|
|
|
 What do The Honeymooners, baseball star Yogi Berra and Yellowstone National Park have in common? If you guessed a large number of fans, you’re only half way right. The actual answer is Hanna-Barbera’s animated cartoon, ‘The Yogi Bear Show’. Created in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show and given his own show in 1961, the personality and mannerisms of this fictional anthropomorphic bear with brown fur and a permanent hat & tie attire were crafted by the popular aforementioned names. The character of Ed Norton from the Honeymooners was said to be Yogi’s inspiration. Yogi’s name was given as an ode to famed Yogi Berra, and the fictional park that the episodes were centered around was named Jellystone Park, a takeoff on the famous Yellowstone. Each half-hour episode was full of catchphrases, rhymes, and overestimated cleverness on Yogi’s part as this funny yet somewhat foolish bear teamed up with sidekick Boo Boo to outsmart ranger Smith for yet another episode of mischievous shenanigans. From Yogi Bear’s Big Break to the 3-part finally Yogi’s Birthday Party, the silly antics and comedic writing of partners William Hanna and Joseph Barbera kept us staying tuned for more. Although though new episodes of the ‘Yogi Bear Show’ are long gone, remnants of his impact linger on. Thanks to his fan following, a line of recreational camp/parks bearing his name are still in operation across the US, celebrities such as Drew Carry have given life to his pencil sketched form through impressive impersonations, and J&O Fabrics has picked up a line of novelty print fabrics in celebration of the bear that was ‘smarter than the average bear’.  
Check out our selection of Yogi Bear fabric here! Check out our collection of selected cartoon fabric here! Check out our selection of childrens fabric here!
Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: cartoon fabric, cotton, hannah barbara, hannah-barbera, novelty cotton, novelty fabric, novelty prints, yogi bear
 Pin-up girls are celebrities, fashion models, sex symbols or actresses who’s beauty, charm and sexual appeal capture the attention of society’s pop culture in such a way as to cause mouths to drool and eyes to pop at the mere sight of their perfectly posed bodies across laminated posters and magazine spreads. Gaining popularity in the 1930’s, each era has seen a handful of these iconic beauty’s come and go…and in some cases, mystically come back again in the forms of clones so identical in look and attitude that it’s almost scary. Like the 1950’s voluptuous sex siren movie star Marilyn Monroe and the 90’s troubled millionaire widow Anna Nicole Smith, who’s respective journey’s to stardom and fame were both filled with rumors of scandal, drugs, passion and pain. Even the petite dark haired 1950’s pin-up Bettie Page who carried her legacy on camera well into the 1990’s met with her younger reflection found in the doll like face of fellow newcomer Bernie Dexter. There are countless other legendary pin-up gals like 1930’s flapper Josephine Baker, 1940’s songstress Lena Horne, and 1950's Betty Page. Then there are those unforgettable modern day women like 1960’s vixen Raquel Welch, “10” star Bo Derek , 1980’s Sports Illustrated model Kim Alexis, 1990’s burlesque performer Dita Von Teese and ‘Baywatch’ beauty Pamela Anderson who’s curves and sensuality have landed them a place in the hearts of men young and old. Last but not least, the icon Betty Grable. She was one of the most popular early pin-up girls of all time. With a girl-next-door innocence and devilish smile, she called for your attention. And she got it. During World War II, her poster was ubiquitous in the lockers of homesick G.I.’s overseas. For them, she symbolized the American dream and became a heroin to their long and lonely nights. Mass produced photos of these vintage and modern day ‘cheesecakes’ can often be found in magazines, postcards, calendars and on novelty items. For these pretty ladies were definitely ...” better than cheesecake.” 
Pin-ups also include drawings, paintings, and other illustrations done in emulation of these photos. Artists such as the late Alberto Vargus and the great Earl Macpherson have not only created flirtateous images of beauties of the past, but left us with a legacy of work that is still hailed today as the precedent to which modern day pin up art work is set against. Even modern day photographer Bunny Yeager who has been in the business of capturing our desirable dandies on film for over a decade or more, rises to receive her accolades for work well done. Just check the archives displayed along the walls of old American military aircrafts, the foot lockers of testosterone filled high school boys and young GI’s overseas, or your current Sports Illustrated magazines and monthly calendar spreads, and you will have a clearer understanding of just why the golden era of classic pin-up art never really disappeared…it only faded. By the 1960’s the classic ‘painted’ pin up started drowning in the sea of the adult film and publication industry that promoted sex, sex and more sex. Paintings of attractive women became more realistic and explicit. Photos of fem fatals in cute yellow polka dotted bikinis were replaced by artificially enhanced g-string wearing women leaving little to the imagination. The concept of ‘sexy’ became more of a ‘flesh’ thing than an attitude, and slowly this wonderful American art form faded away. But everything comes full circle. The classic pin-up girls and pin-up art are being rediscovered and introduced to new generations of people around the world. With the help of our fresh pin up faces and such notable fabric mills as Timeless Treasure and Alexander Henry, we are seeing a revamp of the glamour girl and classic re-prints on cottons that take us back to the days of “Happy Birthday Mr. President”, drive in movies and ‘flappers’.  With a nostalgic selection of holiday, Harley and Hawaii Aloha pin-up girl fabric to choose from, this wonderful American art form is again receiving the attention and popularity reminiscent of its 1930-1950 heyday. Here at J&O we welcome you to come take your time and find your own sweet lady that’s ....better than cheesecake!
Check out our vintage pin-up girl fabric here!Check out our pin-up guy fabric here!Check out our full selection of novelty print fabric here!
Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: Alexander Henry, cotton fabric, jandofabrics, novelty coton, novelty prints, pin-up girls, pin-up guys, pinup girls, pinup guys, Timeless Treasures, women fabric
 The first documented socks were manufactured in 1890 by a Swedish immigrant named John Nelson. He was the owner of The Nelson Knitting Mills in Rockford, Illinois and his sturdy and comfortable work-socks were sought far and wide mainly by farmers and factory workers who wear on their feet all day. In 1932, The Nelson Knitting Company added the soon to be trademarked red heel to their original sock design. This red heel would later become the distinctive mouth of the iconic sock monkey. It was around this time, that desperate yet creative mothers, feeling the effects of America’s Great Depression, started crafting their husbands red heeled work socks into cute and entertaining toys in the form of sock monkeys and other animals for their children. By the early 1950’s, the knitting company discovered that their socks were being used to make these popular monkey dolls, so they started putting patterns for the home made toy into each package of socks they sold. How strange this sock monkey phenomenon. Who would have thought that such a manly piece of clothing apparel would become the craze for little snot nosed children far and wide when the Sock Monkey was born. To this day, Nelson’s original red heel sock and the homemade sock monkeys remain in demand. In fact, the Sock Monkey is seeing a renaissance of sorts across the U.S. and in little children’s shops in big cities and small towns everywhere. From the mass produced yet largely unfavored modern sock monkeys, to the hand crafted, custom made ones, sock monkeys are all the rave. The continued popularity of the sock monkey even encouraged the city of Rockford, Illinois embrace the doll as a part of its history. In 2005, Midway Village and Museum Center in Rockford held it’s first "Sock Monkey Madness Festival", while simultaneously opening an exhibit highlighting the industrial, legal, and creative history of the Nelson red heel sock and the sock monkey. The festival has since become an annual event. To get your sock monkeys, you don’t have to go farther than your laptop or PC. We have them right here at J&O in a plethora of prints and colors for your crafting pleasure.Bring a little piece of nostalgic American history back to life for your son or daughter, and you!    Check out J&O Fabric's store sock monkey fabric here!Check out our selection of novelty fabric here!
Posts by J&O Fabrics StoreLabels: novelty fabric, novelty prints, sock monkey, sock monkey fabric
|
|
|
|
|
|