Ok, so I admit I'm not an expert on lightsabers *or* vintage flashlights, which is what this is. However, I'm betting with a few more buttons and doo-dads I could totally rock this at the next Star Wars Celebration. Not bad for $4 - and there are tons like it on ebay, if you're in the market. (Like these - so cool!)
Next I caused a minor scene when I spotted this - also $4 - hanging off a shelf of old pencil sharpeners:
Circus World! Anyone remember that place? It was a theme park near Orlando in the 80's, and later became Boardwalk and Baseball before dying altogether. Frankly, I don't remember it at all, but according to this picture I've had forever I've been there at least once:
Huh. You know, looking at that creepy-ass clown in the picture with me and Ben, I'm suddenly realizing why Circus World wasn't around very long. And I LIKE clowns. (Since, you know, I was one for a coupla years.) (And btw, isn't my clown girl cute? I have her brother on the other side of that shelf in my office:
They're both from a cold porcelain artist on etsy.
Getting back to that pennant, though, I love the colors and it was only $4 and it made John roll his eyes a LOT so I call that a good purchase.
Now, does anyone know a way to clean little mold spots off felt? And would you say that pennant is creepy-in-a-bad-way, creepy-in-a-good-way, or still needs a motion-activated soundboard with the Joker laugh on it?
And why was John rolling his eyes, anyway? It's not like it was a giant metal chicken. (*gigglesnort*)
Now, does anyone know a way to clean little mold spots off felt? And would you say that pennant is creepy-in-a-bad-way, creepy-in-a-good-way, or still needs a motion-activated soundboard with the Joker laugh on it?
And why was John rolling his eyes, anyway? It's not like it was a giant metal chicken. (*gigglesnort*)
I don't know about the mold, but I think it's kinda cute! And I love the flashlight. I wish we had some good vintage stores.
ReplyDeletePlease tell me you reminded him "at least it's not a giant metal chicken" or that "you did not tell me when i left NOT to get any Circus World Penants!"
ReplyDeleteThat pennant looks so familiar that it's creepy. I'm not sure why I would have had one, if it was from Florida, but - wow. I wonder if other places used the same basic pennant design too...
ReplyDeleteTry rubbing alcohol and baking soda for the mold spots. (:
ReplyDeleteextra kudos on the appropriateness of the giant metal chicken reference. :) Awesome.
ReplyDeleteHey Jen;
ReplyDeleteI don't find the pennant creepy at all, unless it's dark & I'm stumbling by it on the way to the kitchen. So you know, consider your lighting options carefully.
As for the mold; I might start with a dry toothbrush & see if you can't carefully brush it off. Then of course burn the toothbrush.
i don't know, i would take beyonce on my front step over the creepy clown pennant anyday. but hey, to each their own. besides, you have such stellar taste otherwise...the clowns can be overlooked. =)
ReplyDeleteA costumer friend of mine used to use talcum powder to get mildew spots off felt hats. I think she just loaded some on, let it sit then brushed it off with a soft brush.
ReplyDeleteHad it been a "Beyonce" giant metal chicken, I believe there may have been louder things going on than eye rolling.
ReplyDeleteWow! Memories! I grew up in FL and went to Circus World as a kid an Boardwalk & Baseball as a teenager. I had forgotten about both!!
ReplyDeleteCool finds! I bet oxy clean would be good for mold.
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried it myself, but this article might help: http://www.ehow.com/how_5033778_clean-mold-felt-fabric.html
ReplyDeleteOrdinarily for mold, I'd recommend bleach, but that's not recommended for felt.
I desperately want my own giant metal chicken...
ReplyDeleteFunny that you mention this; I was just at Circus World in Baraboo, Wisconsin, earlier this summer. I didn't even know there was one in Orlando.
ReplyDelete[And because you moderate comments I'm sure this will be like the eleventy billionth mention of the place. Sigh - the perils of commenting on popular blogs!]
*agitate the mold with a toothbrush
ReplyDelete*rub area with baking soda
*spray area liberally with straight vinegar & let sit long enough to kill the mold
*blot with water and clean cloth
*repeat process if necessary
It looks kind of like a steampunk lightsaber...
ReplyDeleteCircus World still exists up here in Wisconsin. I haven't been there since I was a kid, and I didn't realize it was operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society. As I recall, Baraboo, WI was the summer headquarters for the Ringling Bros. Circus, and (somewhere in) Florida was the winter headquarters.
ReplyDeleteThe more you know!
There is a Circus World here in Wisconsin, if you ever some up this way!
ReplyDeletehttp://circusworld.wisconsinhistory.org/
I think the old school flashlight will make an epic lightsaber. And also here's a link on how to clean mold out of felt: http://www.ehow.com/how_5033778_clean-mold-felt-fabric.html Hope that helps.
ReplyDeleteI know this isn't related to today's post, BUT I just saw it on yahoo and you're the first person I thought of!!
ReplyDeleteOne of my best childhood memories involves Circus World! In the 80s, when she wasn't bartending, my aunt used to dress as a clown for fun and profit. The day she took me to Circus world, she wore her full garb and did my face. It was soo much fun. Looking back on the pics, it looks like we took a summer vacay to the "Creepiest Place on Earth." That pennant is awesome, great find!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletehahaha - I remember Circus World! I got clown face paint there when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, Jen...but clowns scare the CRAP out of me. Always have. My great-grandma knitted a pale green clown-thing for my little sister's room, and I swear its eyes followed me. Terrifying!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny the things we love that other people just don't get; I appreciate your pennant! And the metal chicken... I realize that I may be missing a reference to something else, but I've got to tell you; my son gifted me with a metal chicken for my birthday a couple of years ago. It has a springy neck and pokey tail. The only part of it that is not metal is it's half-coconut-shell body. It is hideous, and I love it!
ReplyDeleteI used Fabreeze on an old sofa under the cushions that was mildewed. The mildew spots were gone when it dried. It wasn't my intention but it was a nice surprise. I have never had Febreeze discolor anything to I hope it is safe to use on that.
ReplyDeleteI used Febreeze on an old sofa under the cushions where mildew was present. The mildew was gone after it dried. That wasn't my intention, but it was a great surprise. I have never had any discoloration from Febreeze but, if possible, do a spot test first.
ReplyDeleteCircus World was my first roller coaster ride ever. And I was 10, I think. I died a little inside after getting on it. It was also my mom's first roller coaster ride. She was so shaken up, she almost exited the car from the entrance side... other than that, yes, I went there. And I'll never forget it lol. BTW, that's the only thing I remember about Circus World.
ReplyDeleteIts cute and the flashlight is awesome! My husband remembers Circus World fondly (though I've never seen a clown that creepy in his pictures!)
ReplyDeleteAnd John should totally thank his lucky stars its not Beyonce.....it could have been worse, could have been more towels!
I'm with you Jen, the colors are awesome, and I love the retro graphics, creepy or not. I'm redoing my home office in 50's/60's kitsch, and this would totally fit in--it's even in the right color scheme! I'll have to keep my eyes out for one next time I'm in Florida.
ReplyDeleteI remember wanting to go to Circus World as it looked like it had an epic roller coaster, but Grandma said no. For the reason it had an epic roller coaster. Love the pennant.
ReplyDeleteCircus World!!!!!! I went there as a kid!!! :) I *think* my sister & I did the tightrope & I *know* we did the trampoline because we were taking trampoline lessons back home & wanted to show off. LOL. I don't think the pennant is creepy at all & wish I knew where ours wound up.
ReplyDeleteSorry Jen, I am going to have to say scary in a creepy way since I am really(reallyreally) scared of clowns! Maybe try club soda mixed with baking soda for the spots and good luck!
ReplyDeleteThat eHow link that someone posted earlier is a good one.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ehow.com/how_5033778_clean-mold-felt-fabric.html
There it is again for good measure.
But yes, vinegar is a good solution to getting rid of mold. Do NOT use bleach. Not unless you want to destroy it.
I have a mug with my picture in it..face painted and all. And I'll wager a guess that I was there sometime in the early 80s (I look 6 or so in the picture).
ReplyDeleteARMIGAH!!! I totally recognized the "lightsaber" as soon as I saw it! My grandfather used to have a small hoard of them in his collection of "should the world end" stuff, he said they were the best flash lights ever made and they'd outlast ANYTHING so long as you took care of them (ie: kept the batteries out when not in use, kept the leads clean, stocked spare bulbs, etc) and kept them out of humidity.
ReplyDeleteI am SO buying one of those sometime. I'm pretty sure all my grandfather's lights ended up in terrible shape when the house he kept had to sit abandoned for five years. We just couldn't find ANYONE willing to house sit in the middle of nowhere, rent free, and get a small fund for things like trimming the yard. Kids broke in, tore up a bunch of stuff, left the house open to animals and the elements.. -sigh-
We ended up having to throw out almost all his beautiful old stuff.. :(
Oh my goodness! I so remember Circus World / Boardwalk and Baseball. I lived near Orlando as a kid and went there for a field trip once. Had lots of fun.
ReplyDelete"Knock, knock!" ;)
ReplyDeleteAlso, who is the Etsy cold porcelain seller? I'm looking for one to do something for my mom for Christmas, and this one looks right up my alley!
Beyonce GMC FTW!
ReplyDeleteI loved Circus World and it was around for quite a few years, lady!!
ReplyDeleteThe Hurricane was the best wooden coaster and I heard someone bought it & reassembled it somewhere else. (ah, the good ole days)
For those who don't know, Sarasota was the Ringling Bros. Circus winter headquarters and you can tour the home & grounds which includes some world class art work in the art museum. Hmmmm, road trip coming on!!
-Barbara Anne
There is still a Circus World, it's a Museum run by the Wisconsin Historical Society in Baraboo, Wisconsin (near the Dells) on the old winter quarters of Ringling Brothers' circus (before Barnum). The place is haunted as heck and filled with all kinds of interesting things from many eras of circus. In the summer they have full stage shows (circus acts) and yes, there are clowns, but hopefully not the creepy kind. My husband was the Circus World clown the summer of 2006. They hire former Ringling or other top-end clowns to entertain visitors in their Hippodome. Circus World also has one of the finest, most extensive collection of wood circus wagons, decorative figures, and train cars, the kind that were featured in the recent movie Water for Elephants, and also used when Cecil B. DeMille filmed the Greatest Show on Earth. Circus wagons were often left if fields to rot or be burned for firewood when the circus went out of business, something that happened during and after the Great Depression. The restoration of these remarkable pieces is stunning to behold. If you ever get a chance to go to Wisconsin, you should plan a trip to Baraboo to see Circus World Museum. I can't recommend it highly enough.
ReplyDeletehttp://circusworld.wisconsinhistory.org/
I HAD THAT PENNANT! In fact, I may still have that pennant. I collected them from where ever we went when I was a kid. I think I had a Figment shaped pennant from Epcot because it was different. I used to be able to spot where Circus World/Boardwalk & Baseball used to be outside of Claremont but those days are long gone.
ReplyDeleteI *totally* remember Circus World and went there when I was a kid, too. I think I have a picture with that same creepy-ass clown.
ReplyDeleteI remember Boardwalk and Baseball! Never knew it as Circus World though...awesome finds!
ReplyDeletewill you be coming out here to go to this?
ReplyDeleteHmmm...creepy in a bad way.
ReplyDeleteI went to Circus World! There's a picture somewhere of me on an elephant that was taken there. I don't remember much of the experience, except that I got shoved way to the front of the elephant, off the blanket, and it was scratchy!
ReplyDeleteI totally remember Circus World. I went there with my brother and little sisters in 1983. My older sister had gone a couple of years earlier & got to fly on the trapeze!
ReplyDeleteI didn't do that but I did ride the absolutely awesome carousel! I wonder what ever happened to it.
Speaking of giant metal chickens... My mother in law stopped traffic one day because she saw just that - A giant metal rooster. We pulled into the antique store and bought it. I had to talk her out of buying two. She collects roosters and it's become one of her favorite ones. (He's really nea tand you can put candles in him!)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous--
ReplyDeleteThat wooden rollercoaster named the Hurricane might have ended up down south in Dania Beach at what used to be Grand Prix Race O Rama, now Boomers... but, a quick check to Wiki seems that it's not the same coaster.. anywho..
The flashlight!! I knew from the ring that it was a flashlight, cause my dad used to have one like that... I was amused by the ring on the bottom of it, and used to carry it around like that. Dang thing weighed a ton.. but, yeah... very cool..
And Circus World!! I've been!! And Boardwalk and Baseball, too.. We've got photos from each. One time when we were kids, my whole family took the train up from Ft Lauderdale, to Winter Haven (that's where the park was) and spent the day, and took the train back home. We had to call a cab, of course, to get us there, and we swore that on the way back to the station, the driver drove us around in circles, just to make the fare cost more..
A paste of oxyclean and water, rinse, lather, repeat and you will be able to clean the mold off. I rescued a much abuse cross stitch project that way (which saved the guilty party's life).
ReplyDeleteTry peroxide for the mold. I'm not certain it will work, but it might be worth a shot. I haven't ever known it to fade colored fabric and will also take blood and grape juice stains out of white fabric.
ReplyDeleteThat flashlight is AWESOME!!
I must know where the little clowns are from!! they are adorable. The pennant is great, but then I've always enjoyed the cute/creepy stuff :)
ReplyDeletechristine
The pennant looks really familiar to me too. I wonder if the FL Circus World is associated with the Circus World Museum in Wisconsin? http://circusworld.wisconsinhistory.org/ Possible vacation plans Jen?
ReplyDeleteI *loved* Circus World...went there all the time when we lived in Orlando :) Great haul!
ReplyDeleteI remember Circus World! I have a great picture of my sister and I after we had our faces painted (like clowns of course!). I'm going to have to find that picture....
ReplyDeleteI remember Circus World, and I have one of those banners! The day we went (it was July 1981, if I remember correctly--it was HOT!!!!), there weren't very many people at Circus World. So when we rode the tilt-a-whirl, they just kept it going and going and going and going and going. Both my sister and I puked our guts out as soon as the evil clowns running it let us off. There was also a big tent where adults could get hooked up to bungees and do trapeze acts before falling down into the net. Between those two things and getting our faces painted, that's about all I remmeber of the place.
ReplyDeleteI think it's kind of creepy and reminds me of Pennywise (without the big tuft of hair)!!! Awesome finds . . . love antiquing, you really can find anything!
ReplyDeleteI do indeed remember circus world. I've got a picture of me learning to juggle there under the big top. I think I've got a banner around somewhere in one of my boxes.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can split the difference and name the Circus World clown Beyonce?
ReplyDeleteThe FIRST thing I thought of when you said John rolled his eyes was "at least it's not a giant metal chicken". I'm so happy you went there. LOL!
ReplyDeleteDid you see the steampunk apartment for sale in NYC? Want.
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/08/apartment_inspi.php
wv: sesserse - I sesserse want this apartment. :)
href="www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7p96aiE32k">Gosh. Jeepers. Jee Wilikers! That flashlight made me immediately think of light saber, but not because of Star Wars-haven't you seen this?
ReplyDeleteYou'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll kiss 3 bucks goodbye!
Personally every time I buy something my husband doesn't like anymore he is reminded that "at least it's not a giant metal chicken". Although if I could ever find a giant metal chicken it would be.
ReplyDeleteBeyonce the giant metal chicken FTW!!
ReplyDeleteOMG that clown in your photo is TOTALLY creepy. But I'm a coulrophobe so that's no big surprise. The banner is cool though. No so creepy when they're a cartoon! STill wouldn't hang it on my wall though. *shudder*.
Awesome find on the pennant. I still have mine from when I went to Circus World as a kid. I remember my dad driving us back two years later and finding a whole new park there (Boardwalk and Baseball). It was not as much fun as Circus World. It is nice to know other people remember that place too.
ReplyDeleteI once heard that the first lightsabers were made from the metal flash handles off old Polaroid Lan cameras--which is why intact ones are both expensive and hard to find.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think the flashlight is a better deal and idea. Can't wait to see you transform it! : )
Yeah, I remember Circus World! Recognized that penant immediately! I even performed in a drill team for AFROTC in the mid 1970's there. Then watched it change to Boardwalk and Baseball, and then get torn down and now there's a mall there. Ahhh, progress.
ReplyDeletethat flashlight screams for a steampunk jedi outfit
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents had one of those flashlights. It was danged heavy and I think I accidentally cracked my sister on the head with it while swinging it by the ring. But the push-button was amusing. :)
ReplyDeleteOoh! i have one of those flashlights! i found it at an antique store a long time ago. I haven't gotten around to future-fitting it into a lightsaber yet... Wait, it's "a long time ago in a galaxy far far away", so would it still be retrofitting?
ReplyDeleteomg, circus world!!! i remember it there! my mom's got pics of me at both circus world as well as boardwalk and baseball. heck, my parents still have a boardwalk and baseball plastic cup. the logo's 99% faded so you can only tell it was for there if you really look. but still!
ReplyDelete(i don't live in orlando anymore but grew up in kissimmee.)
OMG Circus World! I definitely remember going there as a kid, and then being disappointed that Dumbo (and the rest of the gang from the 80s Disney Channel show 'Dumbo's Circus') wasn't there! I can't believe you found a pennant from there!!!
ReplyDeleteI vote for creepy and you can blame Stephen King for that, him and that demented Pennywise. Making clowns even creepier is that mixture of truth and fiction with John Wayne Gaycee.
ReplyDeleteI remember that Circus World (and later Boardwalk and Baseball) had this one ride that pulled a loop, stopped, and then looped again but backwards. I think it was the Boomerang. I was stupid enough to go on it two different times, thinking that I would magically acquire a taste for roller coasters (if such this was)... They had a wooden coaster too...
ReplyDeletewv: Fast rides always make me wints...
My instant thought at John's eye roll was "He doesn't know how bad it can get!" Clown Pennants are nothing compared to the metal chicken!
ReplyDeleteI could not believe it when I saw the pennant. We lived there when they still had Circus World and even have a picture of my daughter with the clown. We were sad to see it close and did like Boardwalk and Baseball and could not understand why it didn't make it. But, we still have a very faded plastic cup from the late 80s!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to agree with those who said you should visit Circus World in Wisconsin if you're ever in the area. I was just there in July (for the 3rd or 4th time) and it is really neat.
ReplyDeleteHere are some photos my sister and I took: http://kerri.shutterfly.com/vacationsandotheradventures/578
Oh yeah also wanted to add, you should read this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Circus-World-Barry-B-Longyear/dp/B000O2GJNQ/ref=pd_sim_b_1
OH MY GOD it's an evil clown. Sorry Jen, I'm gonna say it's "kill it with fire" creepy. O.O
ReplyDelete