For Christmas this year I tackled (well, okay…semi-tackled) the mammoth project of putting all of our hard copy photos into albums. They had been sitting, neatly organized, in a box under the bizarre assumption that I would one day take up scrapbooking! What a joke! I have seen some truly beautiful scrapbooks documenting a families life and memories in such a wonderful way. I admit…I’m a tad envious of the women who have created such amazing keepsakes for their children. But, the truth is, scrapbooking is not something that is going to fit into my life anytime soon…if ever. Such is life I guess. I chose albums that provide a space to write a short note about each image beside it. So, not quite like “scrapbooking” at all, but nonetheless a visual and narrative way to record some of our memories.
We have been having a marvelous time looking through these albums together. The littles simply love it. As our photography entered the digital age not long after Spencer was born much of our life since then is still on digital storage devices. (Little by little I’ll get some of those printed off and into our albums.) The albums that I have completed document Matt and I’s life since we met, until just after the little man cub was born. As we look through these albums I can’t help but be struck by how my “look” has changed. Thankfully these albums don’t cover the time my life dipped into the early nineties…yikes!
The “look” of my surroundings have changed as well as I have left my childhood home, lived with countless roommates in dorms, condos, and homes, started my own little home with my own (not so little!) love, had children, and truly settled into my own. I think I know what I like now…what I like to be surrounded by…what brings peace and contentment to my home life. This being said…I am quite aware that in ten years I might find myself saying “what was I thinking?” when looking back through the pictures of these days.
I’ve been changing things up a bit around here lately. I have lost my intimidation of the seemingly concrete walls that make up our home and ended the stage of blankness so many of them were in. In the living room I wanted a more modern and clean look. I gathered a few mirrors of varied sizes and shapes and painted them black. I wouldn’t mind having more…but for now the three of them are making a great statement for me. The mantel looked a little blank and lonely…though I definitely wanted a clean simple look I didn’t want blank!!! A few chunky candlesticks, silver lamp, and a funky glass piece.
We’re pretty happy with the results. The kids are good about getting excited about anything I’m really jazzed about…I’m really hoping that sticks around, they are great moral boosters! It feels fresh and clean. Which is really nice for the days when the rest of the house not so much of either!!!
Also in the same room I tried two (super simple) things that I have been wanting to incorporate into my new “look”. 1: Organizing books by color. Love it. 2: Displaying vintage images of Christ. So I only have one right now…but it’s a start…and I really really love it! The globe, by the way, is a bit dated…it has the USSR still, which brings me back to grade school, and the first globes I learned to love.
Some things fresh and clean, some things quirky and vintage. Ah yes, I love this look!
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