ceramic pieces

Years ago the Mister and I visited Italy, and I bought this beautiful ceramic piece during our stay in Positano:

I loved it, and once we got home, wished I had bought a second (and a third) one. 

When we went to Italy this time, I knew I'd be coming back with a whole bunch more.  Instead of Positano, however, we went to Vietri Sul Mare, which is a town renowned for its ceramic products.  I went to just about every single store in town to look around first. I figured I would eat lunch and make a list of everything I needed, since I was buying Christmas presents as well, then go back and make my purchases.  

After we ate lunch I skipped back out to the main drag to start my shopping....and almost every store was closed for the afternoon siesta.  I had all the kids with me, so I couldn't exactly cool my heels for another 2 hours waiting for the stores to reopen.  If someone (say, the four people with me who spoke Italian and knew about the siesta???) had said hey, everything will be closed after lunch, you should do your shopping now....sigh, anyways.

Luckily, my favorite store with the stuff I liked the most (coincidentally, the most expensive store with the most prominent location) was still open.  So I trotted off and bought a whole lotta ceramics.  I really wanted a large piece but the prices were pretty expensive. So I compromised and bought about 15 smaller pieces, reasoning that displaying them together would have the impact of a larger piece. 


I bought a number of pieces in the same style of the one I already owned (mostly landscapes). I haven't put them up yet, that will be another post. 

Here's all my ceramics packed in diapers in my carry-on luggage on the way home:

I also found myself drawn to the pieces with a religious theme.  I consider myself spiritual but not overly religious, but these pieces just kept calling to me.  So I bought a number of Madonna and child pieces, and crosses.  As usual, I'm kicking myself over some of the ones I left behind.  There was a beautiful royal blue/green/gold cross in a Greek Orthodox style that I'm wishing I had bought.  Oh well...next trip, right?

I hung the religious pieces in the hallway outside the kids bedroom.  I am liking them immensely.

I swear to y'all I am attempting to learn how to take better pictures.  If anyone knows of a how to use your camera class in Bergen County, I'm all ears.