Share-in-Style: Fruit with Mis Papelicos!

Ta-daa! And the secret reveals! 

Why did I have a reason to go to Goodwill? Because gorgeous, ever inspiring and so lovable Sacramento of Mis Papelicos kindly asked me if I would like to partner with her Share-in-Style: Fruit this time. Would I? Would I?! But of course! I am happy and honored to do it!

So how was this a reason to go to Goodwill, you ask me? Simply because I did not have one single clothing item with fruit print on it in my writer's closet. Not one! And it's really strange because I adore fruit and berry patterns, and you can find many fruity things in my home, everything from dishes to artwork. But not a thing in the clothing department. So naturally, I went thrifting.

I had such a lucky day that day and amongst many other beautiful things which fit me perfectly, was a shirt with subtle embroidery of a whole bunch of summery things, including fruit slices. I thought of a photo shoot. I designed it. I put together an outfit. We did the shoot. And... I was not satisfied at all! It just was not right. Sometimes I can't explain, I just know it isn't what I want. I was disappointed, of course, but to be honest with you, at the end I am glad that it worked the way it did. I will probably find a way to style my thrifted shirt in the future, but not just yet. Because what I really wanted to share with you for the longest time was my passion for home decor, and one of the most favorite motives of mine actually is FRUIT!

The set of dishes and a pitcher you see here is a small part of what I collected over a couple of years thrift hunting. I first found this pattern while traveling. It reminded me of something my Mom would have when I was little. Fruit and berries say childhood to me, and I love my childhood. I miss my parents' home which is thousands of miles away, on the other side of the earth... Each piece of that very first dish set cost me only a few cents, so I did not think for too long and got them all. The rest, as they say, is history... 

Thanks to the Internet, I learned that the pattern was discontinued, and dishes were originally made in 90s (1991-1997). Apparently you can still find replacements here or on eBay and other sites, a few dollars a piece (not cheap). I from time to time find this particular design made by other makers, but the quality of print isn't nearly as good, with lots of scratches on the design. So I always look for the right label - Savoir Vivre (the pattern is Luscious). There are over 50 pieces in my collection now - and we use them every single day!

Here is another side of me which I haven't shown on this blog yet. I am a box collector for over a decade now. There are probably a couple of hundreds boxes of many different shapes, sizes, techniques and countries of origin that I own. I still manage to find something I had no idea exists from time to time, often in thrift or antique shops. On the photo above you see three boxes from my collection which are related to the topic of fruit. The porcelain apple box has a stamp of Metropolitan Museum of Art on the inside. It's less than 3 inches across, very realistically painted, completed with a bee!  The basket with grapes is by Rucinni - it caught my imagination the first time I laid my eyes on it. It's one of the very first boxes I bought intentionally for my collection, over 10 years ago, and it is still one of my favorites.  Can you guess why the third box is here? How is it related to the topic of fruit? It's actually really simple, though completely fascinating even to me. Ready to hear it? It is made of fruit! Yes, it is actually made of orange peel in Argentina. I've never seen one like this one before or after I found it on eBay... The tablecloth is a thrift shop find, or, actually, it was included with the fabulous picnic basket which I showed in this post - all utensils in a pristine condition for only $20 (similar one on Amazon).

I am also a collector of visual art. Both Justin and I come from creative families. Justin's Mom and brother are artists. My brother and daughter are artists, and so are Justin and I in many different ways. So it is only natural for us to be art appreciators. Nope, we aren't rich, at least not yet, but you don't have to be to collect pieces which resonate with you... it's just like with inexpensive clothes from thrift shops. There are some gems all over thrift and antique shops for a few dollars (and sometimes even a few pennies!)... The oil painting you see above is by Wagoner and dated 1975 (I was just a wobbly toddler at the time). I love the use of color! I want to eat the fruit, imagining how juicy they are. It's an antique mall find (around $30).

As for real fruit... When it's time for harvest, wouldn't it be lovely to throw on an airy, breathable peasant shirt and a pair of old comfy jeans and go to an orchard to harvest some delicious apples or cherries, or what the heck, bananas... whatever your favorite fruit is! (By the way, I saw bananas growing... I would never have guesses that that's how they grow! Sort of up side down from what I thought! In abundant bunches, very much like grapes!)

So that's my story for you today. I will be glad to find as vibrantly patterned skirt or dress some day as some of my beloved collectibles here. But for now, I will leave you with another denim look which I really like. Enjoy and join the fun here or at Mis Papelicos! Tell us - what's YOUR fruit story?

Blouse and vest - Chico's.

Jeans - Lane Bryant.

Shoes - Converse (only $9 - Nordstrom Rack find this Spring).

Earrings and pendant - Russian finift and filigree (eBay, years ago).