My Marrakesh

Marrakech: African goodies to say hello and goodbye........

Oh, just two last goodies to share from the last African trip......

Several flat and graphic leather bags - for hanging on door knobs or hooks to add decorative flair.  Scattered on a vintage hand embroidered bedspread bought in Jaipur.

A cache of five pairs of large, heavy vintage Northern Malian silver earrings.  These can only be worn by those whose ear holes have been stretched.  So fascinating.  For display a la Vicente Wolfe.  Shown against a vintage Indian hand embroidered and mirrored textile purchased in Udaipur. 

PS Leaving to write on deadline at a quiet place outside of Marrakech.  Back in 2009!

Africa: and shopping for oddities

No Ikeas. No Pottery Barns. No Crate & Barrels.

Yes, oddities.  Yes, curiosities.....Yes, more strange loot....

African barbecue skewers with bronze little figures riding atop.  If you're not careful, they'll eat your chicken brochettes.....

Boxes and boxes of Malian bluebird matches.  So pretty sitting next to a candle on the nightstand.

Tiny little malachite rings for wearing on adult pinkie fingers.

Funny little wooden masks for hanging in funny little corners....

Bouquets of African porcupine quills.  Astonishingly beautiful.  (Yes, in some parts of Africa, porcupines are better known as lunch.  Apparently, tastes just like chicken.  Cough.)

Marrakech: and tale of a Moroccan style Christmas

And so it was Christmas.  Their very first at Peacock Pavilions.  And while this was a milestone, her happiness was tempered by all that surrounded her.  By the unpacked boxes, the bare cement floors, and the unlandscaped garden.  By the chill of life in winter without heating. 

 By all that remained undone. 

 But her dream of Peacock Pavilions remained.  In the heat of the Marrakech mid-day sun, it still seemed attainable.  It still seemed within reach.  It still seemed just around the corner, or at least the corner after that.   

 And so if this Christmas was not the way she had hoped, there was always the next Christmas.  Her children would not yet be grown and Santa would still be real for those who believed.

 And believing was half the battle.

 Merry Christmas and love from Marrakech.

Marrakech: and the girl who loved African beads.....

She was a girl who loved beads.  She was a girl who loved old African beads.

For wrapping around the neck or wrist, for coiling in silver or wood bowls, for strewing on the coffee table or hanging on chair corners.  For keeping or selling but for now all hers.............

Look at her recently purchased loot...........

Thick woven rope necklaces of old African beads with talismans.  For insouciant display.

Heavy, slick strands of antique Malian beads.  Cool ethno-botanist appeal....

Beautiful vintage African snake or chevron beads.  Rather bohemian chic.

I'm-so-glamorous large vintage African horn beads.  Very uptown.

Oh  so happy antique Malian beads.  For winding around Buddhas or santos (or ahem, wearing with a black pencil skirt if only she wore pencil skirts...).

Hmmm.....mysterious glass beads from the Sudan for warding off the evil eye.

For-wearing-ten-strands-at-a-time vintage and antique beads from Ghana. (so perfect with jeans, a slim T-shirt, and a fitted jacket)

Stunning, 100s of years old Malian glass beads.  You can't imagine the negotiations required to buy these....

Huge and fabulous vintage glass "Venezia" African beads.  Each perfect as a shade pull, she thinks...

3 inch wide Dogon bronze beads.  One to be threaded with a black grosgrain ribbon and worn at the hollow of the throat (on days when more sun is required).

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PS  Blogspot bloggers, I love you but I can't visit your blogs for some reason:(  My computer is being mean, very mean......

PPS Desperately desperately searching for kind souls visiting Marrakech to courier much needed items from the US or Canada.