New Directions

I haven't written in a while largely because I have been reflecting on the direction of my writing. While I began with more of a design angle, I've had a hard time focusing on just interiors. This is because 1. I'm not really a designer and 2. the more I think about it, the more I realize that I don't really want to be a designer! So I've shortened my links to all the "great" design blogs as an acknowledgment that I'm not aspiring to join their ranks. Of course, I still want to have a great blog! As I consider which parts of my "profession" as an antiquaire, I find most rewarding or can consider meaningful in the sense of contributing to society, I feel that the "art" portion is more rewarding than the "design" portion, though some may argue that design is also art. And sometimes it is.
I am going to begin to explore some creative non-fiction, and will try it out here on my blog. It will be slower writing but hopefully better quality. It will require more thought, editing, etc. The goal is an exercise in finding "my voice on the page" so-to-speak. Wish me luck and let me know what you think!

Lil' Blue Eyes

I don't mean to brag about my children too much...but this picture was just too stunning not to post. Marcelo's personality has recently begun to "come out" and he is such an affectionate little boy. He absolutely adored meeting his cousin Sofia last weekend and only wanted to hug and touch her. I know he will love his little sister when she arrives (it is confirmed we are having a little girl.) I've transfered him out of his crib into a bed this week in anticipation of her arrival. He seems to like it though still prefers to join mommy and daddy right about 2am. We'll have to see about that.
On a different note, today is the last day of my "Non-fiction Writing" class. I look forward to putting into action some of the things we talked about. I have really enjoyed being a student again, even if for just a few weeks. I have some new ideas about writing non-fiction in a fictional style that I want to put into practice soon. A book deal would be nice...

Herbs and Collections

The truth is that I have a thing for herbs. I already wrote about them in my kitchen, but here I am again, filling our store with herbs in little pots. It's quite a task to keep up with watering them everyday since the pots are so small. I just love them. This time I bought sage, dill, basil, and some tomato plants. Perhaps in another life I will learn to cook one day so I can justify growing these. My father thought I was really insane when I bought all these little pots out of a dusty warehouse in Lyon. He saw them and asked what in the world I wanted them for. "Charm, Dad, Charm". They weren't too much money or he probably would have objected. I love how they look all stacked up on shelves, right there, next to my other crazy "charming" purchase of 28 wooden decoy ducks. In fact, now that we are on the subject of all the hard-to-sell but Olga loves-to-buy items I have in the shop, I'll add this other picture of a very French vignette I put together:

Let's begin on the top shelf. We have two small cages which were used to buy live foul at the market. In the middle of the shelf we have two glass globes covering sea shell topiaries, circa 1870. Then more cages. Lastly, a doll that happen to come in a wicker doll carriage that I brought home for Cecilia. I had the interior relined and then Santa delivered it. Did I mention my daughter's room is entirely decorated with antiques? And yes, she does play with them. In fact, she especially loves old books.
Shelf two: a wax doll made by the Carmelite nuns in Avignon, this was under a glass dome that my father broke. They were religious mementos usually taking for instance part of a bride's dress to make the dress for the baby and then given to her as a gift upon the birth or baptism of her child. The baby rests on grape vines which symbolize the blood of Christ at the altar. So it is in essence a dedication of the child to Jesus Christ. A prayer for God to protect this child. Next up a hand forged iron candlestick, a carved sea shell, old locks, and a nice worn bell (something really useful for your home.) Then I have a real bird cage, meaning this one is for a pet bird, as opposed to the others which were for birds anxiously awaiting their fate. A marble mortar (another practical thing for someone like me who doesn't cook), with an iron pig coming out of it which has a scraper for your shoes on his back.
Shelf three: the second of two blackforest planters, an iron cigale or cicada which is the official "bird" of southern France, a wooden basket filled with collected pieces of Italian giltwood ornaments, a pair of apothecary jars, a mercury candlestick, and last but not least a terracotta gnome that came from a rooftop. Don't you just love his furly beard and pointy hat?