Nature's Treasures

Up here in the Attic, we have three very large, spacious, deep under-eave storage cupboards that stretch the whole width of the house. They are not tidy, organised cupboards, oh no, they are messy, hectic, dreadfully untidy cupboards and they are rammed full of Stuff. It's mostly my stuff, I might add, and I am rather ashamed of the mess in there.

As you know it's now a year since we moved, and a large proportion of the attic-eaves-Stuff consists of boxes of unpacked possessions. Things that belong to me which move with me whenever I move, things which I absolutely can't part with, yet somehow do not end up seeing the light of day very often. Boxes of old photographs, old school work, old toys, old ornaments, old collections, old books, old textiles, old postcards, old crockery. Old, old, old.
I wonder why I keep all this stuff? I cannot fathom it, but I have this deep, ingrained hoarding tendency which refuses to be ignored.

Annnnyhow, to the point :: yesterday afternoon, I was to be found on my hands and knees, bum in the air, attempting to crawl into the cupboards to find something. After a huge amount of rummaging and some rather unladylike words, I did eventually manage to find what I was looking for (a battered leather suitcase full of my old childhood toys), as well as many other things I had forgotten about. One of these forgotten things was a crate containing some old books. And amongst the old books, I found this little Sarah Lugg book called "objects of my affection". It's many years since I looked through this little book, had quite forgotten my obsession with this artist. I spent a lovely while this morning sitting in the Attic24 window seat with a  cup of coffee, looking through the pages, and have been inspired to share with you.

Have you heard of Sarah Lugg?
I tried to search for her on the internet, but sadly, there is not a lot to be found anymore. She used to have a fantastic website, yet it seems to have disappeared. I did find an interview with her which you can read if you are not familiar with her :: she is a mixed media artist who creates these beautiful collages using natural materials. And although she is English, her popularity was huge in the US where she mainly ended up selling her work.

These "tag" images are from the above book (sadly no longer in print), which contains Sarah Luggs beautiful work along with romantic quotes and poetry.

I find the images so inspiring.

And these images are from printed greetings cards (from my Inspiration Stash Pile, I tell you, I hoard like you wouldn't believe).

I especially like her references to the sea in these images, her use of shells and pebbles...

...reminders of beach walks and summer holidays. I find them very nostalgic.

And this is not the work of Sarah Lugg, but the work of a rather loopy little thing. A funny odd ball who goes through life collecting and hoarding and squirreling away Nature's Treasures.

Hmm, yes, well what can we say about this loopy little odd ball? She loves the sea obviously, and she has an obsession with collecting natural finds. Calendars, yes, she loves her calendars, positively adores the rhythm of the months and the seasons.

Shall we take a closer look??

I made this little picture years ago, just for me. I have it hanging in my bedroom, and still really love it and remember making it, recall the pleasure of selecting just the right little natural treasures to represent each month of the year.

It was no easy task doing the selecting.

My personal collection of Natural Treasures is quite substantial.

 

Wanna see?

Wanna peek into my secret drawers?

Not many people get to go here you know, you are quite honoured.

You sure you want to look?

Ok.

If you're sure.

Let me open a drawer for you to peek............................

Many, many, many, many bits and pieces, gathered over many, many years, from many, many locations far and wide.

Memories of holidays and walks, of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

Collected and hoarded and stored....

....for no real reason other than I felt the need.

Could not bare to throw these treasures away.

I'm not sure what you are going to think of all this?

It's quite a thing to share the private contents of ones drawers.

Edited to add :: a few of you have asked about the actual drawers themselves and I realised I totally forgot to tell you about them. The little divided wooden trays came from Ikea, they were called "collectors boxes" and designed to be hung on a wall. Sadly I don't think they make them anymore, well thats to say I couldn't find them on the Ikea website. I bought four of them specifically to to lay horizontally and hold my gathering collection of natural treasures. They were stacked on top of each other for quite a while before I had the brainwave of asking my wonderful father-in-law to make the outside wooden shell to hold them as drawers (he is a good carpenter, does amazing things with wood and scary tools). That was about twelve years ago now I think, gosh doesn't time fly?!

Comments

[kim]

Oh I love your drawers!!!!!! Beautiful, beautiful treasures. Thanks for letting me see them.
Glad I'm not the only one who has half of her life hidden in boxes in the loft. I dread going up there, I don't come downstairs for hours
Kimx

[susan hall]

Love your collection and am so impressed that you found a way to keep such ephemeral stuff. I always end up picking up the treasure having it around until the dust gathers then throwing it reluctantly away. Those fantastic drawers you so wantonly display to us are made for hoarders. Where did you find such a thing?

[Tracy]

What a beautiful post! I love your blog - it's so inspiring :o)

I am very envious of your treasure drawers. it's certainly a marvellous collection of beautiful natural things.

Tracy x

[Eilidh]

Wow Lucy I love your secret drawers. What a fantastic collection you have and I'm so glad you shared.
I'm also very jealous as other than the large buckets of agates I still have stored at my parents house (fingers crossed they've not yet discovered them and chucked them) I have nowhere to store bits and bobs that I find. I keep them for a while just tucked into some corner then relent and get rid of them when I'm having a mad cleaning moment.
BUT now I know what I need - a set of secret drawers. HMMM - perhaps in the study that is currently forming in our spare room. I'm sure I could persuade DH if I smile very sweetly!

[Jen]

First of all I LOVE the little drawers. So perfect for all those little things (where did you find the drawers??). Second of all, once again I would totally buy that piece you made and like it much more than the artist you wrote about! truly! I admire your creativity--I love to make things, but I'm a great copier from way back. I like to say I'm creative but not original. You have so many original ideas!

[Cláudia - clau_visan@globo.com - Guarujá - São Paulo - Brasil]

Hi Lucy!
Thank you for sharing with us their memories. All we have good memories saved. I think it's the woman doing that. We love things that make us remember the childhood and good times.
I also have my hidden treasures. Someday I will umblog to post my memories.
Kisses

[Liz]

Thank you for introducing me to Sarah Lugg. Wonderful stuff. And your drawers....just gorgeous.

[Michelle]

Sarah now lives in Kansas City and is married to a brother of a friend of mine. Not sure exactly what she is doing now but I've been to her house and as you can imagine, it's gorgeous...

[sandie]

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!

I just loved this post ... thank you for sharing.

[Helen LAmbert]

.....well first of all... while I was reading with deligt and interest ...I was thinking about what my first comment would be ...which was how much I especially loved the last picture and then...I found you made it...it is just the sort if picture that I would love in my home...you should take pictures and make lovely cards...(for me to buy) ...then I just love your drawers filled with the things which I have in bowls and glass jars all over the house ....and finally I love the lables..what a great idea for cards..think I may try some tonight ...but with tiny pictures and then sea glass...although I hate to part with my sea glass I have a huge jar in the bathroom...poll's and I collect it everywhere we go with a beach...as always I love your blog...I was thinking about you this morning and your wonderful outlook on life..an inspiration...you are very much a half full person.....

[Fiona]

Oh wow what a wonderful collection. Thanks for sharing with us. I would love to know where you got the drawers from. I could really do with something like that to organise all the bits and bobs I have. Really pleased to hear about another hoarder. I still have so much stuff from the past that I can't part with. As for all the childhood toys and school work I'm a little ashamed to say a lot of it is still at my Mum and Dads. As they're hoping to down size next year I rather think a lot of it will be coming my way and as our house is bursting at the seams already I fear I may have to do some ruthless clearing out that I'm not going to enjoy. Really love your little collage by the way.

[Tilly Rose]

I hoard, I truly have a problem with buying / finding things but never like getting rid of anything just in case i need it.... ut I have to say you win...... I have never seen such an amazing collection of natures treasure.... well done you, it looks like a peice of art work itself.... good job you have a large house, I have all of mine hidden in a two bed semi...... ha ha ha ha ha ha .....

xx

[Joanne]

Wow! Your art work is beautiful!! I LOVE it = totally something I would buy if I saw it in a shop. And my heart skipped a beat when I saw your drawers full of treasures!! Wow. just wow!!! I couldn't stop looking! My eyes dancing from section to section!! I so understand why you keep them. Thanks for the sneaky peek and for all the inspiration you post almost daily!! Joanne x

[domesticali]

Feeling truly envious of your little treasure drawers. I am a dreadful hoarder too. But none of my rubbish looks half as enticing as your ephemera.

[Lucy Locket-Pocket]

Oh! How I love those drawers! And how I envy you your collection! Please can I come and live at your house and play with all your goodies? Pretty please?

Lucy x

[Anna]

oooh, how lovely! We have an old printers tray on our kitchen wall which is filled with little treasures collected on our travels-champagne corks from weddings, teeny tiny shells and pebbles, miniature bottles.....I am sure most people thing it's a load of crap, but it's special to us.x

[Josie-Mary]

Blimey & I thought I was a hoarder!!!! My lot looks like a load of old tat now I've seen your collection. Think my OH would have a fit if I had those drawers!! :)

[French Knots]

I love Sarah Lugg's work too, I've a couple of her books and they are so inspiring.
And your boxes of treasures, oh my goodness! Seaglass and shells, so wonderful to amble along the beach collecting and then to hoard and remember. You can never have too many little treasures!

[Vanessa Cabban]

Treasure trove post! I'm going to have to go back and EXAMINE............... I didn't know Sarah Lugg's work........... it's beautiful! Your picture with the found objects is gorgeous too............ Lovely.............. lovely, lovely, lovely.............. will return later to have another good long look!

[driftwood]

wow, Lucy that's an incredible collection, and I adore your calendar picture. just perfect. and the photos of those drawers - print them and sell them as cards!

[simone]

I am honoured to have peeked into your nature drawers!!! You have a wonderful collection of natural treasures. Sarah Lugg's work is lovely as is yours.

[elizabeth of course]

Those little tags reminded me of a series of valentines I did a few years ago! and that calendar is perfectly MARVELOUS. I admire the organization of your drawers. I'm a hoarder/collector of all things tiny of nature as well, but they're scattered about my house, in boxes and cubbies, and all sorts of other places most people wouldn't store sticks and stones...

[elizabeth of course]

Those little tags reminded me of a series of valentines I did a few years ago! and that calendar is perfectly MARVELOUS. I admire the organization of your drawers. I'm a hoarder/collector of all things tiny of nature as well, but they're scattered about my house, in boxes and cubbies, and all sorts of other places most people wouldn't store sticks and stones...

[Karen]

Gosh isn't it strange (and wonderful) the things that attract us. I too love your drawers and was thinking all the way down your blog that I must ask. You kindly answered by the end of it. Thank you. I have been lurking on your site since stumbling across your blog about tidying the house when friends come round - inspired by the way. It's your drawers that have pushed me to comment however. I'm aware while looking at this post the history that goes into it all. I'm sure it's the same with all of us. It's easy to look at these wonderful creative blogs and think it's all so simple but your invitation to peek today has made me realise that there's a lot of "stuff" behind the scenes. Thank you again.

[Bean]

I absolutely adore your treasure collection!! I collect rocks and stones from different places, walks, events... they cover nearly every windowsill and shelf ledge in the house ;)