The Strange Case of the Cannibal Animals

This is a paper bag from our local chip shop (hang on a minute, there's a Homer Simpson voice in my head going 'Mmmm, chips...'). Sorry. Anyway, can you see what's wrong with this picture? The fish has the knife and fork. The fish! It's just wrong. A fish can't eat fish and chips!

But weirdly, cannibal animals are quite common. You get barbecue aprons showing a happy pig frying sausages, or a jolly bull barbecuing a steak. The French advert below is a rather graphic variation. It did the rounds on blogs a while ago, and I think you can get it on T-shirts now.

Squeaky Toy Tribble

If you are a Star Trek fan, you will know and understand what this is. If you are not, you will (correctly) just see a ball of fake fur. It was a very old and primitive ball of fake fur with just a basic squeaker inside. Nowadays the toys are far more technologically sophisticated and make authentic sounds. I kept it for years, but eventually decided it had to go, because, well, it's just a ball of fake fur, isn't it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ6LC-olw9Q&feature=related

Pope John Paul II Paper Doll Book

 I've mentioned before that I prefer real religious kitsch to the jokey fake stuff. This book looks like it must be a joke, but I can assure you that it isn't. Published in 1984, it was a genuine tribute to Pope John Paul II.

I'll share some of the cover blurb -

"[This] fascinating collection of four finely rendered paper dolls, 19 costumes and accessories - all in full, authentic color - recreate the Pope's eventful life. You'll find young Karol Jozef - with military school uniform, regular school clothes (and soccer ball) and altar boy's robe." 

 "And of course you'll find paper dolls and costumes showing the full range of Karol Jozef Wojtyla's brilliant church career..."

 "..with a wide array of accurately detailed and colored ecclesiastical raiment, including:
ordination robes            simar
cassock                            rochet
chasuble                          pallium
archiepiscopal attire    mozzetta
cardinal's attire            papal miter
...and more"

 It's pontiriffic!!

The same artist (Tom Tierney) published paper dolls of Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland, which you might expect. Less expected are the paper dolls of Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan! I must look out for those...

Granny goes to Vegas

What says 'Las Vegas' better than a posy of flowers on a lustreware mug? I couldn't resist the incongruity of it, when I saw it in the gift shop surrounded by cards and dice and tacky T-shirts.

Postcards from the TGWU Centre at Eastbourne

TGWU Centre at Eastbourne. Bedroom

I have long had a fondness for postcards like this, even before Martin Parr published his excellent book of Boring Postcards. There is something extraordinary about the notion that someone, somewhere thought this bedroom was worth a postcard.
I like the way they decided to include a view of the toilet. Is the colour of the bathroom suite pampas or savannah? Or maybe just 1970s beige?

Obviously the Transport and General Workers Union were rather proud of their snazzy new conference centre, as I have found three different postcards..

TGWU Centre at Eastbourne

TGWU Centre at Eastbourne. Dining Room

Postcards of empty rooms always look a bit odd. I guess they were proud of their fancy new dining room, and wanted to break free of the 'beer and sandwiches' union stereotype. I think that's part of the appeal of postcards like this. The scenes that made someone so proud at the time, now seem so banal to us. I'm just so glad they preserved them on postcards.

Devil Merman

This strange, devilish creature was given to me as a present, so I have no idea where it comes from or what it's meant to be. He has horns and ears, a fishtail, and a face on his torso. The three stick legs I take to be more of a stand, than a vital part of his anatomy. His arms move, and he's made of wood, with horn or bone additions.

I just googled 'devil merman' to see if that was a thing, and pleasingly, got a link to a video of Ethel Merman singing 'There's No Business Like Show Business'. However, a few devil mermen are out there, in Mexican folk art and so on, so maybe he's Mexican.

I suppose it says a lot about me that a friend would give me this as a present, and know that I would really like it...

Why Children have Nightmares

"Mummy, I'm being crushed by a multi-coloured boa constrictor!"

[I got it in a pound shop. I know no more.]