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Home / What to Collect / reader open threads

Reader Giveaway: Chalkware mermaids from Cats Like Us

pam kueber - Updated: November 1, 2011

Retro Renovation stopped publishing in 2021; these stories remain for historical information, as potential continued resources, and for archival purposes.

Update: Comments/Entries now closed. Congratulations to winner Cheryl in TX, whose number was chosen by Random Number Generator. Blondes won! Thanks, everyone for playing!
What self-respecting Retro Renovator could be without a set of chalkware sea creatures in their pastel-colored bathroom? The folks at Cats Like Us — serious purveyors of rockabilly wear and kitschy collectibles — are providing this week’s giveaway: A set of reproduction chalkware mermaids. Thanks, Cats! I show the pink, but if you win, you can choose from six different styles. And, no Made in China here! These are all hand-made by Barbie K, who lives near Cats Like Us in Tonawanda, New York:

Chalkware—both kitschy & cool—is Barbie K’s passion. When the price of vintage chalkware sky rocketed and it was no longer affordable, she decided to take matters into her own hands—literally! Barbie K has created her own line of “retro-reinterpreted” chalkware including mermaids, hula girls and pin-up girls. She uses a Freeman McFarlan reproduction vintage mold for each piece and decorates them with pearls. The hand poured, hand painted mermaids with the pouty red lips are her best seller.

Pretty cool! How to win:

Win a set of Cats Like Us / Barbie K
Chalkware Mermaids

The rules:

  • Winner gets to choose their mermaid — check them out, there are 6 different sets, 3 haircolors. So to enter the contest, Comment and answer the Important Mermaid Question: Blonde? Brunette? Redhead?
  • I’ll choose the winner by Random Number Generator Tues. morning-ish, Nov. 1.
  • You must reply to my email within 7 days or else I move on to the next in line. I’m not chasing you. Make sure your email is correct.
  • You may choose from Cats Like Us’ in-stock collection (no special orders).
  • Ships USPS 3-day — U.S. only.

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224 comments

Comments

  1. Lisa says

    October 31, 2011 at 9:24 pm

    Blonde Cherry!

  2. RetroSandie says

    October 31, 2011 at 9:23 pm

    I’ll choose BLONDE in pink!! These will fit my Ooh La La bathroom just fine! Thank you! 🙂

  3. Leah says

    October 31, 2011 at 6:34 pm

    How do we enter?

    Red
    Leah

  4. Misty Ratliff says

    October 31, 2011 at 6:33 pm

    The lime blonde is the perfect one for my bathroom as I am redoing it in lime and cherry red. It is going to be so retro. My mom had these same mermaids in the bathroom as I was growing up. Everytime she changed the color of the bath she would repaint the mermaids. Thank you for such a great nestalgic memory.

  5. Elizabeth Collins says

    October 31, 2011 at 6:15 pm

    Lime Blonde! I love all of them, it is hard to choose!

  6. Amanda says

    October 31, 2011 at 5:57 pm

    Redhead with aqua tail! I shall call her “Gilda”. original, I know.

  7. Paula says

    October 31, 2011 at 5:35 pm

    Brunette, of course! Nothing like sultry chalkware!

  8. Shanna says

    October 31, 2011 at 5:22 pm

    Ooh, adore these as a lover of vintage and mermaids!
    As a proud brunette, I gotta say brunette!
    Love the yellow tails! The redheads with black tails are pretty sassy, too!

  9. Viv says

    October 31, 2011 at 5:19 pm

    My daughter is dressing up as a brunette mermaid for Halloween. Definitely the cutest!

  10. Elizabth Masarik says

    October 31, 2011 at 4:18 pm

    blond with aqua tail 🙂

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