seeking evidence in a well-lived home
succulents in the family room
Every now and then when I look around my home, I get overwhelmed by what I think other people's expectations are for a home. How neat, how "company ready," how "clean it should be so you can hire a cleaning lady" kind of expectations.
peek at the beginnings of our nature table
Last week, I almost got bogged down in that overwhelm again as I looked at the tall stack of random clean laundry on the dryer, the "never can get it white" grout in between the blue tiles of the kitchen counter, the paper that never finds the right spot to land.
where her shoes land before bath each night
To clear my head, I turned to my camera as a way to seek evidence of how we are really living in this home.
a new jewelry collection in progress
the two Mickeys she insisted Grandma sleep with while she was visiting
bathtime/bathroom time needs
left behind after the last breakfast tea party with grandma
And I kept finding these beautiful pieces of us. The bits of clutter and real that reveal who we are in our beautiful, often messy, lived-in, little home.
Sometimes you need the close-up lens of the camera to push you back to seeing what you actually know.
a favorite happy bowl
An invitation
Use your camera lens to capture the evidence of a life well lived in your home. Notice the little details beyond the surface. This would be an awesome Project Life prompt (especially if you don't have a lot of photos one week).
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In Inner Excavation, there is an entire chapter about what we gather to us. The book invites you to dive deeply into noticing your world, noticing you through self-portraits in photography, poetry, and mixed media.
Order your own copy signed by me here.
project life, this is us in real, through the lens
Reader Comments (9)
Love this! I am in one of those same moods--a basket of folded laundry sitting here in the middle of the living room, last night's supper dishes still in the sink, more laundry to wash in the bathroom closets. . . . I need the sign, "Martha Steward does not live here." Oh, did I mention the scrapbook supplies still sitting in their bags and boxes in the hall waiting to be unpacked after a trip to a scrapbook retreat this past weekend? I love your photos of the details, especially the bowl of beads! A good thing for me to start on--capturing the details.
Love this, Liz! It was the perfect post to run across after just spending 10 minutes rushing around picking up stuff so the house looks "decent" when the sitter arrives later. Crazy making, right? Thanks for the reminder that it's perfect as-is and that the close-up view is just as valuable as the big picture (it the place in the middle where we get stuck). xo
Love your home and these snapshots.
Thank you for this. One of the things I find myself struggling with is the fact that there's so much about my home that's imperfect... Cracked tile on the kitchen floor, a bathtub that I'm not sure will ever come fully clean, dust so imbedded into the base boards that no amount of scrubbing will ever set it free (believe me, I've tried!) Nevermind all the clutter.... I should definitely take some pictures.
Cliche it is - but true. It is ALWAYS the little things that reveal the bigger truth. If you love your home and your life, it will show! Love your pics! Just took a random lot of my autumn garden with my phone (no photographer here!) - and they look beautiful. Thanks for your post.
I love these photos, so clean and clear. The beads especially thrill me. One question: where do you get your beads? These are simply luscious!!
Needed this right now at 1:31am....taking pictures of slumbering cats, popcorn pot on the stove from last night w the hubby, an unmade guest bed, and books books books!
Thank you Liz! Love your perspective and reminder/permission to be real. How nutty is it that we need permission to embrace the authenticity of our sacred selves(?!).
XOXO
I love this post, Liz. I had a little epiphany the other day....that it is perfectly ok for me to say "housework is not a high priority for me."
Keep showing us the beauty in every day life!
A long time ago, a very wise old woman said to me "God will not judge your contribution to this world based on the amount of dust in your dining room table". I was maybe 20 yrs, and every year I get a deeper appreciation of this! Pristine does not necessarily mean pretty. Thank you Liz.