Wednesday, March 12, 2014

CHERYL BUTTS IN: What We Collect - Part 3

Cheryl in Wisconsin, once again.  I am posting about things I am drawn to.  Heavy metal, old house parts, and finally this – faces.  I love things with faces on them.  I don’t know why.  Someday I will get "past life regression hypnosis" and that may answer a multitude of questions.
This is the fireplace surround that I wrote about in Post 1.  The fact that it had this lion’s face on it made it that much more attractive to me.
Also from Post 1.  These are ornamental metal pieces I obtained because of their faces.

Purchased new from Marshall’s.  This guy has a tealight candle holder in his palm.  Love it!

This purple head was someone’s high school art project I found at a garage sale for a quarter.  The zeal I displayed in locating it caused some anxiety for the dude running the till at said sale.  I promptly brought it home and placed it in my garden when my nephew announced that it appears I have a small child buried up to their neck in my flowers.  Oh well.

Randall Wolff is an artist currently living in Iowa that, as a young adult, was fascinated by the ornamental pieces on the exteriors of buildings in New York City as they were being razed.  Randall was able to save a lot of those pieces and ultimately has casted them for reproduction.  This is my only piece I have purchased from him (for now), it is the head of a gargoyle from an elementary school.  It is said that gargoyles on the exterior of a building can scare away evil spirits.  Perhaps my ‘faces’ are what aid in the calmness of my home.  


I found this poster at a local thrift store, of all places.  Kismet!  It is titled The Faces of Fourth Avenue and has photographs of faces found on the exteriors of beautiful buildings along Fourth Avenue in Pittsburgh.  You all may recognize the Kool-Aid pitcher, I modified it a bit.  “Cheryl displays her Kool-Aid pitcher as art.”
 
On a final note:  You may see from these posts that my color palette is very monotone and minimal.  That is by choice.  Some people find it boring, I find it serene and restful.  Perhaps that explains my lack of ambition, my house just mellows me out…          It hasn’t always been this way.  When I lived in Chicago in the 90’s I was enchanted by the homes there – done up in wild wall colors, fabulous colorful advertising posters, spotlighting.  I carried that design with me when I moved back here, to Podunk.  After a while my interior design style evolved to the monochromatic.  I do have one room though that I allowed to maintain color – my back porch, which I have designated as my ‘craft room’.  It is where my friends and I unsuccessfully attempt to cut wine bottles in half, etc.  You may notice a tendency towards cobalt blue.
(Bliss, please note Jar of Doorknobs.  Friends:  Why do you have those?  Me:  Because I can.)


Thanks for allowing me to share these ramblings.  Danni, you are a gracious hostess.  I will put all you bloggers back where you belong – on the pedestal I have placed you upon.  And I will return to snarky commenter status.


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I would like to thank Cheryl for giving me a break and taking over my blog in such a fabulous way.  She can "butt in" here anytime!  I really hope she starts her own blog soon and we can see more of her awesomeness as well as enjoy her sense of humor!  (Cheryl, you can have a blog AND be a snarky commenter you know.)
 
 
 
 
 

34 comments:

  1. I enjoyed your guest posts, Cheryl. I am going back to white walls. I think collections show up better and it is less chaotic in the home of a collector!

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    1. Thanks, Carlene. With my small house/lots of stuff, I need to find the least chaotic methods possible!

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  2. Faces scare the hell out of me - especially gargoyles LOL - but I'd give anything to have your craft room - what is that table made of Charyl - black and white tile? LOVE!!!
    XOXOXO

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    1. I wrote this post BEFORE we had the 'faces conversation' on a IWLT Wednesday, so I have been looking forward to your comment!
      That table top was the 'lid' to my kitchen island which became too big for my kitchen so I dismantled the island and placed the top on an old drafting table for my crafting space. (I tiled that myself way back when, but I cheated and measured the top just-so so I wouldn't have to cut any tiles!)

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  3. I can do with that jar of doorknobs ! Loved reading your posts and I hope you will return soon {either as a guest ... or maybe your own blog !}

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    1. Thanks, Linda! There is a jar of doorknobs, a jar of metal finials, a jar of miscellaneous metal parts. I'm trying to develop a way to keep what I have 'visible' so that I use those things and don't forget I have them.

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  4. Are we twins!?!? Definitely twin junkers. I collect school art heads, doll heads, and garden heads. I have been playing around with papier mache heads for Santos figures. Isn't three scores in hockey called a "hat trick"? Where do hats go? ON HEADS! You scored big on all three posts, Cheryl. I have thoroughly enjoyed your posts here at Danni's as much as I enjoy your comments. I always look for the moon face when browsing through posts to see what you think.

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    1. Truly, Donna. When your post today was about that bust I laughed. Perfect timing!

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  5. The Kool Aid pitcher is the cooolest! I never considered faces as a collection until now, what a great concept. I really love how you keep the colors minimal, an interesting way to bring out the complexity in everything. It's been so nice having you fill in for Danni!

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    1. Thanks, Michelle! I didn't realize I collected face things until I had them in every room and it finally occurred to me: "oh". This past weekend I bought a silver serving piece which I now know I was drawn to because it has lion faces on it's leg thingies.

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  6. I love love love gargoyles. I collect them and have them coming up my sidewalk. It scares people away cuz they think my house is haunted. lol I am glad I'm not the only one who knows what their purpose is! You should start your own blog so I can leave snarky comments on your posts. I am with Michelle L. That is the best makeover on a Kool-Aid jug I have ever seen....well it's the only one, but definitely the best!!

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    1. A couple years back, a local gentleman in his 80's made concrete statues to keep himself busy. My friends and I went to shop his creations. One of them purchased a beautiful angel. One of them purchased an adorable bunny. And I picked out the gruntiest looking gargoyle. That's how I roll.

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  7. I always try for a monotone colour palette but little pops of colour keep popping up !! Your studio looks like a great place to work, lovely and bright. I'm not a big collector of heads but I had a beautiful 'green man' head in the garden till the recent winds knocked it off and it smashed. (Btw look up the green man on Wikipedia, I'm sure you'd love the pictures !)
    Cheryl's blog coming soon ???

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    1. Oh, Fiona, I'm sorry to hear about your green man. I am aware of that term and love that look.

      Danni has sent me instructions on how to set up a blog. The feeling I have about it is like diving off the highest diving board in childhood. You know what I mean? Looks easy from ground level then you get up there and suddenly it's the scariest thing known to man. I'd sit there and look down until the impatient person behind me would come and nudge my arse off the thing. Maybe that's what I need: an aggressive arse nudger.

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  8. The koolaid jug is KOOL! It rather resembles your gravatar, which rather resembles your collection of faces. Well if that's not being true to form I don't know what is. I've so enjoyed all of your posts and sense of humor, I've held off saying this, but...you should have your own blog..snarky comments and all!!!

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    1. Thanks, Amy! Funny that I chose the Moon Face! I did not even think about that.

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  9. We have heads all over the place--stuck on and in the house at various points. The artists who built the house thought it was important to have heads. So...now you'll be guest posting for lots of people?

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    1. Oh Kirby. That reminds me of the photo you posted of your outdoor fireplace with the fabulous 'head shelves'! Those people must be my kindred spirits.

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  10. Well I think your art is a "head" of the rest. "Facing" facts it's been great to get to know you :)

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  11. Oh my! Who would have thought that that is what Mr Koolaid looks like all done up in silver! I think our "sameness" ends here - at the heads and faces thing. But I still like you!

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    1. That is good to hear, Karen! I like you back. I have developed quite a fondness for everyone in this 'community'.

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  12. Yay Cheryl!! Your "face" face kinda looks like that pitcher. It's all making sense now!! Come back soon!

    -andi

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  13. As the saying goes "to each his (or in this case her) own. Objects with faces creep me out, especially those ceramic Mardi Gras masks. My best friend had a bunch of them in her room in junior high and it still gives me the chills just thinking about them. With that said, I think the buried child is fantastic.

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    1. I think the 'concept' of having faces all over would creep me out also. But somehow I was able to amass a collection. None of the eyes follow you through the room or anything... ☺

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  14. I love those metal faces in the tray. Gorgeous.

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  15. Cool stuff. Love metal ornamental pieces too

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  16. Well Cheryl, if this means this is your last post, you will have to start a blog! I love your style of writing and really have enjoyed your time here.
    You have quite the amazing collection of faces! Pretty cool...
    Debbie :)

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    1. Debbie, this may not be my last post. To all: Fair warning!
      Thanks about the faces!

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  17. What, pitchers are not display objects? At least door knobs are.

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    1. Good heavens, this just made me realize that I have a collection of pitchers as well. How many collections are sane people allowed?

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