Thursday's Unique Picks - Here's The Scoop

Some say a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case, I agree. Unfortunately, I was unable to snap a photo of the crazy contraption that was the inspiration for this week's Unique Picks.

While on a walk around our neighborhood this week the hubby and I heard a familiar summer sound...

Awesome original photo from JameS Spicer's etsy shop. Doesn't it remind you of Mr. Roger's neighborhood?

Our Neighborhood's truck has a slightly repurposed feel. It is not the clean cut, shiny Good Humor truck image that is branded in my brain.

Vintage "Good Humor" ice cream truck toy from Jolly Time One's etsy shop

Ours looks as if it was crudely fashioned from an old white construction van. 

This truck still maintains some of the lettering from its former appointment, on the side of the van opposite the ice cream window. In the world of antiques, I think some might deem our neighborhood ice cream truck a "primitive". It isn't the actual state of the truck that gets me though, because I am all for the idea of repurposing. It is the actual tunes that are being belted out.

This vintage sheet music from Second Life Supplies' etsy shop is fantastic.

Ahhh...The sweet music box sounding tunes blaring from an ice cream truck. 

It is a familiar, comforting sound in many neighborhoods during the summer months. So the songs coming from our truck may sound a little warbled (maybe they just have some bad speakers) that's fine, you still get the picture that ice cream is just around the corner. Humming along to our truck's familiar tunes, it all of a sudden hits you..."Eureka, I know that song!"

They are playing a medley of Christmas music, from "Santa Claus is coming to town" to "Jingle bells". I am totally telling the truth. Cross my heart. I think that is kind of...weird though.

I will try to rationalize it and hope that they are just trying to make you think of being cold, or maybe they are just thrifty folks that picked up the CD after Christmas on clearance.

Now that is one cool cone print from Inventory Supply Co. on etsy.

All it took was our neighborhood's weird-o, sorry that was mean...unusual, ice cream truck to lead me to this week's Unique Picks that are all about that sweet, delicious, cold summer favorite: Ice cream.

Vintage photo of an unidentified kid, my Uncle John, Aunt Ann, and my Dad enjoying some ice cream cones at the beach in Miami, Florida.c.1950's.

The good news is that the awesome ice cream inspired finds from great etsy sellers won't need to be kept in the freezer.

DIY: Ice cream.

Some folks still make their own. It is kind of a tradition in my family. My Grandfather made homemade ice cream, my Mother makes homemade ice cream, and my sister and I eat the homemade ice cream. Some folks even take making homemade ice cream to another level and use the original hand crank ice cream freezers.

This vintage hand crank ice cream freezer from Viola's Vintages is red hot.

Did you know that the hand crank ice cream freezer wasn't patented until 1846. It is the same basic method that we still use today. I think that is really cool and it would be awesome to carry on the tradition of making homemade ice cream like they did back in 1846, in an actual vintage freezer. I love how the vintage ice cream freezer looks and would totally display one in a kitchen. It would be the kind of thing that may inspire me, when I cast my gaze towards it, to...jump in the car and drive to the grocery store to buy a pint of ice cream. For now I will leave this task to the experts.

 I would be happy to help you scoop out the goodness though.

Vintage metal ice cream scooper with a blue painted scoop from The Vintage Dresser's etsy shop.

Maybe this old fashioned scoop is a little too much work on the wrist after hand cranking that homemade ice cream.

Here is another vintage scoop option from The Retro Cookbook Shop on etsy, that has the easy release lever for when the stubborn frozen treat gets stuck to the inside of the scoop.

So where are you going to put it? Duh. I know in your mouth, but are you a dish or a cone person?

Let me just dish first about some awesome ice cream dishes I found.

This is a colorful vintage set from Five Petals Red.

Handmade pottery bowls from Glynt Pottery.

Not only a delicious design, but these bowls have a yummy purpose.

But if you are into cones, I have a really great pick for you.

Dispensing some delicious fun with this vintage ice cream cone dispenser from Entwife's etsy shop. I think you have to super committed to your daily ice cream consumption if you have something as cool as this in your home.

Scoop up this pick at hmgdesigns, a.k.a. "Skin-A-Licious". Adorable ice cream scoop soap. I am really loving soaps that look like food lately.

Hey there Mr. Ice Cream Man...what other frozen goodies do you have in that little cart?

Vintage wind up toy from Marlene Treasures on etsy.

Deck out your kitschy kitchen decor for summer with these vintage frozen treat signs from Heirloom Market's shop.

Show the Ice Cream man how much you care with this greeting card.

This Illustrated greeting card from Betty Turbo is the bomb.
This sentimental card will show him how much you appreciate the delivery of your pre-dinner sugar rush.

After you have polished off your Popsicle what do you do with the stick?
You can easily show your devotion to the Popsicle with this pick.

I squealed with joy when I saw this amazing vintage Popsicle stick purse from Retro Puff on etsy.
Think of the conversations that would come up if you were carrying this out and about, on the town.
"Did you make that yourself"
"Wow! How many are in there?"
"Did you really eat all of those Popsicles?"
"How many cavities do you have now?"

DIY: Popsicles.
You can save your pennies for a rainy day if you make your own Popsicles.

Wild west vintage Popsicle sticks from Archipelago Vintage.

It would not only be easier to make than homemade ice cream, but super cool if you had these vintage plastic reusable Popsicle sticks to mold your homemade fruit juice Popsicle on.

Now for a bit of a bonus feature in this week's Unique Pick Post:
Retro Recipe for Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes.
Not as cold as the real thing, but won't melt as easily.

Found in...

Betty Crocker's Cook Book for Boys and Girls. Given to me by my Mom for my birthday a few years ago, this is a recent reprint of the original 1957 version.

The hubby spotted this recipe.

His eyes widened and he declared "What's this?!"

I declared, "What planet did you grow up on?"
Who didn't eat them at some point for a birthday treat while in elementary school?
Upon speaking to a few of my hubby's friends though, I discovered that he was not the only one to be deprived.
I knew I needed to help.

One of the coolest things about this recipe is that all you need is a box of cake mix. (Sorry Betty I had a coupon for the Duncan Hines mix) Some cake cones, and frosting. It makes about 30- give or take.


Simply prepare the cake mix as directed on the outside of the box.

Line up the cones in a cake pan and fill a little over half full with the cake mix.

Bake in the oven @ 400 for about 18 minutes.

This is what it looks like if you accidentally over fill.

Sometimes it is hard to tell how much filling you need to create the perfect ice cream cone cupcake, so you may need to practice.

Let cool and add icing... voila!

See they look just like the picture in the cook book. I chose to decorate mine with sprinkles. Doesn't that one in the picture look like it has bacon bits sprinkled in the center. What the heck were they eating in the 50's...

I hope you have enjoyed the scoop on this week's Unique Picks.

Super great photo from stOOpidgErL's etsy shop.

I sure do lick them.