Vases: My basement stash

Last winter, I pondered the question, Vases: Can you ever have enough? I talked about other people's vase collections and posted a few of my own favorites. Mark and I are getting ready for our neighborhood's upcoming garage sale, so this rainy weather is perfect for sorting through our basement and its treasures. 

We began right inside the basement door with the four cupboards that are on the wall above the washer and dryer. As you can tell, three of them are filled with vases and pitchers that are just waiting to be filled with the first flowers of the season. The fourth holds laundry products.

Most of these vases are small scale, many are antique and they come in all colors and styles as you can see. There's always the perfect container lurking in the basement. Along with decorative pebbles, moss and flower arranging "frogs".

In the corner opposite the cupboards pictured above are two shelving units packed with more containers. 

Many of these are larger pieces and are wood-fired stoneware, a few are porcelain, some raku and some antique china containers.

I can pretty much name the potter who made each one and where and when we bought it. Same with the  "store-bought" vases; well, when and where I bought it at least.

We acquired a number of these pots purely for their beautiful form, color and markings. Their only function is to add a grace note to the room or table they adorn.

Among the potters represented here are Mark Skudlarek, Michael Schael, Bill Farrell, Tony Gebauer, Stepanie O'Shaughnessy and other Midwesterners. 

We culled almost 2 dozen containers from my stash which will go in our garage sale on May 16th. But unless you saw these shelves before we started pulling things out, you'd be hard-pressed to notice the difference in numbers. 

Note: I will post about the garage sale the week before with a list and photos of what we're selling for anyone who's interested. There will be furniture, antiques, ethnic items and lots of art.

Comments

[Erin @ The Impatient Gardener]

Wow, that is an impressive and beautiful collection.

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Erin — Impressive or insane! That's what happens once you start cutting flowers for bouquets.

[Cindy at enclos*ure]

I wish I could be there. I love garage sales.