My Small Collection

Today I want to tell you about the art of painting in cobalt blue on white ceramics. I like this ceramic art and I would like to have a collection of these pieces. 

Some facts from the history of cobalt blue design. The cobalt blue patterned and white pottery dates back centuries. The Chinese, Japanese, Persians and Turks managed to get their hands on this fantastic way of painting porcelain and ceramics. In Europe, around the 17th and 18th centuries, craftsmen began to paint patterns in cobalt blue on white pottery.

So, when I was in the Netherlands, I really wanted to come to the city of Delft and visit the ceramic manufacture. I was happy to buy a bus tour and go there. I was able to look at the whole process of making such beautiful pieces.

 

Ceramic wares prepared for kiln firing

Modern automatic firing kiln

Products prepared for drawing patterns

In the 18th century the Dutch  depicted windmills, seascapes, and tulips in their drawings. The Spanish masters preferred birds and pomegranates, while the French depicted textile patterns. In Russia, craftsmen made ceramic figurines of people, animals, birds and painted them with cobalt blue patterns.

 

 

The artist manually applies a pattern to a plate

 

 Exposition in the factory museum

 

 

I saw a tea cup painted cobalt blue in Delft. It was so elegant, made of fine porcelain and with a beautiful dark blue handle. Of course I bought it and that's how my collection began.

 

 

The cup was followed by two tiles of a floral pattern and a view of Amsterdam, a plate with a charming cobalt blue rose pattern and a miniature figurine of a kissing couple.
Amazing figurines of a rooster and chicken were bought in St. Petersburg.

 

 

 

 

The two cobalt blue tiles are hanged above the fireplace in the dining room, and a tulip vase sits on a small table. They remind me of my visit to the Netherlands, Delft.

 

 

 

a special vase for tulips

   

 

I really hope that my collection will grow when we can travel. 

Do you have a collection of favorite items like cobalt blue ceramics? 

Or maybe figurines, books, postcards, postage stamps, badges, dolls, etc.? If not, would you like to have one?

 

 

The Coast Of The Baltic Sea. May

 

 

 

 

 

Despite the weather surprises, I love walking along the Baltic Sea.  

There were first days of May, 

It was sunny and warm, although there was still ice on the water near the shore. I love the combination of a sunny day and ice.

People rested, fished, sunbathed, played with children. Adults and children fed the seagulls. Birds with a cry caught slices of bread.  

Now all the ice has melted. Although belatedly, I decided to show you these photos. 

It was a quiet sunny day.

Here is my video:

The Garden In April

Well, spring is here, I'm glad. There was a lot of snow in the garden, it finally melted. The soil in beds becomes warmer. There are more and more sunny days.

As soon as the snow melted, I took a rake and began to collect the leaves left in autumn. In addition to the leaves, there are many dry branches that have fallen from the birch during winter. Of course, such a snowy winter brought trouble in the garden. 

 

Round golden thujas suffered - their central branches broke and withered, and the branches along the edges of the plant strongly stick up. I will have to clean the center and cut the side branches of the 'golden globe' thuja. 

The soil dries out from a large amount of water after the snow melts. Mole tracks are often visible. We will have to restore the lawn and in some places re-sow grass seeds.

I moved all the plants that wintered in the city to the greenhouse. I must say that it was difficult, But the plants arrived alive and well, except for a few broken branches.

Now they are transplanted into flowerpots and tubs and remain in greenhouse until warm weather. I planted small begonias and petunias in hanging flowerpots. 

 

 

Hope they will decorate the garden and grow until autumn.

 
How nice that nature comes to life here after winter. Leaves appear on the trees and their fragrance is carried in the air.
What is the weather like in your area? What are your jobs now?