Lucky symbols for the home

The frog

Friendship, abundance and transformation

In many cultures, the frog has been a symbol of fertility and transformation, and its resulting joy. The frog lays many eggs at one time and these tranform from tiny tadpoles to adult frogs.
I like large frogs to grace my home and garden. These amphibians remind me of the frog who magically turned into a handsome prince in the Frog Prince Brothers Grimm fairy tale that I grew up with.

The animated look of this surprised frog is very amusing and delightful to look at. It looks like it has seen some bugs for dinner.


This frog statue with large bulging eyes sits by some pothos plants, another lucky symbol for the home. Those protruding eyes allow the frog to see in several directions at the same time. Do not let those crossed eyes fool you.


This etched frog planter suns itself amongst several pots of pothos in the sunroom.


This large frog planter seems unhappy because I have not gotten around to putting some nice flowers in it.

This frog metal artwork with an umbrella is a whimsical way to water the lawn. I just attach the garden hose to one end and the rain-like effect of the water spray over the umbrella never fails to elicit a smile or giggle from passersby.

This charming sundial sits on our deck. It tells time pretty accurately when the sun is out in order to cast a shadow along the numbers. Time stood still at 12:30 p.m. when this picture was taken. One of my favorite motifs is the frog.


The frogs' three stages of life represent various concepts to different cultures. Read about their symbolism, lessons, power, lore and legend.

Delightful frogs for the garden or kitchen

Turtle

Endurance, longevity, strength

This shy garden turtle loves to hide amongst the spider fern.


This heavy metal turtle candleholder is a real charmer. It has a patina green color and fine openwork.

Turtles from Amazon

Elephant

Strength, power and wisdom

This pachyderm with the curly cue tail greets guests as they enter the house. Its legs look like four little trumpets.


This is an ornately embroidered tapestry called kalaga from Myanmar (Burma) which has an elephant in the center and the signs of the zodiac around the periphery. It is made of silk, cotton, velvet, linen and intricately beaded with gold thread, sequins, glass stones. I particularly like this tapestry for its texture and of course, for the elephant with its trunk up.


This elephant stool was carved from one large chunk of hardwood. It has carved flowers on the seat and a gracefully curled trunk to one side. This piece is quite heavy and I carried this across the parking lot to my car which almost knocked the wind out of me.


There can never be too many elephants - at least in this mini collection. Some are gifts from friends, mostly children, who know that I have a passion for elephants with the their trunks up.

Read about the lucky "trunk up" elephants


This wood elephant plant stand is charming even with a crack in it. Most of the large hardcarved statues from humid Southeast Asia tend to crack from the low humidity in the U.S. The wood dry out and develop hairline cracks especially in the winter when the heater is on.

Charming elephants for baby' room

Trunk is Up

Calico Cat

The lucky cat

Legend has it that the calico cat is also called the money cat. It is believed that the cat will bring its owner good fortune and prosperity. The good fortune my calico cat, Mali has brought me is unconditional love and loyalty. What more can I ask for? She is also a rescued cat, so can I say that she is one lucky cat?

Calico cat is the money cat

Irresistible calico cats for everyone

No more furballs

Lucky Plants

Grow friendship and good fortune

We all know that money does not grow on trees, although some of us wish they did. There are some plants that are believed to bring luck and fortune to its owners. These are often given to friends or businesses as gifts or found as part of the plantscape of a home.


This money tree with a braided trunk is very prolific and continues to sprout new stems with five, six and occasional seven leaves. The 7-leaf stems are believed to bring the owner good fortune, friendship, and prosperity. It lost all its yellowed leaves one year and was put outside through the winter months. Just before it was condemned to be part of the trash, small leaves sprouted and the "ugly duckling" transformed into a lovely, healthy tree. It once again graces one wall of the sunroom with its shiny, glossy leaves bringing the outdoors in.
How to take care of a Pachira Aquatica money tree


This jade plant used to be the size of my fist when I adopted it from a friend. It was lopsided in the tiny planter it was in and kept tipping over.
After transplanting the tiny plant into a larger pot, it grew into a sizable beautiful ornamental tree. It sat in our sunroom for many years, but became the fascination of my calico cat, Mali, which was not a good thing. The cat would swat the succulent leaves in the evening and leave them as presents outside my bedroom door in the morning. Although this was such a sweet gesture from the thoughtful feline, it was devastating for the jade tree. The plant was then put outdoors in the sheltered porch adjacent to the bedroom through the four seasons. It was also the first time that the plant sprouted small flowers which it never did indoors. I see this plant as a symbol of renewal and new beginnings.
Some facts about the Crassula Ovata friendship tree and money plant


This common plant is known as Epipremnum Aureum, but is easier to grow than pronounce. It is better known as pothos and come in a solid jade, marbled or variegated color. These plants are literally all over the house- living room, sunroom, family room and kitchen. I do not allow these to trail and instead cut these back, bundle up the cuttings with rubber bands and put these in vases until the taproots come out. In about 2 months or so, or when I am so inclined, these are transplanted into pots and found a home somewhere in the house. Sometimes, I mix some of the variegated leaves with the dark green ones for a more dramatic effect. I prefer creating bushy pots of pothos than allowing these to trailing

Grow your share of prosperity, friendship, and fortune

Who says good fortune does not grow on trees?

Gecko

Renewal and rebirth

Gecko is a small non-poisonus lizard from the desert and a popular good luck symbol of the southwestern American Indians. It learns to survive in the hot and dry environment, regenerates its broken tail, and is therefore a symbol of renewal and rebirth. It is one of the few reptiles that have a chirping voice.


The handcoiled seed pot from the Southwest pueblo of Acoma is handpainted with geckos, a symbol of good luck often represented in art and jewelry. It is contemporary with a Southwest twist.




This is the base of a lamp in my family room with a large etched gecko lizard.

The Story of the Gecko

Gecko decors from Amazon

Lucky lizard

Wind Chimes

Nature's orchestra

The tinkling sounds of wind chimes are music to my ears. I have a few which I strategically hung around the outside of the house.

This 5-tube chime in the back porch represent the 5 elements of nature: fire, earth, metal, water, wood. I like it not for its symbolism, but for the soothing and calming sounds this brings when the wind blows.
Read about the meaning of the five elements and how these affect your home.


This lovely copper chime hangs on the trellis next to the hummingbird feeder.


This old rusted bell from Oregon sounds like a church bell on windy days. It was given to me as gift many years ago and is supposed to develop a nice, coppery brown rust all over the metal.


A memento from the Monterey Bay, this pelican wind chime has a subtle tinkling sound from the four dangling bells.


This bamboo chime quietly sits at the entryway. I was so charmed by it and snapped it up at an import store.

Charming chimes from Amazon

Music to your ears

Gnome

Bring luck to the garden

The gnome represents the world of dreams and my inner child. In folklore, gnomes are hardworking woodland creatures who helped around the garden and homes. This is why these figures are often found as garden accents.


I found this lackadaisical gnome in a discount store and was captivated by its happy disposition. It has been relaxing on my flowerbed for a few years now.

What's your gnome?

A delight in the garden

Laughing Buddha

Happiness, good luck and plenitude

I was taken by the countenance of this laughing buddha. It just keeps me smiling whenever I walk by it.

Feng Shui Laughing Buddha for abundance, happiness, family and business luck

Be prosperous and happy.