CABINET OF CREEPY CRAP
AKA THE WONDER CABINET
So, what the heck is a Wonder Cabinet? It's a place to put all the strange, odd things you just can't get rid of. Having all these things all over the place would be a mess, and a dusting nightmare. If I'm not mistaken, they started being used in Victorian times when "explorers" would being trinkets and souvenirs back from far away lands. Sort of like your own mini-museum. Mine's in the living room and is a cabinet I got at World Market. That thing holding the door open is some kind of cast iron leg, the chair was $6 at a yard sale (I got it covered), the pillows are from estate and yard sales. The prints that you can't see too good are from the art sale at school.
The first shelve has a bunch of religious items which I've been collection forever. The large BVM in the back belonged to my parents. I didn't know this photo was so blurry, sorry. There's an owl in the middle, which I guess is a tribute to Harry Potter ( not really)
Shelve 2: some Day of the Dead things, sand paintings, minerals and the stopper bottle is holding cat whiskers and claws. And some scorpions. That white item in front is a sand dollar, I found that on a beach!
Shelve 3: nature things, holy water holder that didn't fit on shelve 1, a glass bottle in the shape of a hand. The big shell in the back is a vase.
Bottom shelve: creepy hand candles, some more minerals, a face mask a friend made, spider and that odd thing with the face (Ray made that in grade school) is a lion, the tall bottle is a "Dream Jar" one of our students gave that to me after I designed the costumes for a play she wrote called "The Dream Jar". You write your dreams on paper and put them in the jar. And your dreams come true. I don't know if it works or not.
The top of the cabinet and a fake peacock ( it was sold as a Christmas decoration) a tin toy a friend gave me, Geisha (sp ?) that another friend gave me, the peacock feathers are in a beaded candle holder. I recently realized I have some sort of peacock obsession.
Another shot of the cabinet. Tibetan cymbells are from a lot at an auction, the cabinet had a boring knob, I replaced it with a fake vintage one from Anthropology. On the bottom, you can see the face my friend made a lot better.
Where do you keep your priceless treasure?
So, what the heck is a Wonder Cabinet? It's a place to put all the strange, odd things you just can't get rid of. Having all these things all over the place would be a mess, and a dusting nightmare. If I'm not mistaken, they started being used in Victorian times when "explorers" would being trinkets and souvenirs back from far away lands. Sort of like your own mini-museum. Mine's in the living room and is a cabinet I got at World Market. That thing holding the door open is some kind of cast iron leg, the chair was $6 at a yard sale (I got it covered), the pillows are from estate and yard sales. The prints that you can't see too good are from the art sale at school.
The first shelve has a bunch of religious items which I've been collection forever. The large BVM in the back belonged to my parents. I didn't know this photo was so blurry, sorry. There's an owl in the middle, which I guess is a tribute to Harry Potter ( not really)
Shelve 2: some Day of the Dead things, sand paintings, minerals and the stopper bottle is holding cat whiskers and claws. And some scorpions. That white item in front is a sand dollar, I found that on a beach!
Shelve 3: nature things, holy water holder that didn't fit on shelve 1, a glass bottle in the shape of a hand. The big shell in the back is a vase.
Bottom shelve: creepy hand candles, some more minerals, a face mask a friend made, spider and that odd thing with the face (Ray made that in grade school) is a lion, the tall bottle is a "Dream Jar" one of our students gave that to me after I designed the costumes for a play she wrote called "The Dream Jar". You write your dreams on paper and put them in the jar. And your dreams come true. I don't know if it works or not.
The top of the cabinet and a fake peacock ( it was sold as a Christmas decoration) a tin toy a friend gave me, Geisha (sp ?) that another friend gave me, the peacock feathers are in a beaded candle holder. I recently realized I have some sort of peacock obsession.
Another shot of the cabinet. Tibetan cymbells are from a lot at an auction, the cabinet had a boring knob, I replaced it with a fake vintage one from Anthropology. On the bottom, you can see the face my friend made a lot better.
What a fabulous cabinet, I love the creepy candles, the religious tat, anything peacock related..dammit, just about everything! xxx
ReplyDeletePS Ganesh - the Hindu Elephant headed god, over-comer of obstacles.
I knew I spelt it wrong!
Deleteso interesting, I would love to spend time having a mooch there, my stuff seems to all hang in the back room, its a bit messy x
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you have shown us your cabinet - its cabinet of curiosities. I really like the way you have grouped things together and that there is a mixture of things you have been given and bought and found. Its fascinating and creepy and beautiful all at the same time. Where I work there are some amazing old metal display cabinets that have ancient medical instruments in them.
ReplyDeleteI was looking for one of those, but they are $$$. It seems that anything old and rusty has gone through the roof, price wise
Deletefabulous collection, dear lady, that assorted pieces are eclectic and evocative, and a little bit creepy too!
ReplyDeleteSo funny that you've shared with us!
I've never have a cabinet, and my curiosities collection is just into a tin box!
besos
Where do I keep my priceless treasure? Scattered around the house higgledy-piggledy like the terrible slob I am. Now you my dear are a flippin' genius at snaffling up a wonder cabinet and cramming it with the most incredible treasures I have EVER laid eyes on!!!!! xxxx
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteThose hand candles are incredibly creepy ... and I kind of want one.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely brilliant! I love it all. I have my creepy stuff...dolls, skulls and curios all over the place really but I do have a designated shelf where most of it lives. I am aiming for a cabinet though.
ReplyDeletexxxx
i love it. mine stuff is everywhere and i get sick of the dust. i'm going to a market tomorrow i'll hunt for a cabinet.great idea. lucyx
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful wonder cabinet!
ReplyDeleteI'd have to say that mine are all over the house too, and are constantly attracting dust. This would be the perfect place for them - it is indeed a cabinet full of wonders! I'm envious of your Day of the Dead collection.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the hand candles. We need a "wonder cabinet" desperately. I hate little knick knacks because we have no where to put them and they wind up in little messy clusters all over the house but my husband collects stuff compulsively so it would be great to have a cabinet like that to put our little things in.
ReplyDeleteCool stuff--thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteI keep my crap all over the house--but most of the truly odd are on the shelves in the Craft Palace.
Cool so you like religious trinkets, statues and symbols me too -
ReplyDeleteDon't know why, must have a devot catholic in a former life!
I keep my precious junk in the library, walkin and around the house
My mom has a great cabinet that belonged to my grand-maman, that's precious to me, hopefull she will pass it on to me -
Great collectio you have there
Ariane xo
love your cabinet and all the treasure inside...now why can't I follow you?? Tis a mystery
ReplyDeleteA cabinet of creepy crap...BRILLIANT!
ReplyDeleteNow that we are shifting stuff, I keep on finding all-sorts of crap both creepy and otherwise :)
The other day I came across a bag full of corn snake sheddings that I bought on eBay years ago, I had big plans to do some amazing art with it but alas as with so many other of my big plans it never materialized.
When we first moved to London I used to frequent a wee shop in Brixton where you could buy a whole plethora of creepy crap like strange relics, spell candles, whiffy concoctions to rid your mind and body of evil spirits. I used to go there for my incense and the occasional voodoo doll ;)
...xXx
Love the religious crap best!
ReplyDeleteSarah xxx