This lovely etsy shop celebrates the joys of having junk in your trunk

 As a lifelong fan of yard sales, thrift stores, flea markets, and the like, I've always been rather fond of the classic expression, "One man's junk is another man's treasure" - or in my case, make that one woman's treasure. If not for the fact that a fair number of people aren't as crazy about yesteryear pieces as those in our vintage loving circle are, in fact, it would be a lot harder for many of us to amass the marvelous collections - and wardrobes - of vintage items that we have over the years.

Whether it's castoffs, (perceived) clutter, grandma's stuff, attic filler, or called any other term, we're immensely grateful that some folks are all to happy to pass on their unwanted vintage items to shops, sell them (at yard sales, flea markets, etc), or simply give them away. Thanks to the power the is the internet and the many wonderful second hand and vintage sellers the world over who call it home, some of those previously unwanted (by their former owners) items end up being acquired by those with an eye for the past and sold in turn to fans like us, wherever we may reside.

When I was first contacted by one of this month's new blog sponsors, the mother and daughter team behind etsy shop, Junk in da Trunk Girls, I couldn't help but smile over their shop's name, thinking both of the hip hop music reference and to the age old saying mentioned above. I'm very grateful that there are people out there who both part with their unwanted vintage items and others who in turn are able to gather them up and pass them onto die hard fans like me and you.

Much like myself, both of these lovely ladies believe heavily in the mantra of reducing, reusing and recycling, the last two of which in particular shine through in the fact that they sell a charming little selection of hand picked, well curated mid-century collectibles, spanning from kitchen items to books, children's toys to kitschy decor. 


{Four of the great vintage offerings for sale in Junk in da Trunk Girls' etsy shop. From top left to bottom right: 1960s Yatzee board game, Set of three blue Ball mason canning jars, Vintage royal blue lotus bowl, Vintae Cootie game toy set.} 



On Junk in da Trunk Girls etsy profile page, they say, "we hope that by either looking at, or taking home, your heart is touched, and you're blessed with a sweet memory of your past", and that is precisely what I experience every time I take a gander at their reasonably priced, wonderfully charming selection of items.

One painting of a ballerina instantly reminded me of a similar piece of art that has hung in my maternal grandma's house for more than fifty years now; the Fisher Price Play Farm whisked me back instantly to my childhood, and blue Ball brand canning jars brought back countless memories of putting up fruit, vegetables and jam each summer with my mom when I was a youngster.

A large part of the reason why I've always been drawn to the past is the sense of happiness driven nostalgia it presents. Whether I'm daydreaming about the world of the 1950s or recalling my own eighties youth, sprinkled liberally as it often was with playthings and household items from earlier decades, and etsy shops like this one never fail to stir up wonderful memories and make me keen to do some purchasing in the process.

In addition to their inviting etsy shop, Junk in da Trunk Girls can be found across the web on:


-Facebook

-Pinterest

-Twitter

I'm delighted to have Junk in da Trunk Girls as a sponsor this month, and want to take a moment to thank them not only for being a part of Chronically Vintage and giving me the opportunity to introduce my awesome readers to their etsy shop, but for being two of those folks, who like myself, are perpetually devoted to helping to preserve and pass along pieces of the past to others who greatly enjoy adding one man's junk to their own deeply adored collection of vintage treasures. 

Green Ghost: my favourite vintage board game ever!

✯ Day 301 of Vintage 365 ✯

It's interesting, you know, as I sit here and reflect back on this topic as an adult, to think about the items that my parents kept from their own childhoods. Honestly, the number isn't that huge, but in all fairness, I don't exactly have a room full of things from youth either. There were a few toys, a large record collection, the odd photograph and a few knickknack, and one board game that enthralled me as a little girl like nothing else.

The name of that game was Green Ghost, and though it's been many, many years since I last played it (as far as I know, it didn't make the cut during one the moves my family made when I was growing up). I can still remember it with stark clarity, and it is impossible for Halloween season to arrive without memories of playing this awesome game - always sitting on the cold tiles of our basement floor, often with the lights dimmed low - as a youngster.

First created in 1965, Green Ghost was a relatively popular board game throughout the 60s and early 70s that tied into both the campy horror movie genre of 50s and 60s, as well the popularity of spooky sitcoms like The Munsters and The Addams Family. Though it wasn't based on a particular TV show, film, or classic scary story, its main character (a large green ghost) vaguely resembled The Blob.

Beyond its playfully spooky appeal, what makes Green Ghost standout is the fact that it was one of (if not, the) first game that featured glow-in-the-dark pieces and which was therefore intended to be played with the lights off.

Featuring a good sized playing board (made of luminous plastic) with a multitude of 3D game pieces, all of which come together to create an eerie ghost town, the premise of Green Ghost was for the large green specter figure to track down twelve little ghostie children, one of which was his own child, Kelly (whichever players finds Kelly after a series of spins on game spinner and other moves is the winner).

It was, by no means, a hard or complicated game, and it wasn't one that needed to be in any regard. Most of the thrill of Green Ghost game from the fact that you got to play a board game in the dark (or near dark) that glowed eerily and included a ton of fun little pieces (the player identification pieces included a vulture, cat, bat, and rat), a rather cute lime green spirit, and a haunted, completely Halloween worthy landscape.





{Green Ghost shown with all of its spooky, delightfully fun game pieces, remains my all-time favourite vintage board game, thanks to the childhood memories and Halloween ties it houses for me. Image via J.Y. Corporation.}


Though a 30th anniversary edition of Green Ghost (pictured above) was issued in the 1990s (it's nearly identical to the original), for all intents this classic 1960s game has been off the market for decades now. These days, those who are hoping to track down a copy are wise to check garage sales, thrift stores, and eBay.

While it certainly never rose to the same degree of popularity as board games like Clue, Life, or Monopoly, through the internet I've discovered that I'm certainly not the only Green Ghost fan still out there.

In fact a complete vintage Green Ghost game from the sixties with all of its little pieces can run you a hundred dollars or more on eBay (it's common to see people selling incomplete games, which can sometimes be had for lower prices, as it was quite tricky to not lose at least a few of the tiny plastic pieces over the years). Given its high price tag, it means that a copy of Green Ghost remains firmly planted on my vintage wish list.

It's been nearly two decades since I last flicked off the lights and sat down to a spirited round of Green Ghost. Yet it's impossible for Halloween season to arrive without me thinking about the good times I had as youngster, when I spent many an evening in the company of a glow-in-the-dark green ghost and his illuminated, haunted make-believe world. Fond, fun memories for sure!