Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Around Here

I saw this idea on Pinterest once and immediately went to work making it my own.  It is 
a complete lifesaver and keeps us all organized.  We use the calendar to keep our 
schedules straight and to post reminders.  Each family member has a file folder inside where 
I store papers and such, eliminating the piles of papers that used to flood my kitchen 
counters.  My meal planning schedule and recipes are kept in the binder in the back.  


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A favorite corner of our bedroom.  Shawn and I neglected our room for so long, spending all 
of our time and energy (and money) on the rest of the house first.  We finally hung our 
favorite pieces on the wall, organized our record collection, and painted the room a 
soft, silvery blue.  It is such a calm, serene, sacred space.

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Peacock feathers are my favorite.  These were given to me by a previous employer who 
owned dozens of peacocks on her 300 acre farm.  I was a massage therapist back then, 
working at the spa she owned and operated on her secluded property.  The peacocks 
would roam outside the window of the room where I worked, their feathers peeking 
through the blinds.  

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Mama was on call this weekend.  The laundry room took a beating as a result.

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I found this sweet little birdcage jewelry organizer while on a shopping trip with my 
girlfriend in Florida last year.  We each bought one and a pair of earrings to go with and 
then splurged on chocolate chip cookies and tea.  I love the way my collection looks on 
display here and I love the memory of that day with my friend.

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Artwork courtesy of Shawn's father.  An abstract poem to inspire and heal his son.

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An original photo of my grandparents on their wedding day.  They were married in the 
church that my entire family still attends to this day.  The priest married four couples at 
the same time during the ceremony, a customary way to do things at that time because 
so many grooms were rushing off to the war.  They wore their Sunday best and had a 
lovely reception at home with both of their families.  Papa went off to war shortly 
after, leaving his new bride and unborn child behind.  He wrote her letters everyday that 
he was away.  They celebrated almost 60 years of marriage before he passed away.  They 
are my heroes in love.

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This bronze horse sat on the fireplace of my childhood home for as long as I can 
remember.  My mom had a multitude of collections and antiques and I despised when 
she asked me to dust all of her knick knacks for there were so many.  When my 
parents divorced three years ago and my mother moved out of our family home, I swiped 
this horse from the mantle and placed it on our bookcase.  It reminds me of home and 
family and my childhood: memories that can never be broken no matter what the 
word "divorce" invokes.

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A mama's broken in, dirty, aged old toe shoes hanging in a little ballerina's bedroom.  She 
takes great pride in these shoes and won't let anyone else touch them.  She promises me 
that someday, she will learn to dance in these, too.  I am so thankful that we have the 
same passion and love for dance, an art we will always be able to connect with.

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5 comments:

Deanna Fike said...

did shawn's dad also do the word collage in the second picture? it was the first thing i noticed.

Olivia said...

YES! He has done quite a few pieces for us, they are all very special and carry special meaning.

Christa Cox said...

love! i need a good calendar/organizer!

Olivia said...

Thank you, ma'am!

Olivia said...

It's awesome! I got so tired of seeing little piles of papers everywhere and never being able to find things! This organizer really helps me keep everything together!