This week I had the pleasure of interviewing @misterbnation

1.Tell me a little bit about your business.

” My business is designing and selling enamel pins inspired by John Waters’ movies and other cult characters and personalities.

I also sell designs on tshirts and accessories and those are created through Print On Demand in the States where 99% of my customer base is located (I’m in Canada). I have a parter in this business who deals with all the technical side of my store and who encourages me to be more ambitious with my plans.

2. How did you come up with your business name?

“My business name of Mister B Nation has a long history starting back in high school (1995) where I gained the nickname Blondie. This became Blondie Nation (the Nation coming from Patricia Quinn’s character in Shock Treatment) and online the name Blondie Nation looked like a Debbie Harry/Blondie fan site, so the Blondie became a B and Mister was added so people would know I was a person. People have assumed the name is a play on ‘masturbation’ but that is incorrect. I’ve been Blondie since I was around 12, so it feels like a very personal name to me. My name is actually David.”

3. What have been the more popular items in your store? And why do you think they are so popular?

” I still struggle to predict what people will respond to, I will have strong doubts that a design will be popular but then it’s an instant sell out item. I try to keep the designs around 75% John Waters related because that is what I want for my own collection. Rather than attempt to predict or target towards any particular group I just design for myself and hope that others will agree. I’ve made a few missteps along the way with that strategy such as when I wanted to try more mainstream horror pins with tributes to The Shining and the IT miniseries which didn’t strike the chord that I’d hoped. My most popular pin has been The Cocksucker pin based on a scene from Serial Mom but recently my Grace Jones inspired pins have proved to be far more popular than I had expected. “

4. What pop culture thing has been your recent reference in creating your new item(s)? 

” I’m still trying to keep a good schedule with pin releases so I’ve tried to plan ahead a lot of John Waters based designs but I still like to stay flexible about the 3rd pin, I have tried to keep that position in the release of the 3rd pin to be for women I have long loved and admired such as Catherine O’Hara and Michelle Pfeifer’s Catwoman. I don’t choose the 3rd pin until its time to order and I go with my gut always with the assumption that if I love her then my followers and customers might do too. I have Ideas on future icon women but it has a lot more to do with who has been on my mind that week. I then check if other people have made pins of the same person and what I like and don’t like about those designs to make sure mines is different and hopefully better. “

5. Do you have any exciting news or promotions that you would like to share?

” Going forward I will continue to do the once a month pin release, prior to the pandemic I was releasing a pin every 2 weeks and when the lock down started I made it once a month so I would just have to visit the post office once and ship it all together rather than my usual daily trips. So what started as a practical move to avoid interactions has turned into an unexpectedly successful move. The small quantities that I produce and the small window of time to sell them means the demand on that particular weekend spikes and I get sell outs in days rather than weeks. The instant results of those weekends allows me to quickly pay for the next months pins and keep the momentum.”

If you like more information:

Website: https://misterbnation.com/

Instagram: @misterbnation

Thank you for the interview!

Until next time!!!

This is a continuation of a previous blog post and there are going to be many ongoing parts to this section!:

To see the first part of this series the link is below:

https://ladycultblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/12/five-not-so-well-known-simpsons-characters/

FUNZO:

Funzo only appeared in one or two episodes in the Simpsons world. It was a toy created by Kid First Industries. Although Funzo looked cute and harmless:

The toy main intention was to knock out any other competing toys. When Lisa and Bart learn about Funzo alternate motivate they enlisted Homer and Gary Coleman to round up all of the Funzo toys that was given during the holiday season. Funzo was a parody of the popular Furby toy from 1998 that was made and produced by Tiger Toys.

Amber Dempsey:

When Homer Simpson signs up Lisa for the “Miss Little Springfield” pageant sponsored by Laramie Tobacco. One of her rival contests is the unbeatable beauty queen Amber Dempsey:

She is known for her wink and fluttering eyelashes that she may or may have not gotten an eyelash implant operation in Paraguay. She only appeared in one episode. Although I would be interested if they expanded more on this character’s background in future episodes.

Menthol Moose:

In the same episode that Amber was in is the Menthol Moose. He is the mascot of the Laramie Tobacco company, He is a parody of the Joe Camel ads from Camel Cigarettes:

With a homage of Bullwinkle the Moose:

Mr. McGreg:

One of Dr. Nick Riveria’s patients he only shows up in one episode for less then 20 seconds. Dr. Nick tries to play off Mr. Mcgreg’s obvious malpractice lawsuit due to a huge error that happen while getting operated on.

Margarita and Avery Deveraux:

Margarita only shows up in one episode. Marge Simpson’s favorite guilty pleasure is watching a soap opera called “Search for the Sun.” But she justify that she usually does housework so she doesn’t really catch up with the current story line. Even though she is able to fill Lisa everything that was currently happening on the show to that point. We briefly watch the soap and we see Margarita for the first and only time along with another lesser known character Avery Devereaux. He is Margarita’s boss who strongly comes on to her. Then fires her and then it gets a bit passionate until their is a breaking news report.

Until next time!!!

Growing up I used to watch a LOT of TV. For a couple of years my TV viewing life revolved watching the Nickelodeon channel! That channel always was always a require daily channel to watch for me. I grew up in the era of neon Moon shoes ( Although I never got a pair but I did enjoy watching all of those cool 90’s toy commercials!):

And catchy jingles:

SNICK was my jam every Saturday night:

So I decided to share some of my go to shows during my golden era of the Nickelodeon channel:

Clarissa Explains it All:

Of course I adore this show! Anything that had my first name attached to it I was totally down in watching! I even begged my parents to have a ladder near my bedroom window so my friends can come through the window. ( They obliviously laughed in my face before saying a hard NO). Clarissa was always one of my idols growing up because she had the coolest fashion sense and the COOLEST ROOM!! And I always wanted that Clarissa Dr sign that was above her closet!

Are You Afraid of the Dark?:

So I never really found a lot of the episodes scary. However I immensely enjoyed the fact that a bunch of kids would meet in the middle of the woods in the darkness pitching the scariest stories they knew around a camp fire! I never really had a group of friends that wanted to do that so this was the alternative!

Salute Your Shorts:

I remember when I first started watching the show I thought it was a soap opera and not a teen show. I desperately wanted to go to summer camp after watching it because they seem to have sung there troubles always at nearly ever end of each episode:

Weinerville:

I remember watching this show solely based on the title of it. I remember there was lot of talking heads and tiny feet and the town that was the center of it was called Weinerville.

The Adventures of Pete and Pete:

This is one of my favorite theme songs! This show was truly the definition of the 90s and I tried to revisit this show every couple of years to satisfy my inner child.

I will definitely do a part two series of this entry! What shows did you grow up with ? Comment below!

Until next time!!!

Hello everyone! Every since I started staying at home more I have been revisiting or trying out new forms of working out! So instead of doing something old and boring I totally recommend these workouts for a change in your workout routine! Remember your personal limits in terms of working out and make sure you have a good pacing in exercising. Water breaks, proper stretching before any kind of intense workout and break when you need to when performing these or any kind of work outs.

Billy Blanks Tae Bo workouts:

So this was my go to workouts in high school. I would come home from school and pop in the DVD and start working out! This workout really focuses on a lot of punching, jumping jacks and kicking in intense short sequences.

Now if you do not want to go the DVD route for these work outs. Billy Blanks also have a YouTube channel that he frequently updates with new workouts.

Link is below to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMGIp3jifsoufZv_y8_c1Qg

Jane Fonda Workout Book and Workout:

This is one of my new ventures in working out. I believe that this was one of my most popular exercise workout video of the 80’s. Jane Fonda has different levels of her exercise workouts. A lot of them I have found through Youtube and I believe Night Flight has the original Jane Fonda work out.

Buns of Steel:

This has been the most difficult for me to finish! The workout mainly emphasis on the lower half of your body so there is a lot of legs in the air and holding it there while workout out. I haven’t yet to past the 20 minute mark of this one but I am determine to do one solid work out from this!

Link is below to start getting those buns of steel: https://youtu.be/0K8IXM5Ty1I

Richard Simmons Sweatin to the Oldies:

This is the workout I am currently doing. It is so much fun because you are just dancing to great music. Plus I have been known to lack coordination so this workout has really helped me on that. Richard Simmons has his own Youtube Channel and there are tons of workout options to choose from.

Link is below to start sweating to the oldies: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvRmQPoqYMx0GUzwdzoXcgQ

Until Next time!

For Father’s day I decided to write about some interesting fictional dads:

Homer Simpson:

Always the funny dad Homer Simpson always pulls through for his children whenever they are in need of advice or help. It may not be in a well polished manner but the important is that he cares.

Papa Smurf:

His first name is Papa and he is always the go to father figure in the village. Yes he has some anger issues when it comes to fixing everyone’s problems in the village however deep down inside he knows that it is his calling in life.

Clark Griswold:

Clark Griswold loves and does anything for his family. Even if it includes almost killing himself by driving cross country to Walley World:

Or accidentally locking himself in his own attic in the middle of winter:

Phil Banks (Uncle Phil):

Uncle Phil had a stern but good core value when it came to raising his children and nephew. And the kids always knew that he would be there whenever they were in a crisis.

Daniel Hillard ( aka Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire)

When Daniel Hillard was court ordered not to see his kids anymore he went above and beyond to see them. Which include totally transforming himself into the lovely Mrs. Doubtfire!

Honorable mentions:

Fred Flintstone

Danny Tanner from Full House

Marlin the Fish from “Finding Nemo”

Mufasa from the Lion King

Until Next time!!!

Today’s music video of the day is Prince’s Batdance (1989). Prince wrote this song for the Batman soundtrack (1989). Which was also Prince’s eleventh studio album which was release on June 20, 1989.

The song made it to the number one single chart in America and stayed there for a couple of weeks.

Prince originally was going to use another song called “Dance with the Devil.” But went with “Batdance” because he felt the other song was too brooding in feeling.

I find that Prince’s Batdance a unique blend of a couple of songs mixed into one. There different tones that might sound like they don’t mixed well together but then he added a dance beat to it which blends in well that you are able to dance to it. Also adding some actor’s lines from the movie like you are hear Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson voice from the movie in the song. I know the description sounds like a lot but you just have to listen to it and see how well it blends.

The music video was directed by Albert Magnoli who was Prince’s manager for a time. He is also a movie director who directed such films as :

and

The dancing in the video was choreographed by Barry Lather.

He also did the choreography for other music videos such as Janet Jackson’s Nasty (which is one of my favorite music videos!)

In the “Batdance” music video Prince is dressed as two of the main characters in a split form. Prince is refer to as “Gemini” in this video (it is also his horoscope sign) he has a good side as one part of his costume is Batman and the other is the evil side which is the Joker:

The dancers are in three groups: The Batmans:

The Jokers:

And the Vicki Vales:

There is also Prince the musician playing the instruments so there is a lot of characters going in one foggy cool underground cave rave!

You see each group being introduce in each break of the song. Throughout the whole video you see the groups dance it out with Prince being focal point while bringing all the other groups to mix in and dance together. At the end of the video Gemini (Prince) hits a button and an election chair explodes.

A fun fact about this music video: This music video earned a lot of nominations including a Soul Train Music Award, Best R&B/Soul Music and Best Video from the MTV awards.

Until next time!!!

Hello I had the pleasure this week of interviewing Charley who runs a great small business: @thatssewsimpsons

1. Tell me a little about your business: “I recreate scenes from The Simpsons via needle and thread. It actually started it to see if it would help me as I have A.D.D and found it hard to concentrate or sit still even when i’m watching TV. So this enables me to sit down still for more than 5 mins! It then became a more fun hobby and then when people liked my art it turned more into a side hustle! Seeing people who like my work makes my day!”

2. How did you come up with your Business name?

“My friend was helping me come up with possible ideas and she suggested a name and I replied with ‘that’s so stupid!’ and we both had that lightbulb moment at the same time and wen’t ‘omg that’s so Simpsons’ and then added the play on words for That’s Sew Simpsons.”

3. What is your top 3 favourite Cartoon characters and why

“Moleman – his one liners just get me every time. I am so gay for him

Bart – He’s like a young Mac from Always Sunny in Philadelphia and I vibe with that sass.

 Chief Wiggum –  Bake him away toys.

Non Simpsons would be:

 Scruffy The Janitor. He’s my Moleman of Futurama, his one liners are too much.

Roger the Alien – American Dad. I feel like we can relate a lot on most things, mainly wine.

Psyduck – he was my favourite Pokemon growing up and I still think he’s so silly and cute.”

4. What has been the most requested character and why do you think that one is so popular?

“I think there’s a few popular ones, my OG Homer in the Bushes if by far the most popular so I always have that as a made to order on my shop. Other than that it’s always Bart, Lisa or Homer. I guess they have the most screen time with the most rememberable / funny quotes. I love doing really obscure ones too though, ones that I forget about and go ‘oh how have I not done this already!”

5. Do you have any exciting news or promotions that you would like to share?

“Nothing exciting or new at the mo :(“

If you like to know more about Charley’s business. The following information is below @thatssewsimpsons

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/thatssewsimpsons/

Depop: https://www.depop.com/thatssewsimpsons/

I also have some items as well! I totally recommend this business!:

Thank you for the interview!

Until Next time!