Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Don't Kiss This Frog


If you are a princess looking for a prince, don't kiss this frog or you'll be sorry. These frogs are for flower arranging, like flower bricks or flower blocks. The wire frog above is the favorite in my collection. This frog looks like a flower head, so unique. I'm sure someone wrapped the wire by hand to the base. Once I've relocated, I'd like to make some ceramic frogs. If you are a clay artist, have you made any ceramic frogs, flower bricks or flower blocks?


The frogs above are lead weighted pin frogs. The weighted frog is set in the bottom of a vase and the flower stem is pierced with the pin so it will stand upright in a preferred position. The heaviness of the frog's lead weighted base balances the weight of the flowers in the arrangement.


Here are some pot metal frogs. These metal frogs are also set in the bottom of the vase and the flower stem is inserted into the holes to hold it in place in the flower arrangement. I also have some lead crystal frogs, but they didn't photograph well and I didn't have time to fiddle with the lighting before packing them. In case you'd like to know more about flower frogs, here is a link to a flower frog newsletter.

Up next I was going to show you a couple of teapots, but instead I'll be taking you on a detour to Baja, Mexico. What do you think? Sound good?

12 comments:

  1. I never knew they were called frogs.

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  2. so many frogs, so few princes

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  3. I've been thinking of you since I read your flower arranging post. My mother was a florist when I was little. I remember how creative I thought she was when she could transform an arrangement -she still has the gift. Vintage Frogs are quite collectable! I love the one in the top picture.

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  4. Hi Kitty, thanks, I think they are called frogs because they go under water.

    Hi Jim, thanks, yes so few, but there are some, I'm married to one and I'll bet your family knows you are a prince. What's that saying, you have to kiss a lot frogs to find a prince.

    Hi Cindy, thanks for thinking of me. How wonderful, your mom was a florist, I just know her creativity influenced you. The top one is my favorite too.

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  5. I have a large collection of "frogs" some old,hand made,odd and new I have tehm displayed in my screen porch garden room
    Also noticed the post eariler on McCoy~~~have been collecting that, Weller and Roseville since the early 70's from garage sales, junk stores, etc some plain pices like your long dish and also some fancier ones~~~Amazing what we collect :)

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  6. Hi Linda, glad to hear your husband is a prince,that's nice.I've only seen the frogs with the metal spikes.The first one is quite complex, it reminds me of the wire gismos the Indian children sell to tourists.

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  7. love Baja, can't wait to hear all about it :)

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  8. Gosh, you are so creative! What will you think of next? I too, had no clue that they were called frogs.

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  9. Hi Carroll, thanks, you sound like me with all your collections. What to do with them all though is what I am wondering now that I am packing and moving.

    Hi Judy, thanks he really is a prince, has to be to put up with me. Ha! Wire gizmos Indian children sell to tourists, I am unfamiliar with those. Indian children from India? or aborignal children?

    Hi Donna, thanks, I'll have to tell it a little at a time otherwise my posts will be much too long. Ha! Stay tuned.

    Hi Amy, thanks so much, language is strange sometimes, someone names something and it sticks I guess.

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  10. Beautiful frogs. I really love that one shaped like a flower, I'd hang it on the wall just like that. My Grandma had some of those, but I don't know who has them now...I certainly don't.

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  11. yes- I have made clay frogs, and then you have to explain them to the customer.
    My grandmother was the flower person in the family.
    She could do a lot with very little.
    You are full of surprises.
    I can't wait to see what is next.

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  12. Hi Barbara, I've only saved a few items since I have limited space to move, but a few things I just couldn't part with so I kept them. I hope to some day go back to flower arranging when I have the opportunity.

    Hi Meredith, I hope to make a few clay frogs some day and will display them with flowers - sometimes the explanation isn't easy, that's for sure.

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