Every year there's at least (AT LEAST!) one holiday season that I completely neglect, despite my best intentions. This year, clearly, it's the Halloween season that's receiving the short end. :P
That said, I will try to force myself to draw at least ONE more scribble before November, but I cannot promise more than an attempt (that said, I am resolute in getting a Sweetie drawing done, even if it takes til February!) D:
Anyway...
The above drawing is of a Purr-Tender. What's a Purr-Tender? I'm glad I asked that question for you!
In case the video doesn't work, Purr-Tenders were plush cats that came with removable mouse/bunny/(etc) ears.
The story goes that the Purr-Tenders were cats in a pet shop, weary of being ignored by customers. The cats decided to disguise themselves as (supposedly) more desirable animals. After being purchased, the cat (of course) would eventually be let out of the bag (ie the Purr-Tender's secret, that they are really cats, would be revealed). But because the kids love their Purrs, the kids promised to maintain the Purr's secret.
...There is so much wrong with this story, but what can you do? ^^
My guess is the toy designer who came up with this concept REALLY hated cats---someone who considered felines SHOULD be less desirable than mice, ducks, and bunnies as pets. Sure, humans've tried to make pets from almost every animal species out there, but in what world are cats not up at the top? In other words, it should be OTHER pets pretending to be cats, not the other way round.
Moreover, why keep the secret after being discovered? I mean, it's no longer a secret at that point, and the kids love the Purr-Tenders regardless ...so (again) why should the Purr-Tenders stop being cats? :P
Each Purr-Tender had a name that ended with '-Purr', such as Romp-Purr and Chirp-Purr. The names very loosely tied the respective Purr to his/her disguise (ie, Hop-Purr wore bunny ears). The antagonist (yes, the Purr-Tenders had a villain) was a pooch named Ed-Grrr (I swear I'm not making this up). :P Ed-Grr's mission was to capture the Purrs and return them to the pet store ...despite the fact they'd already been legitimately purchased (again, the story of the Purr-Tenders is VERY first-draft). :P
Do I like the Purr-Tenders?
I was aware of these when I was a kid (gosh I'm old!), but I never wanted one. As an adult ...I still don't have any real interest in Purr-Tenders, albeit, they (along with many other things strewn across Memory Lane) are fun to look back on (so not really, but kinda). :3
My favorite Purr is Flop-Purr (duck costume), though I don't think a plushie was made of him. There was a Flop-Purr Sock-Em (more on these later), but not a large plush (that I'm aware of/have been able to find). Oh well.
I went to eBay to find some Purr-Tenders accessories to put on my Popples for Halloween, but the seller never responded to my (admittedly low-ball) offer, and now it's too late. Que sera!
Speaking of disguises, why didn't I draw a costume for my Purr-Tender?
Because if you're a cat who wears a duck suit and generally behaves like a duck, removing your disguise and just being a cat seems like something a Purr would do for Halloween. In Flop-Purr's case, he (being a black cat) was made for Halloween---he doesn't need a duck bill and flippers, at least not for the holiday (and if we're applying cartoon logic, no one would recognize him without his accessories). :3
...and seeing how this is veering into identity politics, I feel the need to make a statement.
The Purr-Tenders were a product of the 1980s, a time when identity politics effectively didn't exist. Consequently, I don't think Purr-Tenders is a concept that would fly today, given how so many of this (and, alas, my) generation have their panties in a wad over this issue. I mention this only because it's a tempting comparison---if I didn't say something, someone in comments would (likely resulting in chaos). I want to avoid argument, if possible, so please keep your thoughts on identity politics to yourselves.
In other words, I've pointed it out the obvious so you don't have to. :3
The featured pencil is a 'Yikes!' coloring pencil by Empire (90s 'Berol' era).
The gimmick with these was the 'Yikes!' pencils were painted a different color from the lead inside (to trick you into using the wrong color). In the case of the featured pencil, the barrel is painted green, but if you try to color with it, you'll get orange. :P
To quote the packaging,
"There's an illusion of confusion but it's only a pigment of your imagination. To know what's true, check each side for a clue"
Our featured pencil's clue reads,
"Don't Turn Green, Pick Orange"
Bizarre.
It doesn't end there---these 'Yikes!' pencils had triangular barrels (like those oddly collectable 'Futura' pencils) and were made of some sort of 'Epcon' material (ie fake wood) that was dyed black.
To see the featured pencil in its full glory (along with my Sock-Em), click here: https://sta.sh/0166yrnn3e00 (take a look at the tip of the pencil---strange, eh?).
This particular pencil is NOT part of my main collection, but it seemed to go well with both my Purr-Tender drawing and Halloween. :3
Sock-Em...
Ok, so if you clicked the link to the Purr-Tenders commercial, you saw that Purr-Tenders were fairly big toys. The Sock-Ems were MUCH smaller and were sold via Burger King in *1988
...wait, you mean the damn Purr-Tenders got a Burger King promotion but the Popples didn't? This world is so unfair I tell you! ...well, actually, the Popples were given a Pizza Hut promotion, but Pizza Hut didn't get plushies, just drinking glasses ...and I'd certainly like a Popples glass for my honey-wheat beer, but I digress. :P
Anyway, The Sock-Em's had flaps you could lower to turn the cat into whatever animal, and raise to reveal the cat beneath. The cat part of the Sock-Em had plastic eyes, whereas the flap had eyes printed on. As for the name 'Sock'Em', the plush had a strange 'sock' that it could sit in. The sock part could be rolled up and velcro'd into place (there are cat legs behind it). The idea was the sock was the recipient's Christmas stocking (the promotion was for Christmas 1988), and the Purr (in disguise, of course) was your stocking stuffer.
The concept of receiving (say) a duck as a stocking stuffer ...and then discovering said duck was really a kitten, was (and still is) quite disturbing to me, but the 80s were a very different time---you had to accept it.
As said, the Sock-Ems was the only way to get a plush of Flop-Purr. I'll probably get one eventually (he's common on eBay), but there's no rush. :3
And, yes, some of you have probably noticed the Purr-Tenders book in the background on my Stash image. Will I read it aloud for everyone via YouTube? Only time will tell! :3
I've heard of both of those and the pencils. I wish I could remember where though because it's been many years. But those "Yikes" pencils were odd. Kinda reminded me of when my friends and I played a trick on a friend of ours (or not that I think about it THOUGHT about doing it since I don't remember us actually doing it) of switching the labels on some of his markers so the colors would come out odd(he was color blind in the red-green spectrum). It didn't matter though cause he was ALWAYS forgetting what color was what and even without our help his drawings came out...different. GOOD but different. :D
I've heard of both of those and the pencils. I wish I could remember where though because it's been
