Weather House & Musical Stag Lodge

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Taking pride of place on the cabinet are my two little wooden houses.

 The one on the left is an old fashioned weather predicting toy, when rain is due the lady comes out of her door, if it's to be dry her colourful hubby will swing out.

 The house on the right was a surprise Christmas gift from my husband; proof he totally understands my bad taste!

 This one isn't a reproduction, it's an actual vintage music box, with ivory stag heads & cute heart patterned window shades. My husband is a fantastic present buyer!

Claire

Fantastic Mister Fox

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Taxidermy, another of the more morbid sides of kitsch.
This creepy pass-time sees our expired furry friends stuffed for all time & put on the wall.

 Original hunting trophies, now taxidermy laws are strict. Beasties must be obtained naturally, eg. you can't go out & catch yourself a goat to kill for your wall. Pieces come with their own papers, which meant an animal lover like myself doesn't feel evil for enjoying my fox head, although I do appreciate for some it is a little gruesome.

 My interest in taxidermy stretches way back to when I was a toddler. I am a city kid, born & raised in Belfast, but in the town centre we have a very old cafe called Delaney's which is cram packed with taxidermy.

 It's still there today & still has about a dozen pieces including a buffalo head & a couple of antelope.
My mum & gran used to take me to Delaney's when we were in town shopping, they do a mean pavalova.
As a toddler I called it, "The Dead Face Shop" such was my curiousity with their stuffed menagerie.

 My father-in-law loved Mister Fox so much, he went out & got himself one from an antique shop.
Spreading the ugly kitsch!

Claire

The Jewel in my Kitsch Crown

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Here she is, isn't she a beaut?

 If I had to choose one piece to keep above any others it would be my cabinet.

 It's quite an assault on the eyes, is this photo, but the basic cabinet itself fits in with the exact style era I love the most:
mass produced, overly ornate cheap 60's furniture.

 I found it again in a charity shop in Newtownards, Northern Ireland.
I broke out in a sweat when I saw it, I NEEDED this piece of furniture.

 Bought it for £40 & while I waited for the car to be brought to load it into, a middle-aged woman recalled the tale of how her mother-in- law had bought her one for her wedding & she absolutely detested it.

 Perfect.

Claire

Mariachi Bottle

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One of my absolute dream items to pick up would be a boat bar.
Home bars are notoriously kitsch & the ship shaped model, complete with gold anchor, would make me a very happy girly.

 Until then I keep a look out for a plastic, pineapple shaped ice bucket & console myself with this handsome treasure from Bangor car boot sale.

 It's a Mariachi figure, originally used as a bottle for spirits.
The head comes away with a cork & there is no clue to the previous contents with only 'Japan' stamped on the base.

 We love him.

Claire