Vintage Halloween Decor 1980s

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In the last four or five years, thanks to TK Maxx having US stock, we UK folks have had the more Americanised Halloween decor. I mean the large, glittery or twee figurines, heavy ceramic pumpkin bowl, big candle accessories.

Back in my childhood days, halloween decorations were made of cardboard & that was it. You had some ripped up cotton wool as spider webs if your mum was being a bit festive.
I have fond memories of the same skeleton & witch hanging in everyone's house, I'm sure you too can picture them.

I tried to recreate that 80s Halloween feel along side the over the top American decoration which I can't help but also want to buy.
I found this pack of two door hangers in a pound shop in Bangor.

Claire

Genuinely Spooky Child Painting, possibly Haunted

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Terrifying isn't she? Those shadowy, pool-like eyes.
Don't think I've blogged her before as she doesn't actually have a home on the wall at the moment. She freaks me out a little too much, she's a step beyond the sad gypsy children of Dallas Simpson. I can imagine her painting being the subject of a Stephen King short story.

Claire

More Sailor Jerry Souvenirs

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I've posted before about our wonderful Sailor Jerry shower curtain, adorned with sheets of his flash work. The other Sailor Jerry items we own therefore look best in the bathroom, & here they are!

We have two old bottles from our drinking days. Sailor Jerry rum was my husband's poison of choice & these are two souvenirs from those hedonistic times.

The bottles themselves have a classic vintage styling. The inner side of the back label is always printed with one of Jerry's pin up girl tattoo designs.

The playing cards & glass were a freebie from my old friend John, who worked in The Rotterdam Bar down at the docks in Belfast.
The bar is situated in the area nicknamed "Sailor Town" & was terribly quaint. I believe it closed recently due to redevelopment plans of the area, but I could be wrong.

The mug is in fact a Vince Ray illustration, but worth including. Bought in the tattoo parlour in St.Stephen's Green, Dublin.

Claire

Gambling Kitsch

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Two modern kitsch items, produced in the past few years, but sit along nicely with my authentic bits & pieces.

Both have some quirky design features. The replica bowling pin is actually a lamp, when plugged in it lights in the standing position & when knocked over the light goes out. It's from German Ebay.

The giant die is a pc cd disc holder, pushing one of the sides pops out a drawer for storing CDs without jewel cases.
Not sure where it's from, it was a gift from my Mummy for Christmas.

Claire

Vintage Ladybird Book Covers used as Kitchen Border

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Sometimes kitsch lives in nostalgia. Old design & branding bringing back warm, familiar feelings & a "things were better in our day" mood.

Ladybird books have spotted this market & now sell a range of cake tins, memo-boards & mugs adorned with the Learn to Read covers from the 70s & 80s.

If like me you learnt your words with the help of Peter & Jane and Kathy & Mark, not to forget Socks the dog, then just seeing some of these illustrations will bring memories flooding back.

Ladybird Vintage Prints online also provide a service to order any of the pages from their hundreds of informational books as glorious, full colour prints.

I chose a cheap option & printed out little versions of some of the illustrations I liked best.
Now in plain, dirt-cheap ikea frames, I think they look quite nice along the back of the kitchen counter.

Claire