It’s easy, with all our resources today, to get caught up in lusting art that means zero to us. I’m so guilty of this as the prospects of a desk had me scrolling through Etsy, specifically for letterpress posters with perfectly designed sayings. As beautiful as many of them are, I haven’t found anything I’m really connecting with.
But that certainly hasn’t stopped me from wanting a bit of word art (to be my creative encouragement).
I like the two pieces above for how intimate they feel. The left has a script quality that has me imagining a hurried artist jotting her favorite quotes down as she heard/saw them (food quotes no less). The right is a painful reminder of youth, the punishments of grade school glorified. Doesn’t the vulnerability of the handwriting feel fresh compared to computer-generated art? I think so.
Yesterday morning, as I was rifling through my accordion folder filled with important documents and receipts (and some kid photos of Ethan), I found a treasure of mine…an award from second grade. It is still one of my proudest (paper) possessions. So, with the above as inspiration, I’m thinking I’ll mat and frame that baby for my workspace. And of course, share the finished product with you all. I’m kind of excited about it hehe.
Do you have a piece of paper you value so much that you’d frame it?
Caviar Dreams 
Oh my!This is sooo amazing,honey!Love it!;)
xx
B.
http://www.beeswonderland.com/
Thanks! Be sure to check back in for my version =)
OMG you just jogged my memory!! At the vet last week, the exam room I was in had a framed handwritten letter hanging on the wall. It was from the head veterinarian and owner of their animal hospital. It was from when he was in 2nd grade, to his mom! It went something like this, ” Dear Mother, I love you. I am at school. Today we went to the post office. I like to color. I like to read. I like recess. I like to learn about animals. Love, George.” IT.WAS.SO.CUTE. Yellowed paper, thick #2 pencil. Dated from the early 60’s.
oops! somehow i was still logged into your blog account dana!! that ^ post was really from me, amanda!!
You are freakin’ funny. I love that though!
My mom has framed some doodles from my childhood, and they’re such sweet reminders of my youth! I actually stolen a large painting from my parents’ collection, and it’s been traveling the country with John and I!
I love when Christmas rolls around…my mom kept all our cheesy kid craft ornaments! Like the packing peanut wreaths and the clothes pin Rudolphs =)
I agree 100%. My house is like a walking, live scrapbook. With the first fish I ever caught mounted, sketches I did as a little girl mounted. Photos I have taken….Like you say I want the art to mean something to me. I have bought beautiful prints from etsy that I love and original artwork too that attracts my aesthetic….I think it is all in how you mix it. And I will say I have a keep calm and carry on poster…and I love it! I got it at a time where the words really resonated with me kind of before it spread like wildfire…..I also love finding things at flea markets where everything is original. I just dislike my home looking like everyone else’s….(it doesn’t!) but you can see some influences of trend of course….wouldn’t it be fun to frame old report cards? I have saved all love letters/postcards, cards I have received. I’m sure in some future I will mount some as well. how fun!
Oh my goodness, report cards would be soo darling!! I’d love to see examples of all that wonderful-sounding art =)
I love the idea of this! I have all my old journals I wrote as a kid, and they are so funny to read now. I’ve been tempted to toss them out a few times, but I just can’t!
I love looking back to see what was so important to me back in the day! I usually keep my journals hidden though hehe. Thanks for reading =)
I do miss handwriting and just the act of practicing how I write. It’s a great way to remember important letters and treasures by framing them like this. As cliche as it probably sounds, I would frame my husband’s vows, but keep it in an area just for me, like on my nightstand or vanity.
Stay in the Lines
Oh no, not cliche…that sounds lovely, Jaclyn =)
I remember this award!!!! You were sooooooo proud, as was I!!!!!!!
Hehe, I guess that’s why I kept it all this time!
loved this post dana!! something I have handwritten and framed is a card my parents left under my pillow when I moved into my UCLA dorm room (my first time ever away from home). naturally, it was tough saying bye to them and being TOTALLY ALONE. I didn’t even know they left me that card until I went to bed that same night and found myself rolling around on top of it (haha!). it was one of those ‘quotable’ cards…so from the outside it just looks like a really cool colorful quote…but on the inside was this really amazing/supportive/kind note from my parents. it’s the perfect thing to save really- and acts as a daily reminder, even now in grad school, to keep on pushin’ through!
Awww, I have a hard time parting with anything my mom writes me. Even something as simple as the post-its she’d put in my lunchbox for school! Heartfelt letters are so wonderful; I’m glad you kept yours =)