Thursday, June 17, 2010

Basket Balls


It seems like everywhere you look people are using old croquet mallets and balls as decoration.  My dear bloggy friend Linda, from the great blog Itsy Bits and Pieces, just did a wonderful post about a summer idea house where they had used croquet mallets to hold paper towels, as a stylish curtain rod and more!  Be sure to pop over and check out her great post by clicking HERE!



I found these croquet balls in my parent's attic and have had them on display atop an antique dough box in my family room for quite awhile now.  



I remember playing with these on the front lawn and in the back yard at the house where I grew up.  Many summer evenings were spent playing croquet, followed by a game of freeze tag, and then a round of catching lightning bugs!



Maybe it's that nostalgic element that draws us to these simple little spheres.  



Or maybe it's their time worn, textural quality and chippy bold paint stripes that make us want to bring them inside and proudly display them.



I'm not sure why when I found these I knew that I wanted to bring them home and tuck them inside this old ruffle edged hobnail basket.  Maybe it's the combination of rustic and refined that appeals to me?!



Whatever the appeal, I'm clearly not the only one who finds these brightly painted croquet balls and their companion mallets to be charming accessories.  Whether you display them as "basket balls" or in a more practical way, they are sure to make you smile and they might even bring back a memory or two!

20 comments:

  1. I love these, and what memories you bring back... lightning bugs, freeze tag... ah, when life was that simple.

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  2. Oh Kat, I love them. My first sale at Razmataz was a set of 5 of these to Tamarah at Shabby Vintage Junk. I mailed them at the beginning if April and she is still waiting for them to arrive down under. Your post reminded me to call the post office tomorrow.

    I think pieces like this are so interesting in a house as you can pick them up and reminice about them. As usual Kat, your photos are great. (I am reading the book you recommended)

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  3. Kat, I love your balls displayed in the bowl like that. I was thinking of getting a vintage set. I found one last week at a flea market for $45 for the whole set. Probably not a bad price if it is still there. I remember playing at my grandparents and just like you we would start catching lightening bugs.

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  4. Hello Kat....!

    LOL....I see Chania beat me here... :o) ! I LOVE croquet balls....! I have 7 at the moment & I'm just waiting for the postman to deliver the GORGEOUS ones I bought from Chania....!!

    I LOVE how they feel I'm my hands & look on the scales where I keep them....** sigh ** I'll have to bring a couple into the office next week & sit them on my desk....!

    If you ever get tired of yours I would be HAPPY to give them a good home....!!!

    Cheers for now,
    Tamarah :o)

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  5. I'm getting old...things that I remember having as a kid and becoming junk that we threw away is now cool decorating, who would have guessed it!

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  6. What I would give for our boys to pick croquet and lightning bugs over Xbox 360. Sheesh.

    Your words and images conjure up fond memories.

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  7. Ah, yes, the good old days!
    The days of simple pleausures.
    These look wonderful in your hob nob.
    I am going to check your giveaway, now!
    Storms have been knocking our power out--
    I'm behind on my blogging!
    xx Suzanne

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  8. The croquet balls are lovely Kat as well as special to you. Great combination for making your house a home! xx

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  9. Kat, your croquet balls are fabulous and I love how you have displayed them! I always have my eye out for them, but since moving to the country great finds seem to be few and far between! I love that yours came from your parents' attic. Hope you have a fabulous weekend ~ Tina xx

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  10. Love the memories in those old rickety looking croquet balls. They're beautiful!

    Di

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  11. I just love old croquet balls~ so many different styles! Yours have a wonderful old patina and a story to tell!

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  12. I pulled some old croquet balls out of the box going to the dump the other day....did a post here-
    http://susanwyno.blogspot.com/2010/03/memory-triggers.html
    mine arent quite as awesomely old as yours, but I still smile when I see them

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  13. I'm with the others who said you brought back such great memories. of carefree childhood days. I loved croquet and freeze tag all the time, but catching lightning bugs in a jar is a special memory from summer's spent visiting family here in Georgia. The trip from California was always looked forward to each summer.

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  14. Kat, they are eight kinds of awesome. Now that I have a nice lawn I want to play croquet again!

    ~olive~

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  15. The wonderful memories your post has brought back to me Kat! Our summer nights at my grandparent's house in Connecticut were the same as yours. My cousins and I played the same games. My family still plays croquet but not with the ones I played with at my grandparent's house, those I now use only for display.

    ~ Tracy

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  16. I just love this post. I enjoy things with stories behind them. What a great thing to have.

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  17. I haven't seen croquet balls yet in my wanderings, but they look perfect. Maybe not so much croquet played in California!

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  18. Our town had a regulation croquet court put in recently and has already hosted a few tournaments there. You don't suppose if I hang around there I may come across a couple of spare croquet balls, I suspect some of the people may be using vintage sets. Yours are drool worthy! ~Lili

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  19. The stories of lawn parties, birthday parties and fun that those balls could tell!

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  20. Thanks so much for the nice mention, too, Kat! XO

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