Tuesday 15 September 2009

Did you know? {Art in Life}


That I am crazy about gardening? When I last owned a house {in Zimbabwe nearly 4 years ago} {I still own the house but that's another story...}I landscaped a one-acre plot from scratch, that had a brook running through it that had to be diverted to run down the side of our property instead of through the middle of the house we were building. No earth-moving machinery mind you - just a host of dedicated Shonas all working for bread if they were lucky enough to find any. The garden of the property we now rent here leaves a lot to be desired but I still do "the best I can with what I have" once a week with the help of a labourer {I am loathe to call them "gardeners" as often the way they handle plants leads me to believe that they couldn't care less if they lived or died!}

We have quite a DVD collection. We often have "DVD nights" & watch certain movies like "Music & Lyrics", "The Holiday" & "Mamma Mia" over & over again & still laugh like crazy people! A few years ago I gave away all our videos, much to the entire family's horror {DH will hang onto ANYTHING, even if it doesn't work...} but we really needed to "get with the program" as I'm not even sure that you can BUY video machines anymore...

I have always loved turquoise jewellery - made stranger by the fact that I am not mad on turquoise clothes. I hang my jewellery on our bedroom cupboard handles so that it is easily accessible & doesn't get tangled up, as well as because I get to enjoy seeing it there rather than packed away in a drawer.

I have always wanted to learn to bead but forced myself not to, because if I started I know I would never stop & "bang" would go more scrapping time...

I also have a strange attraction to trivets...can't explain that one...well, I'll give it a go...I think it's the ornate designs???

And I LOVE clocks...in fact I have decided that, when we buy a house {dreaming here...} that I am going to start a clock collection & hang them all on one wall...strange but cool...

I REALLY love Shona sculpture. A LOT. I only wish I had collected more of it. And that so much of mine hadn't fallen victim to football abuse over the years...

I'm crazy about boxes. I think it's due to the fact that they are both decorative AND functional. I feel less guilty investing in utilitarian art perhaps? This box is from Sweden & carved somewhere in the mountains there {It came with a little printed "speel" on a card inside it} but I bought it in Zimbabwe {there were quite a few nice little shops there years ago in people's homes - all with goodies the owners had imported themselves so a really "mixed bag"}.

It sits on the counter between our dining-room & lounge & contains tea-light candles & matches, a room spray {Berry & Vanilla are my favourite scents} & a chain & padlock for our front-gate as there are occassions when the gate breaks down temporarily {it's electric/automated like most gates in South Africa}.

So there you have it - a bit about my life & the art that lies within it. Now I'd love to hear from you...

What do you treasure?


16 comments:

tania said...

thanks for sharing helen, makes getting to know you even more pleasant. hope the kids are better:)

Diana said...

Methinks this calls for a scrapbook page on the topic! You have the photos already... .

Vicki said...

Well, you are full of surprises! LOL. Can identify with the DVD's - have a fairly substantial collection ourselves, some of which get watched over and over as well.

topkatnz said...

You are right - liking gardening is CRAAAAAZY!!!ROFL come and do mine???

Stefanie said...

Lovely post, awesome glimpses into your life.

CathQuillScrap said...

A small glimpse into what makes you you... thanks. We have a host of videos (mainly kiddies ones) which we can't watch anymore as our machine is broken... I'm too snoop to give them away as I want to copy them onto dvd first!

Desire Fourie said...

Great to learn more about your. Love the idea of hanging your jewellery on door handles so that it can be admired all the time.
Hugs
Desire

Jacqui said...

We are now hauling the old children's videos out of hiding for our bambino and are so upset - they have worn/got old and damaged somehow - maybe from lack of use or something. always mean't to copy them to dvd and now it's too late!

Carol B said...

heehee I know what you mean about getting started with a new creative hobby. I do beading, and have begun scrapping, but I can't see myself getting as fully into it, and professional, as all you bloggers. (it is rather addictive though)

Andrea said...

I also LOVE boxes although haven't had the opportunity to collect many here....as for that dvd collection, we it could have been mine :0)
xxx
a

Ella Swan said...

Blogger just chomped my comment! Well that's a first!! Thanks for all your comments ;-D Surprised that I surprised you Vicki...how so??? Yes LS I do plan on doing more non-people pages next year. This year I still have tons of photos left to scrap & only 2 months to do it in 'cos I write off December {4 kids off school then & my December Daily to do...} I looked into copying the content of the videos onto DVD & it was the same price as buying the DVDs new so there seemed no point - I would rather have the originals in nice cases. I made a list that I keep in my handbag & am always on the lookout to replicate our collection as I find all the "oldies". Heidi- gardening is way more fun here where we employ a labourer to help us do the tough stuff!

Shayne said...

Love your jewells. I hang mine over my mirror - i think the jangling every time i opened my cupboard doors would drive me scats.

Thanks for the peek into your life - love posts like this - so random yet rather personal too.

Ella Swan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ella Swan said...

Whoops too many typos in that last comment of mine LOL! Was sayin'...I love random ;-D As you say Shayne...within the randomness there lies the character {if I may say so ever so randomly myself!}

Michelle Ramsay said...

Lovely post. I like your boxes - display and storage. WE have a huge collection of DVD's and CD's. We have made a list of the DVD's and if they are lent out we write down the person's details. I collect Beatrix Potter figurines - Royal Doulton and Beswick and also Border Fine Arts. I also enjoy gardening when I get there.

Sandra said...

We don't have a lot of stuff/treasures by choice. At the moment most things are up high or well hidden from curious wee hands. Guess when it is time to bring it out again it will be like having a whole lot of new stuff.

Love gardening too! We do all our own labouring though. Guess it's a kind of Kiwi thing not to employ help, but to just do it yourself. We are known as a DIY nation.