Pumpkin decorations for Halloween

Herbst Kürbisse mit Mosaik

Autumn entices our creativity with richly coloured and formed decorative pumpkins. For our autumn decoration I choose a collection of flat shaped pumpkins

Pumpkins, to biologists also known as cucurbits, are counted among the oldest cultivated plants. For more than 12’000 years have people cultivated the multifarious plant. It was the calabash, a cigar shaped pumpkin,  that was first introduced in Europe and the Roman Empire via Egypt where it was known since about 2500 BC.

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Creativity-Outburst in Autumn: Tea Lights with mosaic ornament

Mosaik Teelichhalter

As autumn approaches and the days grow shorter we like to decorate the interior of our homes and even offices with candles and tee lights. Yet simple tee light enclosed in a bland glass jar appears cold and lifeless.

In a small outburst of creativity I decided to transform my tee lights into warmer and more colourful objects and what better than to use my many coloured mosaic tiles to beautify the glass jars.

Candles exist for at least 7000 years and originated in the Middle East. However these primal candles had little in common with candles as we know them today. The consisted of straw, hemp or reed which was dipped in animal fat or resin and thus resembled torches more than candles.

The “modern” candle was developed by the Romans during the second century. She carried the advantage of burning with far less fumes and thus greatly reducing the danger of fire.

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