Kitsch Christmas Presents? LibertyBlue.co.uk

2004/2005 I worked in a wonderful, whimsical kitsch boutique in Belfast, Northern Ireland called Liberty Blue. Tucked away in a city centre side street, this Aladdin's Cave of glorious dresses and freshest of retro designed tops was easily my favourite work place ever.  Along with standard till, shop floor duties, I got to experiment with t-shirt design, making one-off hand-made prints on American Apparel shirts using vintage tshirt decals.

Now Liberty Blue is available online, with their website www.libertyblue.co.uk launched earlier this year. If you've a girlfriend, wife, or even a stylish mum to buy for, the site has a selection of beautiful vintage inspired jewellery and clothing to choose from. If you are in Belfast make sure you take a minute to visit the store in Lombard Street.

Log Souvenir Barometer from Margate

A really Granny pleaser, one to bring back from the coach trip.

Our Lady of the Loaf

Little bit of modern religious kitsch. Make every slice a miracle by imprinting your own image of Mary on your toast.

Little Crying Girl and Lassie Painting, Jigsaw

A friend asked me the name of this artist only this week, and coincidentally I found this in a charity shop today.

It's by Charles Burton Barber, who was an artist for the royals, painting their children and pets.

The fact this is a framed jigsaw gives it extra kitsch points.

Cactii Kitsch 2# Hand knitted toy cactus

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