Thursday, October 2, 2008

Locks of Love

Today's Wonder of the World is...the Lock!

Flickr photo by danakay
I started thinking about locks after I spent fifteen minutes drooling over this amazing art piece...a locket!

Photo by Jamie Noel
It's the Jack O'Lantern King Locket, (Yey October!) and I can't stop opening it and closing it in my mind.

Photo by Jamie Noel
My new artist friend Jamie Noel made it. Do you know Jamie? She has a fun blog HERE, and she makes all kinds of playful, intricate jewelry, at her etsy site HERE. She's even having a contest at her blog! Run, don't walk, and enter!
And after you've done that, hop back over to her shop and have a session with Zoltar. Remember Zoltar, from Tom Hanks' movie Big?

Photo by Jamie Noel
Jamie's Zoltar even gives you a tiny fortune card!
Look for yourself. You'll be amazed.

I don't know what Zoltar is telling you, but he took one look at my Sammy and said that plenty of locks are in my future.

Flickr photo by verymiao
Hopefully not tattoo ones. (He's only nine years old!)
Lately Sam has a thing for locks.
His birthday is coming up, (double digits!) and he wants a combination lock and a safe.
Just in case he doesn't get one, he's saving up his money. But if he buys a safe, he won't have any dollars left to put in it!

All this lock talk has me wondering...just what does he want to lock up?
His football card collection?
His brother?
All the fruits and vegetables in the house, so that I can't make him eat them?
I really don't know.

I sort of remember being fascinated with locks when I was 9 or 10. I had a little diary, and I loved playing with the tiny lock on that thing. Until I lost the key.
(I should have put it in a safe somewhere!)

Now that I think of it, I should celebrate Sam's interest in locks.
At least he's not collecting headlocks!

Flickr photo by kathystrm
Or, heaven forbid, lip locks!

Flickr photo by Kim The Star Princess
That reminds me of something fun and sweet and slightly weird.
Did you know that in Pecs, Hungary, there is a wrought iron fence where lovers attach padlocks symbolizing their undying love for each other?

Flickr photo by Hindrik
The tradition is sweeping the world! Look here to read more about Love Padlocks.
You can find them on fences everywhere, from Guam to Moscow, Latvia, Florence, and Tokyo!

I should make my own padlock tribute to my love for locks!
I love all kinds of locks.

Flickr photo by gbarr
Well, maybe not all kinds. Tacky tacky. Chairs are for sitting.
Uh oh. I sound like my husband. I should add, "Or chairs can just be pretty works of art." As long as they're not misused as locks.

This is one of the most beautiful locking mechanisms I've ever seen.

Flickr photo by -Antoine-
It's from a treasure chest!

But I like simple locks too. Like this humble one.

Flickr photo by micheleme3
I'm also mad about hardware for locks. Especially if it's very old.

Flickr photo by gwynefere213
I've even collected a few pieces myself, and I put them on my living room wall, beside the fireplace.

Twenty two years ago, Todd might have asked, "Why did you put those there? What are they for?"
He knows better now. They're not for anything! They just make me happy.
And now, they make him happy too! (Or maybe he's just humoring me!) He even points out cool lock hardware whenever he sees it, just for my own enjoyment. (Or maybe so I'll forget that fruitflies are taking over my kitchen, thanks to his wine project! Don't worry. They're gone now.)

Come to think of it, I should buy a padlock just for us and find a wrought iron fence to hang it on.
Or a lamppost!

Flickr photo by hhj1
To the light of my life!

And my friend, I'll hang one there for you too!

Have a Wonder-full Thursday, y'all!
But before you go, please tell me, are you a sentimental fool? Would you hang a padlock on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence for your sweetheart?
Did anyone else document the joys and tribulations of fourth grade in a diary with a lock?
Did I leave out your favorite lock? Please share!

Love, Becky

14 comments:

David Ebright said...

I don't know how you continue to come up with this great stuff. I'm not such a big fan of locks - every building I build seems to have lock problems - master keys - grand masters - access for only this group or that. It's annoying. I do however like the lock ness monster (I know the spelling is wrong - play along here) & locks & bagels. I miss my long locks of blonde hair. Alas, it's gotten thinner & grayer these days so I keep it short - unlike this comment. Have a g'day.

lotusgirl said...

I love the artistic lock from the treasure chest. I would put a lock on the fence, but my husband would roll his eyes and laugh at me.

I had one of those diaries with the lock too. I eventually lost the lock not the key. Go figure.

Have a great day!

Anonymous said...

Hi Becky,
I never saw those locks on the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence as many times that we went there while living in Italy. But if I did see it and knew what it was for I certainly would have put a lock there! I hope to go and visit again one day, and I'll be certain to pack a lock in my suitcase. Ciao! Tammy Whitley

Suzie said...

I like the chair lock. It reminds me of Carrie

Unknown said...

Very lovely post! I AM a sentimental fool! I would hang a padlock on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence for my sweetheart! Maybe I WILL!

Rosemary said...

Great Rebecca!!
You always have great stuff to look at and talk about.
I love old rusty locks.
Have a wonderful Thursday yourself!!
Rosemary

Jamie Noel said...

I am currently reading The Secret Life of Houdini. He was a master at locking mechanisms and how to undo them! Might be a fun topic to explore with your lock loving son. (We just watched a cool Houdini biography on A and E as well.) Love the post!

Anonymous said...

AREN'T you sooooo thankful for the concept of the lock?!?!?

when i saw the title- I was thinking you may have cut someone's long hair off to send to LOCKS OF LOVE.

Goldi-locks......now there's another good one.....

okay.....

enough.

cute post;-)

Adrienne said...

That love padlock tradition is so interesting - I wouldn't have known there was a fence under there! My son likes combination locks and is good at picking them...Hmmm...I wonder if I should be worried about that.

Fete et Fleur said...

I love that locket. It's a little world unto itself. *sigh*

Hugs!
Nancy

Anonymous said...

Cool locks--the old rusty ones have such charm.

Alexandra MacVean said...

You amaze me how you are able to come up with something new each and every day. You are the QUEEN of the blogger world. Seriously!! :)

PS Won't you come "follow me" on my blog page, too. :)

**hugs**

Rebecca Ramsey said...

I love these locks of yours, folks! Goldi! How could I forget you?
Lox and bagels--and the Loch Ness monster!
I'll lock myself next to you guys any day!

May Vanderbilt said...

Cartier has this bracelet that your one true love can lock onto your wrist. They wear the key around their neck. I've always found it slightlyyyyy creepy and sort of awesome.

Then I remember I can't afford cartier anyway.