Thursday's Unique Picks - Picnic Pandemonium

Maybe next week I will examine something fall-ish or back-to-school related, but since it's going to be another ninety degree day here in Ohio...I am just going to keep clinging to hot Summer fun.

A few weeks ago, The Hubby's Uncle Joe asked if he could come down to visit us for the day. While excited that he wanted to pop down to visit us, we were a bit puzzled as to what sparked this impromptu day trip.

Fantastic antique ephemera from OldPaperAndPages etsy shop. The picnicking piggy print.

We thought he must REALLY want to get some City Barbecue. I am not lying when I say that it is worth driving two and a half hours to eat lunch there...I digress...back on track...

Uncle Joe wanted to give my Hubby a little surprise...

He presented us with our very own vintage picnic set.

Now this isn't just any picnic table and benches, it was the one that belonged to my Hubby's Grandpa John, that our Uncle Joe lovingly restored to give to us. Talk about great provenance. Talk about a great Uncle!

This picture is from the Hubby's personal family photo archives. Actual photo of Uncle Joe, Lil Cousin Jackie, and Auntie Adeline, enjoying a picnic c.1980's, not on the actual picnic set given to us. I felt the photo was still relevant though...

because it is what inspired my Unique Picking this week, Picnic Pandemonium!

Great finds from amazing etsy sellers with more Summer fun and eating in the hot sun, at a picnic in mind.

From "pique nique" to "picnic"

Oh la la...it is an awesome Tromp l'oeil "pique nique" inspired, checkered table cloth from Art Belongs Everywhere! on etsy.

So when did the alfresco dining adventures start? Well, some say it was in France in the 14th century but similarly in England, around the 14th century, there were elaborate hunting feasts being held outdoors.

Pique Nique: "the French piquer means to pick at food; nique means something small of no value. The word was accepted by the Academie Francaise in 1740 and thereafter became a universally accepted word in many languages," Food Timeline website.

 and

Picnic: " pleasure party including an excursion to some spot in the country where all partake of a repast out of doors: the participants may bring with them individually the viands and means of entertainment, or the whole may be provided by someone who 'gives the picnic' " ---Oxford English Dictionary [Clarendon Press:Oxford], 2nd edition, Volume XI (p. 779) "the oldest print evidence of the word picnic in the English language was in 1748" according to The Food Timeline website.

Original printed illustration of a picnic adventure from 1872 book of poems from Elizabeth100's etsy shop.

So what the heck were they calling it before they named it in the 1740's?
Guess it doesn't matter as long as you were taking part in the fun. Picnic pandemonium didn't really take off until the Queen Victoria era (1819 -1901). It was considered one of the most fashionable Summer pastimes.

Eventually, here in the U.S., the open air eating fun caught on in the late 1800's and we have been enjoying them ever since!

1966 Reader, Outdoors and In, by O'Donnell found in Callooh Callay's etsy shop.

Grab yourself a basket and let's get outside...

Pretty and plastic! Vintage picnic basket from Cozy Studio on etsy.

Fill 'er up...

Cups and Plates.

Perfect for picnics! Set of vintage pastel plastic divided trays and matching mugs from Vintage American Collectibles.

As always, let's be civilized. Cutlery is a must!

Pumped up pastel plastic vintage cutlery from Dirty Birdies Vintage.

This mod design of a picnic basket may be all inclusive but you may have to find somewhere else to stash the food.

Twenty five piece mod picnic set from FOUND/VINTAGE on etsy.

What's on the menu, you may inquire?

This vintage cookbook, It's a Picnic!, could inspire your fare. This great, 1969 cookbook can be found in REdesignkc's etsy shop.

If it were up to me, it would be sandwiches all the way. That is how I got the name "Sandwich Sarah", at my last job. (Someday I will elaborate)

Peanut butter jelly time, peanut butter jelly time! Yummy original acrylic painting from The Food Horror Show on etsy.

Calorie free ham and cheese sandwich and potato chips! Play picnic with this set of felt food from Royal Rugrats etsy shop.

According to my extensive picnic research today, I found that sandwiches were traditionally wrapped in wax paper, but this pick may kick off a new picnic sandwich packing trend.

From Revel Designs on etsy, it is a reusable fabric wrap for your sandwich.

Not only does it have a fabric chalkboard message patch, but open it up to create a little placemat!

Double fantastic find.

"Set a spell and enjoy your lunch on me..."

says the picnic table.

(I am glad that you are reading my blog but did you really think I would be making you lunch?)

Beautiful vintage linen postcard of a Picnic at the Cumberland Mountains in Tennessee found in The Vintage Plum Shop on etsy.

Custom sized for those little ones. This great looking striped children's picnic table can be found in Super Savvy's etsy shop.

For even littler ones...like your dolly. This collapsible doll sized picnic table was found in Things Sew Little's etsy shop. Yes, I like dollies and sandwiches. It is amazing that I left pre-school.

Lovely, vintage inspired artwork on a postcard from nice by Catlin Holcomb.

If all else fails and there is no table in sight, simply bust out the blanket and spread out on the grass.

Super soft, light weight, quirky, patchwork feedsack quilt from The Unique Bird, would be great for ground level grazin' in the grass...but on a blanket. It's a gas.

A Fashionable pastime...

I heart, "Picnic with a Flair", Original mixed media collage from Pretty Fun Things by Jillian West.

Make the picnic the fashionable happening that it used to be, by dressing yourself appropriately.

This vintage maxi skirt will maximize your picnic style and possibly reduce the need for a picnic blanket to sit on. (Especially if you are 5' 1" like me) Found in zwzzy's etsy shop.

Petite sized picnic styling for your little one too, from Prissy Peacock Designs etsy shop.

Beware of unwanted guests...

Growly bears like pic-a-nic baskets. So I have heard. This is a great metallic print from an original photograph by Deer Sweet Images by kristimcmurry. It is super creative and ultra amusing.

My arch enemy, the squirrel. Since this one is a nut cracker, I find it slightly less threatening. This vintage squirrel nutcracker can be found in mostazaseed's etsy shop. If you see the real thing near your picnic site, I would advise you to run.

Try not to let it bug you, but there may be ants. Ants are kind of gross, but this set of magnets from Hobo Moon's shop are pretty cool.

So I think I have pretty much covered all of my picnic picks and I hope I haven't kept you inside too long, but I will leave you with one last piece of advice for choosing the location of your picnic...

This vintage pin from Hutch Vintage on etsy, cracked me up.

I am sure Alaska is a fine place to have a picnic, right Chrissy?