Painted Toasters are Art!

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Like most people still in school, I'm dreading returning to the endless workload and suck that is high school. I only have 9 more days of freedom and it feels like a giant weight is on my chest when I think about how little time that is. I've never understood people who are excited for back to school. Sorry to be so negative! But for now, I have toasters to console me!

Here are some goodies (eye candy if you will, though I use that word conservatively because of it's lewd connotations) that I've discovered! Hand painted toasters! These are truly works of art!

This adorable ensemble is very straightforward. It's toast... because it's a toaster. Get it? I love the face on this drawing though if I came into the kitchen late at night, as I often do for a 2 am toast snack, this face would likely scary me speechless. 

Source: Ebay (no longer listed)

This toaster is so darling! I love owls and birds in general! The attention to detail is incredible. You can tell the artist has a lot of creativity because of the outfits of the owls, down to the pearls! A lovely ensemble indeed! 

Source: I Craft Gifts (Non Sponsored)

This toaster is obviously made by the same artisan as the previous toaster. It is equally adorable! I love the ties and the contrasting teal and orange colors. Just lovely!

Source:I Craft Gifts (Non Sponsored)

Save the best for last? Of course!

This gorgeous hand painted/crafted toaster lamp is straight out of a Nova Scotia cabin! I adore the design of sheep outside a barn and house. This reminds me of something that would be decor in my mom's friends house. She's a berry farmer and her home is full of gorgeous and unique pieces like this. This fits with a very specific and timeless aesthetic; some may call it 'cottage core'. This is delicate while still remaining sturdy. It is a truly beautiful piece. 

Source: Artist Raggedy Jan on Pinterest

Antique Toasters For The Soul

Happy summer my lovely toaster fans! I've compiled some antique toaster inspiration for all of you. I'm back from Italy and will be writing more on this blog this summer. So enjoy these gorgeous images of antique toasters.

As we know, the 1920s are prime time for the toaster boom. The Great Depression of the 1930s greatly stunted the growth of the toaster market and thus toaster models from the 1930s are much more rare and pricey.

This beautiful specimen is from 1915.

Source- Sally Ann

Here are some from the 1920s.

Source- Delishably

Source- Al Ann Anderson

This one is from the 1930s.

Source- Al Ann Anderson

This one is Art Deco.

Source- Al Ann Anderson

So what do these antique toasters inspire in us? I always find looking at these toasters and comparing them to the modern day quite interesting. The toaster from during the Great Depression is far less ornate than any other which shows the lack of opportunity and opulence characteristic of the Great Depression. Even toasters don't escape artistic movements as shown by the last toaster. In the end, we must know where we came from to understand why we are the way we are now. This applies to any subject or situation. And beyond all that, isn't it just fascinating to see things that are so common yet hardly recognizable?

Best of luck to you! I hope you have many fun adventures this summer!

Toaster Inspiration?

More often than not, when people go to the store to buy a toaster, they don't think about the toaster itself but rather the features it holds. How long will it last? Can it also toast bagels? Is it stainless steel?

Buying a toaster should be an experience and not a chore. While you certainly have to consider the aspects of the toaster that matter to you, I'd argue it's equally important to consider your personal connection with the toaster.

I remember one day when I was 12 and my mother and I went to Sears. She was in the market for a new vacuum cleaner, and I, being the toaster-focused girl I am, headed straight for aisle 4. I remember kneeling in front of a row of boxes. Only when I began to feel light headed did I realize I'd been holding my breathe.

There was this one toaster, a light blue vintage looking one, with a white stripe on the curved top. Two slots, one knob, classic. I wanted more than anything to pull open the packaging and hold it in my hands. But of course, I couldn't. I was a well-behaved child.

For several weeks after that, I thought of the toaster everyday. I didn't ask my parents for it because I knew what they'd say.
"Sarah dear, we already have a perfectly functional toaster."
"What would we need a new toaster for? The Sunbeam one works just fine." (Yes, I grew up with a Sunbeam toaster, go figure!)

To this day, I know when I move out of my parents house and into my own place, that toaster will be one of the first things I buy. I'm so excited for that day.

So my point in all this? Though features and novelty are important to consider when buying a toaster, I'd argue that your personal connection is far more important. If you don't feel a connection to the toaster you're looking at, it's simply not the right toaster for you. And if you've never experienced anything like this, just wait. I'm lucky that I found mine so young. The perfect toaster for you is out there somewhere.

So you're kind of obsessed with toasters. Are you alone?

Hey guys, I know I haven't posted on here in awhile but I recently moved to Italy and it feels like life has gotten ahead of me. I have so many half written posts that I haven't gotten around to finishing. I'm hoping to be finishing up those soonish. For now, here's a quick thought I'd like to share with you.

When I was younger, just starting this blog over three years ago, I was convinced I was the only person in the world who loved toasters. I didn't know about the toaster fandom or the toaster conventions or the makers, the artists, the collectors. But now I know that I, we, are not alone in our toaster journeys.

It took me getting a kind comment from "the gay toaster" to realize this. They reached out to me saying that they have found their people on this blog. That meant a lot to me and got me thinking about how far I've come. And none of it could have been possible without you, every single one of you.

To all of you, even those who could care less about toasters, please remember that no matter how weird or niche you think your hobby, passion, or obsession is, you can still find community, support, and understanding.

So thank you all so so much. The toaster fandom continues to grow thanks to you. You all mean more to me than I think you realize. Thank you.

Avocado Toast; What does it mean for the toaster fandom?

Hipsters, aesthetic teens, health junkies, Millennials. Many people enjoy avocado toast though it's reputation has been rocky over the years. While many hail it as healthy and tasty, others say it is overpriced and disgusting. But what are the repercussions of this snack on the toaster community?

Photo source: dishmaps.com

For one, the toaster community is a very global one and the phenomenon known as avocado toast is found mostly in the United States and Canada. Toaster fans from less metropolitan areas are probably not familiar with the breakthrough known as avocado toast. It originated in the 1950's but was not politicized until the 2010's when it began to take on a meaning associated with the frivolous spending habits of Millennials and Gen Y'ers. (source: Wikipedia)

The hate from the media and older folks that avocado toast gets is just another form of Ephebiphobia, fear of youth, young people, and teen culture. (source: Wikipedia) There's nothing inherently bad about avocado toast as a food but the associations it has with problematic young people garners it a lot of bad reputation.

Secondly, avocado toast is very overpriced because it is now deemed "trendy". In some cafes, especially in large cities, a single slice of avocado toast can cost 10 or even 15 dollars. This is another key reason that lots of people dislike avocado toast. This dislike is justified because there is no reason for it to be so expensive. However, some people that hate on avocado toast simply because of the price may not know that when one makes the snack at home, it is reasonably priced and a very delicious food choice.

Enough about avocado toast itself. What does its rise mean for the toaster fandom?

Like most things in life, there are both positive and negative outcomes of this trend. While it does foster the creation of a new generation of toaster fans, the hate it receives reflects negatively on this community. This question is rooted in another, more vital one– Who qualifies as a true toaster fan? If someone only owns a toaster to make avocado toast and is only a part of the fandom for avocado toast, is their "love" of toasters legitimate?

My answer is yes. So long as someone has a genuine love, enjoyment, and appreciation for toasters and what they represent, they are welcome in this fandom. In a greater sense, I would like it if fandoms would stop making people prove if they are "fan enough". I find it takes away from the sense of community when people focus too much on the "fake fans". This is of course just my opinion and I completely understand when others believe that a fandom should be full of a few die-hard fans. It can be frustrating when someone joins a fandom just because it happens to be popular. But trust me, no one is a part of the toaster fandom to be more trendy. We all are here because we love toasters and this community!

I know I digressed from the original point of this, which was to talk solely about avocado toast. But as the internet's official unofficial toaster fandom blog, I felt this was important to talk about. Everyone has different opinions on this matter. Please leave a comment to tell me yours. Thank you for your continued support! :)

The International Toaster Community

In case you all didn't know, I'm an American, born and raised. I think toaster fans can certainly be found anywhere but I've noticed the majority of vocal toaster fans to be in the US or Europe. I suppose that could be attributed to this blog being in English. Side note= I also speak Spanish and Italian so if you would like posts in those languages, let me know. I digress.

While checking the page view statistic from recently, I found something overwhelmingly cool! There are many toaster friends from other countries. While American toaster friends still are the majority, at around 400 friends, here are the statistics from other countries. 

Russia

41

France

5

Brazil

3

India

3

Ukraine

3

Sweden

2

Australia

1

Poland

1

To all of you, I'd like to welcome you personally. Toasters bring out the best in people and I think they connect the world. Who knew we had so many Russian toaster friends? Hi guys! 
The toaster community is a global one. Alan MacMasters, one of the people at the forefront of toaster science in the early years was from Scotland. 

I know this post is rather messy but I just wanted to say this. I see you and I appreciate you. I appreciate what toasters and the people who love them have done for people. I know they've done so much for me. So thank you all and thank you toasters. 

A Return to Toasterdom

Hey all you toaster lovers! Its been a really long time since I posted on this blog but I'm back! I will continue to post, not regularly, just when I feel inspired to. I know I don't have any views nowadays but oh well. This is just a quick post to say hello! How are you guys? Is anyone still here? I hope even when I was gone, this page continued to be important to people.
So thank you for your support all those years ago.