Raggedy Ann Doll

My sister got a Raggedy Ann doll for Christmas when she was in grade 3. I remember because it was the same year I got a Holly Hobbie doll.

Croquet Set

We had a croquet set very similar to this one (ours had hard concrete type balls instead of wooden ones). We'd set it up in the side garden and play with our friends, it was a lot of fun.

String Art

In the 70's we learned how to do string art in elementary school. Get a piece of wood, cover it with a piece of material (preferably black velvet) and then place a pattern over it that was printed out on a piece of paper. The pattern was dots and you would then nail a small brass nail on each dot. Then tear away the paper and start your art. We'd use crochet cotton for the string and wind it around each nail and string it from nail to nail until we had a pattern made. I guess there was a sequence you had to follow to get it to come out looking right. We mostly made abstract designs (like a spirograph would make) but there were other designs as well. I remember a boat like this with the seagulls in the sky.

Old Jug

Dad collected antiques and he had a couple of old jugs like this one. This one was kept in the living room. Mom kept dried grass and cattails in it, I remember one year some of the cattails bursting and making a mess.

Driftwood & Dandelions Reader

I remember using this reader in grade 4. I think it was full of Canadian stories. We also had one called "Hopscotch & Hockey Sticks" but so far I have not found that for sale on eBay.

Label Maker

This was one of the more fun things I remember from growing up. It was a simple label maker, Dad kept it in the top drawer of the filing cabinet. We had red "tape" that went in, then you would dial each letter and squeeze the handle after selecting each letter. Then you would peel the backing off the label and stick it on something. Our possessions were labeled with our names and it was fun to find new things to tag, just so we could use the label maker.

Measuring Spoons

Mom had measuring spoons like these and the little hanger that was on the wall. They hung near the sink.

Angel Fish

We had 2 angelfish like this one on our living room wall. They were made of plaster, I think collectors call it chalkware. Why you would want to collect these is beyond me. Dad must have painted ours, in the early 70's they were pink and gold and later on they were yellow and grey, as you can see in the photos. Fortunately they disappeared forever in the 80's.

Oil Lamp

We had a red oil lamp like this one, it was probably bought in the early 80's. I guess we used it when the power went off but I don't remember using it often.

Phone

My aunt who lived next door had a phone like this. While ours was a big clunky black thing, hers was sleek and modern, I loved it!

Souvenir Fan

Apparently these were popular souvenir items! I found several on eBay. My sister and I each had one, either given to us by Dad after a trip for work or by my older sister. I think it was from New Brunswick or Nova Scotia. I could only find fans from the US on eBay.

Bear Wall Rug

This was the 2nd wall rug we owned, before this we had one with 2 moose on it. I think my cousin gave us this one, I vaguely remember him saying he didn't like the moose one (I think he said it was too small for the wall). Of course looking back I think they were both tacky, but it was the 70's! Actually I think this photo was taken in the early 80's. It must have been Mom's birthday.

Folding Ruler

Dad had a folding ruler like this and it was a lot of fun to play with.

Buried Treasure Ice Cream Sticks

When we were growing up, going to the corner store to buy candy or ice cream was something we only did in the summers. We had lots of ice cream to choose from - dixie cups with the little wooden spoon, fudgesicles, popsicles, giant Mr. Freeze's, polar bars, a cone shaped dixie cup with a gumball at the bottom (I am sure they had a name, I just don't remember it....edit: my sister emailed me to tell me they were called Screwballs), ice cream sandwiches, creamsicles, drumsticks, push-ups and buried treasure. Buried Treasure ice cream was orange (I think, or that may have been the push-ups) and when the ice cream was gone there was a little figure on a stick as your prize. I found some on eBay. Which makes me ask two questions. 1) Who saves buried treasure sticks from the 70's? and 2) Who would buy them? In any case, they're a fond memory from my childhood.