Hey Houston, we have a PROPLEM…
…For when it comes to the acquisition of props…..I am shameless.
As the Bible says ‘Confess your sins, one before another, that you might find forgiveness and healing’ and so brothers and sisters, I stand before you today, baring my soul and saying….I have a serious addiction.
Do you?
Now if I had to describe my philosophy (if you can call it that) to acquiring things to take pretty pictures, it is essentially BEG. BORROW (COLLECT). STEAL. BUY
And since the ‘Beg’ front is the one with the highest potential for embarrassment, I’ll start with that.
I BEG for props.
See this cookie tin? Before I arrived, it was destined for a bin at Copenhagen airport. Thanks to me, it was rescued from that horrible fate and now lives at ours…. Doesn’t it look good in pink?
Well, I thought so, right from the start. Hmmm, the lid however was long discarded by the shop……further convincing that it was truly meant for me (especially since they were going to throw it away…anyway).
The acquisition – I walked into the shop, saw the tin and loved it. However, I didn’t want to buy a whole tin of cookies cause I would have had to eat them and so spotting an almost empty one, I explained to the lady my purpose in life – all things food, gave her a card and took it, lidless.
And see those bottles? Well I also have one of them :
Requested rather nicely from the gentleman who was going to throw away the empty ones.
These cute serving plates, I collected, rather voraciously (as did others mind you).
I shouldn’t have bothered for by the following morning, after a wash the nice silver layer had stripped off, leaving rather ugly, patchy petit four dishes.
This one on the other hand, bearing a delicious quail’s leg (which I did consume) still resides in my kitchen cupboard. Granted, it hasn’t been used….yet but it will come in handy soon!
Or this box – also from Copenhagen, filled with Clementines at my friend’s. She’s also a foodie so she quite understood – one of my very few shame-free begging ventures.
Finally on this front are these leaf plates. The minute I spotted them at a function, I KNEW I had to have them, but common sense pulled me away.
*Spoiler – I did get them in the end* – find out how!
Anyhow, feeling desperate and speaking to a friend on the phone at the same time, I told her about my irrational desire for the plates and we both agreed it was quite silly. But I couldn’t sit still and so I went again towards the object of my affections (at that time at least) and on the way, encountered a lady. The minute I saw her I broke out into the largest smile I’d had in a longgggggggggg time, for in her hand, she stood bearing a stack of the exact same plates I was after. Of course, I stopped her for a short interview, which went ‘Why do you have those plates?’ and the response was ‘I like them!’
Talk about ♪♫ to my ears! (I am really into emoticons…♥)
After sharing my proplem with her, I headed with renewed confidence to acquire mine…and that I did – the gracious hosts bid me take what I wanted! Needless to say my shawl came in handy, shielding and protecting my newly acquired props from the glaring eyes of the public. Destination – my handbag! Oh…along with some wooden forks too.
The plates are quite special……
They are:
- Single-use disposable plates
- Biodegradable
- Compostable
- 100% chemical free
- Light weight
- Strong enough to withstand forks and knives
- Can be used to serve hot food and soup.
- Can be used in an oven up to 200 degrees C. for 3 mins
- Can be used to store food in a refrigerator
- Liquid food like Soups and ketchup can be served
I absolutely ♥ them….watch me use them….soon!
On the BORROW side, well, I have Daughter #1 to thank for her Monkey, which provided a gracious prop for some delicious Banana bread.
As do I have A to thanks, for granting me use of her beautiful wallpaper – which I stripped off the walls in my new weekend role as ‘building helper’. I guess this could very well go in the buy category since I didn’t get paid for stripping the walls but humour me, ok?
I also ‘collected’ some marble slabs from a quarry in Germany…a few months ago!
And the last category of ‘BUY’…is the one fast becoming a major issue and not because of the money involved ( I am a CAREFUL shopper – so much so that I miss out on some sale goods, due to my constant thinking/planning before buying philosophy!) but because of space!
These days, I give serious consideration to what my husband’s reactions are likely to be as well, before I purchase something. Take this mini glasses for instance, Arroz con Leche looked mighty good in them…and they hardly take any space, stacked!
I also highly prize my collection of curios, picked up at all manners of sales and shops.
And there you have it, the word is OUT. You all know my secrets……but I know, I’m SOOOOOOOOOO not alone.
And since sharing is one of my favourite things to do, I’d like to share this with you. As in….give this away! And EVERYONE, regardless of where you live is allowed to participate!
And no, it’s not empty.
Inside you will find all manners of ‘gifts’, which would be great in the kitchen…and also in photos. Your choice to use them as you will….. They’are all NEW.
In the box, you’ll find:
- 2 mini-woks, which I love to use as servers
- 2 silver candle bowls,….which I will use as bowls for olives or nuts….especially for a Middle Eastern meal
- Some disposable leaf plates
- Some cutlery – wooden, transparent
- White egg spoons
- Pieces of Fabric
- Some coloured paper
- Beaded coasters
- And of course, the lovely box they all come in.
So here, you have your props….
….And some chops (word for ‘food’ in Nigeria), including Tonka Beans, Aleppo pepper (used in Middle Eastern delights like Muhammara), Some Dutch mints, which I like, and anything else I can think off before I mail the box off!
That’s my first giveaway, which begins today and is open to everyone, everywhere.
Note that country restrictions may prevent me from sending some items.
e.g If the winner lives in Australia, I won’t be able to include the ‘tree’ products. I’ve watched enough episodes of the ‘Airport’ to know better! And I would think twice about sending the Tonka beans to the States too but everything else should be fine……
The Rules
Leave 1 comment: tell me something about props – a story, a tip, a joke, anything.
For 2 comments: Tweet about it…and encourage others to do so please and leave another comment to let me know you’ve done this, that will count as a second entry.
A winner will be selected, using the Random Number Generator at Random.org and will be announced on Sunday evening.
SPREAD THE WORD, PLEASE!!!!!!
[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Top of the Props….and my first GIVEAWAY! – – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]
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I love seeing all your props – wish mine were so organised – I just look around for whatever I can find – but I did take a tray from a raffle prize that my sister was about to throw away and it made a great way to display food esp on chinese new years
Ah thank Gos I’m not the only one obsessed with gathering props. Nice to know there are more of use around! 😉
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Oh, you make me laugh! begging, borrowing, buying – what matters is that we need PROPS! Pity the silver coating came off those little dishes – they are too gorgeous…
My favorite props are a vase with a bright perky flower in it or a funky plate with amazing colors. Great giveaway!
Oh duh – I got my dates wrong!!! SOrry! Have been ill all week with stomach flu and hardly know what day it is!
Props – one word springs to mind – Chinatown! So great for all sorts of food photo props. I love yours though and would love to win. I tweeted about it too!
That is pretty awesome! Im a newbie foodie, but I am a photographer.. so I can totally relate!
Missed this one, but have to add that I loved the post!
Hey hon! i wish I could see what’s going on but as i’m in dubai and you’re pics are on flickr- it’s forbidden here and I can’t see anything! BLEH!
Congrats Aiofe!
This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to everyone for being a part of it!
What a fantastic giveaway – you have quite the collection of fun props! I’m inspired – right now I only have a few place mats!
awesome giveaway I use tea towels as props but need to learn from you as your the master will tweet about it love Rebecca
Wonderful give away from a wonderful person.
What can I say about Props? Girl, rubbing two pennies together and making a dollar is my specialty. I can take any leftover and make a meal or two from it for the next day. My dear you have taught me that not to throw my roast potatoes out but to fry them with onions and serve them with eggs and bacon at breakfast. I use my junk and have learned to recycle with the best.
Hugs and Kisses to the family. Miss y’all like a fat girl misses her cake.
What a FANTASTIC giveaway!! If I see a great prop at the store, all I have to do is think about what fabulous dessert would I make to go with the prop, then I have given myself the rationalization to BUY the prop, once I have a mental plan to go with it. 🙂
LOL…can’t imagine that you even collect the marbles….;-))
oh gal…you REALLY….really love to collect good stuff….I wonder how big is your kitchen and cellar….
Loved this post because all food bloggers are forever looking for props. You gave us lots of ideas. I tend to fall back on the same old ones (I am not as creative as you are) but I do look for things in flea markets and antique malls. My friends get very annoyed with me.
I’ve seen (and bought) the hemp plates and loved them. The thing is, we all probably have tons of props right under our noses, in our homes. It just takes a creative mind to find them.
I used a cranberry glass collection one year on the dining room table for a Valentines Day luncheon. I had been looking at it for years and it suddenly struck me how pretty it would look with flowers in some of the bottles. Everyone loved it. That’s about as creative as I get- table settings.
That’s so kind of you! Well, of course I need to know first if any typically Dutch props are included in the set – aardappelstamper, pannenlikker, theelepeltje, etc. (LOL!)
Well, I’ve recently been dubbed “P the Baker” as I’ve started to bake and cook up a storm. I haven’t gotten around to taking pics as you’re right props do make a difference. Well, here’s my entry hoping to win. Ok, I’m off to spot for props 🙂
You generous girl!!!! OH MY GOD i would want those things ! would it help if i told u I read every word? NO? well I did. ur so funny!
Im just like u…prop crazy…i have even considered using my handbag one time n when m out shopping I think ‘PROPS”
Ive collected dried leaves and twigs from the park too.they made costless props.
have a good day Oz. this was a great post!:)
Me! Choose me!
When I started my blog, I knew that I was in serious danger of buying props. I promised myself that I wouldn’t buy anything just for my blog. So far, I haven’t. Well, unless you count the scallop shells. But I wanted them anyway…
Great post, Oz.
Tweet!
http://twitter.com/heatheranne99/status/8404986481
Such a cool giveaway! Props to the person who put it together 😉
cheers love!
Nice, would love to be in the competition but don’t have a twitter account. I can see myself doing stuff with that basket that has nothing to do with food or props but very useful nevertheless. Your blog is a joy to visit. Keep the blogs coming.
Lol.
Biola
You are amazing and ever so generous! I shall admire you from the sidelines and post your blog on FB!
What an amazing assortment of photo goodies! I am still fairly fresh to the food blog world and rapidly have learned the importance of props. I find myself unconsciously cruising the aisles of stores just looking for… something… never sure quite what it will be, but you know it when you find it! Super cool giveaway, great pics and love the blog!
Regards from sunny California
Laura @socalsustenance
You are crazy generous, girlfriend! And all your photos are amazing, as always!
Please don’t enter me in the contest – the shipping to the other side of the world would be bonkers, and Australian quarantine are temperamental at the best of times. Plus my house is exploding with stuff already! 🙂 But I couldn’t resist commenting – you’re such a creative soul. Your photos seem to get better with every post!