Have you noticed that lately, pineapples are appearing in all sorts of places, on clothes, as jewellery, on china ……….
I’ve had a ‘thing’ for pineapples for a while, and have a couple of them cheering up the doors of my dated kitchen cupboards, (along with a clown drawn by Miss E when she was 6).
They were painted by Raoul Speek, a Caribbean artist living in Solva, Pembrokeshire. Decorative pineapples have popped up in all sorts of places since they were first brought to the British Isles.
Origin of the Word
The word pineapple in English was first recorded in 1398, when it was originally used to describe the reproductive organs of conifer trees (now termed pine cones). When European explorers discovered this tropical fruit they called them pineapples (term first recorded in that sense in 1664) because of their resemblance to what is now known as the pine cone. The term pine cone was first recorded in 1694, and was used to replace the original meaning of pineapple
They are often found in and around old houses as a symbol of prosperity – like on these railings outside a house in St.Davids.
Raoul Speek’s pineapples inspired a cushion I made back in 2013
And more recently I ordered some smaller wooden shapes from Hazel Woodcraft for the grandchildren to decorate as presents.
A trip to the Caribbean fuelled my Pineapple Passion,
they were everywhere
on chairs
as wall lights
pool-side lanterns
balsa wood sculptures
on carpets
and can you spot them in this room?
yes, the tray.
I loved the atmosphere in that house – it’s name is Serendipity and you can stay there……
…….. and then……oh! …. oh my goodness! … my heart skipped a beat, I saw a pattern for Pineapple Bunting on Etsy …….
and hey presto another mini-obsession takes hold ………
So many colour combos to explore!!! Juicy!
to be continued….
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