Happy New Year at Home

As 2012 turned into a year of memories, and 2013 quietly
slipped into the dark evening sky, our eyes were closed and our souls were
resting, snuggled under cozy blankets with no shortage of pillows. Staying
awake to greet the dawning of a new year was not a priority for me this year,
although in years past I may have held a different opinion. Last night as our
family of four celebrated new year’s eve together, we laughed, we relaxed and
made a special dinner of shrimp and fried jalapenos enjoyed around the coffee
table. It was an evening full of inspiration that marked a great family
tradition.

In honor of time together and treasured memories, my
daughters and I created this keepsake that will proudly hang on the wall of our
living room. It is made from my own lost, broken, and mismatched jewelry that I
have saved over the last fifteen years, in hopes that the mate to my funky
purple dangling earrings may once again appear in all its glory. A few days ago
as I scanned my treasure-trove of junk and trinkets, the idea to transform
these lost pieces from my young adulthood into an art project was born.

Many of these mismatched earrings may have lost their mate
under a bar stool during a good belly-laugh with friends, or in a forgotten
purse pocket after an outing filled with heart-filled conversation and lots of
smiles. Although many of these little beads and pendants were among my
favorites, giving up the idea that their match would someday appear was
liberating. While necklaces and vintage pieces from the past can add spunk to a
dull winter outfit, my favorite piece of this project is the marking of two small
handprints that make my world brighter and more full of life, every day of the
year.

Today as we celebrate the first day of a brand new year, I
am grateful to have a family to love and a family that loves me back. I am
thankful for a new year’s eve filled with little squeals of delight over old
pink baubles, a hot glue gun, and the honoring of life’s most sacred gifts.