No, it's not the doll's face that I want to write about in today's Friday Face Off, hosted by Nicole. Look at the bottom of the shutters - do you see these little dark... uhm, things?
These are shutter holders or shutter hardware, designed to keep the shutters open and attached to the wall when not in use, i.e. shut closed in front of the window. Other than American shutters on houses that only have a decorative purpose, these shutters are supposed to be shut when it gets dark so no one can look into your rooms. During hot days they also keep the sun and heat out when closed. You can find them everywhere in Southern European countries and in some parts of Germany, especially the South and Southwest.
But these ones are not just any kind of shutter holders. These are heads with faces.
They are a wonderful little addition to the lovely shutters that make all these houses a little bit more special. I discovered them in May while we were in Alsace.
