By Jo Packham & Matt Shay

It is review day and today’s book is far out, man. Kitschy Crafts focuses on the fads of the 1950s – 1970s and invites you to “open your mind and heart to a little bit of kitsch” (p. 8). My mind and heart feel pretty jazzed right now. Beautiful retro photographs are paired with wonderful typefaces and lingo that keeps it all real, so you won’t get beat feet with this fab read.

Not only have I finally found a pattern to crochet toilet roll covers, I feel strangely inspired to cloak my fridge with fabric to match the kitchen curtains, create some groovy string art and foxy beaded ties. Pretty bad and bitchin’. Maybe I’ll go out to buy a mellow lava lamp this weekend. While reading Kitschy Crafts one cannot help but smile and wonder if these so-called retro things (Macramé, Food Trucks, and Embroidery) aren’t terribly contemporary.

What is kitsch? It’s hot, trendy, and often fabulously retro! The term refers to objects with mass-appeal that become highly sought-after collectibles. Today, little else evokes kitschy quite as well as crafts from the past. (flap)

There you have it. In terms of taste, kitschy crafts, décor, knickknacks and souvenirs are the lowest common denominator in our culture and mass-production facilitates mass-consumption. Kitsch is for everyone and knows no class boundaries. Say bye-bye to Dullsville. For flakes and flower children alike, hang loose, deck out with some wicked crafts and wig out. This book is dy-no-mite and will turn you from lip flappin’ party pooper into solid hepcat. Righto, I’ll split. See ya on the flipside. A.F.A.

Best in Show: Knit Your Own Dog

The Garden Gnome Shortage of 2021

Be Kitschig on Pinterest I Instagram I Bloglovin I Facebook I Twitter