In a comment to my recent post A Tale of Two Paintings, Sandra asked me to post a close up of the picture shelves above my sofa that could be seen on the last photo. I replied that if you google picture shelf or picture ledge, you'll find similar ones at for example Ikea or Amazon. They are also called floating wall shelves in some ads, and they can be used for displaying anything from paintings to photos to small objects and figurines; with the advantage that you can easily change decorations around without making new holes in the wall. I bought mine in a local shop when I moved into my present flat (12 years ago). Not that I usually move pictures around all that much, but it happens.
Today I started taking down some of my Christmas decorations - starting with tomtar, i.e. little gnomes and Santa figurines. (Just as I put up decorations gradually during December, I also tend to take them down gradually during January, one category at a time.)
As it happens, one tomte family of little dolls knitted by my mum, spend their Christmases on one of those picture shelves. And just as I stretched out my hand to take them down to send them back to their rest-of-the-year-home (a box in my storage room), I heard tomtefar (Father Christmas) say: "Hey! How about some photos? I know it's on Sandra's wish list, and it would be a pity to keep her waiting until next Christmas..."
The painting of Tower Bridge is one that my parents bought from a "street artist" in London back in 1969, on our first family holiday to England/London. And it's one of the paintings from my parents' house that I wanted to keep, as I remember so well when we bought it. I thought I might even have a photo of the artist with his works spread out on the pavement. But when I check my photo album, there is no such photo there - only in my memory.
These little gnomes are awesome! Especially the one that is holding a baby. Your Mom was so talented! So these floating shelves can be moved without nails...do they stick on or what?
ReplyDeleteNo, no, no... The shelves as such have to be firmly nailed (or screwed) onto the wall... The point is that it's easy to change what you choose to put on display ON the shelves...
ReplyDeleteThe painting is definitely one I would have kept, too, if I were you.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember you having introduced the tomtar family to us before, they are so sweet!
Meike, yes, I have probably shown them before. My mum made a lot of little dolls like these for Christmas market lotteries for the local history society in their village. But this particular family used to live on her own bedside table (at Christmas).
Deletei am loving the little family as much as the shelves. thanks for the photos.. i really like this idea because you can put different sizes, or asccessorize with one picture. it is a beautiful painting. i did find similar ones on Amazon and wow, they have a zillion types to choose from. thanks for the post
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it, Sandra - and thanks for the inspiration.
DeleteOh how often has that photo that I definitely took only been a memory or, if I really did take it, where on earth did it disappear to given that I don't think I've ever thrown a photo away in my life.
ReplyDeleteGraham, I know that feeling all too well. I'm not sure there ever was a photo in this case; but if there was, it wasn't in my album.
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