Perspective in Online Shopping

I adore the convenience of online shopping. Funny, I've only been shopping online for the past year. Like everyone, I guess I'm getting a little more techie every day and I wonder how I ever lived without the internet. Online shopping saves time and gas, although I do get concerned about the amount of waste generated by the packaging. Oh well, this is not intended to be a post on green thinking (that will come later).

This is intended to be a post on perspective and dimensional reality. As my readers know, I adore pottery. I have been wanting to order these beautiful glory vases from Z Gallerie for a while. I have a problem with perspective, though. Even though they give the dimensions, I can never figure out how big something is, and am sometimes disappointed because something is too small or too large.

The other day I was walking at an outdoor mall admiring Christmas lights. I was not shopping, but I stumbled upon Z Gallerie! I was stunned. Here was a store I knew only by its online presence, so I went in. It's strange to see a real store after only having shopped online. Much like the time I saw the New York subway. It didn't seem real to me, the movie version seemed real because it was what I was accustomed to.

Well, let me tell you. The glory vases are HUGE! I was glad I didn't order. Oversized vases are all the rage right now and are very cool done correctly. But they have to be in a minimal, organic environment with almost nothing else to compete with their kingly presence. And my place is way too small for these.

I adore the simple shape and the matte finish, though. Man. Wish they were about half this size. I tried to picture a home these would work in. Then today I discovered the totally-enviable home of flickr user hibbardjennifer via the marvelous blog Bijou Kaleidoscope. Warning: if you suffer from home-envy disease do not click Jennifer's link. Her home is gorgeous!

My gosh, look what's on top of her gorgeous mantel! The glory vases! She has really rocked those vases. Proving they do work in the right environment. I must say that is one groovy lamp. Like the glory vases this lamp requires exactly the right environment. Jennifer's decorating is a stunning achievement, but Jessie - so is your home! I mean no one rocks a kitchen the way you do! Don't hate your home! :)

Here are some more beautiful vases from Z Gallerie. Priced very affordably and with more economic footprints than the glory vases.

They also had some cool (very large) Buddhas.





I love this white Buddha fountain.

I stumbled into Secret Closet, another store I only knew by its online presence. I had been thinking about ordering the gallery vase online. I have been looking for a cheap alternative to the Pietra bowl that I wrote about here. I adore the Pietra, but it's just out of reach right now.

It was interesting to see the gallery vase in person. The vase in this shot looks solid. It's not. It's hollow. It is gorgeous, and the shape very elemental which I love. It's $50.00 which is still a little high, but much more manageable. Problem is it's not white and matte like it appears. It's off-white and shiny. Maybe that's okay since the shape is so wonderful.

Sometimes it is difficult to have a very specific aesthetic and a small budget. Wish I were a potter. But I am sure it takes many years to attain the skill that is required for the beautiful vases that I crave.