The Stuff that Life is made of

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I am in the clean and organize mode.  Today we finished putting away all of the Holiday decorating; the garland and lights that wind up the stairs, over the doorways, around the mantle.  Over the years we have become better at this, and I have starting paring down our accumulation of Christmas "stuff".

My goal is to have just the right amount of things to enjoy life. And, the older I get, the less I need.
I have reached the cresendo of "stuff" and am now emptying out.  It's amazing how much we can amass over 35 years, and after seeing the effects of hoarding with my aunts, I am scared straight man. When ever I feel like I want to keep more of the the stuff than I should, I look at the pictures of their house filled with their stuff/garbage, and I quickly shift focus.

 I cannot create amongst chaos, so I have to put the time in to get my life in some kind of order and then my mind is free to make art.

Tonight's art is a photo of an antique sewing table table I bought at the silent auction of my friend's fundraiser. It is collaged with pictures of angels, and paper, and painted deep green.  It is .
I found the vintage candles in one of the old Christmas bins.  The plates they rest upon were a Christmas gift my son in law sent me from a bazaar in Afghanistan and are made of inlaid stone.
The sofa next to it is covered in old draperies I made years ago from fabric gifted to me by a friend when I needed curtains. It keeps the cats from scratching it up too badly, and they are easy enough to wash. Art to the left, photograph by Dan McCormick who also gifted us with this lovely piece of art.
And the pillow, a symbol of sorrow and love, which I made over many sleepless nights when my daughter was in the hospital.  It is an old doily which I hand stitched to black velvet, and sewed tiny mother of pearl buttons onto it with glass beads in the middle. 

These pieces symbolize gifts and connections, laughter, and tears with those that I cherish.  That is the "stuff" that I want my life to be made of.  They are reminders of love, and with that, who needs anything else...

Patti

Comments

Judy Vars said…
I'd sincerely love to get my life organized. Keep the things I love that have sentimental value and thats alot of stuff. Have a place for everything and everything in its place. Being a bit of a packrat is in my nature. It's the hoarders that really have a problem.

There but for the grace of God go I.
ps I love the glimpses of your home.
12:36 AM
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