Hello Kitty: The Mermaid Version

I've always enjoyed Hello Kitty. Whenever I see a piece of Hello Kitty merchandise that I really like, such as some nice stickers, or a cute notepad or figurine, I'll buy it if it's within a reasonable price range. I'm definitely not an avid collector though, like I am with mermaids. So imagine how pleased I was to have come across some Hello Kitty Mermaid items over the last several years!

The first Hello Kitty Mermaid item that I added to My Mermaid Collection was a diecut velvet poster for coloring, which I found at Michaels about 7 or 8 years ago. It was the only one of its kind on the shelf, and I snapped it up right away.

I really like the idea of Hello Kitty as a mermaid, with her cute floral motif and sweet little tail. The dolphin, starfish, shells, and friendly fish complete the picture.

I wonder if one day I'll have the courage to open this package up and actually color the poster!

I also received another Hello Kitty Mermaid item a few years back as a little Christmas gift from a coworker, it's a keychain.

Although it is quite sweet, it's fairly cheaply made, and the application of color is a bit sloppy. But it's the thought that counts, and this little keychain makes another nice addition to My Mermaid Collection.

How many of you have found Hello Kitty Mermaid items out there? I would love to hear about what they are, and where you found them.

See you in a week, and take care.

C

Delicate Beauty: A Mermaid Plate

Several years ago my husband went on a business trip to Florida, and due to some scheduling conflicts I couldn't go with him. He did bring me back an absolutely beautiful souvenir, however. Once I unwrapped the shirt that was wrapped around the pajama pants that were wrapped around the bag that contained the box that held the bubble wrapped object, to my surprise and delight I held up a decorative plate featuring a pretty mermaid swimming with her dolphin friends.

 

No wonder my husband packed this item so carefully in his luggage for the return trip! The plate is quite delicate and tips over fairly easily from the base. I love the colors though, and the fine detailing throughout. Here is a close up of the mermaid, you can see she was painted with a surprising degree of care.

The price tag for this plate was only $6.50, (if you can believe it!) from a store called Marine Treasures in Dania Beach, Florida. What an excellent find! I was so excited to receive this souvenir, and I hope to perhaps one day visit this very same shop with my husband and look for more mermaid artifacts. Here is a picture of the whole plate from another angle with different lighting. You can really see all the gorgeous textures and colors.

How many of you have found and/or own decorative plates with mermaids as the subject? I wonder how common or uncommon a piece like this might be. I'd love to hear what other people out there have discovered. Please let me know in the comments!

Until next week, take care.

C

Making A Mark: Mermaid Stamps

As I sifted through My Mermaid Collection this week deciding which item to feature next, my eyes rested on 2 particular items, and I was transported back in time to 1997...

It was a gorgeous August day, and my boyfriend and I were on a trip to Vancouver. He had lived there for several years when he was younger, and visited friends and family there often. I had only ever been there once with my family as a little girl, so I was pretty excited to explore this interesting city with a seasoned pro. That day he took me to Westminster Quay Public Market, a wonderfully eclectic mix of shops and services right on the water.

Inside the market, we found this awesome little shop that sold rubber stamps. Hundreds of designs, every shape, size and category, and ink and stamping paper as well. It was really cool, but the best part? I found 2 mermaid stamps!

I was so excited. Once I found these two, we completely scoured the store to make sure there weren't any other mermaid stamps that we'd missed. But we had found the only mermaid stamps in the entire store. Back at home, I went to a local arts and crafts supply store and purchased some ink to try out my stamps. Over the years I have purchased different colors of ink for different purposes. I also took a blade and very carefully modified the smaller stamp by shaving off the words "This Book Belongs To", so that I could use the stamp for scrapbooking and card making.

Stamping is tricky. When I began I used to make lots of mistakes, like not using enough ink and having blank spots, or using too much ink and smudging the imprint, or moving the stamp accidentally while pressing down and blurring the image. But practice makes perfect! The larger mermaid stamp imprints beautifully and is very intricate. I love the detailing on the tail, and the little fish are very cute as well.

The smaller mermaid stamp also imprints very nicely, and she is much more versatile with the removal of the words. I love the unique nature of these two stamps. When I was researching for this post I Googled "mermaid stamps" and even after searching through 2 pages worth of links, and over 20 pages worth of images, I didn't find these two particular mermaid stamps anywhere! Interestingly enough, the next time I went to Vancouver and visited the Westminster Quay Public Market, the stamp shop was no longer there. So I'm glad I unearthed these treasures while I could!

Do any of you have mermaid stamps? If you do, where did you find them? I'd love to hear your comments and/or stories.

See you next week! Until then, take care.
C

My First Mermaid: Sandy Sea Wee

She's only 4 inches tall, but packs a delightful visual punch for such a tiny mermaid. A doll produced by Kenner in the late seventies and early eighties, the Sea Wees were what started my mermaid collection as a little girl. According to the package, her name was Sandy, so to my 4 year old self "Sea Wee" was obviously her last name, and I wouldn't have a bath without my "Sandy Sea Wee" from then on.

If only I had known to take a bit better care of my Sea Wees dolls, for alas, Sandy is all that remains of the bunch that I had. The other dolls suffered such fates as accidental beheadings (they weren't really made that well) and losing most of their hair, or faded coloring on their tails and faces. What I love the most about Sandy Sea Wee is her cheerful smile, the shape of her tail (including those cute little scales) and the simplicity of her structure.

How many of you had Sea Wees dolls? Do you still have them, and if so, what kind of shape are they in? I'd love to hear your comments and/or stories.

See you next week for the next item from My Mermaid Collection, and take care.
C

Welcome to My Mermaid Collection!

For everyone out there who loves mermaids, this is a new blog I am dedicating to you! I have been fascinated with mermaids since I was 4 years old and watched the animated version of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" for the first time. Over the years, I have amassed quite an extensive collection of all things mermaid, and I will be featuring components of my collection each week on this blog, for your viewing pleasure and subsequent discussion. I welcome your comments and questions, and I'd love to see what wonderful mermaid items other collectors out there may have.

I plan to have the first featured item from my collection photographed and uploaded very soon, so please check back over the next day or so and I'll get this blog off to a great start!

Until next time,
C