I Had Forgotten

I read Sarah's post, and suddenly I remembered what I used to do when I lived at home yet:  I poked in all corners of the house to find things to set the table with when I wanted it to be special.  I would find little vases or scraps in Mom's craft jumble or the basket that held the fruit, and I would marry it all together into a tablescape that pleased me.  My family was amused, but I think I was the only one who thought the table looked great.

But the thing I want to recall is that I was deeply, joyously immersed in the creative process, in the limits of using what was in the house or clipped from the back yard.  Furthermore, the things I was using weren't even necessarily to my taste.  I had forgotten how fun that process was.

Scrap of fabric to brighten things up, electrical thingy to hold cards.  Yes!

I also remembered how my mom and Aunt Esther would volunteer as the window decorators for a local thrift store.  They would go in there once a month and cull things from the store to display in the front shop window.  The window always looked so inviting and smart - I wonder if they ever took any pictures of their ingenuity?

 

The lesson here is an echo of what Sarah said:  that we can find joy outside of shopping, that the thrill of the hunt doesn't need to end with a purchase. 

 

I am re-inspired, just in time for the fall freshening-up urge.  What about you?