Memories of Old Rattan Gems

After my Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes baking class, I went for a little walk while waiting for the boy to pick me up and chanced upon this old shop selling rattan furniture gems. It brought back memories for me because my childhood home had a lot of rattan furniture. Long before there was Ikea or Scanteak, I think rattan furniture was very popular in local households because of its affordability and durability. I remember our rattan bookshelves, old sofa set made of white rattan, and the rattan reading chair my sister brought back from my aunt's place, which is still in my parent's room by the way.

Pretty sure we had one of those rattan child seats too. They seem so special and intricately made. I wish I could bring something like that little rattan rocking chair home for Lil Pumpkin, but as it is, we're supposed to be decluttering at home :/ I can so imagine her reading a book while rocking her time away... ahh such bliss!

The boy's grandma had a cupboard just like this in their family home in Malacca. I saw it when I went up with him one year to celebrate Chinese New Year. If I'm not wrong, in the old days when people did not have fridges, they kept their food inside the cupboard with mesh doors to keep it cool and the insects away.

I always feel a sense of glee when I discovers shops filled with memories like this, yet a little sadness in knowing that such trades are disappearing fast in Singapore. Will this shop still be open when Lil Pumpkin is old enough to shop for her own furniture? I'm pretty sure all these beautiful rattan pieces were handcrafted... and it is a tedious, yet low-paying job that's why not many youngsters want to take it up. There was an old man sitting in the shop having lunch and if I wasn't feeling that tired, I might have walked in to chat with him and learn more about his shop.

Some people are amused {surprised even?} by how I can just walk up to random strangers and chat with them, like what I'm doing for my Joys of Parenting series. It's not that I'm extremely outgoing {well, more than some I guess} but if you want to do something out of the ordinary, be it to inspire others to find what they love about being parents or to satisfy your curiosity in life, you have to step out of your comfort zone. It's ok to try and fail, but never fail to try.

Anyway, I'll probably go back with the boy to pick something up and support this dying trade. Good enough reason to shop there, yes? :P Don't worry hubs, I promise to throw away some "stuff" first!

What other gems have you discovered recently?

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