Old and classic design releases its hidden elegance when combined with beautiful modern details. The thought of passing it through the next generations makes it even exclusive. These furnitures are art pieces and heirlooms!
I had once again the privilege of interviewing virtually Richard and Thristle Buxani, the sweet couple I met inside Tivoli in Copenhagen last Spring season. Richard is a sculptor who specializes in brass and an architect by profession. His brass sculptures were recently exhibited at the Venice Art Gallery entitled “Minari”, held in Venice, Italy from April 23 to May 7, 2022.
“The balinese guesthouse uses upcycled timber from demolished houses for floorboards, ceiling, trusses, jambs and storage area. It also has its rain water collection system stored in an underground ciatern tank.” -Richard Buxani, artist & designer
“The balinese guesthouse uses upcycled timber from demolished houses for floorboards, ceiling, trusses, jambs and storage area. It also has its rain water collection system stored in an underground ciatern tank.” -Richard Buxani, artist & designer
The chandelier gives the guest house a beautiful light ambience. I have always been fond of lamps and on my exams four years ago at the entrepreneur school in Denmark, I presented Louis Poulsen lamps.
In this picture, Richard found this old chandelier that fits perfectly with the ceiling. It is indeed, a good junkyard find.
Me and Jacob’s next big project would be our terrace overlooking our garden and the wild field, where the deers and horses runs around and eats grass. We have to work harder, I know.
A corner with a beautiful landscaping, made even more relaxing and back-in-time feel with the garden steel furnitures from the 70’s.
Undoubtedly this gate was made to lasts and the craftmanship that Richard has put into it, will bring out the memories in you.
Richard is a sculptor who specializes in brass and an architect by profession. His brass sculptures were recently exhibited at the Venice Art Gallery entitled “Minari”, held in Venice, Italy from April 23 to May 7, 2022. Richard is a sculptor who specializes in brass and an architect by profession. You might want to learn about the artist here.
I remember my Lola Elena who had a Singer sewing machine. She sewed a shiny, victorian yellow dress for my doll when I was six. The curtains and sofa covers she sewed we had back then at home lasted more than two decades until the textile sofa needs to be changed.
Furnitures made of tree are preferred in tropical countries like the Philippines. Most of the very good ones are made of Narra (Pterocarpus indicus) tree.
A set of recycled furniture at “Kalyehón Cafe” (alley/street corner). One should also learn how to treat wood properly to keep them in good condition. Avoid using harsh chemicals to treat both old and new furnitures since it has long term negative effects on one’s health.
You might wonder about, how many years it took the artist and his family to complete this project. Being resourceful and creative is a skill that doesn’t demand a lot from our pockets. I personally invests on antique and vintage ceramic, clay, and stone wares, display cabinets and a few good old kitchen utilities. During my free time (which I unfortunately do not have much as of the moment), I drive around “loppemarked” (thrift shops with antiques and vintage things and furnitures), second shops like Red Cross, Blue Cross, and the on-line shop DBA.
Technology. We are moving forward.
A brass sculptor’s gate. The recycled sewing machine parts turned into artistic pieces.
Photo credits of Richard Buxani.
Thank you for reading. I hope my articles brings you information that is needed to inspire and encourage you as well in reaching your goals, both in big and small ways. “We always need to start somewhere at one point”, said my loving husband Jacob.
This article is not paid. It was written voluntarily with my willingness to share awareness. You are welcome to share my page to your friends and families. I am a web designer enthusiast and wishing that someday I can design websites and continue to improve my journalistic side. Write to me under contact page if you are interested to collaborate/ join my professional network.
Do you remember the time when you were small, attending school, bringing a couple of books, a lunch box and sitting on a desk that you probably have owned for a year or so?
In this 2-minute read article, we will learn about two different non-profit organizations that are focused on providing education and well-being of the children.
Questions to ponder
How many children in the world, do you think experiences a great time being in the school – having food in their lunch box, learning how to socialize and are encouraged to learn? How high are the chances that these children can go to a school and further learn more than A,B,C and count more than 1 to 10? How do they learn to plant trees and grow them?
In some countries, education is not always free, especially a good education.
What is then a good education for you? It does not always necessarily mean, coming from a prestige university, but a school or education system that matches the teaching standards of most countries. I am very happy to hear that the education/curriculum in the Philippines is accredited in Denmark, in most European countries and in many parts of the world. I have hoped that we had more practical applications and tests than theoretical methods, so we could fully understand and immerse ourselves in the subject that time. Schools have different cultures as well.
How can a high quality of education be achieved? How can we contribute to the development of each shool?
2004. My brothers and sisters from Alpha Phi Omega. We graduated in the same school. I am happy to say that almost everybody in this picture are successful engineers and accountants. I just realized it today.
What is inside your lunchbox that you could share with others?
I had a sandwich with Cheez Whiz spread on, a pack of Cream-O and in rare cases, a chocolate drink from Moo. Sometimes when I get lucky, I get knick knacks (small chocolate coated biscuits). Those were my favorite! It made me feel excited to go to school.
Sharing a portion of what’s inside our lunch box is what we always aim to do. It’s in our checklist to make sure that we have more than enough to share (unconsciously). I believe in better welfare for children who looks forward in going to school, living healthy and feeling safe in their own homes.
SOS Children’s Villages
Being a godmother to one of the children living in one of the headquarters of SOS Børnebyerne in Nepal makes me realize how fortunate we are despite the imperfections and challenges we encounter in our daily lives.
I can clearly remember when my uncle used to make morning breakfast for me and bring me to school and read my assignments with him after school. Back then, the teachers used to write a lot on the blackboard for the students to copy and practice their writing skills. It was a different time, different system and different culture. Now we have e-books, tablets, I-pad and iBog®.
Photo credits from Jacob’s familie’s archive back in 19xx
From school, we learn to read and write and it is considered as our second home. It is where you learn things that are not probably discussed at the dining table. It is not only academics, but also values. These helps us to do good in practical application, which we will find useful when we start living on our own, building our own houses or simply reparing the faucet. It will also benefit us in finding a good job, to do what we really want, or even become a good parent. Sky is the limit as what my father says.
Reminiscing highschooland college
Oh yes, I could remember my teachers back in highschool, they used to tell a story of their experiences and at the end of the year, we all know his/her life story. 😀
Holy Angel University, Philippines, 2015
Learning is an unending process.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!
Proverbs 16:16
Volunteering gives us a sense of accompishment; knowing that we can give despite the scarce resources we have and limited capabilities.
You are welcome to write a comment below and share your thougths that may be helpful.
A single battery can carry up to 6.13 KWh. The rest goes to the grid. We installed two batteries.
Coffee press to achieve your fresh brewed coffee in a practical way.
Meet my Handyman
16 x solar panels facing the sun from afternoon up to the rest of the day during the summer time. (Winter months are a bit challenging).
“When the sun goes down and the band won’t play, I’ll always remember us this way.” -Lady Gaga, soundtrack from the movie A Star is Born
It was a well thought decision when we decided to have a solar-energy powered house. It has always been a project in mind that Jacob and me primarily wishes to fulfill. An investment that turned into great savings, today and in the future. It is always not about being environment-friendly thinking. This is more of a futuristic view. A number of things was put into consideration including the efficiency and energy usage of the white wares we are using. My wish of travelling through a cruise ship in the north sea has been the very least of my personal wish list. I have my “guldklumper” anyway.
The good old days and the good old ways. Picture of Jacob’s grandma back in 19xx
Elise and Josefina helping mommy. We try not to use the dryer in the summer months as much as possible.
As to our curiosity and being ambitious, getting a windmill in a residential area has unfortunately not been possible for some reasons. Those giant wind mills fascinates me, both in terms of technology and the power of mother nature itself. Apparently, there are smaller windmills that can be mounted on a roof/building. Another interesting project to fulfill in the near future. Everything at the right moment.
Almost more than half of the world is aware about the now, energy crisis. It is more of a preparation than a surprise. People can be unpredictable, except for this matter. Our priorities are different, as we all are unique. The wind may only take you to where it blows if you let it be.
I thought it was getting closer to us.
Voila! It landed it front of our house. Summer of 2022.
Energy has many forms and comes from different sources. Either you are blessed with oil, gas, coal, geothermal, wind, solar and hydropower, it is your creativity, awareness combined with determination that will both save and give you independence. In Iceland for example, where hot springs can be found in great numbers, geothermal power is at its highest.
To help us monitor our energy usage, we practice the method of using general appliances when the energy cost is at lowest/cheapest. Our energy provider has an App to let us see the actual cost per kilowatt hour. Some days are sunny and sometimes windy. Right now, the windmills in Denmark are running constantly. No mountains. It reminds me of the danish song, “I et land uden høje bjerge” A country without high mountains. No wonder it is very windy.
Thank you for reading.
Best Regards,
Sheree
As close as you could get. Picture taken at the rooftop of Widex, Lynge, Denmark. 2016. A private windmill of a firm.
“It is always a challenge to learn the language of the host country.And it is definitely needed in order to effectively communicate with the children, thereby creating a close relationship with them by eliminating the language barrier. So I learned by going to the language school.”– Joy Escaño
Originally published on June 01, 2017 under www.shereeann.dk (my previous website).
Let us learn about Joy Escaño, currently an au pair in Sweden. Joy had been in Denmark for 2 years where she became a part of a loving Danish family. I have known Joy from a Christian church located in Nørrebro, Copenhagen named FCCC (Filipino Christian Church Communites) where I have been baptized as a Christian.
Joy and I have met in the ladies’ room at FCCC before the Sunday church service in 2015. Having been in this type of cultural exchange program myself for 15 months has helped me discover more of my potentials by engaging through different activities like actively volunteering together with the Dansk Folkehjælp (Danish People’s Aid) at the same time, engaging with the locals and building good relationships. These are the things that we can take back with us or share to our homeland – to our family and to the society so others could see what is beyond their understanding or knowledge about living abroad and in a country with a different culture, a few number of different nationalities and technologically advance country.
2015. Copenhagen
From then on, our friendship started and grew fondly. I believe that the story of Joy having been an au pair in Denmark is an example of the term au pair and therefore, an ideal experience to both the host family and the au pair.
Au Pair is a french word that translates to “on equal terms”/ becoming a member of a family in your host country.
The purpose of an au pair stay
The term au pair means ‘on equal terms’. The idea of an au pair stay is for a young person to stay with a host family with children under the age of 18 ‘on equal terms’ with the other members of the family. The purpose is for the au pair to improve language and/or professional skills as well as broaden his/her cultural horizon by becoming more acquainted with Denmark. In return, the au pair participates in the host family’s domestic chores (e.g. cleaning, washing clothes, cooking, babysitting) for a minimum of three and a maximum of five hours a day, and no more than six days a week.-from New to Denmark website (see link below)
Joy’s previous host family from Denmark visited her in Sweden. 2017
Heart to heart interview with Joy
SHEREE: Hi Joy. What a surprised that we will be talking about your great and challenging experience as an au pair that started in Norway, Denmark and now in Sweden. I am aware that you are very determined to do something towards afterwards.
Traveling is one of your passion. You are a reserved person but quite easy to approach. Had been an assistant to the midwife for quite sometime in the Philippines before you started being an au pair in the nothern part of Europe. And I am aware that you have a heart similar to a pædagog; you love children and being with them is a fulfilling tasks for you.
Since I already made an introduction about you, would you like to share a little bit more about you and how did you learn about becoming an Au Pair?
JOY: I am a midwife by profession but currently engaged in a cultural exchange program here in Sweden. I started being an au pair in Norway in 2013 when my cousin introduced and recommended me to her former host family. When my contract ended, I moved to Denmark to continue with the program. So basically,I have been roaming around Scandinavia for a few years now.
SHEREE: What are the things that made you continue in this kind of cultural exchange program?
JOY: There are quite a number of reasons why I chose to continue. One big factor is the host families. I have been treated so nicely,been cared for and respected. I don’t think I would have continued if I experienced otherwise. I also love travelling. And being an au pair gives me so much opportunity to do so and I get to meet and make friends with people from different cultural backgrounds.
Joy together with her previous host family from Denmark and the children of her new host family in Sweden. 2017.
SHEREE: Would you like to share with us the challenges you had being an Au Pair? How didyou cope up with these kind of situations?
For me and based from my own experience as well, it was challenging and a test of one’s ability to cope up with change, discrimination in some areas, countered with being competitive in form of good values, perseverance and the ability to integrate with the danes / danish culture.
I would never forget those times when I used to spend a weekend at your place and go to the church together on Sundays.
Friends in Denmark back in 2015
JOY: Being an au pair requires me to live life in a foreign country away from my family. And it’s not easy. I still grapple with homesickness. And it feels terrible whenever I miss major family occasions such as weddings, family reunions, birthday parties etc.
“Men, I just feel left out. And I think most au pairs will agree with me on this. But thank God for social media.”
“Secondly, It is always a challenge to learn the language of the host country.And it is definitely needed in order to effectively communicate with the children, thereby creating a close relationship with them by eliminating the language barrier. So I learned by going to the language school.” -Joy
Third, the cultural difference. As a young adult who comes from a completely different culture, it is oftentimes a challenge to live life and do things the way they do without setting aside my own cultural values.
Joy was my Maid of Honor when I got married in December 2016.
SHEREE:For the last part of this interview, you might like to tell us how being an au pair has helped you become a better person in a special way. Tell us about your expectations and some advice.
JOY: Living abroad as an au pair has changed me. I have been living with different host families who accepted and cared for me despite of all the differences and that has helped me to learn to accept and respect other peoples’ differences.
I could also say that I have become more independent, more mature in addressing personal issues, wiser in making decisions and I have even learned to dream bigger. But above all things, living abroad has brought me into a deeper relationship with God. And it’s priceless!
“As an au pair, I experienced a lot of “changes” (change host family, change host country,change environment, etc.) but let us not be afraid to accept and embrace change. It might be painful and tough, but it will cause us to gain something better and will lead us to where we should be. ” -Joy
SHEREE: Maraming salamat Joy. Missing you here in Denmark. 🙂 I am very happy to have a friend like you. You used to call me ”ate Sheree” and I will always be.
Additional Insights that I want to share as part of the title of my blog On Equal Terms — Broadening Your Cultural horizon.
Looking at it in a different angle, most Filipino Au Pairs that I have met or encountered have finished their bachelor’s degree in the Philippines and some of them have worked for many years in a corporation using their profession and later on came to Denmark to try something new.
While for some young people who are still thinking on what to do, whether you come from the Philippines or other country from Asia, Europe, America or Africa, becoming an Au Pair gives you the opportunity to discover their next step, whether it is a future career or studies.
Sometimes, people find it sad that being an Au Pair could be a way to earn a living. In some cases, it helps a young person to save money and use it economically wise but should not be treated as a career.
For others, a way to experience great adventure in traveling, learning different cultures, meeting new friends from different backgrounds and countries, improving one’s ability to be good at a new language or maybe it is just a part of young person’s dream to explore what it is on the other side of the world. We have the gift of free will and we should always be happy whichever country/part of the world people wanted to spend their wonderful years regardless of race, as long as we take part in being a responsible citizen.
23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. -Luke 12:23 English Standard Version (ESV)
On the other hand, some Filipinos have managed to pursue their studies and eventually work in Denmark. It may not be easy for countries that do not belong to the European Union, but possibilities are afoot backed-up with super effort and perseverance. -Sheree
Filipino Au Pairs are regarded as sweet, honest, trustworthy and hardworking, says most danish families.
In line with this subject, there are a couple of news article that were recently released about the abused au pair scheme. See link below after this paragraph.
I could agree that in some ways it (au pair scheme) is not the same as what it is supposed to be. Again, au pairs should be aware of their rights and privileges like attending the language school, participating/volunteering for events and programs that will improve professional skills and discover hidden talents or abilities. Many of the people (au pair or not) that I have known from the church has been into different ministries and it has pushed them to use their time productively. Therefore, being an au pair would be seen as cultural exchange and not as a job.
A great week of summer vacation together with beautiful people. Conducted by Dansk Folkehjælp with some of my fellow “frivillig”. July 2016.
Moreover, it is important that host families should help in guiding their au pairs on what to do in order for them to maximize and enjoy the au pair stay and in that way one would learn more about the host country’s culture.
Yes, indeed, au pairs and other young people doing extra work or cleaning outside of their host families houses is prohibited.
For we cannot easily prevent this from happening, I hope that the host country and the homeland where au pairs are coming from should conduct thorough and a series of seminars about the exchange program before the au pair stay/deployment. There are regular programs and orientations for au pairs provided by the state which are sometimes overlooked.
Some people who are coming from a place where their families doesn’t have the same economic conditions as normal or average people has, consequences are they tend to work longer and sacrifice themselves without thinking too much of the risks (to their health, safety and rights). But again, people trust them and wanted to help as well. These young women’s expectations are different from what they know and it is sad because they are sometimes judge on what they do. The opportunities are very limited especially for those coming from non-EU countries. But let us not see this as a hindrance, instead treat this as a challenge to do better in many things in a professional manner and to integrate well in a country where we want to settle/live. Denmark and other scandinavian countires have high standards, more than of what I have expected. At one point, I felt so little despite my skills and accomplishments when I was in the Philippines. Later on, many locals have seen my potentials and willingness to learn new things and know their culture deeply and I felt Home.
For my closing remarks, I was hoping that someday there would be more possibilities for au pairs to focus their time with like free short educational courses offered by the state or organizations that they would be encouraged to learn something new instead of working overtime and still do the same routine over again. Then maybe later on it will slowly turn back to the real cultural exchange program. I think that the benefit/program of learning the language of the host country is very good. Moreover, the cultural difference is big considering the economic conditions of some families in the Philippines. -Sheree
I am indeed a fan of brass, silver (and bronze) design when it comes to the small and intricate details inside our lovely home. It feels both nostalgic and top of the line . They were made to lasts and let their natural oxidations speak for themselves. Similar to brass artwork is bronze. The only difference is that brass is made of copper and zink, while bronze is made of copper and tin. These pictures where taken inside churches, castles and museums. You know you are in Copenhagen when you see the little mermaid “Den lille havfrue”. It is made of bronze and was made by Edvard Eriksen.
BrassDadThe Little Mermaid. Bronze.Inside Kronborg Castle. Bronze sculptures by Alberto Giacometti. Louisiana Museum Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, Denmark. Mom
Last May 11, while at work inside Tivoli, I met a beautiful couple from the Philippines. Richard and Thristle Buxani. It was their second day in Copenhagen. Luckily, the weather was nice and sunny. Definitely a good day for a walking tour and to sit outside during this season of spring is perfect. Considering the couple’s refined taste for what a good coffee means and their aesthetic sense, I hope I didn’t fail to advise them as to where to enjoy their midday inside the attraction park. We had a short personal conversation that eventually led to a professional connection. Richard is a sculptor who specializes in brass and an architect by profession. His brass sculptures were recently exhibited at the Venice Art Gallery entitled “Minari”, held in Venice, Italy from April 23 to May 7, 2022.
The slideshow below are a few pictures that were part of the exhibition. Richard’s inspiration in creating warrior brass sculptures stemmed from his creative imagination, childhood, adolescence to adult life’s interest in the legendary warriors from both movies and animation films like the animation films of Akira Kurosawa in the 80’s and later on Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X), which was based on the “manga” series, a japanese television series that has gotten their popularity in the Philippine TV in the 90’s. Photo credits by Richard Buxani.
I was also lucky enough to have a short on-line interview with the artist. Richard Buxani’s method of making brass sculptures is through cutting and bending metal sheets and not the usual “casting”. The form of bonding is called metal welding (acetylene welding). In a matter of minimalizing the use of raw materials, Richard upcycles the rest of the cut metal sheets to create a new piece of art. Everything should be used as much as possible. He also stated that the Philippines is now promoting Green Architecture Accreditation when it comes to building materials, use of landscapes for architectures and other alternative and responsible use of both raw materials and energy. From an artist’s perspective, having a house that is both environmentally friendly and sustainable is important. Therefore, he built their house made of upcycled, recycled and reused materials that conveys their love for simple living. They also have a coffee shop with a gallery, where one would be able to see the artist’s sculptures.
This article was written in connection to the “Culture” subject of Scrolls of Etiquette. Not compensated and no intended advertising.
To give every child a chance to live like you. Healthy and Happy (til SOS Børnebyerne). Donate.
In November 2021, I made a small decision of becoming a godmother to one of the children from SOS Børnebyerne. She is five years old. She lives in Nepal and attends school inside the “SOS Børneby”, which they call home. It is where their guardians are and together with a staff(s) responsible for the administration. Children were from either war, poor countries or catastrophe, where social welfare is challenged and doesn’t have enough capability to support or protect every child.
My decision was voluntary and is not connected to any of my projects. It makes my heart full knowing that this little me is able to contribute to the society. We are just a grain of sand, but each and every one of us combined, we could accomplish something we want to happen. This fundraising idea started on Mother’s day last 8th of May. A fundraising event was conducted by both the staff and volunteers, where they went around houses to encourage people to donate any amount they are willing to give. My ambitious goal is 5000 danish kroners (700 dollars). Proceeds will go to the projects of SOS Børnebyerne for children all over the world (Africa, Asia or Europe).
I thank you personally for your donation and participation to this fundraising homepage that I committed myself into for 120 days. If in case, you are not able to donate, we respect it and accepts a “no, thank you”. You are not obliged to donate by receiving a link to my fundraising homepage for SOS Børnebyerne.
