Dynamic: 1: Characterized by energy and vigor; forceful. 2: Characterized by change and activity. I actually had to look it up to make sure it represented my thought. And, it does perfectly.

Are you a collector? Do you go thrifting or antique shopping, with that hope of coming home with just that special something. That sense of “what’s this” or “there you are”. Those are just some of the sensations I feel when I go searching for the perfect something. Do I come home empty handed? Lot’s of times. Do I feel disappointed a frustrated? Not usually, the thrill is in the hunt.

What do you do with it when you bring it home? Does it go right into its perfect spot, or does it get put on a shelf to be dealt with at a later date. I hate to admit that I have done this too. I don’t always know where something is going to end up. I don’t always know why I brought something home. Sometimes it’s just that the price was right, and it will help support something else. That is the case with this 2 handled shallow copper pan on the left, I recently purchased for 8.00. Sometimes it is just the perfect thing that I didn’t know I was looking for. And sometimes it is that thing, that I have been waiting for, for years. That is always so satisfying.

I started my collecting career with Yellow Ware Bowls. At the time this was an up and comer, and I could afford most of the pieces I bought. We had built in bookcases in our lower level room that needed filling. I will admit that I didn’t exactly know what to do with the bowls in the beginning. I liked their buttery soft color, with their imperfections and wonkiness. As the collection grew I figured out that I needed to do more than just line them up in the bookcases. I experimented with stacking various bowls, which helped to make it a bit more interesting.

What I determined is that everything needs support. A cabinet, shelf, a bookcase or even an end table, or chest can all benefit from the mix and mingle. In the above photo I have mixed a few yellow ware pieces in with my redware collection, while adding in a few antique leather books for texture. It works well because the colors compliment each other. And the yellow ware calms the busy of all the slip pattern in the redware.

Which brings me to the next question. If you collect containers do you leave them empty? For years I did leave most of them empty. But then I realized by filling the bowls they became much more dynamic. More interesting because of what was in them. Again looking at the photo above the heavily bodied bowl has a collection of wooden croquet balls. This is simple no hassle but helps to elevate this very simple bowl to something more interesting. The nested bowls above feature a ton of faux eggs and, the small bowl next to it has a beautiful porcelain hand painted pomegranate. This pomegranate left alone wouldn’t make much of a statement but placed in a pretty bowl you now take notice.

When I nested the bowls, they would get bumped and shift so I tried various things to keep them in place, I tried plastic grocery bags and newspaper inside the bowl, but I still found this to be unsatisfactory. Then I learned a trick. After all that effort in trying to keep objects in place I started filling the container with things. Black eyed peas, rose hips, dried berries, rice, potpourri, pebbles, anything that would allow the objects to nestle and stay put. This was brilliant because now I could make mini sculptures!

A simple pewter bowl loaded with faux pears and dried beans. A metal ribbon unfurls across the top makes this simple table scape a bit more interesting.

A relic of two almost 200 year old bowls one a small footed bowl the other a handless teacup holds another pear on a jewelry box in my bedroom, with a bundle of old books Shelley’s Works. My mom’s favorite poet!

Some other interesting finds that benefitted from a bit of a boost. If you’ve been with me, these images are familiar to you. Vintage Royal Copenhagen lambs nestled into an ironstone mold with a bed of Spanish moss, a vintage Wedgwood pitcher with hand made skewers, a good place to store them until I need them, and the brass tops are pretty and create an interesting juxtaposition against the pitcher. And an antique Pub Ware mug with antique pewter spoons.

Experiment with your treasures and see if you can enhance them by making something new. I loved my ironstone mold. It has great graphics but of course the interesting part of it is the actual mold. I plopped the lambs into the mold when I was moving both out of the way. A total surprise. They have been together ever since. Look at things in a new way and you will make your home more dynamic.

Give me a comment and let me know what you are working on. I would love to hear.

Thanks for stopping

Shelley