Collection

1. Woven basket from Exuma...2. Newspaper basket from Montreal Museum of Civilization

Although I do love simple pared down rooms, it's a very hard thing for me to achieve.  I do like my BITS. Other than chairs, I seldom buy new things for the house unless they are handmade things like pottery or baskets.  A good way to corral the Bits is in baskets.....which I collect. 

When we were in Exuma, I got talking to one of the vendors who came to the hotel for the festival. She was telling me that the local crafts people really count on the sales to tourists for their livelihood.  Often these "Holiday Vendor" items are things you may not think to use in your home.  Grouped together at a market stall, they can look like cheap or garish trinkets, however pared down in your own setting they can be beautiful and useful. 

The small blonde basket came from Exuma. The woman told me how much it hurts her old hands to make the baskets.  I use it for my small knitting projects (socks).  The larger basket came from the Museum of Civilization in Montreal. (not a stolen exhibit....from the gift shop) It's made out of old newspapers.  It holds a bunch of very messy dried pepper berries that I found on my walk.

This one is an Early Iroquois basket and is my favourite because I love Native American artifacts. When I had my DECORATING DILEMMA this past week, Suzan from Vegas, (who I met last year and went flea marketing with) and I chatted on the phone so she could give me advice about my living room.  She told me she GETS people quickly and what they are all about.  After meeting me she told me to get out my earthy elements..my handmade and natural Bits and use them sparingly to create a look that reflected who I am. She also told me to throw a few pine cones around.  So Earthy, Simple, Natural and Pine Cones it is, or rather I am. (minus the wine gums).

I left the tag on so I wouldn't forget this is an early Iroquois basket.

This old bowl has made the rounds in my house.  Now it sits on the dining table and holds Seasonal Decor. Like keys, and nail polish and odd bits that get dumped into it.  Only this week I bought my mum a few small pumpkins for her room (which she was very rude about "I don't want that, it's awful" (bless the stroke that gives her loose lips) but then decided to take one back to the Home to add a little seasonal colour, but mostly because she felt bad for telling me they were horrible.  There's a resident at the home who unknowingly steals from the other residents.  I think my mum is hoping she steals this pumpkin.

And this last basket is from Botswana....my brother spent several years there in the villages and brought several of these home. And I snagged one. Ginger Beer bottle was picked up whilst shopping in a very expensive antique shop in my Grand Dad's village Dorchester on Thames in the UK. I can't remember what I paid, but I do remember him telling me it was Highway Robbery. (God, I miss you Grand Dad...just had a wave pouff of emotion thinking about him...now I am tearful)

I'm loving the blur...looks like a painting...really caused by caffeine shakes and manual mode on camera.