Even though these two pages were the first two pages in my mini book, I actually made them last. This is because these two homes needed the most reflection before I was willing to put pen to paper. For the first page, I could hardly remember this home as I didn’t live here long, so I wanted to evoke a sense of history. So I chose to start with some Brenda Walton paper from K & Co which was rich in browns, yellows and greens, an antique palate which instantly gave this page a more distressed antique look. To give the page a grungy feel and at the same time add another colour into the equation, I used a dry brush to distress the edges with blue acrylic paint.
Whereas you will see that for most of my other pages, I used paper strips for my journaling, I wanted to write directly onto my page for these first two layouts. Firstly, this means that these two pages are different for a reason – they mark my childhood whereas the others are the homes during my adult life. Secondly, the more functional advantage is that I could fit more journaling onto each page by writing directly onto the paper. This was really important as the first page has less room due to the window cut out, and the second page was my main childhood home, with more memories that could fill a book never mind just one page.
Journaling reads:
My first home. Perhaps all my memories aren’t really memories but reflections on old photos. However, there are some glimmers of information which spark feelings of deep recognition that echo in my sub-conscience. The boys had bunk-beds, the way you had to go through one room to reach another bedroom, loose floor boards which could be lifted up and growing tomatoes in the greenhouse.
Sixty-Four
This page was difficult for me. I mean, seriously, how could I sum up my childhood on one page? The more I thought about this home, the more memories I would uncover. So I stopped thinking and started crafting. The multitude of memories were haphazard and spanned many years, so instead of using a memory as a starting point for a theme, I took a different approach. No matter how many flats, apartments, or houses I have lived in, this house will always mean the most to me – and I will always think of it as my home. A place where family are there to help, support and encourage and there will always be a cup of tea at the ready no matter what the hour. So I designed this page with the word comfort in mind. I wanted to recreate that homely satisfaction and quaint idyllic features that remind me of our childhood kitchen dinette, which was the hub of our daily life. The gingham was a must – it reminded me of a vinyl tablecloth that used to grace our kitchen table, and the lace under the address label bears resemblance to a net curtain that once draped our kitchen window overlooking our back garden. Bright colours and flowers, and good times.
Journaling reads:
My childhood home. 17 years here means too many memories to sum up on one page. Sharing a bedroom with Lindsey, dinner parties with the Dunns, dad’s aviary in the attic, spring cleaning teapots, holidays in the caravanette, and visits from Jimmy and Katey. Even after all this time this house still feels like a home to me!
