Saturday, September 13, 2008

Window sills and bread bins

In my house, every surface is covered with stuff. I really can't help it - what else to do with all the beautiful finds from carboot sales and charity shops? On the kitchen window sill ...


I would love to have everything in my kitchen this greeny colour (what is it called?) The Fortnum & Mason tin is from my visit to London a few years ago. The jug is a Susie Cooper which I picked up in an antique shop.

On tiny kitchen shelf meant for, well, I do not really know what ...
This is the old jelly mould I got at the carboot sale - I keep bottles of vanilla syrup and olives in it.

Further along kitchen window sill:

Got these two Villeroy and Boch bowls at a local junk shop. There is that colour again! and I love the pattern - they date from the 70's I think.

Kitchen worktop area:

The wire stand in the foreground is for cooling and displaying cookies and bread, but Le Husband uses it for drying crockery. Honestly, what can I say ....

On top of breadbin:

That colour again! I buy this green tea just for the bottles - I don't really like the taste so much.

Bathroom window sill - remember the succulent & rusted tin can project?
The sculpture is the clay maquette I sculpted for a buddha head I made in bronze. It has survived the process (lost wax) remarkably well; usually the clay gets twisted and bent when you remove your fibreglass mould. I actually prefer my clay maquette to the bronze. Sigh.

Bedroom window sill.

Collection of old bottles and glass. (Hey, this window needs a wash! It faces onto an alley at the back of the house and is at foot level, so it is always splashed with spatters of mud. I'm not making excuses. Okay, I am ....)

Living Room:
This is a storage box for magazines and games. Yay, another surface!!

Wooden sculpture (found at charity shop), a hand-carved notepaper holder (Le Husband's mom), and a box I mosaiced with eggshell pieces.

Sunroom windowsill:

I love the combination of glass and succulents.

In the hallway:

When all the surface areas are covered, I invent new ones. This is a piece of wood I picked up on a local beach - it makes a beautiful rack against the wall - I use it for old bottles, crystals, and on the side I hung some broken shells I collected one afternoon in Hermanus. (Never turn up your nose at broken shells - most of them are weathered to make a lovely hole you can use to string it into a garland ...)

10 comments:

Unknown said...

I love your stuff, the green in the kitchen and the Buddha.

kendalee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
kendalee said...

Beautiful things! Love those Villeroy and Boch bowls and the the wooden shelf with shells - gorgeous. And, honestly, what other purpose do windowsills fulfil if not for the display of lovely stuff?

Sorry, hit post only half way through the thought... so deleted that comment and posted this one...

My Castle in Spain said...

Hello, I've just read your comment about on Karina's lovely blog and just felt the impulse to tell you : "wow!...you're great !"

Do you still dance tango ?
:-)

Anonymous said...

Le bottle washer and part time 'usband says: The wire stand is the ONLY free space in the kitchen where crockery can be left to dry - just look at le photo's for proof ...

Anairam said...

karina - I'm glad you like it! (I still haven't found out what that funny light green is called though.)
kendalee - Man, I'm so happy I found those bowls, they are just perfect for soup for Le Husband & moi.
my castle in spain - Thanks so much for stopping in to say hello! (I love the pictures you post of Andalusia on your blog - it looks like a wonderful place to live & work.)
Le Anonymous bottle washer - Part-time only?! Now you tell me!

evencleveland said...

So many beautiful little tableaus ... and that green is one of my favorite colors too.

I wish I could tour your house! These little peeks are so tantalizing.

Quail said...

The eggshell mosaic box has inspired me to do something with some ostrich shells I've been hanging onto. I wanted to make beads but then couldn't find a drill on the market to make little donut rings to string the beads!

Anairam said...

stephanie - You are welcome to come tour anytime you wish! It is a wee house though, so you have about most of it ... I will show a couple more photos at some other time!
quail - Nice to meet you! The eggshell box was very easy, although it took me the longest time to remove the inside membrane from all the little bits. Silly me hammered the shell into tiny pieces before reading the instructions which said: "Remove the membrane first! I think ostrich shell is excellent for this project - it is thicker which will make the grouting look better, and it has that lovely textured surface. Would love to see your finished project!

Jennifer said...

how do you have so much stuff and make it all look so...clean?
i love that green color too.
any tips on keeping succulents alive? i have one...for now.