Underground Overground

I once read that the more you try to diet and restrict the intake of a particular food, the more likely you are to crave that food above all else. For example, chocolate (possibly doesn't hold true for cabbage). So it is that, several weeks after declaring a major household purge on all items that are neither beautiful nor useful (thank you William Morris) or are simply too numerous, I find that I am trawling Etsy and Ebay to sate a few little obsessions, looking for more stuff to fill the house with.

Namely, Wombles and Kiwiana (NZ kitsch - like Australiana).

Suddenly I can't get enough of Tomsk, Tobermory, Great Uncle Bulgaria and the rest, nor paua shell and hei tikis. I suspect it's the thrill of the chase, more than anything. I have resisted the urge to buy so far, holding myself to a cooling-off period instead.

Do you have any little fascinations on the go at the moment?

Two womble pencil toppers found at - http://www.etsy.com/listing/159533883/retro-70s-womble-pencil-toppers?ref=col_view&atr_uid=8174340

Wombling free - http://www.etsy.com/listing/120372772/vintage-womble-stuffed-toy?ref=sr_gallery_2&ga_search_query=womble&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_search_type=all

Not many toucans in NZ, I don't think, but oh well - http://www.etsy.com/listing/100671739/paua-shell-toucan-or-paua-shell-pelican?ref=col_view&atr_uid=11126389

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/230973656336?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649