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

Too Bad To Buy

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Spotted this temperature telling ceramic shell in a charity shop in East Belfast. I especially liked how the stamp on the bottom just said 'foreign'.
Dithered over whether it was worth my £1.50 & finally left it on the shelf.

 I don't really go in for shell kitsch & any item I'm not sure about I always just leave.

 Pretty damn ugly looking, mind you!

Claire

Ridgway Homemaker Plate

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I have scoured the charity shops for even one plate from this sacred range, but have had to resort to eBay to get my hands on one for my kitchen wall.

 This dinner set was sold through Woolworths & everyone and their neighbour had a set at the time.

 I really want to get my hands on some more pieces, so if anyone's mums have any they'd like taken off their hands, I'd be grateful!

Claire

Amazing Collage Chest

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Imagine my joy when viewing our current rental house for the first time & seeing this dresser as part of the dining room furniture.

 My landlady has fantastic taste in my opinion. Love this newspaper & magazine clipping covered cupboard. It's definitely hand made but I don't know if she did it herself, or where she would have bought it.

 I've seen a myspace page before of a girl who does similar stuff to chairs, from Belfast.

 I'm hoping if/when we buy the house we can keep this one!

Claire