What Makes My Kitchen…MINE ^_^

 

   Since I have been out on my own, I have gathered a number of objects that have really spoken to me. I believe that your space should represent your personality…and your kitchen is no exception! So, today, I am celebrating a few of my favorite kitchen things, the things that make my kitchen, well… MY KITCHEN. I know I haven’t had as much time to personalize my space as some of you, being relatively young to most people who have their own homes, but I have enjoyed every moment of it! I have had homes in Monterey, California, Pearl City, Hawaii, and now Saugerties, New York. My things reflect these places, and as I travel and live in other places, my kitchen is sure to evolve to reflect the changes :)

1) Bunny Salt and Pepper Shakers

Not my first pair, nor my last, but most definitely my favorite, these bunny salt and pepper shakers were obtained at a boutique in Tannersville, New York. The salt shaker is female, and pepper male, and they look at each other as if they are in love. The pastel colors and the fact that they are rabbits (I am currently the proud bunny-mummy to Poppy (2 years) and Sophie (3 months), and had a bunny Bruce, who passed away a year ago this past July 4th) are why I loved them when I saw them, and the fact that my husband, Christopher, bought them for me the second I turned my back makes me love them even more!

2) Floral Piggy Bank

I love this Piggy Bank for a few reasons. Firstly, it is a PIG, and if you keep reading this article, you will see that along with owls and hares, I LOVE PIGS. Secondly, growing up, my mom had a piggy bank in her kitchen, a big fat pig we named Daisy, for the flowers on her flank. She was a ceramic piggy bank procured at a yard sale, and whenever anyone had pocket change, they would feed it to Daisy. She went through a couple of paint jobs, but always has the same cute eyelashes and curling smile! So, I knew I also needed a kitchen pig, and when I found this one, I knew she was the one for me. The third reason why I picked this specific pig is the pastel floral print. Even since I saw the Greek Mythology segment from Disney’s Fantasia when I was a child, I have been in love with bright pastel colors. 

For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, watch this video :

My favorite FANTASIA segment…where I learned to love BRIGHT PASTEL colors

And so, when I found the adorable floral piggy bank at the Target in Sand City, California, I KNEW I had to have it! And so, Daisy II has been collecting change on my various kitchen counters ever since!

3) Guy in the Stocks Jar

One of my latest kitchen additions, and perhaps one of the quirkiest, my “Van Rossem’s Toebaek” tobacco jar is one of my favorite cooking spoon jars! I got it at a yard sale somewhere between Saugerties, NY and Cooperstown, NY on the way home from a week-long Cooperstown vacation with my husband.

front view

back view

I Googled the words on the back of the jar recently, and apparently a whole bunch of them were made in the 1930’s as tobacco humidors. There are many available on online auction sites, but none are available quite as cheaply as I obtained mine! I fell for this jar because of the quirky picture of the villager in the stocks…enjoying his tobacco!

4) Samurai Lion Seppuku Jar

When I first saw this jar, at a Goodwill in Honolulu, HI, I just thought it was a cute lion I could put my spoons in. On closer observation, this lion is a samurai (he has the hairstyle in the back!) committing Seppuku, a Japanese suicide ritual. Seppuku means “stomach-cutting”, and that is exactly what my little lion is doing! You can see the hilt of his sword sticking out of his stomach. This is a very interesting piece, and according to the bottom of the jar, was made in Okinawa.

 

5) Crowley, the Crown-Tailed Betta

I bought Crowley to be a pet and a decoration when Christopher and I moved into our Saugerties, NY apartment this past February. His underside is bright red, and the rest of him blue, green and purple. An exceptionally easy-to-care-for pet, and an exceptional beauty, this little guy is my cooking-buddy.

6) The Green Lady and the Forest Painting

I fell in love with this ceramic relief of the green lady (Google green man/green lady from Celtic mythology, or read this Wikipedia page if you need to brush up http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Man) As a lover of everything IRISH, I immediately fell in love with the smiling face sticking out from the flowers and leaves. Christopher and I bought her while passing through Cherry Valley, New York, at a Celtic shop there. Everything there was amazing, but the Green Lady was my favorite. Hand-made by the owner of the shop, she hung there for twenty years before I came along!  The forest painting next to it is an acrylic on plastic painting, made by Christopher’s father, Joseph Martiello. He gave it to us when he came to visit, and when I saw how well the greens in it went with both my kitchen and the Green Lady, I decided to hang it beside her!

.

7) Piggy Kitchen Gadgets

Above my stove is my collection on Piggy Kitchen Gadgets. I have been slowly collecting the set since 2009, when my mum sent me the whisk and the rubber spatula. The spoons, tongs, and finally, egg-timer followed, and I completed the set in early 2012. There may be more out there, and if there are, I will find them!

This collection is made by Joie, and is called the Piggy Wiggy kitchen set, in case anyone wants them too!

8) Owl Teapot/Cup for One

This was a Christmas present in 2011 from my sister, and I love it! It is a teapot for one, sitting on top of a mug. The set also includes a teabag holder, which I forgot to photograph. I really love owls, and I love tea, so this was a perfect gift for me!

9) Vintage Mickey and Minnie Cookie Jars

Perched atop my refrigerator are these adorable, vintage Mickey and Minnie cookie jars, from the 1940s. My husband found them in mint condition at an antique store in Saugerties, and bought them for me this past Valentine’s Day. Whimsical and romantic, I feel lucky to have them ^_^

10) Magnets from Places We’ve Been

My husband started collecting magnets from places the two of us have been, including Las Vegas, Hawaii, and San Francisco, to name a few. While the collection isn’t enormous yet, there is plenty of room for growth, and we look forward to adding to it. I love the personal touch it gives the kitchen, and now, when we travel, we look for unique magnets to add to our collection.

11) Precious Piggy Calendar

Yes, I do LOVE pigs, especially in my kitchen! That is why, this past December, when I saw the 2012 Precious Piggy Calendar by David McEnery in Barnes and Noble, I had to have it. Each month features a new pig, in an adorable black and white photo that has one spot of color. As you can see, September features an adorable piglet in a basket with a bright yellow sunflower. There is a 2013 edition, here: http://www.calendars.com/Farm-Animals/Precious-Piggy-2013-Wall-Calendar/prod201300002741/?categoryId=cat00340&seoCatId=cat00340

I must get the new one before the new year!

12) Wooden Wizard

My husband, Christopher, found this wooden wizard/cloaked wanderer statue at a yard sale in Monterey, California. I immediately likened it to a Lord of the Rings sort of decoration, and have loved it ever since! Presiding over my knives, this wizard is sort of like the guy from the Led Zeppelin Album, or could have been an interpretation of Gandalf. Either way, the geek in me loves having him around!

 

Feel free to share with us what makes your kitchen, well…YOUR KITCHEN, in the comment box, or via Facebook! Like Pink Forsythia on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pinkforsythia .