Alright!
Since I've had to improvise with my computer due to what we'll call the Great Multitasking Incident of 2011 (or GMI '11, or "What Was I Thinking?"), hahaha I am going to be super efficient in a no-nail-polish-of-any-sort-anywhere-near-the-computer kind of way. I'm going to post TWO projects in ONE post. (I know, I'm such a badass, hahaha)
SO....
Project #45 is gonna go a little something like this: The Ordinarily Extraordinary
Just an ordinary coffee cup, right? WRONG! This is a hand painted cup, with the house painted on it having been one of actual houses buried by lava from the volcano Eldfell on Iceland's tiny island of Heimaey (Vestmannaeyjar) back in the infamous eruption in 1973. This cup belongs to a cafe, which belongs to the owners who have lived on this island their whole lives ( as most of the islanders have) . They started the cafe , called Vinaminni, as a tribute to honor those who had lived on the island and fought Nature itself to save their island and preserve their homes and way of life. The owner's wife was kind enough to sit down with me and share her story of what happened the night of the eruption (she was 17 years old at the time, and dating the man who is now her husband). Not only was it an extraodinary story of bravery and resilience, but hers is one of the sweetest love stories I've ever heard! She also happened to mention that houses back then did not have just numbers for addresses, they had names. (again, VERY small town, haha) This particular house bore the name Vinaminni Uraaorvegi 5.
The house painted on the cup is what that house actually looked like, and belonged to a beloved little elderly lady, whom my cafe hostess herself as a child once asked " can you be my grandma?" hahaha, too cute!
Vinaminni literally means "remember your friends", which is a perfect name for their cafe. Her husband, ridiculously talented that he is, not only hnadpainted every single coffee cup in the place with a different house, he is also the chef, and a musician! She herself is quite an artist in the multimedia department:. she made the ceiling of the cafe look like you're sitting beneath lava of an erupting volcano! which brings us to :
Project #46 Volcanic Artwork
Yes, this is the ceiling in Vinaminni, which is actually a collage of photos of lava from all different volcanos, and superimposed over each other in layers, to get the final effect, then lit up from behind.
The tables all have photos on them, under glass, of houses and families from the island who were here in 1973, and what their stories were. How I wish I were in Iceland again, chattiing in the cafe over a steaming cup of coffee and stuffing my face with the most amazingly delicious crepes I've ever had! Her english is very good ( as is alot of icelanders, actually) and her accent is so beautiful and she is such a skilled storyteller, it makes you want to sit and just listen to her talk for hours! haha
Did I mention? It's extremely hard to find a cupcake anywhere in Iceland, I was convinced that I couldnt find one ANYWHERE! Not even in the bakeries! But this li'l place had the BEST cupcakes I'd had in , well, weeks!
Typing From A KeyBoard That's Not Mine, and Wishing I Had A Cupcake,
-J
Since I've had to improvise with my computer due to what we'll call the Great Multitasking Incident of 2011 (or GMI '11, or "What Was I Thinking?"), hahaha I am going to be super efficient in a no-nail-polish-of-any-sort-anywhere-near-the-computer kind of way. I'm going to post TWO projects in ONE post. (I know, I'm such a badass, hahaha)
SO....
Project #45 is gonna go a little something like this: The Ordinarily Extraordinary
Just an ordinary coffee cup, right? WRONG! This is a hand painted cup, with the house painted on it having been one of actual houses buried by lava from the volcano Eldfell on Iceland's tiny island of Heimaey (Vestmannaeyjar) back in the infamous eruption in 1973. This cup belongs to a cafe, which belongs to the owners who have lived on this island their whole lives ( as most of the islanders have) . They started the cafe , called Vinaminni, as a tribute to honor those who had lived on the island and fought Nature itself to save their island and preserve their homes and way of life. The owner's wife was kind enough to sit down with me and share her story of what happened the night of the eruption (she was 17 years old at the time, and dating the man who is now her husband). Not only was it an extraodinary story of bravery and resilience, but hers is one of the sweetest love stories I've ever heard! She also happened to mention that houses back then did not have just numbers for addresses, they had names. (again, VERY small town, haha) This particular house bore the name Vinaminni Uraaorvegi 5.
The house painted on the cup is what that house actually looked like, and belonged to a beloved little elderly lady, whom my cafe hostess herself as a child once asked " can you be my grandma?" hahaha, too cute!
Vinaminni literally means "remember your friends", which is a perfect name for their cafe. Her husband, ridiculously talented that he is, not only hnadpainted every single coffee cup in the place with a different house, he is also the chef, and a musician! She herself is quite an artist in the multimedia department:. she made the ceiling of the cafe look like you're sitting beneath lava of an erupting volcano! which brings us to :
Project #46 Volcanic Artwork
Yes, this is the ceiling in Vinaminni, which is actually a collage of photos of lava from all different volcanos, and superimposed over each other in layers, to get the final effect, then lit up from behind.
The tables all have photos on them, under glass, of houses and families from the island who were here in 1973, and what their stories were. How I wish I were in Iceland again, chattiing in the cafe over a steaming cup of coffee and stuffing my face with the most amazingly delicious crepes I've ever had! Her english is very good ( as is alot of icelanders, actually) and her accent is so beautiful and she is such a skilled storyteller, it makes you want to sit and just listen to her talk for hours! haha
Did I mention? It's extremely hard to find a cupcake anywhere in Iceland, I was convinced that I couldnt find one ANYWHERE! Not even in the bakeries! But this li'l place had the BEST cupcakes I'd had in , well, weeks!
Typing From A KeyBoard That's Not Mine, and Wishing I Had A Cupcake,
-J
Hi Janice,
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful, inspiring and interesting post (kinda like you) Its always great to find the story behind a good photo.
It sounds like you need to start a chain of cupcake places in Iceland :)
Be back next post!
Love,
Barb
I definitely need to go to this cafe. What a cool piece of art. Looks like fun.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas My Dear,
Sheri-Lee