Crafty in the Med

I am here to enjoy meeting other bloggers and to share my love of craft ,mostly crochet, my thoughts and my daily happenings here in Alicante,Spain, my adopted country. I belong to a local choir because singing and music makes me happy. Flea markets and book shops are two of my favourite places to be. I read lots......sci´fi/fantasy,buried treasure, and off world adventures. I have a passion for history! I walk and walk and walk for about 10 months per year during the hot months I swim.

Wednesday, 27 October 2021

The "Witches" Mansion

 

Last Sunday I was on a mission!   

We were left without transport last Sunday as Sr P discovered the car was consuming petrol rather rapidly so it has gone to our local garage to get it sorted.  Our only transport was either the bus or walking.  On such a lovely day I was not going to get into a bus so we walked down to the city centre. 

My objective was to take photos of the "Casa de las Brujas" as it is today.




At one time this abandoned city Mansion looked decidedly eerie having been totally left to rot!

This opulent Art Nouveau three story city Mansion was built in 1898. A beautiful mansion that has a sad history of neglect and abandonment. 
Although its name brings to mind black magic and other rather sinister goings-on, it having been the abode of witches only originated from the fertile imagination of the local children! Starting back in the 60s this mansion in ruins became the popular haunt of children. Someone left a back door open which was of course an open invitation to any child. They would slip in through that door which was, at that time,  permanently ajar into the dark interior of the grand mansion to play and they began to call it the Casa de las Brujas, "the house of the witches" and that name has stuck to this very day. 

A few years back this Mansion was restored to its former glory and became the Valencian Government Offices  in Alicante.   

Front view...Google image taken a few years ago





I see the facade of the Mansion has recently been painted 






I just love this turret. Can you see the elephant?   There is a room under this turret it would have definitely been my bedroom! 


A truly beautiful building  and I am so very glad it has been restored and put to use again.  



As mentioned in my previous post   I am on the look out when I walk for anything I think will classify as street photography.   As we walked down to the city centre we took a little detour down a rather narrow dark street and ... as we got to the end of the street this unexpected treasure hit the eye. 





It certainly brightens up a very nondescript street but it is such a shame that the cars parked in front of this piece of urban art cover up the sandy beach at the bottom.   The black specks at the top are birds. 






CROCHET

A hat for my nephew who is a gardener, to be sent to Australia ready for OZ winter. Slouchy style or traditional. Modelled by Sylvester the cat.

This is Kate's pattern which she has shared on her blog "I live,I love I craft ,I am me" . This is the smaller adult sized hat. I used up some DK yarn oddments that I had in my stash hence the two tones. I didn't have enough of each tone so I mixed it. My tension must be looser than Kate's as I had to drop down to a 3,5 hook to get the right length for the starter chain.

Traditional style




Slouchy style

My nephew will probably wear it this way.



I found it hard to gather and scrunch up the top of the hat and there was still a little hole so I thought I'd add a button to finish it off.


Thank you so much Kate for sharing your pattern.


I have also been crochet doodling and I made these two hair grips for my little great nieces.




🖊Replies to comments on Doors III post completed.🖊








Happy Blogging


Amanda :-)















30 comments:

  1. Neat hats! Is that a real cat model? :)
    Old buildings done up nice, and once again being used is nice to see.

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    1. Thanks :-) Sylvester is a really lifelike soft toy. Sr P brought him for our daughter years back but he now stands guard on my grand-daughter's bed. A x

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  2. Lovely post, such beautiful architecture.
    Jean

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    1. Hello Jean ,thanks for popping by :-) There's heaps of it here. I never tire of taking photos of it all. A x

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  3. I enjoyed the "House of Witches". Isnt' it funny how legends and stories get started? It's a lovely building. I'm glad it's being used again. Beautiful mural on the wall too. I do wish the sand had been more visible too.
    As always, your crochet is gorgeous. The hat will b happy to have a child to wear it.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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    1. Hello Betsy, I was quite surprised that the house had no real name just built by a certain architect. Everyone from Alicante calls it the "House of the Witches". I am even more surprised that Sr P never played there when he was a child.He told me it wasn't his "thing" to play inside houses but to be outdoors! LOL! A x

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  4. Great photos of a beautiful building. I like the beach painting on the house too. I am sure your crochet gifts will be well received, as always.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Hello Ellie,I have heard that some construction companies offer graffiti artists the bare walls to paint on after demolishing a building. IMO this is a brilliant idea as some of those places are such an eyesore and stay that way for quite some time. A x

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  5. Beautiful building Amanda and I love the wall mural too it's a pity that you can't see it all. The hat and hair clips are lovely your nephew and niece will love them. xx

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    1. Hello Linda, I am so glad that they have restored that building and are using it. I find it fascinating to see how the total face lift they have given to that building after getting rid of the grime from years and years of disuse. It is impressive :-). A x

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  6. So good to visit and travel here Amanda 😃😃

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  7. That mansion is amazing Amanda - gosh imagine painting all that detail!! Just wonderful - I look at big buildings like that & I think to myself "I'm glad I don't have to vacuum all those rooms out!!". Your crochet hat is wonderful.
    Sorry I have not been around blogland much lately - lots of catching up to do. xx

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    1. I know Julie LOL! Imagine cleaning the windows on that place...phew! I am just happy to see it looking so good. No worries Julie! Always good to hear from you A x

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  8. That is so wonderful that this older building got a redo-I love it when old buildings are restored to use again-enjoyed the history too.
    awesome street art paining-that's really nice-and large too.
    Love seeing your crochet projects-Happy midweek

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    1. I must admit Kathy I much prefer the old buildings to what they are building nowadays. There are some exceptions of course. It just seems to me that old buildings were built to last! A x

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  9. I love that traditional building and wonder if anything built now will age so well? Such a great hat, the mix of yarn works really well 😍👏
    Jacquie x

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    1. Hello Jacquie, Thanks for calling in and for commenting. I am constantly stash busting but my pile of yarn never seems to go down. I feel so good when I have managed to use up yarn oddments for a make. :-). A x

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  10. Wow --- the witches mansion is fascinating! Thanks for sharing it with us.

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    1. Thanks for calling in Kim :-). It is a really impressive building now and I am so glad they are making use of it. A x

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  11. Love that hat, thought it was a real cat for a moment, lol
    Briony
    x

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    1. Thanks for popping in Briony. He wishes to be one LoL!

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  12. What a beautiful Building Casa de las Brujas is, I am always mindful to look up when out and about else you can miss things such as the elephant.

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    1. Exactly Anjies! One can miss a lot not looking up there are many hidden treasures :-). A x

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  13. I love that painted gable end - the coastal scenery and I am so glad you made the beanie (not sure if your cat model is that pleased though hahaha!)

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    1. Sylvester is a right grump! He finds his Soft toy status difficult! Really cuddly though :-) A x

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  14. After having lived in this city since the Romans put their first stone, I have come across the little I know about it.
    And I consider myself a proud citizen of Alicante?
    Thank goodness, other family members with much more dynamic cultural interaction, care to write about this ancient city.
    By the way, the cat in the hat rings a bell to me!

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  15. Great button on the hat finish!!!

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    1. Many thanks for popping in Kathy. Once I had gathered the top part of the hat together the hole seemed to glare at me so the button covered it up :-) A x

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Thank you for your comments. I do read them and try to reply to all as well.Please keep them coming. Amanda :-)