Flying Ducks

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It wouldn't be right to not have at least one set of these. I also have a brass set of three swallows, but they've gone missing since our move house.

 These are modern, reproductions of the old ceramic ducks, from Boots.

 I would love an entire wall of different sets of ducks & birds, but it would be a complete lift from my Kitsch bible, Kitsch Deluxe, which shows a house which has done just that.

Claire

One hell of a Cuckoo Clock

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This beauty arrived in the post for me today from very kind, local twitter pal, Arlene @dressjunkie

 Can't wait to get it hung up, unfortunately in the excitement of opening the box, I managed to drop the clock in a slapstick fashion, so there's also a four leaf clover detail I need to glue back on!

 I can understand why @dressjunkie might not want to hang up this treasure, but as you can tell it's going to fit right in around here.
Look at the chimney sweep! The cotton wool smoke!
Absolutely love it!

Claire

Bad Taste Grotto

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I actually ran out of plugs to plug my lights into. Red plastic flowers also light up on the flamingo bottom right.
There's also a light up white bird from Ikea in there but his battery is dead.

 This is all year round, I have light up eyeballs on a string too as part of my extensive Halloween decorations & Christmas gets even more twinkly.

 Last year I had a Dr Seuss themed tree. It was bright turquoise with red& white striped baubles incluing mini Cat in the Hat ornaments.

 New house is a bit bigger this year so definitely going to get a big, proper tree (getting terribly excited even thinking about that).

 Hope to decorate it 50s style with those old lantern type fairy lights, or tacky icicles, and lots of mismatched old ornaments. Basically trying to recreate my late Granny's Christmas trees.
eBay is going to be trawled for vintage ornaments next month.

Claire

Cactii Kitsch 2# Hand knitted toy cactus

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This still makes me chuckle to myself when I see it. A really odd toy & very oxymoronic, cuddly cactus.

 I'd found tiny knitted cactii toys for sale from an English crafter on eBay, I wanted one in a larger, more cuddly toy sized version, so asked her to knit me one.
I paid about £17 for this handknitted, one-off toy.
Even the soil is knitted!

Claire

Cactii Kitsch 1# Fiber Optic Cactus Lamp

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Cowboys, Indians & the Wild West icons feature kitsch themes often.

 In 2007 I started my cactii collection, filling the entire fireplace of our old house with a dozen plants of different sizes & varieties.

 Once our baby was on the move they had to be re-homed for his safety, but by this point my fauna homicide had caused 8 or 9 plants to die. I can't even grow cactii!

 Now the cabinet holds the last two cactii, who seem to have made it through my anti green fingers ways to autumn 2009.

 Thank goodness kitsch is about fakery as I was able to get some cactii that I couldn't kill.

 This fiber optic cactus is an example of modern, new kitsch, rather than the retro original pieces I like to collect.

 It's quite large, bigger than my live cactii at any rate & I got it from eBay for £2 when I was searching for other cactii items.

Claire

Jackie O, Who painted You?

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One of my favourite prints from my mass produced 60's collection, I don't think you could even call this one ugly.

 I believe it's Jackie O, that's what we call her anyway. I'd come across this print on eBay last year & loved it, but it was a little out of my price range, going for around £50.

 This summer I found a large version of her at a car boot sale, along with a rare Tretchikoff floral print. The flowers didn't take my fancy & the seller was asking £25 for it anyhow (being a Tretchikoff I would've paid a tenner for it regardless of not loving it).

 I was even more happy to find the seller only wanted £15 for her. For a large version of this print in it's original frame that's a bargain, I've seen them go for £70+ on eBay.

 Here's my problem: any time I've found it on eBay it's by searching 'kitsch' in the art section, I didn't have the artist's name. I've seen it listed as a Tretchikoff piece, but I've looked at the signature & it's definitely nothing like that name.

 Do any kitsch kings or queens know who produced this print?
I'd love to know!

Claire

My Secret Book Collection

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I have a strange love of old photos of areas I know. I've many books with photos of my home town Bangor from the turn of the last centuary.
I studied architecture & environmental planning at university (until I dropped out) so perhaps the obsession stems from there.

 I find it amazing how places I know well have changed over the years.
I've also hoarded books about Newtownards, Belfast, Antrim & the Ards Penninsula.

 They are currently in residence at my parents' house, but I managed to pick up two I haven't seen before today in Belfast.

 The Masonic Lodge at CornMarket were having an exhibition of these old photos, so we went in for a nosy.

 Two books for £5.

Claire