Monday, January 2, 2017

2 January 2017 A new obsession: Catherine Holm & French Bulldog

This is the lotus pattern of Catherine Holm design enamelware. It is a mid-century dream. The lotus pattern was not actually designed by Catherine but by Grete Kittleson for the company. Catherine was said to not really be a fan of the design, but it is the most popular pattern in the Catherine Holm enamelware line.

How I came to know of it and now love it is when we inherited Toad Hall. When it was our turn to live here the house had been sitting empty for about 6 months and my hubby's Mother had been feeding the cat, (now our dear Puss) out of one of these bowls.

When I first saw the bowl I gasped at its simple beauty. These are the two bowls here in the mustard yellow colour. They are heavy enamelware. They have the feel of the lovely vintage farm sinks or an old bathtub and they really ware well. My MIL was using them to feed the cat because she would set them outside and they just happened to be in a cabinet here and she thought they were garbage.
The truth of course is that because they are so durable they didn't mind being out in the cold rain and snow for months at a time full of catfood and knocked about by racoons and other wildlife. I know am very proud of them.                           

I collect a few patterns of mid century china. They are all practical and were not considered very up market in their day, but I love them none the less. My latest china pattern I have collected is the Swiss Chalet Alpine pattern.


The blue in it goes well with the vintage blue in my other dishes and it has a lovely avocado green in it as well. These leads me to my coveted colours for any future Catherine Holm Lotus enamalware: the blues and greens.  This coffee pot is dreamy
 and I really think the blue and green go quite well together and bring in the colours of the Swiss Chalet. 

This all inspired today's artwork. I was thinking of animals with bowls, after yesterdays drawing of a hedgehog with a pyrex Butterprint bowl, and considered my new love of the lotus pattern. I happen to love French Bulldogs and if I were to get another dog, I think it would be one of them. And thus was born today's drawing. I saved it both with a white and a blue background. I might have to order it myself for my kitchen as a clock or a pillow for my living room.

I hope you all have a lovely puppy filled vintage day.


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