Paperie

I have a bizarre affinity for paper. All forms of paper. (Ok, not toilet paper... well, I guess I'd be hard pressed to say that I can do without it so yes, toilet paper too.) I've always loved old papers, new papers, sleek papers, colorful papers and so on. I used to pretend to be an author when I was little. Conveniently, I was also a magazine editor, a teacher, a student, an artist, a love letter writer... I don't know if it's the paper or the words or the pictures but I'm hooked!

We were having our weekly Sunday lunch at my parent's house yesterday and we were discussing this very topic. I mentioned my "inspiration boxes" and my mom said, "Oh, don't you remember all those magazines and clippings I have in the basement?" I have to admit that I've secretly wanted to get my hands on some of those old magazines but I recalled the mess in my dinning room right now from my escapade of exploring my own stash the other day. I dared not ask mom for a peek at them or she might point her finger toward her attic and tell me to get up there directly and drag down all my high school journals, yearbooks and "oh, I can't throw that out" items!

I knew to keep myself quiet or the afternoon could go south =) and my plans to visit the 6000 square foot mansion open house sometime between 2:00 and 4:00 would surely be foiled! As I was pondering those thoughts I realized she had still been talking (oops). "When Aunt Lou and Aunt Sandy and Gram and I get together once a month, we take turns reading a little story that we've written". HUH?? Now, I know about the once a month gatherings. I've been trying to get into this secret society for years!! Mom and her sisters (and gram) find the most quaint places to have lunch and they always bring home unique finds from their shopping soirees. But these stories? "Why don't you go grab some of those old Victoria magazines downstairs and I'll get my Sister's Book." There was even a name for it! How did I not know about this?

What she brought out touched my heart so! Pocket folders full of stories, some typed and some handwritten by my grandmother and her three offspring. And photo albums bulging with snapshots of mom's childhood and that wonderful orchard! (That's gram and gramps in the picture.) And... - now we know from where my problem stems -... tons of old magazine clippings!

So as I browse this week through the festival of papers mom has lent to me, I will be sharing some of her stories, my stories, and all sorts of puffery! And since this seems the perfect week to gather together sweet little things into inspiration boxes, I'd like to invite you to take an excursion into your own stash of bits-n-bobs; retrieve the lovliness that you cleave to... and really cleave to it. What of sending a handmade Christmas card to your sis using some of those precious pretty articles? Or creating a garland of eye candy calling cards? Or... a simple afternoon sifting...remembering...dreaming.

And to make the puttery even more inviting, there is someone who will hand bind a book (or several in my case) for all our beloved paper secrets. Made By One Girl has a book of every size. She even has accordian file folders that slip neatly into the bookcase. Her site is in our Lovely Award spot this week.

Go download her catalog, bind it with ribbon, grab a cup of soup and take your lunch while flipping the pages. You'll love her little handwritten notes. I'll bet they resemble some chicken scratch in your inspiration stash.