The Russian Store Has Over 450 Nesting Doll Designs - Doggies, Elvis, Nuns & ... Thomas the Tank Engine!

I came across The Russian Store the same way I find a lot of my content recently, happy accidental scrolling on Instagram. The Russian Store is actually a U.S. store based in Arizona who travel to across the Atlantic several times a year to source the most interesting Russian crafts and collectibles.

Whilst they only ship within their native U.S. at present, I wanted to show their insane range of nesting dolls, as they have 461 designs! A good portion of my audience is based in the USA, so someone might see something that catches their eye.

There are the traditional red and yellow Matryoshka design dolls, as well as unusual animal designs, and Russian rulers. I’m totally wowed by the sets of up to twenty stacking dolls that all fit inside each other so neatly.

They have nesting dolls with themes like Spider-Man and The Beatles, as well as dog breeds and Cupid (right). 

They hand-pick every item and verify its authenticity before presenting it online to their customers, with an 100% happiness guarantee. 

Have a browse of all 461 dolls on The Russian Store. 

The Beastie Boys & The Hollywood Hills- Hand Drawn Creative Art Print Sale

A3 Hollywood Bungalows print on Etsy £12

A lot of illustrator and art content this month, but I had to pop up a quick post when I spied Hand Drawn Creative is having a print sale. Neal McCullough is the super artist behind my blog’s logo, and right now his Etsy has a number of some of his most popular prints at a lower price. The Etsy prints are designed & hand-pulled in Neal’s studio in County Down.

On sale are the Hollywood Bungalows, Girl on a Motorcycle, Wonder Woman, Barcelona Lounge Chair, and Beastie Boys Lowrider prints.  There’s also a gallery of other snazzy prints to choose from, including a tribute to Bangor Maid, who used to make ice cream here in our shared hometown.

Neal’s wife Julie with the Lowrider 500x700mm print on Etsy £15

In addition, there’s a Hand Drawn Creative merch shop on Society6, who have 20% off art prints today. If you are reading this post a little later, you can usually grab a 30% off voucher code if it’s your first order on the site, by subscribing to their mailing list. 

The Society6 prints, some of which I’ve shown below, allow you to choose print dimensions, so you can pick a size to fit a space in your home you may have in mind. These are very high quality digital prints, from Hand Drawn Creative’s original work, and you can choose optional framing too.

Also available are a nice range of different items you can buy with Neal’s artwork adorning them, like travel mugs, throws and even t-shirts. 

Keep an eye on Neal’s Instagram for previews of new prints, art show tip offs and more. 

I Tried The New M&S Sushi Sandwich - Does It Sink or Swim?

Supermarket sushi. Any connoisseur of proper traditional sushi, or even a fan of the Westernised take on the raw fish & sticky rice cuisine that you’d find in Yo Sushi, if you’ve ever grabbed a tiny tray of takeaway sushi from any of the big supermarket chains, it’s somewhat lacking.

Sushi is one of those foodstuffs that is best consumed freshly made. The elements of rice and fish are not simple to preserve over a matter of hours, never mind days, to get to a supermarket fridge and wait there to be bought. That’s why I have the theory to explain why most mass produced sushi ends up being so plain & tasteless. The very ingredients that make sushi’s flavours & textures so unique are stripped away in favour of a longer lasting product, to the detrimental outcome that, well, its inedible.

However there is one place where you can get takeaway sushi with your shopping, and it actually comes closer to the real deal, Marks & Spencer. 

Their sushi a few years ago was comparable to the other supermakets in the variety of rolls they were offering, but over time their chefs and food creation team must have put their attention on this little corner of the ‘sandwich fridge’, because the M&S range has been bolder with flavours and the reward is delicious.

That brings us to the brand new 2019 launch of Sushi Sandwiches, a High-Street first for M&S. The sandwich-shaped sushi is known as ‘Onigirazu’ in Japan, originally designed for kids for ease of eating, but perfect for on-the-go lunches for adults too.

Right now there are two choices of this lunching phenomenon, Soy & Ginger Chicken, and Bacon & Avocado. There is no bread involved, the sandwich part is made from sticky rice held together with seaweed, as is traditional for rolls. A handier way to eat sushi on the go, without chopsticks or pieces falling out of your roll. You also get a dipping sauce. I tried the Soy & Ginger Chicken sandwich and loved it. The team in the M&S kitchen have made sure this can’t be classed as dull supermarket sushi by infusing flavour-packed ingredients and adding that typically missing ‘crunch’ with shredded beetroot.

The second launch comprises of two fancy new Dragon Rolls, Katsu Chicken or Firecracker Prawn. Each are packed with flavour, drizzled with either curry mayo or spicy mayo, and topped with onions and chives. These really impressed me, and came closest to my favourite Yo Sushi choices. In fact after trying the rolls for this blog, I’ve been back since at the weekend to buy them again. The spicy mayo on the Firecracker Prawn Dragon Roll is especially tasty.

The new sushi selections cost £4 each, and if your local M&S doesn’t stock sushi, you can always place an order of one of their sushi platters online to be delivered to your store.  There is a 38 piece platter on offer for £18 right now.

Mid Century Mania- Yumalum’s Eames’ Era Inspired Art Prints

Etsy is a goldmine for finding wares for your cult niche or fandom. Mainstream brands wouldn’t invest the time and money in creating a line of t-shirts & phone cases for... say an obscure, but well-loved sci fi show that’s only been on for one season. However Etsy is the place where you are likely to find a designer as dedicated to that programme as you, with a little store of merch for you to peruse.

Some of Etsy’s finest artefacts can be the goods from talented illustrators who have prints with themes from Game of Thrones, to sports teams, to tributes to classic design like the store I’m featuring today- Yumalum.

The illustrations are inspired by Eames, Herman Miller & Catherineholm. They are available in two sizes, A3 or a larger 50x70cm print. They would brighten up a kitchen or study and most designs come in more than one colourway to choose from.

Shop Yumalum’s Etsy store for all the prints here. 

A High School Just Did Their Own Theatre Production of ‘Alien’ & It Looks Out of This World

Photo- Paul Owens @oh_pollo

Another blog story tip-off from my brother, who pointed me in the direction of this Buzzfeed article this morning, about a New Jersey High School who put on a production of ‘Alien’ complete with handmade costumes and sets. 

North Bergen High School have found themselves going viral on Twitter & the rest of the internet alike after photos from their shows were shared by wow-ed parents and friends. 

Photo- Steven Defindini

Photo- Steven Defindini

Art teacher Steven Defindini took charge of art production for the show, and put together a team of six students who together took on the challenge of building fifteen sets, and costumes which included four astronaut suits and two aliens. 

They used moving blankets, clothing from charity shops, and a tonne of recycling items to create the phenomenonal looks.

To see more photos and some video clips, visit the original Buzzfeed article here. 

French Toys For The Cool Kids- What’s New for 2019 at Little Citizens Boutique, Holywood

Little Citizens Boutique in Holywood, Northern Ireland is a repeat feature here on The World of Kitsch. Their online store has some new toys and gifts for spring, from their selection of stylish French brands such as Vilac and Djeco.

I love the toys because of their retro design, being made from wood mostly, with bright colours and 60s’-esque illustrations.

They are a breath of fresh air from all the flashing, beeping toys that try to out do each other to be the loudest and shiniest these days, and are reminiscent of a time where play was simpler.

You can order from all over the world, so have a little browse yourself on the Little Citizens site. Click any of the images below for a closer look.

A Most Marvellous Mother’s Day at M&S -plus Free Delivery For Mum’s Bouquet

Mummies love a good trip to M&S, don’t they? So Marks and Sparks is a safe bet for a Mother’s Day present.

That could mean your main gift, like a gorgeous, sumptuous bouquet of Mother’s Day flowers, where M&S has a whole curated range to choose from, with some including a free box of Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles, and every bouquet promising free UK delivery.

Or, you might be taking Mum out for a family dinner on the 31st, and want a pretty gift to present her with as an extra ‘thank you’. 

M&S has gifts in each of their departments, clothing, beauty, homeware, and the Food Hall, and a whole online Mother’s Day Gift Guide if you want to browse for some inspiration before you step inside your local branch. 

I visited Bangor’s Marks & Spencer to see what the Food Hall had to choose from. Gifts started from £3 for dinky and surely divine boxes of Sea Salt Caramels. An ideal choice for a little one for their Mummy.

The range of boxes of chocolates are at various price points, with something for those with pocket-money budgets, like the funky ‘Just To Say’ box which is only £5 (see image below).

Some of this selection’s sweets have striking geometric graphic designs and patterns decorating them, with other pieces being metallic dusted globes. The flavours are equally intriguing. We have a Clementine & Pomegranate Caramel and a Speculoos Biscuit Truffle amongst the offerings. Very cool for only £5, and you can choose a gift card which slides into the top of the box displaying a message for your Mum.

There are also some of the more traditional boxes like Peppermint Creams, and my personal favourites a box of Violet & Rose Creams which is £4. You can also pick from a choice of classic Belgian Chocolate Truffles. Or you can spoil your Mum rotten with one of the larger selections which is £10. I also spied the exotic Marzipan Spring Fruits, which are £4.

Another one of my personal picks would be the £8 box of Mini Cupcake Chocolates (top photo). This dainty little selection with the cute pink bow has flavours including Mocha, Hazelnut Praline and Strawberries & Cream. 

They go very nicely with the real Mini Rose Cupcakes (very first photo, on the pink plate), which are £4 for a box of nine. Perfect for sharing after Sunday Lunch on Mother’s Day if you are all gathering together at home. Also the quintessential cupcake for putting together your very own ‘Fancy Afternoon Tea’ for your Mummy, you know with little sandwiches and cute mini-desserts exactly like these cupcakes, which have a glittery sheen to them which makes them even more special.

Lastly from my own M&S picks for Mother’s Day, I spotted these unusual biscuit tins (top image). They are tall, upright biscuit tins, something I’ve never come across before, not a strict Mother’s Day line in-store, but if you’ve got a waste-not-want-not Mum who would be doubly pleased with the Belgian Milk Chocolate Vanilla Cream Biscuits, and the handy tin for storing pasta, knitting needles, coffee machine pods, bits & bobs in afterwards- this could be your gift inspiration. The tins are only £3 and come in the deep purple/pink colour in my photograph, and also green or orange.

Don’t forget your Mother’s Day card! M&S has you covered for that too.  

Tretchikoff’s ‘Green Lady’ Reimagined for 2019 by London Artist Mark Denton Esq.

The classic kitsch starter print, Tretchikoff’s ‘Chinese Girl’ AKA ‘The Green Lady’ has been reimagined by London-based artist Mark Denton Esq.

The original painting from 1952 should be familiar for most people, even non-retro obsessed folks, as the artwork was mass produced and became literally one of the best-selling prints of the 20th century. Everyone had a granny or auntie, or neighbour who had The Green Lady, or a sultry gypsy girl print by JH Lynch.

Mark Denton Esq. has given Tretchikoff’s Chinese Girl a quirky refresh. I wish I could give more of an art analysis, but that’s not my bag.

A little more about Mark from the Jealous Gallery site where his work is hosted- After studying graphic design and an unglamorous start as a paste-up artist on the magazine ‘Knitter’s Digest’, Denton secured a job as an assistant typographer and visualiser at the London office of American advertising agency, Leo Burnett. In less than a decade, Mark found himself as Creative Director of his own agency and one of the most awarded Art Directors in the world.

The following years saw a foray into directing commercials and a return to his first love, graphic design. Forever seeking new forms of self-expression, Mark kept busy designing everything in his world. Clothes, jewellery, wallpaper, furniture, the labels on his tins of beans; nothing was spared his artists eye.

His designs have been exhibited across the globe, notably at ‘The Power of the Poster’ exhibition at the V&A and as a ‘living exhibit’ under the name of Nobby Bottomshuffle (one of his many alter-egos) at the National Football Museum.

You can find Mark Denton Esq.’s Green Ladies of 2019 at Jealous Gallery, based in London, who have an online store.