• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Blog
  • Exterior
  • Other Rooms
  • Decorate
  • The “Museum”
  • Be Safe/Renovate Safe
Retro Renovation
Retro Renovation

Retro Renovation

Remodel & decorate in Mid Century Style

  • Home
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Blog
  • Exterior
  • Other Rooms
  • Decorate
  • The “Museum”
  • Be Safe/Renovate Safe
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.

CATEGORIES:
reader open threads

Reader Interactions

Comments are closed. 

224 comments

Comments

  1. jacqui homer says

    October 26, 2011 at 1:59 pm

    The blonde ones are awesome!!!

  2. Katie B says

    October 26, 2011 at 1:56 pm

    <3 Cats Like Us! <3 my hometown!!

    Redhead, like me!

  3. Gracie Manasco says

    October 26, 2011 at 1:55 pm

    Redhead with gold! Will totally match my other vintage chalkware in the bathroom!

  4. Amy Harvey says

    October 26, 2011 at 1:47 pm

    I think that I will never sees(seas), mermaids loverly as these ….

    I would LOVE the redhead set, PLEASE! XO

  5. Molly D says

    October 26, 2011 at 1:37 pm

    A mermaid would look so great with my pair of chalk ware fish my aunt painted in the 60s! Brunettes for life 😉

  6. Raygen says

    October 26, 2011 at 1:25 pm

    Ahh so hard to pick!!! I think red head with the black tail would look awesome in our bathroom but they are all so great!

  7. Eartha Kitsch says

    October 26, 2011 at 1:20 pm

    Those beautiful brunettes! I’m glad that she is remaking these in vintage fashion. The prices on them are completely out of this world ridiculous in most places.

  8. duki says

    October 26, 2011 at 1:08 pm

    Absolutely adorable!

  9. ellen shively says

    October 26, 2011 at 12:58 pm

    i FLIPPED when i saw these! my mom made these for our bathroom in the 60’s. she painted hers turquoise with blonde hair. i would DIE for the blonde turquoise set. what a find!!! love your FB links 🙂

  10. Emily Clarke says

    October 26, 2011 at 12:57 pm

    I’m a redhead so I’d have to go for the redhead with the gold tail. So cute!

« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Primary Sidebar


Footer

Follow Along

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RENOVATE SAFE
  • About
  • Blog
  • The “Museum”
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Exterior
  • Other Rooms
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Notice
  • Disclosures
  • Contact

© 2026 Retro Renovation® • All Rights Reserved • Website by Anchored Design
Please do not use any materials without prior permission. Portrait by Keith Talley Photography