Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The Limoges Boxes Of The City That Never Sleeps

Bright lights, big city -- New York is well known for its jam-packed East coast flavor.  Taxi cabs, subway, food galore, Brownstone apartments, and Broadway shows, NY is filled with all the stereotypes, charm, and allure that people have come to envy and idolize. Not to mention all those key places that natives and tourists flock to on a regular basis:  Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Met.

 You can find Limoges Boxes of specific NY landmarks, or one like this -- a comprehensive gathering of NY tourism hot spots

When I lived in Connecticut, I would frequently hop on the train into the city for a weekend of shopping or meeting up with friends.  I even went to meet my brother and his finance, at the time, just before he proposed to her atop the Empire State Building.  Never a dull moment in New York, that is for sure.
 
More than eight million people call New York city home, and no doubt these individuals are a tough and proud bunch, knowing full well how great their city is.  It is a relatively young city, as well, as settlement began in 1625, and started bustling in global trade, investment, dynamism and density by the early 1800's. 
New York, interestingly enough, also served briefly as our nation's capital in 1785.  Soon after that, though, in 1790, Washington D.C. became our capital as we know it today.

New York certainly has not had an easy road.  It's popularity and strength of a billion dollar economy, ranking right behind Tokyo, has successfully journeyed hardships.  The most recent tragedy hitting the Big Apple, was the September 11 terrorist attack that took 2,979 lives and destroyed the city's proud landmark of the twin towers.  Historically, in 1832, a cholera epidemic killed 4,000 citizens; a fire in 1845 leveled 300 buildings; and in 1975, the city defaulted into bankruptcy.  So, clearly, NYC is no stranger to hardship, and the fact that this city never sleeps is perhaps their secret weapson, keeping alert and active against setbacks.  They are always on the ball, tourism is every increasing, and opportunities are abundant for several leading industries, including fashion, finance, and commerce.

 The skyline of NY along the rim of these Limoges boxes make me long for a night out on the town!

If you can't make it out to NY as often as you like, you can surely created your own little NY at home with these darling little French Limoges box pieces of the awesome city!






Sunday, April 15, 2012

Limoges Boxes A La Richard and Emily Gilmore

My all time favoirte TV show that I have watched and re-watched (and re-re-watched) is the Gilmore Girls.  No other show has had me hooked like that one.  All the characters: Luke, Lorelai, Emily, Richard, Rory -- they are the core of their Stars Hollow town, and they make you want to live in that town for all its homeliness and quirks.

Richard and Emily Gilmore are a well-to-do couple in their 50's, living in Hartford, CT.  Their life is consumed with business deals, charity functions, auctions, European vacations, and , of course, their daughter and grand-daughter, Lorelai and Rory.   In their home, they have a main item that is 1920's classy -- a cocktail cart.  Whether whipping up drinks for a dinner party or preparing a quick nightcap, their tray provides functionality for their lifestyle.

Tray, shaker, cocktail recipe book, lime, glasses -- Limoges boxes are ready to mix it up!

This tray reminds me , too, of those old movies, like with Katherine Hepburn and the like, where that ready tray abides in homes ready for a glass of bourbon to relax with in a favorite chair while making witty conversation with guests.

Limoges boxes like this one make me nostalgic for the 20s and for any Gilmore Girls episode.  Martinis with olives, vodka straight no chaser, scotch on the rocks ... they all give a shout out to Hartford rich living, Gilmore-style.

Love those martini olives?  These French porcelain Limoges boxes  have you covered with a couple extra.


Get your own trinket box memory of Gilmorean class with these Limoges boxes.  Pop in any Gilmore season, while your at it, mix up a Bloody Mary, and you will soon see why I am so enamored by this Stars Hollow world!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Limoges Trink-cat boxes

Cats are popular pets, just as popular as dogs, and this universal popularity means only one thing -- Limoges boxes!

That's right -- you can find a porcelain trinket box to suit your taste in cats -- and highlight your favorite part about their personalities.  Some people love their independence and low-maintenance...

Black Cat w/ Fish Inside Limoges Box



Some enjoy them for how playful they are...

Others regard them as effective mouse-trappers...
This is one of my favorite Limoges boxes, for sure!

And the rest, most likely, simply enjoy having them around the house just looking cute!

Sometimes you want to hug and kiss Limoges boxes when they look as adorable as this one!


Cats require some basic equipment for everyday life:  a litter box, carrying crate or container, scratch post, comb or brush, and small toys to keep them busy.  They love to play -- they will chase a string or bat around a small ball for hours.  They also love attention, as noted by their perpetual purring when you pet them.  These Limoges boxes exemplify all the sweetness of our feline friends, and they are much easier to collect than a bunch of real kitties! 

Being quite territorial creatures, this can make it rought for a new cat you may bring into your home if you already have another.  Not only with other cats, but they can be territorial with humans as well.  I will never forget a trip I took to visit my cousin for a few days, where her cat was clearly not enthused with my presence.  Each time my cousin and I would leave and return to the house, I would find articles of my clothing by the front door, that her cat had dragged out of my luggage -- he was trying to get rid of me one shirt at a time!  :) 

I like cats because they have a fearless ferociousness to them like their kindred lion, but they also have a little bit a cuddly kitten to them no matter how old they get. 

These Limoges boxes come in all types of feline friends.  A great collection to grow ... and no need for vets or canned food ... just an occasional dusting and they will be just as independent as the real thing!

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Limoges Boxes In All The Colors Of The Rainbow

The most alluring thing about Limoges boxes is the colors they come in!  Artists hand panint these porcelain trinket boxes with splashes of luscious colors to make them realistic and appealing.  You can collect Limoges boxes to add a little color and sentiment to any area of any room, thus creating a showcase in any variety of themes.

I love the fresh color splash of food myself and you can get all types of veggies at www.Limogesboxcollector.com.  One box may feature a bunch of veggies together ...

.... or, I like to have vegetable Limoges boxes in a row like a vegetable rainbow, customizing my collection limited to my select favorites.  Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple Limoges boxes are a perfect mix of eye candy.

Red can be a tomato, luscious and plump....

Orange could be a carrot, freshly plucked from the ground....

My yellow Limoges boxes are lemons, tangy and bright ....


Green brings me to peas, huddled in a pod....

My bit of blue is blueberries, pickable snack and garnish...

Purple is my yummy fig ...

These Limoges boxes are an example of how fun it can be to collect these porcelain pieces -- personalized to fit any style and any taste, while adding visual interest when your decor is in need of some pigmentation.

The Happiest Limoges Boxes On Earth

Walt Disney is a legend in the world of animation and his success has left a phenomenal mark on history and the future.  Cartoons, feature films, theme parks, and distribution companies, Disney is a household name known and loved by children, animators, parents, and fairytale lovers. 

Walter Elias Disney had a great love for animals, as we can see from most of his famous classic films such as Bambi, Dumbo, The Jungle Book, Lady and The Tramp;  and, of course, any film with his most famous characters, Mickey, Goofy, and Donald. 

Many valuable classic Limoges Boxes are available in our favorite Disney characters.

Walt Disney not only brought talent and loveable characters to the table, but his work brought monumental effects to the world of animation in a time where more and more films were rushing to produce films to capitalize on the burgeoning new technology of sound in movies.  Walt saw that there was no sense in making any more silent cartoons, as his first had been, and in 1928 he released the famous "Steamboat Willie".  This was his first step in a fruitful path to synchronize sound  with cartoon movement.  Also, by the end of 1935, Disney mastered the use of three-strip technicolor to create rich, full and vibrant films, which boosted their popularity.  It certainly made his films more magical to see Dopey's red nose and cheeks, Mickey's blue and yellow sorcerer's hat, and Tinkerbell's sparkly yellow fairy dust. 


These Limoges boxes exhibit accessories that are unmistakably Mickey Mouse!

Today, we can enjoy Disney in the movie theatres, as his films continue to be produced under his name and classics return to the the big screen time and again;  we can visit any of the four Disney theme parks;  we can take a Disney cruise adventure;  we can shop in a Disney store;  or we can visit www.Limogeboxcollector.com to have these little pieces of happily-ever-after in our own homes.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Limoges boxes your little ones can (one day) appreciate


Any parent knows that there is an enormous amount of preparation necessary, both mental and physical, before welcoming your new baby.  There are diapers to stock up on, doctors visits to keep, a room to prepare, baby showers to have, and books to read.  It is a fun time and a busy time, getting things all set up so you are ready for all the action with the new little one. 

One great thing about baby life is that they come along with the need for miniature furniture and accessories necessary for their day to day.  Cribs, strollers, pacifiers, high chairs, bibs -- things that any great shopper can appreciate the entertainment value of.  Setting up and accumulating all these baby items makes your life easier and their life more comfortable. 

Baby Boy in High Chair Limoges Box by BeauchampFlowered Baby Girl Pacifier (Beauchamp) 
Limoges Box

And, naturally,you can get all your baby needs in the form of Limoges boxes as well!  These porcelain pieces are great for any baby-welcoming time -- for your own baby, your friend's, your sister's, your cousin's ... a gift that is guaranteed to be unique and bewitching.

So detailed and realistic, these French porcelain Limoges boxes make the mess, full-time schedule, and busywork of tending to babies seem less stressful and more enrapturing.  An adorable pink pacifier that fits into the Limoges box featuring an adorable sleeping baby girl; a cozied up little baby boy that you can set into his crib;  and those ahhhh-inspiring teeny baby booties.  Perfectly petite and a great memento for any new parent to mark the occasion of a new addition to their family!


My parents kept many of the little gifts they recieved when I was born ... piggy banks, clothes, beautifully framed photos, scrapbooks, foot prints.  I love to look through these keepsakes, as it is sweet to know how celebratory my baby-life was for them.  I do think, however,  it would have been surpassingly great if http://www.limogesboxcollector.com/ was around back then so their friends and family could have also showered them with some of these precious collectibles for the occasion.  :)

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Egg-cellent Limoges Boxes

Easter is always a fun holiday for kids and adults, as there are so many activities to do together that make the day special and memorable.   This holiday marks the beginning of Spring for many, which is the entrance into a wonderfully refreshing time of year.  Limoges boxes cover all the bases of this day in porcelain, featuring every Easter-related french porcelain trinket box from bunnies to baskets. 

The best part about Easter for many children today is the Easter basket, filled with fun treats like candy, toys and big chocolate eggs. 

Limoges boxes can be a creative gift that highlight the most special memories we take away from events or holidays

The part about Easter I have always liked the most has been coloring the eggs.  I love coming up with new designs and techniques to outdo the previous year's work.  Starting with a plain white egg, then dipping it in various dyes to achieve a multi-colored masterpiece was always the fun way to spend Easter morning when I was growing up.   The Limoges boxes below are quite similar to the work produced in my own kitchen every year ... only so much cuter!
These Limoges boxes showcase eggs in all their colored glory ... the best part of my Easter day fun!


By decorating eggs you are joining a tradition whose roots extend deep into histroy.  Ancients, believing the whole universe was created from a cosmic egg, decorated eggs as a gift to the world of life, power, and goodness.  The tradition passed from ancient Egypt and Persia to the Middle Ages in Eastern Europe where decorated eggs celebrated Christ's resurrection. 

While spending this day with your family and friends, why not add some charm to your place (or theirs) with a touch of French porcelain Limoges.   Easter baskets don't have to be just for the kids, as Limoges boxes also make a great Spring gift.  These precious collectibles can light up your home every Easter, year after year ... and then some!





Monday, April 2, 2012

Living Happily Ever After with Limoges Boxes

Cinderella Carriage Coach Limoges Box by Rochard



Don't forget the slipper, too!!  These Limoges boxes can open up to store the slipper so Cinderella won't lose it ever again.


Pumpkins are a magical fruit most popular at Halloween time.  They are orange balls that can be carved into various spooky-looking jack-o-lanterns, painted, and propped on your doorstep.   Also popular at Thanksgiving is that delicious after-feast delight, pumpkin pie.   And, of course, the seeds are an ever-delicious convenient tasty snack at any time in the year.  Pumpkins provide so many ways for us to enjoy them!

But, they did not always have a spooky or edible purpose -- they were also at one time a fairytale mode of transportation for a overworked young lady who needed a ride to a life-changing party. 


Cinderella's story is famous all over the world and her fairy godmother was notably resourceful by choosing mice to transform into carriage-horses, and one lucky pumpkin to be her carriage for an evening.  Disney made this story a hit all over again, but it was orignially written in 1697 by Charles Perrault.  Wicked stepsisters, chores day in and day out, a prince, a ball, some magic, a slipper, and a touch of happily ever after.  Since the original version, the story has been told in many different ways and the plot has had some changes, but the pumpkin is a constant. 

Cinderella Magic Coach (Beauchamp) Limoges Box
Open up these Limoges boxes to find Cinderella and her Prince sitting inside 

Children and adults can fall in love with this story and once that has happened you will wish you had your very own fairygodmother and a magic pumpkin carriage to take you away!  The good news is you CAN have your own carriage from http://www.limogesboxcollector.com/, and it gets even better -- you can keep it much longer than the stroke of midnight.


Sunday, April 1, 2012

Desert-ed Limoges Boxes

Browsing through the plentiful inventory listed on www.LimogesBoxCollector.com, you will find some low-maintenace flora.  Limoges Cacti are even more low maintenance than the real thing, and they will surely be the easiest thing to care for in any French Porcelain Limoges box garden.

These Limoges Boxes get you started on a little indoor garden perfect under a kitchen window

 
If you want to see an impressive amount of cacti in one place, you must visit Arizona.  Most of Arizona is desert, which means the climate is harsh, dry, and hot for most of the year.   But, this weather is just perfect for some plants including the spiny cactus.  They thrive on the limited water, as their broad shallow roots absorb water effictively after brief summer or winter rains (depending on which desert area they are in) where the water may not soak very far into the soil. 

There are many different species of cacti:  Saguaro (the most classic type and the symbol of the Southwest), Prickly Pear (short cacti with sharp needled paddle branches), barrel cacti, fishhook cacti, organ pipe cacti (resembling a spider lying on its back), and Claret Cacti (with deep red flowers), are just a few.  Many of these cacti have beautiful blossoms and they bear plump edible fruit.

Limoges Boxes are available in my favorite Saguaro Cacti form

I always enjoy driving through Arizona, as road trips through the years have lent themselves to, because the cacti are a huge part of the charm of the terrain.  You know you have arrived when you see those prickly arms raised up in the air welcoming your arrival. 

In addition to these fun plants all over the place, Arizona has many things that are very view-worthy.  The Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest National Park, London Bridge, and various ghost towns.  Yet, the only things I have ever stopped to take pictures with have been my cacti buddies!