Manifest Your Good Juju!

We’re all about sharing our tips when it comes to interiors and antiques but we often receive comments from friends, family and clients that our spaces have a certain feel.. that they give off a contagious energy. So here it is Lemon Lovers.. We love the use of crystal and their magical healing properties. There are obviously tons of creative ways to take advantage of the healing power of crystals, however, one of our favourite ways to harness their positive energy is to display them within our home. Every crystals is unique and beautiful, so adding it to just about anywhere will elevate your space and immediately start dishing out the good juju.

“Crystals have a powerful effect on your personal energy, but they can also transform the energy of your home,” explains Energy Muse. “Placing crystals in the home raises the vibration and fills your space with positive energy.”

Every crystal brings its own energy and helps to align and manifest with its specific frequency, so understanding the energy of individual crystals can help you decided which energy you’d like to invite or fight off in your home.

Naturally, we wanted to help you make your space feel like the ultimate happy place - one that radiates the energy you wish to put out and receive every day. So to help us help you, we’ve decided to start carrying a curated collection of crystals for your home within Our Finds. To kick off this journey together - we’ve selected four crystals that carry meaningful and positive energy that we believe the entire world could use a bit of these days!

Now..here’s the skinny on how this crystal thing works; Find the crystal that resonates most with what you’re trying to manifest in your life, place it within your home and slowly begin to see the energy of your space align with positive vibrations.

If you’re like us.. you are probably sitting there thinking, just one crystal?! I may need them ALL! And the truth is, you can never have too many of them! If the healing properties of the crystal resonate with you - then it should absolutely go home with you!

Here’s a run down of the crystals we will be featuring on Our Finds:

Rose Quartz:

It’s known as the stone of love - it brings peace, quietness and joy, essential feelings to realization and inner peace. Rose quartz supports with expressing the true emotional state of individuals within its realm.

Citrine:

Vital energy that has an invigorating effect. Citrine creates the way for new cycles - promoting success in professional life and a fierce fighter against negative energy of any kind.

White Quartz:

Enhances intuition and supports self-confidence in decisions and actions. White Quartz is especially known for bringing luck in the search for new opportunities.

Green Quartz:

Strongly connected to health and nature - contributing to a balance between mind, heart and body. Green Quartz helps to ease anxiety and fear while bringing an energy of stillness and calm to those affected.

All gemstones are sourced from Brazil.

We hope you are as excited as we are to have access to the full scope of what it is that makes our homes beautiful and lived in spaces for all of us to share with our nearest and dearest.

Happy manifesting and happy shopping!

Xoxo,

Sanja & Nina

Everyone needs little good luck charms!

Where do we even start with these two little pieces of sweetness?! We jumped at the opportunity to pick up these Chinese figurines at our last flea market. Our immediate attraction was based on the very colourful and detailed worked on each of these. Your first thought is what does all of this mean?! And truthfully, when we started out on this hunt for the 'meaning' of the figurines - we had no idea what we would discover! But luckily for you - we've got the skinny of all of it now! 

The Sanxing, Fu and Shou are the gods of two stars and the two qualities of Prosperity (Fu) and Longevity (Shou). These icons are thought to date back to the Ming dynasty, when the gods of the three stars were represented in human form for the first time. They are often identified with other deities of the Chinese religion or Taoism. 

Not only are these figurines said to bring 'longevity' and 'prosperity' but they are riddled in symbolism with all the fruit and animals on each. For example, the apricot that appears on each is a symbol of success. It is said that during the imperial examination system, the first celebration honouring successful candidates took place in an apricot grove. Imagine that! The dragon that is also featured in the above figurine, is symbolic of benevolence, prosperity, longevity, and the renewal of life. Ancient Chinese believed the dragon brought rain, good harvest and fertility. 

So whether you believe that 'good luck' charms should adorn your bracelet or should be hung above the entrance door to your home - we believe the idea and messaging behind them is pure goodness! We are so glad to have learned about these meaningful 'good juju' pieces and we are certain we're never letting go of them! Not only are they interesting interior decor pieces but they are great conversation starters and absolutely the best reminders of what's truly important in life. Next time you're on the hunt for something meaningful to bring into your home - give something new a try. Remember, you don't always need to know everything before you go for it. Sometimes, half the fun is exploring and doing your research about your new found treasure! 

Xox

Burn baby burn...

Long before the days of Saje diffusers and modern incense burners..there were these beauties! Chinese incense burners are pieces of art themselves and tend to stand out among any collection! Not only do they have a rich history and details for days.. but they also have a practical use. Win's all around!

Incense in China are used in a wide range of cultural activities - religious ceremonies, traditional medicine, and in everyday use - much like we use them in Western culture. Xiang the Chinese word for 'fragrance' is believed to have long standing improvements on physiological and psychological benefits. What we would call that little mood boost you get from smelling that comforting and calming scent!

We fell in love with the above incense burner immediately..not only does it have our favorite blue and white ceramic detailing but it also has beautiful sterling silver detailing. A lion is featured among two dragons on each side of the traditional burner. In Chinese culture, guardian lions are referred to in various ways depending on context, but they are most often referred to as Shi - spreading protection to the household it finds itself in. While the Chinese dragons symbolize potent and auspicious powers, strength and good luck for people who are worthy of it.

The second little incense burner is also detailed with extensive sterling silver work.. featuring three monkeys on top of burner itself. In Chinese culture, the monkey is considered to be a clever animal and it is usually compared to a smart person. Monkey's referred to as 'Hou' is thereby bestowed with an auspicious meaning as well. Unlike the blue and white ceramic work, this traditional incense burner showcases malachite. Malachite is a stone that promotes a constant flow of energy and is considered a powerful healer - attuned to improve your health and well-being.

We found both of these antique Chinese incense burners at a local antique store. And although, we don't use them for their intended use of burning, we absolutely enjoy adding them to our current collections of ceramics. They standout and elevate our in-home displays and provide us with a rich cultural history that any collector would be lucky enough to have a part of!