Impractical-But-Pretty Item of the Day: Crocheted-wire pomegranates

Smack in the center of Etsy's homepage the other day were these beautiful wire pomegranates from YooLa, an Israel-based industrial designer and artist who crochets both jewelry and home accessories from very fine, colorful wire (yes, using a crochet needle and everything!). These pomegranates (available in two sizes) are my favorites; according to the artist (and a number of ancient cultures), they represent "abundance, fertility and good luck". I love the unexpected mix of a technique and a material that seem like they wouldn't work together at all.










Technically, the "fruits" don't really have a purpose, aside from making a bookshelf or dresser or mantel look pretty, but I think you could probably convert one of the larger ones into a bud vase by inserting a small glass vial or test tube into the hole and filling it with water. (I've seen this done with other holey vase-like items at one of my favorite Brooklyn shops, Swallow.) That might make the steep price tag ($65-95) a little easier to swallow. (You could also just consider how long it probably takes to make one, and all the effort that the artist puts into it.)










More pretty things to ogle on Shine:
The perfect, low-key necklace you'll want to wear all summer long
A wall-mounted organizer that doubles as art
Your warm-weather wardrobe—nothing over $100—courtesy of Lucky magazine
Sexy-lady wallpaper to spice up a small space