Villa Ardilla: Creepy Dolls & other Treasures

Treasure hunt

Everyone has their own style and taste. And I am sure there is a story for every item in your home, why it's there and where it came from. If you don't know, perhaps you should reconsider having it at all! Anyway, part of the fun of buying a country villa in Spain was that the entire kit and kaboodle were included. Decades and generations' worth of memories and memorabilia to match. I love thrifting at the best of times, so having my own private treasure hunt is just fabulous! I was prepared for sorting through a lot of junk. And junk there was! Lots of furniture was great, really, but I am not sure the previous owners and I share the same taste in nick-nacks. Hubby and I had a great laugh sifting through what was good, and what perhaps was not...

I am going to show you a selection of the very 'best' nick-nacks we came across. Read on and enjoy (or shiver!). Or you go straight to the good stuff and I will show you the biggest surprise I found in the house!

A selection of... what exactly?

I am not sure what to make of these... Having said that, my daughter absolutely LOVED the flowers! So guess they cater for some people... And then the little dude? Watching over the giant dog? Being guarded by a creepy kid in a dress?

Souvenir?

Everyone loves memories from a great trip. I just wonder why, travelling through Romania, you'd think that this creepy face would make you remember things fondly? Unless it was a trip from hell obviously. There were many plates on the wall. Some ok, some fugly. But this one takes the cake! What were they thinking?

Thank you for the music

Quite possibly from the same trip as the Romanian plate above. And all I can ask is.... why?? Do people really like this stuff?

It was placed on top of the booze cabinet which may just about explain it all.

Art they couldn't decide between...

Some might like this, I don't really. But either way, it had quite a dominant place in the home. If it's THAT important, I wonder why you would want to have a light shine exactly in between??

More plates, more plastic flowers

Because you can never have too many? Think I found about 20 plates on the wall, at least. Those 20 plates came with 20 hooks. And 20 holes. You'd think the placement would have been thought through, that they'd have some sort of system. But no, an OCD nightmare.

A guardian angel

Would it be bad luck not to keep this one?

There's something strangely unsettling to be confronted with one's own mortality, and then a kid with puffy cheeks blowing a whistle.

Party time!

The house was certainly kitted out for entertaining. Because everyone would love to place their drinks on coasters full of sequins and bling.

Good times guaranteed! Shame the booze left behind was about 20 years old. And not the good kind that's old.

More animals and children

I think I'll be able to start a museum. Would have to think of a great name.

This cat looks possessed.

The absolute dealbreaker

THE SCARY DOLLS!!!! Seriously, this is what nightmares are made of. Hubby spotted these and said 'There is no way I am sleeping in the same house as these Chuckies. They will come and haunt you.'

And these were in the kids toys cabinet!! FREAKY!!!

But then the real treasure....

In one of the corners in the living room was a little square wooden cabinet. The house was FULL of cabinets, I kid you not when I tell you at least 7 in the living room alone. Every bedroom had at least 3 on top of the built ins. Anyway, no wonder I hadn't noticed this one yet. It was rather unassuming, standing in the corner, with no visible features. Until I came closer. I realised there was a hinge on one of the sides. You'll have to watch the movie to see what I found but I am totally obsessed!!! LOVE IT!!! Why would anyone leave this behind! This will get a prominent spot in the living room! Check it out:

Coming up

As I spend more time in the house (but when? thanks corona) I am sure I will find more treasures. Haven't started with the shed or garage yet! From memory there were some awesome wine barrels and olive pots there. And then the garden itself, 3000 square metres with lots of pottery included. Can't wait!! Subscribe to my blog to be the first to get updates!

Liefs, Marieke