My blog, when it started out in August 2009 was a place where I posted the charity shop finds I would return home with triumphant every weekend after scouring the Oxfams and Heart Foundation stores of whichever town we would drive to on our family day out.

I would have certain things in particular I’d look for. Art work wise I would keep an eye out for anything 1960s or 1970s, JH Lynch, or Shabner, the gypsy women, or glamorous glossy haired beauties that hung in every home in those decades, mass produced much like the more famous Tretchikoff Green Lady, which ironically I don’t own.

So I have a nice little collection of Shabner and JH Lynch ladies. I’ve also a small collection of Dallas Simpson big eyed kids.

So, anyway, years ago I shared all my Kitsch items as I bought them, but I realised recently my blog is The World of Kitsch, and I blog about things like Karen Mabon, and Magda Archer, but really my newer readers might not know me as being truly a Kitsch lover, which is why I would love to share with you my home, and invite you to my Instagram account here, where you can see that side of me, and see more of my home and life, where you can see that side of me.

So back to the art work. Two of the Shabner girls are downstairs but most of my 60s and 70s ‘faces’ are now upstairs in the third bedroom. Our house is a rental, and this spare room is a little empty. One wall is all book cases, and I use the other wall as a dressing table with makeup, so I’ve arranged the ‘faces’ as a kind of wall of them.

In the decades of their popularity there was an urban legend about the portraits of sad children and that if you had them in your homes your house would burn down. I like to think if you have two then they cancel each other out.

So what else do I collect? Well I love taxidermy. I know it’s a controversial one. It skirts the topic of fur. It’s also very rare to find it in a charity shop, and you won’t find it in somewhere like Oxfam, but maybe somewhere like an ‘unbranded’ smaller charity shop, a junk shop, or house clearance. There’s always the auctions, and where I’ve found my pieces is either eBay, or car boot sales.

Taxidermy isnt cheap, and that’s why I own very little. I have a fox head, a two headed duckling, a duck, another few birds, a stoat, another few other small pieces and a fake full size flamingoes. I would of course love more. I would love a house full. I’ve also two piranha that Smix hates with a passion. Oh! And I’ve a jackalope too! How could I forget!

Candle by Kat Kirk Addiction Tattoo Bangor

I also have three cabinets filled to the brim with Kitsch which I am refeaturing on Instagram at the moment, and a snowglobe collection. I started collecting them a few years ago cause I wanted to actively started collecting something properly tacky on purpose.

I’ve one cabinet that’s filled with awful properly mad Kitsch stuff, including a rotating glitter Last Supper clock, and another cabinet (a few photos below) which houses vintage Fisher Price toys and a Castle Grayskull.

I also love World’s Fair souvenirs because of the retro furturistic stylings of all of the stuff to do with it. I have trays, ashtrays, scarves, and of course, snow globes.

My absolute pride and joy piece of furniture, which my parents bought me for my 30th birthday is my 1960s home boat bar. It’s amazing. I don’t even drink but it’s just the best.

So come join me on my Instagram and I’ll share a photo of it this week, I need to get a good shot of it! There’s a clothes’ horse in front of it right now!

*Edit* here it is! Plus some more snaps from this week

If you've never seen it, you can't believe it can be as bad as everyone says it is. But it is.

The ill-advised Star Wars Holiday Special, written by George Lucas and shown in 1978 is the stuff of legends.

Han Solo & Chewie go to visit the latter's family, and we also see appearances from Leia, Luke, CP30 and of course Darth Vader.

The definitely-not-canon ordeal includes bizarre scenes like Chewie's creepy uncle viewing what can only be described as virtual reality, 3D, soft porn.

One interesting fact- the Holiday Special is actually the first appearance of cult favourite character Boba Fett. He pops up in a cartoon animated sequence, then goes on to star in the second Star Wars movie shortly after.

So my first day of Christmas blog for you, my loyal readers, is a link to a fairly good quality version of the entire show.

If you've already seen it, and can't put yourself through it again, then why not read this Mental Floss article about the making of the Star Wars Holiday Special instead? They talk to those who were involved who I guess have come to terms with the creation they put out there.