Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Soap....



Soap is one of those common denominators that we all share.  Gone are the days of just Ivory or Dreft. Soap is big business! With that in mind, there are a lot of choices in shapes and scents.
The turquoise soap shown above is a product found on  etsy.  Etsy is a wonderful online store featuring handmade items made by artisans.  (note-this item is hand made and not always available as many mass produced soaps are!) If it is not available, just keep checking back for new supplies to be listed.
Fresh is a brand that I love . Their soaps are oversized, great for the bath , hard milled to last and come in a number of scents . These bars are wrapped with decorative papers and tied with wire and a small polished stone centered over the label.





This is another soap found on Etsy. This amber colored soap  looks great in a powder room and has a wonderful dragon embossed on the front.  It fills the room with the scent of  pungent incense . This one is also sold out often due to it's popularity. Just keep checking back, for new supplies!



Marseilles is synonymous with the word soap.  Savon de Marseilles was an earth friendly green product way before the term "eco- friendly" was coined. Made from olive oil and sea salt, this soap is perfect for the kitchen, removing strong smells such as garlic from the hands without drying the skin.





This is a little whimsical soap with french influence...uh....in the form of french fries...get it? It would probably be best in a powder room as well or a child's bath. 


Now we're talking elegance! I absolutely love these soap leaves. They look great in a powder room, laundry room, master bath, wherever you please! They are formed from real mango leaf impressions and are honey scented. Twenty leaves to a box!





This soap comes with a Parisian ribbon and the wonderful blue graphic PARIS on the paper. It would make a great presentation for a gift basket.


How can I forget the dudu-osun soap from Africa? This black soap is made from native plants and herbs, long sought after for it's cleansing properties. The color is great for a man's bath or a mud room where dirty hands need a little help! 
Soap is something that most people will touch while in your home. You can make a statement by purchasing something unique and as individual as you are! Remember, it's all about the details!

Friday, May 8, 2009

Curiosity Cabinets....













Being a woman and a natural "gatherer and hoarder", I have always been drawn to curiosity cabinets.  Their origins trace back to the 1500's with the first collections featuring oddities from the animal, mineral and vegetable kingdoms.








Google image
These early collections were precursors to science museums.
















Collections evolved to contain religious artifacts, art and oddities from travel abroad.  Featured in cabinets or on table tops, these curiosities would be focal points of parlors to spark conversation with guests that visited the room.











                      Maison et Objet Paris 2008


This is where I begin to salivate! In 2008,  I attended  one of the largest european  decorative trade shows,Maison et Objet, where there is a entire section devoted to curiosities!


                                                    Maison et Objet Paris 2008
                                    

Rows of fossils and minerals on display stands along with groups of books bound with string were staples for collections.



                                                  Maison et Objet Paris 2008







                                                   Maison et Objet 2008

Corals, sponges and other marine creatures available to the trade.






Here is a great example of true curiosity cabinets!





If all of this is just clutter to you, consider the work of Andy Paiko. He offers a  modern twist on curiosity collecting.  Working with glass, he creates wonderful display domes often featuring glass coral in the stems.




Personally, I am looking for a taxidermist to replicate this "Shakespearean" mouse to cram into my already over cluttered collection! Whatever your passion, your home should invite people to touch and converse about your treasures!!


Special thanks goes to Lynne Rutter of  The Ornamentalist. She provided me with the source for the "Hamlet Mouse"( found at Paxton Gate in San Franciso). Lynne, you made me very happy!
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