Herbalism: Natures Secret: Knowledge & Guidance Through Healing Plants' by Jennifer Divyajyota Michelsen

Natures Secret: Knowledge & Guidance Through Healing Plants by Jennifer Divyajyota Michelsen

I first saw Jennifer Divyajyota Michelson's beautiful book and cards 'Natures Secret: Knowledge & Guidance Through Healing Plants' on one of my favourite Instagram pages @littletreesgrow aka Erin Ashleigh (see Erin's house tour on moon to moon here) and they instantly caught my eye. Over the last couple of years I have began reading about herbalism and taking a few classes so was really excited to see a new text I hadn't yet discovered. I also love the idea of the cards, making it easier to focus on learning about the benefits of one plant at a time. They are also great for teaching children!!

Eager to learn more about these beautiful cards and accompanying book, I caught up with Author Jennifer Divyajyota Michelsen.....

Hi Jennifer thank you for taking time to talk to moon to moon

Can you tell us a little bit about your self and background?

I'm a yoga teacher in the Satyananda tradition (Bihar School of Yoga, India) and a qualified teacher of Permaculture and Sustainable Community Design. I've worked as coordinator of large organic gardens, studied and completed courses in organics, medicinal plants, and herbal medicine.

Natures Secret: Knowledge & Guidance Through Healing Plants' photo by @littletreesgrow

What led you to creating the series?

I was introduced to the idea of working with Nature Intelligence during a six-week organics class in 1997. Since that time I have worked "co-creatively" with Nature Intelligence in my design and implementation work as coordinator of organic gardens. I connect with Nature Intelligence and establish a conscious, active personal partnership with Nature through kinesiology. Through this work, the idea of the book evolved. I connected directly to Nature to get all the Insights/Lessons for the book.

Natures Secret: Knowledge & Guidance Through Healing Plants by Jennifer Divyajyota Michelsen

Can you tell us a bit about the cards and book and how they are to be used?

The book can be used to learn about 40+ medicinal plants, their history, myth and, most importantly their healing properties. The medicinal qualities of the plants can be utilised through a variety of herbal preparations, tinctures, decoctions, flower essences, essential oils and herbal teas. 

Each card has also been designed to provide insight and to aid in recognising an issue and facilitating its release or simply in using a particular plant for personal support. You can choose a card daily or whenever you need guidance and support. 

Natures Secret: Knowledge & Guidance Through Healing Plants by Jennifer Divyajyota Michelsen

The cards feature diverse plants from TCM , Ayurveda and wise woman traditions how did you choose what 40 plants you would print?

The project was huge so I started with one plant at a time. I worked with Nature Intelligence and listened to my heart in my choices. Lavender was the first plant that came to me. Each selection was through the same process. It took 10 years to complete and a great deal of research. Many of the Insights in the book embrace spiritual practices for personal growth and balance. Yoga, meditation, fire ceremony and other modalities can be used to strengthen the plants' healing abilities and assist in transforming, aligning and bringing balance.

Natures Secret: Knowledge & Guidance Through Healing Plants Photo by @newearth.mama

The set is currently 40 cards do you have plans for a follow up series?

I have a list of 40-50 more herbs to research although writing another book seems like an overwhelming task at the moment.

I've started a children's book. I have ideas and I'm in the process of taking 12X of the basic plants in the book and adapting them to children. Each plant will have an interactive project to go with it. 

Thank you so much Jennifer for taking the time to speak to moon to moon.... if you are interested in buying or finding out more about the book and cards you can visit Jennifers site natures creation or visit her on instagram

To read more Interviews on Moon to Moon click here

xx Gabi

The home of.... Abigael Whittaker, Creative Director of Tree of Life

I am so happy to share with you the home of Abigael Whittaker. She is a lovey soul I met on Instagram and I have been admiring her home and work from a distance for a long while so I was very pleased when she agreed to do a little interview. As well as running a super stylish home, Abi is the creative director for Australian brand Tree of Life, has recently become a mother and is also a very talented artist...... super woman!!!

Hi Abi thank you for taking th time out to talk to us today, can you start by telling us a little bit about where you are currently living?

I live in Brisbane, a smallish city, But dream of the seas! We are so excited to be moving to a treehouse by the sea in the next few months!! 

2) What attracted you to your current home ? 
Being up high we get to look out to the tree tops and enjoy their breeze, and try to forget the hustle and bustle around us.

3) What is your favorite room in the house? 
Our big living room which is full of natural light and positively heaving with all my treasures! 


4) What is your most treasured item? 
Hmmmm. So hard! My mum is a jewellery maker so I have loads of precious creations and heirlooms from her. My most treasured treasures probably change a bit as per my mood but currently I guess it would have to be my mums vintage floor length garnet red velvet coat... with gold trims! She bought it in Morocco in the 70s and it is truly as divine as it sounds.

5). What does 'home ' mean to you? 
Home had always been where my treasures live. They form so many of my memories from travel, loved ones and times of my life. I remember I heard someone once say "Home is where you lay your head" and I think that's such a nice sentiment too. It's just that my home tends to be the amazing textiles upon which I lay my head! 

 6) your job takes you in many adventures what items do you take to help you feel at home wherever you go? 
Fabulous jewellery and a big comfy scarf that can double as a blanket or bedspread! Whatever i'm wearing and wherever I'm  going jewellery and accessories always make me feel myself.

7) Where do you source your home furnishings 
Tree of Life of course! But also on my travels I tend to hoard textiles of all kinds to layer on beds, couches and floors... any surface I can find! 

8) what has inspired your style? My mum for sure, who has such an incredible style of her own as an artist and designer herself and someone who has lived and traveled through the 60s and 70s!! Amazing! And also my job and the immense opportunities I have been given to travel. I'm so inspired by the textures of other lands, the colours, the prints, the fabrics!!! 

9)Where would your dream home be? By the sea! I would just love love love to be able to walk to the beach from my wooden home that is filled with plants and colour and all the pattern and prints! 

10) What was the last item you brought? Probably nappies! But the last exciting item I brought was a gorgeous clay pink Serape from Tree of Life. Perfect for winter breastfeeding, as a blanket and as a throw. 

11) if you could teleport : time travel where would you go to grab some home furnishings? Morocco! And then a quick stop off to Mexico. Oh my goodness and I would LOVE to go to Afghanistan and load up their incredible jewellery. I imagine Afghanistan in the seventies and my heart bursts! 

12) You style for tree of life, how did you get into styling? 
My adventure with Tree of Life has been quite organic so that I've just easily swapped from styling to visual merchandising to buying. They all inform each other so that has worked out nicely. I studied Fashion Design at university which helped too.  I think when the style of a company or project is so close to your personal style it makes sense for you to be able to really invest yourself in to it. 
Tree of Life and I are a bit like an intricate tapestry these days! 

13) any tips for budding home stylists?
 Gather what you love! If you feel like you've got some gaps you need to fill gather inspiration from people and places you love and seek out those really key pieces. 

All images found via Abi's instagram @abrac_dabra

5 minutes with.... Semra From Mama Moon Candles

Moon Ritual: Mama Moon Candles

Today on Moon to Moon we are lucky enough to have Semra from Mama Moon candles telling us about her journey from Stylist to candle maker!! I first discovered her beautiful candles a year or so ago via Instagram and have been intrigued to know a little more of what goes on behind the scenes for a while....so...

1)   Hi Semra, Can you tell us a little bit about yourself  and what led you to making candles?

Hey, yes sure… I am a very sensitive and loyal scorpio! I like to practice feel good magic.. I love the whole psycho- spiritual aspect of it.  I guess I would consider myself an eclectic witch who uses a little of this and a little of that! 

My journey to making candles has been varied, I was a fashion stylist for about 11 years, I wasn’t enjoying it for multiple reasons.  I decided to quit and go to University to study psychology, I loved learning all the theories, but the whole rats and stats of it all was something that I couldn’t cope with.. I’m way too spiritual! … So I quit and my best friend and I decided to do something courageous and bonkers and set up a kickstarter and raised money to buy a motor-home and perform our comedy show in the back of! It was a total passion project and was so much fun, stressful at times, but wouldn’t change that experience for anything..

While I have had my various jobs on the go I have always been in to healing, rituals and mixing oil blends and herbs… all this is very natural to me and has really helped and empowered me through some of life's rocky times,  I wanted to create something that would make people feel good and was an accessible way to create a mini ritual at home.

2) What is different about Mama Moon soy based candles to the mass produced ones available in big shops?

Big machines aren’t mixing them up, I am! I’m in my kitchen,  I’m heating the wax and mixing in the oils that have been infused with crystals, and I'm  pouring them in to the jars all myself… Each one is individually made by me, with love, care and magic!..  I create a protective circle and put a lot of positive intention in to them.  It’s a very personal experience and I love that my customers really feel that connection with them…

3) You have mixed together two of my personal favorite scents oud and rose in your 'Love Manifestation' candle. What was the inspiration behind the scent and what led you to this combination ?

The first time I ever smelt oud was on the glamorous Arab ladies in the cosmetics department in Selfridges! The smell is so powerful and potent, a total heady aphrodisiac, which is why it goes so well with rose which is the  universal go to smell that has signified love for centuries… Together they can be quite  hypnotic!!

4) What candle do you light when you have had a stressful day? 

Oh my its so hard to decide! Moon Ritual is my number one  its so warming and comforting... If I'm  having a bath it would have to be Healing and Meditation ( thats my cats favourite one too!)

5) Other than light a candle , what other ways do you like to relax at home?

I love cooking… now its cold, I’ll be cooking stews or soups – getting cosy in my pijamas, chill with my cat and watch some netflix!

Mama Moon Candles

6) you left a successful career in styling to start Mama Moon . what advice would you give to readers thinking about starting a small business?

If you have an idea GO FOR IT!  Remember that you don’t have to start with a big professional product launch you can start small and that way it is really easy to learn from mistakes and see what works and what doesn’t. Don’t sabotage yourself with perfectionism, as it is a form of procrastination in disguise! Share your ideas with friends and family, don’t be shy about it! If you are feeling a little un-confident book in a few sessions with a life coach. I had a really amazing life coach at the beginning of Mama Moon and she definitely taught me some really useful tips that I still tap in to now… I would also recommend entrepreneurial podcasts.. Its very reassuring to know that everyone started somewhere and its also a good motivator to know that hard work does pay off! 

7) What has been your proudest moment/ what do you appreciate the most about/of  Mama Moon?

I love that my candles have become part of peoples sacred spaces and that they are part of peoples intention setting rituals. That really is an honour. I am always so touched when my customers send me photos and tell me how happy my candles make them … That connection is a real honour makes me truly buzz!

I see that you have recently organised a foraging and smudge making workshop have you any other plans for mama moon's growth or new products in the near future?

 
Yes… I've got some really cool stuff cooking in the kitchen ( and other places ) All will be revealed very soon!!!! I have also really enjoyed sharing my moon rituals this year.. So definitely more of them too!

A massive thank you to Semra for taking the time to talk to Moon to Moon xx

To try Semra's Mama Moon Candles visit her webshop here, she can also be found on Instagram

Semra at her pop up shop in London Last year

My Nest... Rachel's Waldorf Inspired Home in the Adelaide Hills

The 'My Nest' series took a bit of a break for a while but it is back.....

So...today on Moon to Moon I am extremely excited and happy to introduce Rachel, one half of The Silk Road and her fabulous Waldorf Inspired home in the Australian hills... Light, roomy and full to the brim with happy house plants and stunning finds from her travels across the globe I have been drooling over Rachel's pad for some time..... so was mega excited when she agreed to share her home on Moon to Moon and Answer a few questions....

1) Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and where you live?

I am 33, married to my soulmate Gawaine and a mum to two incredible girls, Zaala Zahara and Luna Indigo. I am a registered nurse specialised in Emergency & Intensive Care and I am also a remote area nurse for the indigenous communities of remote Australia. That said, at the moment I’m taking extended maternity leave from nursing to enjoy the bliss of being at home with my girls in the Adelaide Hills, Australia. I am also co-founder of The Silk Road, an online shop with artisan made items collected on our travels across the globe.  

 2) How did you find this beautiful home and how long have you lived in it?
We have been extremely fortunate to have been given the opportunity to live in the home that my husband grew up in. It’s an incredibly quirky home that has had a beautiful history; his family filled it with music, house concerts, visitors from all walks of life from around the world and lots of love. For many years it was THE meeting place and I’d hazard to guess that almost everyone in our community has a beautiful memory tucked away of their time spent in this house. We moved in two years ago and although it's much quieter these days, it is very much home for us. 

3) Your husband must have really fond memories of the place. Have you altered it much since you moved in? 

The amazing energy that came with this home and the memories of the space was still fresh in everyone’s mind when we moved in. It could have proven to be a challenge to make the shift in making it our own space whilst being respectful to what the home once was; and give our family time to adjust to the changes we brought. Luckily, our family were 100% supportive and encouraging to change it up and make it our own. 

4) What are your favourite things about living in this area? 

Our close circle and wider network is thanks, in large part, to my husband and his family. He was part of an incredible community-centered school and through it I have formed an amazing circle of friends who I love. Like other Waldorf communities around the world, his network has carried through into adulthood and our daughter has now started her journey here. It is rich in heart and generosity, encourages mindful and slow living, growing your own food etc. I definitely miss my lifelong friends in Queensland that I've known forever but although we sometimes dream of living back in the tropics, we know our little town in the hills is definitely now home. 

5) Every item in your house is absolutely stunning. Could you pick 3 objects with a history and tell us about them?

Many of the pieces in our home have been collected on our travels over the years. We have had some incredible opportunities when it comes to travel and found ourselves in some fairly remote corners of the world. One of the hardest things we have had to transport home was a wooden carving of a Fulani lady carrying her child on her back. She is over a meter tall and we found her in the amazing city of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. We still had over a month in West Africa before going home but we couldn’t leave her behind! So we cut up a foam mattress from the local market to place her in a soft protected casing and then she took up residence in Gawaine's backpack as we travelled onward through Mali and Ghana. 

I also love to collect handmade textiles. My favourite piece is an old heavily embroidered young mans jacket I found in Kachchh, Gujurat. This amazing area in western India is home to the Rabari, a semi-nomadic group of pastoralists and anyone who has a thing for Indian textiles knows that Kachchh is renowned for its incredible artisans. This colourful jacket is actually the piece that inspired the creation of TheSilk Road. 

Another special piece is an old silver round amulet I found in the centuries old Esfahan bazaar in central Iran. Historically, the Esfahan bazaar was an significant place of trade on the Silk Road. The amulet was made by the Kuchi peoples of Afghanistan which borders Iran, and it is such a symbolic piece to me of our journey with The Silk Road. 

6) Do you have a favourite place in your home?

The bay windows in our kitchen and living room are such a glorious source of natural light and are integral to our day to day movements in our home. Everything we do revolves in and around these beautiful bay windows. They are huge, with the added benefit of being north facing which is perfect for our southern hemisphere seasonal changes. There is also an old rambling grape vine that twists and winds its way along the entire northern aspect of the house, just about the windows. In the summer months the grape shades the sun with its expansive green vinery, and in the cooler months the leaves turn a rich shade of auburn before falling off. The winter sun then streams in and warms the entire downstairs living spaces. The downstairs of the house has been built with rammed earth which encourages minimal fluctuations in temperature year round; the thick walls of compacted earth stay cool in summer and the sun warms the walls in winter. 

7) What are you currently listening too

Loren Kate, an Australian award winning musician who I have the immense pleasure of calling a friend. She is a remarkable human and story teller. Her music never fails to leave me with goose bumps or in tears. 

8) What are you currently reading?

We have a great collection of books, mostly non-fiction and generally anything related to worldwide cultures, world issues or stories exploring the lives of people who create change in the world. I would love to say I was actually currently reading something of that vein, but I just looked over to my bedside table and there is a very dog-eared copy of the India Lonely Planet. I re-read sections of it before I go to bed each night. India is my heartland, a country that has left such an imprint on me....Plus we have two little people tucked up in bed with us so I don’t read big books the way I used to.

9) If you could travel either back in time or to a far off land to grab some interior items where would you go?

I feel that our home is full to the brim with so many things, and although I love each and every piece that has found its way to us, I feel like we have everything we could ever need and at the end of the day it’s just stuff. As I grow older, I now would be much happier to work and learn alongside NGO’s who are committed to working with artisans to protect their traditional knowledge of crafts or provide skills, a safe place of work and income to marginalised or minority groups. This is what we have always been passionate about at The Silk Road and this year we intend to make a strong shift in this direction.

10) You opened The Silk Road nearly two years ago, how did that project come about?

The Silk Road was born out of a love of wrapping our global wanderings around us. Lou and I wanted to have small collections, sourced fairly and respectfully by us on our travels. We have been committed to sourcing from artisans and we have grown steadily in the past two years. This is in large part thanks to Instagram and the incredible people who have supported our journey. We feel that many of our followers ‘know' us, they have watched us travel around the world with our husbands and daughters and we think (we hope!) they trust that we always source with integrity. We intend to now use our small platform to bring awareness to issues that we feel passionate about and share these stories with those who wish to give back alongside us. We will still be artisan based, but with an emphasis on supporting individuals and communities who are at risk or marginalised.

11) Whats next for you in 2016?

Fortunately The Silk Road has always tied in perfectly with our personal plans, the two are very interwoven and symbiotic. As a family we will be travelling to Cambodia early in the year and then back to India in the second half of the year. We love our home, but we are happiest when learning and living out in the world. 

Thank You so Much to Rachel for taking the time to share her Nest.

You can find The Silk Road shop online or visit their Instagram here

Interview with Stina from Mother Mountain Herbals......

Mother Mountain Herbals: Psychic Eye Herbal tea

Today on Moon to Moon I am super proud to be chatting with Stina from Mother Mountain Herbals, an Independant Herbal tea and beauty product maker from North Carolina.  The combination of extremely covetable packaging and seriously fabulous teas has seen Mother Mountain Herbals shooting to success all in Stina's first year of business!!

So lets find out more.....

       Hi Stina, can you tell Moon to Moon a little about you and what you do?

Hi I'm Stina, the creator and owner of Mother Mountain Herbals. I live in the mountain countryside of Asheville, North Carolina.

        How did you start getting into Herbalism?

Years ago I was living in Los Angeles, suffering from depression, on a career path that was no longer serving me, and longing for a more simple and natural way of living. Any day off I had I would go hiking in the hills and canyons surrounding the sprawling cityscape. I was enamoured with all the magnificent plants that I came across and wondered what uses they had. I started carrying field guides and read Susun Weed's "Healing Wise". It was pretty much a done deal after that. I knew my path was aligning with herbalism.

When did you decide to launch your own range?

After moving to Asheville, I was hired at a coffee shop/bar downtown to create teas and herbal elixirs. I was getting a lot of great feedback from customers and my boss actually encouraged me to make my own business out of it. I finally felt like I had enough self confidence do it- so I worked on my branding for about 8 months and then launched MMH in May of 2015.

Mother Mountain Herbals: Psychic Eye

What inspired you to start mother Mountain herbs and what is the inspiration behind the name?

I obtained a wealth of emotional, spiritual, and physical healing on my path with herbs. One of my goals with MMH is to assist others with the same healing by making it easy and fun to integrate plants into everyday life.

The name Mother Mountain Herbals is inspired by the Townes Van Zandt album "Our Mother the Mountain". I loved the meaning behind the title because I live in the mountains and it is the land here that nurtures me. 

Do you have any herbs that you use on a daily basis?

I really try to stay on top of stinging nettle and oatstraw infusions daily. Drinking them is like taking a multivitamin, but better. Our body assimilates their minerals like food, so we get a lot more nutrition out of them rather than taking a pill. Plus I believe the energies of the plants have benefits as well- opposed to a synthetic, laboratory made vitamin. I also use various mushroom extracts in my daily smoothies and always keep a bottle of skullcap tincture in my purse. 

Do you have a favourite of your products?

That's hard to say! I drink tea and use my beauty products everyday. But I think my favourites are somewhat interchangeable. There's one product that I make and really love that doesn't get as much attention as the others- I'm not sure why! I couldn't live without it. It's the Masa + Honey Face Polish. I'm an exfoliation advocate and that particular scrub is so gentle yet really effective. And it doesn't leave my skin dry. I would buy it even if I didn't make it. 

Here in the UK the weather is cold and there is little sunshine, do you have any recommendations for blends?

When I think of dark days and cold weather, I want to really nourish myself and keep my immune system strong. I would probably be drinking lots of Wild + Weedy Tea and ElderMother Tea. Wild + Weedy contains lots of herbs to strengthen and fortify all systems of the body. I might even make an infusion out of it. ElderMother contains herbs that ward off acute viral illnesses like colds and flus.  I would also be dosing up on good quality cod liver oil. It's one of the best ways to keep optimal vitamin D levels in the winter time. It's the sunshine vitamin! 

Mother Mountain Herbals: Maiden Grey tea

I am a big fan of Earl Grey tea and your Maiden Grey tea is absolutely divine, what was the inspiration behind this blend?

When I first created the teas they were for the coffee shop and I thought we needed some more blends that would appeal to people who might not be into tisanes. I love Earl Grey too- but wanted to create something more feminine, like a flower potion. I think rose, lavender, and jasmine are really dreamy paired with the bergamot in Earl Grey. 

The illustrations and packaging are absolutely wonderful , did you study art or design?

No, I never went to college! But I developed a love for drawing at a very young age. I think I have an old photo of toddler Stina scribbling faces and dogs in a notebook. I've been doodling and painting my whole life, basically. 

What next for Mother Mountain herbals?

Well, I just became a vendor for Urban Outfitters and completed my first order from them. I felt like that was a pretty huge accomplishment in my first year of business.  My partner and I are in the process of purchasing a house with land- which means I can have a new home studio + space to grow herbs for MMH. As soon as I have more room to breath, I can expand my product line. Also- my goal this year is to start writing/illustrating a book about herbs!

For those readers who are interested in learning more about herbalism what would you say would be the best place to start?

The best starting place for me was Susun Weed's book "Healing Wise". It covers some great basics and dives into developing relationships with the plants you're using. Also attending any workshops in your area is fun to too! 

Mother Mountain Herbals: Maiden Grey, Psychic Eye and Mellow Belly

Stina was kind enough to send me some teas to sample and I thoroughly recommend you give them a try. They were so pretty I felt a bit naughty opening them, but I am so glad I did they were all beautifully fragrant and each tasted divine!!

First I tried the Psychic Eye Tea, this is a beautiful blend of refreshing Gotu Kola and Holy Basil mixed with magical mugwort and striking blue cornflower. Stina says 

"This tea assists with receiving information from the spirit realms and facilitates focus and attention outside of time. Enjoy prior to meditation, tarot readings, ritual work, or just before bed to promote vivid dreaming."

 I drank this one when my 19 month old finally settled for his nap to help me relax after the mayhem of my morning, it was beautiful and certainly did the job.

 Next on my list was Maiden Grey. As a long time Earl Grey fan I was really excited to be trying the Maiden Gray tea, I didn't realise my trusty favourite could get any better. 

"A floral and feminine version of the traditional old Earl. This dreamy elixir combines whole jasmine buds, pink rose petals, and aromatic lavender to transform your tea time into something truly flower powerful. Excellent with cream and local honey. Mildly caffeinated with organic black tea"

This tea is so so pretty, and is honestly my new favourite. I discovered Rose tea in China a few years ago and have been an avid fan since, who would have thought the flavors would merge so well with my trusty Earl Grey?.... perfect with a little Honey and almond milk!!

Stina also sent me some Mellow Belly Tea. This remains unopened, not because I am not tempted to rip it open, but because I suffer each month from Stomach troubles so am saving it for then.... I will let you know how i get on....

So will I be buying these teas again? Absolutely......, next time i will be adding some Masa and Honey Face Polish , some Sweet Orange and Patchouli dry shampoo and one of Stinas Hot Cloth cleansing kits to my order (currently sold out)...

So ....

A massive thank you to Stina for taking time out of preparing orders for Urban Outfitters and her store and house hunting to talk to Moon to Moon. I cant wait to see what 2016 brings xxx

I hope you all enjoyed the interview, I am planning many more on Moon to Moon this year

xx

Collection: Claire's Toy Caravans....

I come from a family of collectors. As a child it was a pretty much a weekly occurrence to visit antique or collectors fairs with my parents. I grew up with an appreciation of what it was 'to collect'.

I have been admiring Claire's beautiful home on Instagram for some time now and am planning to do a little tour and interview in the near future, but as soon as I saw Claires caravan collection i just had to find out more and share.

Claire was kind enough to answer some questions about her collection....

Claire Oster's Toy Caravan Collection

Hello! My name is Claire I'm 35 and I live in Strasbourg France with my Husband Simon, Son Lucas, Step-Son Colin, and our two cats Holly and Tom. I'm currently a stay at home Mum and I'm originally from London in the UK. I moved to Strasbourg to be with my now Husband who I met online. I've been here just over 6 years. Previous to that I spent 3.5 years living in Melbourne, Australia, so I've moved around quite a bit!

What made you start collecting caravans?

I first started collecting caravans just over a year ago, after noticing the collection of a fellow instagrammer (@junkshopvenus) which I really admired! I then spotted one at a charity shop and that was it! I've been searching them out ever since.

Did you holiday in caravans as a child so do they have a nostalgic value for you?

My grandparents had a caravan when I was very small, but I think for me, it’s just a nostalgia for anything in the past. I'm a bit obsessed with collecting anything from the 50's/60's/70's.

 

Do you have a caravan of your own?

No...But I really, really wish that I did!! Perhaps one day....

Where do you buy them from?

The majority of mine have been found at charity shops, Car boot sales, vide greniers ect, though I have found a couple on ebay, One was gifted to me from the Instagram friend whose collection I mentioned above, that kick-started me to begin collecting them myself, which was really lovely!

 Is there a wish list caravan?

Not especially, as instead of searching for particular models, I prefer to see what I come across when hunting charity shops and car boot sales. That said, I would really like some of the Dinky models that I don't have in my collection, which don't really turn up often in France. For me, the thrill is finding one 'in the wild' that I don't already have. Even if it’s the same, but in a different colourway to one already in my collection. Different colour - Different caravan!

What is the most you have paid for one?

I think the most I paid was £5 on Ebay, for one that I really wanted. But usually I pay between 50 cents and 3 euros. Mine is not an expensive collection!

Do you have any other collections?

Do I? Ha-ha! I have so many collections that it would take too long to list them all here ;)

Among other things, I collect West German plant pots, Vintage bride and groom wedding cake toppers, Kitsch Spanish holiday souvenirs from the 70's, vintage tights/stockings in their original packaging, anything tiny that I display in old print drawers, retro/vintage kitchen items, Anything religious, creepy vintage plastic squeak toys and basically anything vintage/kitsch/curious that catches my attention. Most of my collections have happened by accident, where I have found one of the items, loved it, and then spotted others out and about. Once I've found three of something, it’s officially a collection! All of my things have been found cheaply in charity shops or at car boot sales.

A massive thank you to fellow mama Claire, I know how precious time is when you have a little one xx

If any of you have a collection you would like to share please email me at moontomoon@live.co.uk