Bread Bins and Storage Jars Made From Barks of The Birch Tree, Pro - Sustainable Living

Are you a fan of any product from wood? If you come from the West you must be. It just looks so pretty and there's that homey appeal about wooden stuff isn't it? In my years of living here, people I have met seem to love the appeal of any wooden furniture and stuff. I also do and the good thing about Europe is that most of the people here love nature, they always take everything about not harming the environment in consideration.

So I wonder.. what's most of your furniture and stuff at home made of? Every bookshelf in our house, though they have a modern look - is actually made of wood. How about you which stuff in your house is made of wood? Does it look artsy like this one?

The same Saturday I went to Schloss Moyland I bumped into another German artist - Irina Kepper's booth. It was one of those booths just in front of the moat of the castle. I took notice of it because of the bark of a Birch lying on the counter beside the bread boxes and storage jars on her stall.

I asked her husband about who the artist is and he pointed at Irina who was at that time tending to a buyer. I waited and took one of their fliers asking her husband if they speak English. Hurray! They do!

As you have probably guessed, I asked if I could write about her and her Birch barks work of arts here in Steemit and that it would be open to public reading and I got international eyes on my page. She gave me a YES and the liberty to take pics of her crafts. She even struck a pose for me holding a Birch bark and smiled. I find it very friendly - but then most Germans are.

To make sure it really is a Birch bark I ran my hands on one of the fruit boxes that are open. They are smooth and really - made of wood barks! I didn't know that Birch barks could be this thick, hip and useful.

What can be stored or put in those Birch bark's bins and storages?

• Bread bins:

• Grains, Pasta, Biscuit bins:

• Fruit Holders/ Baskets:

• tea, salt and the likes:

... anything that is dry you could just store them there. As for the bread, they recommend that you lay a paper towel or baking paper on top of the bottom before laying the bread on them. Handy huh?

What's so special about those Bread Box and Storage Jars made from Birch Trees' barks?

• They don't need varnish nor paints to look pretty. They look fine just so. They also would turn darker than this light brown and beige look that they have now but they would last for years specially if the owner is careful.

• They're waterproof. No wonder Birch trees look so pretty despite the damp here. Our neighbor has one and I love it cause it attracts so many Great Tits on summer and I admire the color of the bark of a Birch Tree. It's like that of a zebra except for it has no striped but rather spots of black. What I have never thought is that same beautiful looking bark of it can be turned into this - that's the genius of Irina Kepper - and so worth featuring in the blockchain.

It takes an artist to think of something new and out of the box out of what seem to be -ordinary.

• They were not treated with chemicals. These Birch barks were washed and cleaned just with water. Since they could be washed, any stain or bread stains could be removed by soap and water, too. You could also just wipe and clean them off with a damp cloth or if you are extra cautious and you want them to last - with warm water. Worry not, remember they are waterproof - they'll just fend that water off and not shrink due to that.

• No over-logging has been involved to make them. These were just made from barks of trees that were already logged to be made into furniture. Irina's genius has saved those barks from being thrown into trash. Birch trees are easy to grow, their fruits can spread everywhere and just grow like weeds.

• Birch bark has essential oil like "betulin" which keeps the bark stay durable or lasts a long time, even decades as long as they are kept on room temperature. Irina has thought it right to make bread bins and storage out of them because the essential oil in the bark actually has fungicidal properties that allows the bread to stay mildew or mold free at the same time keeping them smelling fresh as if freshly baked. As for the other food - the essential oil help preserve them.

All of these crafts are handmade. There was no needle and almost no glue used to make them and attach each piece of the Birch bark to form the shape desired to make those square bins and round food storage. How did they do that? This is all I got.

Now, if you are living in Europe, please do not skin any Birch Tree you see alive. Doing that would automatically harm the plant specially now - it's winter. Even in summer, please do not skin a live and healthy Birch tree. Irina got these barks from Birch Trees from Siberia which were already logged and will be turned to furniture not from her neighbors or in the park. Unless you see a fallen Birch tree please do not skin them alive. Plants have souls, too. Like you and me, they would feel hurt and could eventually die having no bark on them. God didn't just put those barks on them for the show okay? It's essential to the plant and Birch Trees are essential to hold water and keep the earth from flooding. In the Netherlands, they abound and we really need them since we are living below sea level. Think about mother earth before you skin any tree as not every tree bark have essential oil that works like that of a Birch's.

How about you? What's your bread bin made of? Would you give Irina's Birch bark Bread Bins and Storage a try if you happen to have bumped into them?

I took pics #2 to 7th myself using my Samsung Galaxy A3 2016. The rest I got the image address from here.

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disclaimer: This post is intended to promote artists who have out of the box creations - plain as that.

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Here you can find other articles I wrote about artworks, creativity, crafts and ingenuity.

• Pittige Tante
• Udo and His Tree Drawers From Fallen Indigenous Park Trees , Pro - Sustainable Living
• Free Form Sculptural Needle Felting
• Optical Illussion from A Piece of Metal Art
• Made from Real Leaves - Pro - Sustainable Living
• Gable Stones and Ornaments From Soapstones and French Limes
• Wood is The New Hip But Which One?
• An Ode From One Once Frustrated Minnow To One
• Behind The Scenes of The Entries for This Week's Photo Challenge

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I usually blog about cooking, gardening and photography and if you happen to be interested in all of those, too .

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