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My brain holds onto little bits and pieces of time, storing them on the surface of things or within the ink on a photograph, or tucked away within the names of places on a map. My home is full of these little time capsules and memories. Perhaps it is a bit cluttered with papers at the moment, and I will admit to a creative mess existing, but I’m sorting all of that out. I’m organizing, cleaning out, and making room for new memories to find their place here within my home.
In my kitchen, for instance, hanging on the wall is a large, and trimmed bulletin board that my aunt was looking to find a new home for one day when I stopped by. My kitchen had just been painted and they had just reinstalled hooks upon the wall from the previous tenant. She must have had something that fit there perfectly, because there was nothing that I owned that made sense at that location on the wall. Until my aunt gave me the bulletin board. It was sized as if it had been made for the space.
Over the last two years, I’ve used it to display school work and projects from my daughter. One day, towards the end of the school year, she bounced into the house, beaming with excitement about a project that she was to do during the summer, collecting as many postcards from the 50 states as possible. She had asked if we could take down her old work, and find a map to put up instead. At first, I was a bit sad to take down her brightly colored drawings and bits of glued construction paper from kindergarten and first grade, but then I realized that this girl is excited to celebrate a new project, so I should encourage that within her! (Besides, there are MANY more places that her drawings hang in our home!)
As if the merchandising team at Target heard her request, the next time we went there to pick up something completely unrelated, she found the collection of posters that they sell, and sure enough, she pulled out one of the states. We placed the map on the board, perfectly sized, and used push pins to zig-zag twine across the board to hold all of the future postcards. I sent out a call to our friends and family via social media, and then we waited.
Throughout this summer, she’s received postcards from all across the country, every day running out to the mailbox to see what state will be added to the board. For eleven years, I was a military then Veteran spouse, so friends and family are scattered here and there, and they have all been so gracious about taking the time to help my kiddo fill her board!
The project has been on my mind all summer, being a component that had pushed me to start a new project that I’m excited to share with you in a few weeks. For now though, I can tell you that a map will play an important role, and I ask you, what do you see when you look at a map? Memories? Names of friends or loved ones who have moved far away? Sadness? Daydreams of travel? The science-loving part of me would love to see the brain activity of different people while they scan a map.
Are you suddenly falling in love with maps? Then you need to head over to The Travel Map Project by KCSaling. I love the story behind her project and think it is such a beautiful piece; a powerful work of art that tells of a journey around the globe that is still in process.
Even if you aren’t able to take on a project above like Kristin, there are still so many ways that you can use maps in your home to store your memories. Products, such as the one below that I found at NY NOW last week, or simple posters can serve the purpose as well. And if your dreams are bigger than our little blue marble, then look to the stars!
Do you already have a map that has meaning in your home, or are you planning on a project of your own? Tell us about it!
Thanks so much for sharing my travel map, Kelly! It’s still one of my absolute favorite projects in the house, and it is such fun, to look back at the pins and remember the stories they represent! And I’m so looking forward to seeing how your project unfolds!
Looks like your daughter has been cleaning up in the postcard challenge! Has she gotten all 50 states?
I love that piece of yours, Kristin! Love love LOVE it!
We have 42 states marked off as of today, and I’ve heard that we may have the last eight states on their way! She just might get all 50! She’s also been keeping track of how many from each state she’s received, so it will be fun to see the end tally. It certainly has been helpful having military friends scattered over the map. You guys are like happy little sprinkles on desert! : )
I really enjoyed this post. I have displayed maps at times throughout my home – but love how creative you were with this one! Glad your daughter is so excited about a school project. If she is missing Montana, email me – and I will send her a postcard from here 🙂 This post caught my eye at the Saturday Sharefest
Thank you, Susan, for your kind comment and offer! I think we have a postcard currently in travel from Montana, but I will let you know! Happy Saturday, Susan!