At this uncertain time in the world, where many are facing the continued difficulties of Covid-19, we just want to say that we hope you are able to find a small moment to breathe and hug someone close to you.
We wish everyone a safe and healthy Christmas.
Recently I have been experimenting with collage and I have been making some 'spoons' incorporating my favourite vintage book papers and twigs. They are very much at the beginning stages but I have had so much fun creating these little spoons from repurposed card and papers.
Spoons have always been close to my heart. I have some treasured old spoons that were my mothers and I have lovely memories of spending time in the kitchen with her. I also have an old table spoon that was my grandmothers and I love that it is thinning on the edge from so much stirring.
For me, spoons are metaphors for nurturing, love, sharing and generosity.
I have included a photo of my experiments in spoon making thus far which you will see are unfinished but I thought you might like to see a progress shot. I am only at the beginning of this series of work so I am hoping to develop it further over the January holidays when I have a bit more time.
Recently a lovely old friend of ours bequeathed me his childhood egg collection housed in a gorgeous old tin. He had been an avid young scientist as a boy growing up in Europe before moving to Tasmania and knowing my fascination and love of birds and their nests he thought I would appreciate them. How right he was!
A few have old labels that he had stuck on with sticky tape - old and yellowing now, but I rather like them. Most are small blue, white, speckled or brownish eggs but there is one large Black Guillemot egg which is rather extraordinary. From a medium-sized seabird found throughout the northern Atlantic coasts it has a rather amazing dark colouration on the base of the egg which also has quite a pointed shape at the narrower end.
These eggs are incredibly fragile and so at this stage I will leave them just as they were given to me - carefully nestled into the tin box with shredded red and old burnished glassine paper until I find a more suitable storage arrangement. I think I will try to research the different kinds of eggs that are not labelled and investigate what the bird and their nests are like which will be really interesting to do. Our local museum has some wonderful old egg collections that I may be able to use for my research. Do you have any natural collections that you treasure?
We feel so lucky to have such wonderful people who support our small business by selling our nests. The latest ones have just been picked up by Julie @theblackhen who photographs them so beautifully for her online store and has been selling them for us for over five years. We also sell them through Kylie @crazybeautifulhomewares in New South Wales in her lovely bricks and mortar store. Natalie @nestonrisby in Ulverstone also has a boutique bricks and mortar store where she has a range of our small aromatherapy and botanical inspired little nests. It was in her earlier store in Penguin in 2012 that we first started selling our nests.
For these nests we have walked on the mountain and on bush tracks and have gathered all sorts of found treasures from nature to build and construct them. Of course we only collect twigs, branches, seedpods and feathers that have fallen to the ground and most of the moss and floral elements are collected from our own garden or those of friends.
We have begun drying orange slices ready to string them up across our windows with pine cones and small branches of fir tree. As you can see in this photo some of the slices of orange stayed in the oven too long so they are rather burnished! We have decided that they will bring a lovely range of tones to our natural garland!
We have also been making quite a few nests and, as per the previous posts, many many vintage paper baubles to send off to our lovely customers. Our last orders have now been posted and so we are excited to begin decorating our home with our favourite old Christmas decorations hanging on the tree and a good sprinkling of tiny fairy lights and candles throughout our rooms. I can almost smell the scent of the pine tree!
Hoping you are also enjoying creating your festive home this Christmas.
Recently we have been reminded of the pleasure we get from our lovely customers who send us images of their "two in a teacup" purchases. Although we only post on Instagram intermittently and our handmade products are labour intensive to create so that we only have a small production rate, we love making them and are so, so pleased when they are enjoyed by our customers too.
We sent a tiny nest, some vintage paper baubles and gift tags to the mainland a little while ago and we were touched to see this lovely photo of our wares so delightfully displayed when they were unpacked.
