Tabako bon Japanese Smoking Box: The Destiny of Things, Story 183

Tabako bon Japanese Smoking Box and More:  The Destiny of Things, Story 183

Tabako bon, charm ball and mini Mexican folk art dishes all to a return buyer now friend!

photo via Hoarder Rehab

In ancient times, these were ko-bon, a Japanese incense tray and were popular as a sign of relaxation. Later they were converted into tabako boxes. The larger circular copper area was used to hold the coal and ashes to relight the kiseru or pipe and the bamboo holder was used to place the ashes.

As you can see, I didn't use this as a ko-bon or a tabako box, but as a desk organizer.  Now it's in it's new home as a ko-bon on a meditation table in Kansas!

I am so thankful it's being used as a ko-bon or incense burner tray from ancient times and for peaceful purposes, rather than stored away in  my hoard or used as a smoking box!

The tabako bon is over to the right upper corner of the table!

I just love this meditation area with several singing bowls to choose from and calming crystals.  Just the sight of the  rich colors and soothing velvet table cloth looks so peaceful and ready.

I used to have a meditation shrine area using all the religious artifacts from my family and my own collection starting in the early 80s.  I used to arrange it and buy flowers for it weekly.  As soon as more hoard finds new homes through Etsy, I hope to have more room for a meditation area too!

photo via Hoarder Rehab, more of my miniature collection here

Lou is quite the crystal collector and she sent me a photo with some of her crystals in these, but I can't find it in my hoard of emails from her!  One of them got chipped on the way to her and I was really upset about it, but she reminded me that sometimes things happen no matter how well something is prepared and helped me to realize I don't have to be perfect and perhaps it was USPS failure.

I usually pack orders with tons of wadded up junk mail to make sure combined orders do not shake inside, however the day before her package went out I received some air pouches which are like pillows, so I decided to try them out. 

Lo and behold wadded up junk mail works better because the air pouches burst or deflated on the way and items shook around and one little dish got damaged.  It's still useable, but still!  Needless to say, I've gone back to using junk mail as the best packaging material for breakable orders.

In our last friendship box exchange, I sent here these to add to her growing crystal collection!

photo via Hoarder Rehab

She has sent me photos of her rock collection display, but I can't find them since we email each other so much and it's little dishes like these that hold her interesting crystals.  She has sent me some in my friendship package and I do love arranging them around my candle holders.

 I couldn't find the photo with my childhood dishes, but I did find this one that has rock dish holders and a woven basket.

She also bought one of my favorite old world charms.  It fell off the original Sterling Silver Etruscan Style Fob Charm Bracelet and of course, at one time it was one of my projects to create into a necklace or add to one of my handmade amulet pouch purse necklaces, but I never did.

photo via Hoarder Rehab

I cringed a little when I saw this sold because I had such creative dreams for it!  I thought it would make a good zipper pull ornament for my backpack or to one of my purse amulets like the one pictured below:

 I've always wanted to make a larger heavier cross body amulet purse like this for shopping at the Farmer's Market and the ball charm would have added a nice focal point to it!  And I do have extra mola material like the one pictured, if only one day I can find it in my hoard of hoards!  photo via The Destiny of Things, available here

So many projects and so little time when I spend it dehoarding and looking for lost textiles!  This is why I usually just buy some more because I can't find what I already have... what a bad habit and viscous hoard cycle!  It was a difficult habit to stop, but I do see and realize now the many reasons why my hoard was ever growing!

I still have the other charms on the original bracelet, so I suppose it's going to be a test of time to see which happens first... I dehoard and find my mola stash to make a larger amulet purse or the bracelet finds a new home!

photo via The Destiny of Things, bracelet available here

Mr. Oz and I ordered a silver acid testing kit and it was fun testing all the silver.  We were surprised how much of my old jewelry tested sterling or higher and one piece stamped sterling wasn't sterling at all.  Many of my gifts of Banjara Kuchi India jewelry from my Aunt tested as high grade sterling.  During the 80s she gave me some for my birthday and Christmas,

I've seen a similar bracelet on Etsy, of course I can't find it again, maybe because it's sold, but mine is two thirds the price I saw for it.  I found this in the 80s and used to wear it with my sari outfit during my teaching days for Halloween.  I have two kuchi necklaces necklaces from my Aunt, one is on VintageToGoEasy, here and the other one is still lost in my hoard.

Saying Goodbye:  Out of all three things, the ball charm was the hardest to let go, but I had a crisis when I heard one of the nesting dishes was damaged on route!  I had to have a lot of quiet time to dwell on that mystery, which I think was linked to having to be the perfect best child.  It was weird, but eventually I found peace and still am working on sorting that mystery out.

What I Learned:

1.  There are so many reasons why I hoard and I hope in the near future I can better express them.  I can say that dehoarding and hoarding less has saved me a lot of money, but it is still a struggle at times and with it comes many conflicting feelings.  

I am thankful to say that my hoarder rehab journey has gotten easier, my mind feels less cluttered most of the time and writing these posts has been the best dehoarding therapy ever!

2.  I am starting to realize I do have a hoard of projects every growing on my list and I spend a lot of time planning them in my mind.  What to do about it?  I have no ideas yet, but it's more productive and fun than hoarding without thinking!

3.  I've made several friends from connections on Etsy and many acquaintances.  A delightful surprise!

What has surprised you this week?  I hope it was delightful!  Love to hear about it!

Thank you Lou for finding new lives for over 7 items of mine!  Most of all, thank you for your support and friendship.  It's nice knowing a non hoarder who understands my hoarder thinking when I try and explain it!

Thank you Etsy for not only finding good homes for my hoard, but a surprise connection that has turned into such an endearing fun friendship!

Thank you US, Canada, China Norway, Spain, Mexico, United Kingdom, Poland, France, Australia, Germany and many others who have stopped by to visit my  HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!  

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab,  The Destiny of Things, VintageToGoEasy and now JunkDrawerLove!  There are about 113 items listed on JunkDrawerLove and relistings to each shops daily and adding new listings weekly to all shops too!  Thanks for looking!  Find something to take home and share your story too!  

My latest alternative to hoarding!

 photo via JunkDrawerLoveEtsy, washi tape mixed media collage art, original available here

Related Stories:

1. My first story from Lou with many photos, here

2.  My incense burner collection story, here

3.  My kuchi Bollywood necklace and bracelet set story, here

Most Read Story of the Week:  My Organic Toothbrush Stick called Miswak  I'm still using the same stick twig after 8 months and still loving it!  My Miswak Toothbrush Update, three months later.  

Miswak is available, here, at our HoarderRehab Etsy shop and more miswak are available at The Destiny of Things, here! 

Most Read Story of the Month and All Time Most Read Story:  My Louis Vuitton Collection the end of mine for the beginning of someone else.  The last piece of my LV collection, my 80s LV gold cornered wallet is available here at The Destiny of Things! 

 

Happy Friday!