history in the movies, too. As shown in this Youtube video, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial used the Texas Instruments Speak & Spell to build his  interstellar communicator.  

SPOILER ALERT: Beware that this video contains clips from throughout the movie. It does, however, do a good job of showing how E.T. used the Speak & Spell to communicate with home.

The Speak & Spell also appeared as Mr. Spell in two Disney movies, Toy Story and Toy Story 2 and in a number of horror movies including Bride of Chucky and Poltergeist III. 

It turns out that E.T. wasn't the only one to manipulate the Speak and Spell. According to Digital Trends, musicians are now using Speak & Spell units for "circuit bending in their music, where the guts have been modified to create new sounds."

For these reasons and, I expect a bit of nostalgia, the Texas Instruments Speak & Spell sells consistently on eBay and eBay is likely the best place to easily source one. 

Brenda

Treasures By Brenda

You never know what treasures

I might have in store for you!

Quick Links:

Click here to see find your Texas Instruments Speak & Spell on eBay.