Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Is It Vintage - Herbarium

herbarium photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

Did you collect herbarium at school? We found one herbarium (in Finnish kasvisto as it is written on cover) from flea market in Rauma. It was so cheap and thinking how much work someone had made. Oh boy.  Had to buy it. That cover is a little bit bible-like or what do you think?

herbarium photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

This herbarium wasn't in good condition but few pages were still good quality. And for your knowledge I'm too young(yes yes!) - I didn't collect herbarium when I was in school. Maybe I should have - that I would remember better all the names of plants growing in Finland. 

This collection is made between about 1957-1962. So our parents did collect these. Maybe I have to ask from my mom where she is hiding her herbarium, haha. Have you made one?


herbarium photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

So small and tidy handwriting.


herbarium photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

These are beautiful. Twins. I think this would work well as a postcard or a small poster.


herbarium photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

It's so funny how all the plants are so different. The world of shapes and colors is endless. (Can you see my toes? I had to leave them - looks funny.)

herbarium photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

I think here are grades what she or he got from this herbarium. It's not easy to get good grades - not then not now. But nowadays we have so different challenges. I'm sure people were more connected to nature then. We are more connected like this - through internet. World is getting smaller and smaller. But what is happening to us really. We can't affort to lose connection to nature.

herbarium photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

One thing is sure. We've lost the beauty of details in our everyday life. These herbarium book covers are so beautiful.

xo

11 comments:

  1. Dear Kreetta,

    thank you for this beautiful and inspiring blog post! I love herbariums and use my vintage flowerpress quite often, but more for small arrangements that I then frame or use on postcards.

    Some time ago, I found a beautiful vintage herbarium in an antiquarian bookshop. It is almost 130 years old, a young girl named Hélène gathered flowers and wrote small notes about where and when she picked them. I thought I'd share the link, you can read the blog post here: http://frokenskicklig.blogspot.se/2012/08/dear-helene.html

    Warmly,

    Juliane

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  2. Oh Gretchen, such a beautiful and great find! I'm happy you still can see the beauty of everyday things, even if they're from the past :)

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  3. #Juliane
    Wow. I just went to see your post about Hélène's herbarium - it is so beautiful. Amazing that it is still looking so good. It's a treasure. Thanks for sharing and thank you for your lovely comment.

    xo
    Kreetta

    #Anne
    I think this herbarium might led me to the path of collector :) though I'm already collecting vintage things - why not old books of plants, haha..Thank you for you lovely comment.

    xo
    Kreetta

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    Replies
    1. I can see a space before me filled with books, plants a lots of cabinets&drawers with dried flowers, insects and gems.. :)

      Can I come and visit when you're a true collector? ;)
      Xx Anne

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  4. Anne, you are very welcome when I am...I might be old lady though then ;) haha

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  5. Britt-Marie Thank you, I'm flattered.

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  6. Wow, that's a great find, Kreetta! It looks beautiful and like a lot of work, as you said. I'm sure the person who once made it would be happy and surprised to know that it still exists and belongs to someone who appreciates it so much.

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  7. Lena, I agree. I wonder if she is still alive...she could be it's not so old herbarium. hmm.

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  8. This is beautiful, I would so love to start one with my kids!

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  9. Please, do. They learn and you might learn also ;) Maybe I'll start mine in spring. Great to see you here!

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