Barbie Dream House Colorforms

Last weekend, we celebrated my cousin's 20th birthday. While sitting around waiting for some silly basketball game to end, I began talking about memorable birthday gifts. I recalled that some of my most favorite gifts were given to me by their dad. Their dad is also my "God Father." Remember the "A" necklace I once blogged about?

I was turning 7 on November 4, 1979. That was the year Colorforms released the Barbie Dream House. I'm confused because I thought that was the year I received my "A" necklace -- maybe it was some sort of combination gift from Uncle Tony making them even more memorable? Who knows.

Anyway, if you're a regular FourthGradeNothing.com reader, you may recall me whining about how I had always wanted a Barbie Dream House  but for whatever reason, my folks missed the boat on that gift. Okay, fast forward to the Barbie Dream House Colorforms. 

I was a serious Colorforms fan and die-hard Barbie fan - this shiz was like the best of both worlds. The Barbie Dream House set was incredible. The backdrop was 3-D and consisted of multiple rooms ready to be filled with fashionably funky late '70s  furniture, trinkets, Barbie and Ken figures, clothing and more. I was in heaven!

Poof - dream sequence ruined ... Can you imagine the horror I felt when my cousin (she's in her early 20s) shot me a confused look and asked, "What are Colorforms?" It's times like that you realize your true age. For you younger folks who have never heard of Colorforms, please keep reading! 

Five Fast Colorform Facts

• Colorforms were invented in the 1960s by a creative New York City couple named Harry (a painter and art director) and Patricia Kislevitz. 
• Colorforms consisted of colorful thin, die-cut flexible plastic shapes which would adhere to the shiny laminated cardboard. Pieces could be reapplied and moved around. The downside was that within a few weeks, the sticker-like pieces lost their adhesiveness from being touched with dirty kids' hands.
• Mattel and other brands marketed Colorforms throughout the years -- producing Colorforms for a variety of cartoon characters, movies and toys including Peanuts, Holly Hobbie, Strawberry Shortcake, etc.
• Colorforms came in many shapes and forms - there were games, 3-D cutouts and more. 
• The Colorforms tag line and slogan was "It's More Fun To Play The Colorforms Way" and it really was. Still confused? Think of those window clings people put on their windows around the holidays, it's a very similar concept to Colorforms.

View a vintage Colorforms commercial 

For a complete history lesson and cool Colorforms facts and info, please visit toy inventor and legend, Mel Birnkrant's Colorforms web site at: Melbirnkrant.com/colorforms.

1980s Bopper, Deely Bopper & Antenna Headbands

Posing in my '80s headgear with my silly younger
brother at his McDonald's birthday party

I've covered wonderful '80s fashions including plastic charm bracelets, gummy bracelets, parachute pants and more. Now here's one wacky fashion accessory I'm hoping some other 1980s kids remember. Back in like 1981/1982, I loved what I called my "antennas"  -- I wouldn't leave home without them. I was a weird kid, I know. These antennas were basically a plastic headband with springs attached to glittery hearts, stars and other strange objects. 

Newspaper story from  80sactual.com

I loved my 1980's headgear which were professionally referred to as "Deely Boppers" and "Head Boppers."  I wore these wacky antennas to the mall, babysitting, birthday parties, Friendly's and even to Disneyland in California. My folks were so cool, they never questioned my outlandish styles even at the tender age of 10. 

If you were an '80s kid, did you own a pair of these wacky antennas?

Pac-Man 1980s Scratch-off Game Trading Cards

This morning it occurred to me as to why I love scratch-offs or scratcher lottery ticket games so much.... PAC-MAN! As a kid, I was obsessed with collecting these Pac-Man Stickers & Rub-off bubble gum trading style cards from Fleer. The object of the game was to scratch off each dot which would translate into points I believe.

Each pack included three cards, three collectible stickers and the usual hard-as-a-rock stick of pink chewing gum. No matter that the stick of gum was always covered in a white floury substance. I loved it just the same.

Ironically, the New Jersey Lottery put out a Pac-Man Lottery scratch-offs  back in 2005. I loved them, yet never won a dime.  

Anyone remember these Pac-man Rub-off game cards? As always I'm dating myself.

King Tut Scared Me In First Grade

For some reason learning about King Tut freaked me out in 1st grade. I'm not quite sure why. Something about the idea of someone wrapped and tombed and wearing a mask. The images of the golden mask. Did anything you read about as a child frighten you? Dinosaurs? Lions and tigers? 

One-Year Anniversary of Corey Haim's Death

This was the Corey I loved. 

A year ago today on March 10, 2010, we learned that a part of our 1980s childhood was now gone. Corey Ian Haim found dead at 38. Reports from TMZ saying, "Actor Corey Haim died this morning of an apparent overdose -- possibly accidental -- according to LAPD," caught the attention of '80s kids everywhere.

Last year at this time, Corey fans from all over the world vented about the tragic loss via emails, YouTube videos (vlogs), blog posts and more. My first thoughts went to Corey Feldman. My heart broke for Feldman who blogged about the loss of his dear friend.

As a big time Corey Feldman fan, Corey Haim had always been one of  "The Two Coreys." I loved Haim in his early movies such as the TV movie A Time To Live and films including: Secret Admirer, Murphy's Romance, First Born, Silver Bullet and Lucas. He seemed nice, innocent, kid-next-door who'd ride bikes with you and overlook your faults.

As he transitioned from child actor to teen idol, my crush faded. I think I felt he had become "Cool Corey." I was chubby and awkward -- I wouldn't have had a chance to date him if we were classmates. I never got into The Lost Boys and the teen comedies he did with Corey Feldman like License to Drive and Dream A Little Dream. Though the crush had faded, Corey Haim has always had a dear place in my heart.

Cool Corey was slightly intimidating.

Click here to read the blog I posted last year about Corey Haim's untimely death.

Click here to read the blog I posted about Corey Feldman's reaction to losing his good friend, Corey Haim.

HUB TV Channel Airs 1980s Classics

We've Moved!

If we're tight on Facebook, you know we've recently relocated from North Jersey to the Clearwater / St. Petersburg, Florida area. My hubs found a new job and I found hub. If you're unfamiliar with this amazing cable network, let me explain...

What No ID?

When I signed up for Brighthouse Networks, the cable TV carrier in our new lo-caysh, the first question I asked was, "What channel is Discovery ID?" Over the past few years, I seem to have developed an obsession for forensics and true crime.  Hot damn! It turns out Discovery ID channel is unavailable in Florida. My personal theory is it would be a bad influence on viewers. Let's face it, Florida is the "Number Six State for Crime in America." Scary, right? 

i love hub!

Last night, we stumbled upon hub. Where the hell have I been that I've never noticed this awesome 80s channel back home? We had the same cable plan in Jerz. Anyway, hub, a joint venture between Discovery and Hasbro, focuses on kids and family television programming. Hub replaced the Discovery Kids TV channel almost a year ago. Hello? I was too busy watching Discovery ID!

The hub channel was launched in October, 2010 and has an incredible line-up of evening programming for us 1980s freaks. Check out the evening schedule featuring Happy Days, Wonder Years, Doogie Howser, M.D., Family Ties and Laverne & Shirley. How awesome is that? Hoping they add Silver Spoons and Growing Pains at some point. You know how much I love my Jason Bateman and Kirk Cameron.

Charlie Sheen - Ferris Bueller's Day Off Bad Boy

Oh the irony behind this unforgettable scene between Charlie Sheen and Jennifer Grey in John Hughes film 1986 classic, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Searching for "Charlie Sheen in Ferris Bueller" images, I realize I'm obviously not the only blogger to point that out.

Jennifer Grey and Charlie Sheen first worked together in the I-hope-this-never-really-happens movie, Red Dawn. Red Dawn -- which by the way was the first PG-13 movie I had ever seen in 1984 -- is said to be the very first PG-13 movie ever released.

I was never never much of a Charlie Sheen fan. I never had an interest in manly-style movies like Platoon. Though I did insist on seeing Red Dawn because of my Tommy Howell obsession. What a cast Red Dawn had! Anyway, here's a little 1980s Charlie Sheen for ya, enjoy!


Watch Charlie Sheen in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.




Watch Charlie Sheen in the trailer for Red Dawn.