Love this #92 Shell Art

It’s been a while since my last Love this post, and as I keep pausing over these images as I scroll through my photos I thought it was about time.

I was - and am - absolutely smitten with these when I saw them on our visit to Houghton Hall last October, and could have quite easily have left with both of them, had my bank balance permitted. They are exquisite, and much more superior to my childhood shell art which I’m sure involved polyfilla, an empty plastic golden syrup tub and shells collected from the beach. There might also have been shells which we’d bought from the Shell Shop in Lyme Regis, a memory that definitely takes me back!

Both of these are by Blott Kerr-Wilson, a sea shell artist - and clearly one way above any of my childhood efforts, and quite frankly above anything I’d attempt even now. Both were on display in the stables, and both are pricey, just shy of £3000 - but oh, so lovely.

Who’d have thought that mussel shells (above) and sea urchins and tusk shells (below) could be quite so beautiful?

I’m not even going to say one day, but I know I’m glad I saw them and have a photo - as that’s as close as I’m going to get to these beauties - admiration from afar!

A fascination with boxes

Along with notebooks, I’ve got a bit of a thing about boxes. And it’s not something I’m sorry about. I mean when the boxes are as pretty as these, why would I? If you’ve seen this one on my Instagram feed recently you’ll know it’s another Instagram purchase from a vintage seller there. This one had me worried a little as it was slow to arrive, but once it was here I was smitten.

It wasn’t my intended purchase. I saw a vintage sign that made me smile, and it was that that caught my eye. Scrolling through more photos I spotted the box, and it was sold. Literally. I had no idea of its size, but that didn’t matter.

As you can see it’s not large, but is a decent enough size - and the amount of work it contains is amazing. MOH predictably asked where it would go when it arrived, but knew that disputing its existence was futile.

Much like when we walked into a room full of decorative boxes on our short break in Norfolk last year. I thought I had a photo which I could add to this post, but it seems I was too much in awe to do that. But clearly the memory has stayed, and it’s clearly going to be somewhere we revisit, often. That time I left with a candlestick instead of a box, but that was a blip, I’m pretty sure there’s a box in my future.

Instead though I’m sharing one that I already have. I know it came to me via dad, but that’s all I know. The name - L Higginson - isn’t one we know, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t either. But that doesn’t mean it’s any less of a box beauty.

What I’d forgotten though was all the photos it holds. And consequently the memories.

Including one of my four cats (none of whom are still with me) enjoying dinner on a distinctly dodgy looking (temporary) carpet in the kitchen in my old house. The memory of walking on cat food barefoot isn’t a memory I needed to recall though.

The detail on the boxes, including this mother of pearl keyhole, that’s something I don’t think I’ll tire of.

Azulejos, hand painted tiles

Well, when in Portugal and you get the chance to visit a tile factory where they hand paint azulejos, of course the answer is yes. Especially when it’s just over the road from your hotel, which was how it happened on our walking holiday in Portugal last June.

And by factory, I don’t mean large and automated. Think more of a place for specialist crafts to take place, though they did have a shop and I was very tempted by the tile above, for no more reason than I liked it.

The ‘factory’ was among residential streets, where we returned later for dinner in a local restaurant, and was set away from the main part of the town. Both made us feel incredibly welcome, with our own tour of the workshop and an explanation of the process, which hasn’t changed vastly, as you’d expect with a traditional craft.

The designs created here, are all hand painted, and are stunning. They create the traditional designs, as well as modern designs and take in custom commissions from across the world for private and commercial customers.

On our visit we were encouraged to watch the tiles being painted, and it was great to see. The detail, and process was fascinating and we were shown every stage of the process by our hosts.

Who’d have thought that we’d have the chance to see such beautiful tiles being created? Certainly not me, but I’m so glad we did. We almost didn’t as we’d been out all day and on our feet again, but it was definitely worth it.