Saturday 9 April 2016

Laura will want these!

Very exciting find on the market this morning! Paid too much but couldn't resist.


What's all the fuss about I hear you cry? 30 odd old rusty bits of metal and she paid how much!!


Well some of these are Georgian keys - what a story they could tell. Wish I knew what doors they had opened, whose hands had held them, what secrets they hold..


What you can't really tell from my photos is how big and chunky most of them are. These are not delicate! As soon as I can I'll be drawing and painting the best ones.


In the meantime, while I decide how much to clean them up, I've spent a few minutes drawing. We've got a pair of crows nesting in the garden for the first time. They normally watch us from the tall trees in a nearby field but this year they've decided to move in. They are very quarrelsome and we witness daily squabbles with magpies. The aerial acrobatics are a sight to see but they are too clever for me and I haven't managed to catch them on camera yet.


Having witnessed them plundering a blackbird's nest for eggs this individual looks far too benign. Graphite pencil on watercolour paper is a bit messy - I will probably have another go at this on a smoother cartridge paper and next time I'll try to give him a look of cunning.


It's cool here today but spring is definitely in the air. The birds are busy, busy all day long and even the pine cones are doing their thing.

Must go and make the most of the weekend. Thanks for dropping by - Linda x

17 comments:

  1. In Argentina, they still use keys similar to those. Not quite as cool, But big and chunky. I got a bunch of them while I was there two years ago and hope to incorporate them in my art somehow. Right now they are posing in various places in my studio looking pretty.

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  2. Ok, well if you can't find them one day, you'll know where they are...

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  3. Oh my! I would have snatched those keys up in a heartbeat. I love imagining the stories behind old things and what secrets they might hold. My Great Gram was in service in Warwickshire. After a big ball, she found a cameo. She told the owner about it, but no one claimed it. So it came across the pond with her in 1901. She had it made into a ring which now goes to the oldest daughter. I am lucky enough to be the oldest! I wear it daily and always wonder about the original owner. If only it could talk. :) Crows, I love to watch them, but then I see them steal the robin's eggs. I guess we have to take the good along with the bad in nature. Have a spendid weekend. It is heating up here - a week in the mid 80's (30C). The joys of living in the desert.

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  4. In Queensland our crows are larger and clean up road kill and food scraps. I would love them to chase away the magpies which sneak into the house if a door is left open. They are so messy! We do have lots of wild parrots which we really enjoy and they are what I draw. The colours are amazing.

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  5. What a find! I too would have bought those, they are gorgeous. Looking forward to seeing what you will do with them

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  6. Thanks everyone - seems I'm not alone in loving rusty old keys.

    Lynne, I envy you your parrots - I would prefer them to magpies any day!

    Jeannie - lucky you to have inherited the ring. There's consolation in being the oldest sometimes!

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  7. Irresistable keys. I have collected some keys in my parents-in-law house. But not as beautiful as these. I can imagine you felt in love. In my garden the crows and other birds are bathing in the pond. I love to see it. Spring is in the air!

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  8. Hi Marjolijn - I know I shouldn't have bought them as I have so many already but they were. as you say, irresistible.

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