Monday, October 8, 2012

DECORATING WITH MEANING

I've never claimed to be a decorator -- I'm an accumulator!  After 54 years of marriage, we have accumulated a lot of stuff.  WE, as in Bob and I -- he is just as bad as I am.  I don't think we are hoarders, as we make an effort to keep it all clean, organized, and tastefully displayed.  That's always been our family joke -- it's o.k. as long as it is done tastefully!!  I'm sure there are those who would disagree in our level of taste.

Here is an example of one of my accumulations, and an effort to decorate with meaning.
Growing up, we had a family friend who was a traveling salesman who peddled Solitaire Coffee and was also quite the jokester.  It was always a fun day when Al popped into town to canvas the local grocery stores with his wares.  I looked for a long time before I found an old Solitaire Coffee jar.  
I wanted one to house part of my accumulation of things numbered '15'.  I've always thought '15' was a special number; after all, it is the day of the month that I was born.
The number 15 Bingo card, the cash register number, and the number 15 cue ball all bring up fun teenage memories.
A house decorated with meaningful objects is imperative for us. We love the feelings they evoke.
For anything to occupy space in our house, it must be either useful or meaningful -- it doesn't necessarily have to be beautiful.  Sorry, William Morris, meaningful trumps beautiful any day at the Salmagundi household.

By the way, an unknown fact -- I'm a Solitaire card playing addict.  As an only child, I learned to play Solitaire at the age of 7 to keep myself occupied.  I found college kind of boring, so entertained myself with Solitaire; and to this day I play probably about 20 games each day (except now on the computer).  Now, you know my real addiction!

Please check out the following parties that I'll be linking up to this week.
Cozy Little House for Tweak It Tuesday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday Treasures
A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
The Vintage Farmhouse for Creative Things Thursday
Jann Olson for Share Your Cup Thursday
Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

26 comments:

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Great collection. Yes, we blogged the same thing. Great minds think alike.

Olive said...

I think it is quite beautiful. Collected objects with meaning have there own serene beauty. My darling dad played solitaire all day long too. It is hard to think of him without a deck of old worn cards in hand. olive

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

Our number is 11. That is a great idea to put things together....We all could be hoarders without a little restraint!

Marilyn said...

The reason I always visit you is because you are interesting!! Much more so than a "decorating" blog. I like pretty things, but most all is meaningful only to me. Someone else might call it junk, as in Shel Silverstein's poem about "Hector the Collector". Enjoy the fall season.♥♫

Betsy@My Salvaged Treasures said...

I love your vintage jar full of things that are special to you. Sounds like a great idea to me. Visiting from Cozy Little House.

bj said...

O, all my collections have some kind of meaning...like you, I enjoy those collections best of all.
I love all your 15's.....

Jacqueline~Cabin and Cottage said...

That's a great jar for your collection! I always played a lot of solitaire the last few days before my due dates when my babies were born. It's a fun distraction! Thanks so much for your nice comment. So nice you stopped by. A little chilly in your neighborhood already!

Michele said...

Love the jar and the story of the collection it holds. It sounds like your house, like ours, has plenty of stuff to look at. Bare and spare = boring to us.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

I really loved this post! I'm a keeper of things that mean something to me and so I really enjoyed your jar of 15's!
Visiting from Cozy Little House!
hugs, Linda

SmilingSally said...

What a good idea: to collect items with the date of your birth on them.

I'm a computer solitaire player too.

Tazas y Cuentos said...

I love your jar! Collecting a number...good idea! I have the collecting gene too. I collect vintage children's dishes...and egg cups...and story books...well, you understand me, don't you?
Besos from Argentina, Silvina

Denise @ secondtimearoundfinds said...

I love old glass jars yours is great the bingo stuff in it looks great.
Denise

Andrea at Opulent Cottage said...

What a sweet collection! I like the idea of having a favorite number. I guess mine would have to be 14, the day we got married (February 14th, actually!) I'll be on the lookout for 14s and 15s for both of us now :) Hope you are having a good week, Sally!
xo, Andrea

Carlene @ Organized Clutter said...

I am a big fan of decorating with collected objects with meaning.

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

Love the story that goes with your Solitaire Coffee Display.
Joy

Chenille Cottage said...

Just love your letters and numbers...they are a definite favorite for me when it comes to decorating.
What a great container...Love the red lid with old timey advertisement.
Thanks for sharing.
Blessings,
Carolynn

Anonymous said...

I Sally! Your way of decorating is fantastic and I love your collection and you always have a story behind each thing. Love your coffee jar with your '15s'. Now who would ever think of collecting things with the day of their birth? You!! :)
Thank you for your kindness, dear Sally.
You are a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Liz @ Quirky Vistas said...

Meaning over beauty is a great way to look at it. This little coffee jar with all it's sweet memories of the past just hits me where I live!
Liz

Liz @ Quirky Vistas said...

PS: I'm your newest follower. Hope you'll stop over and follow as well if you like!
Liz

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

Sally I love your collection of #15
I have a fetish for #7 and #17. Yup, my birth month and day. I've picked up a few items. Think I need to corral them in some fun way like you did. I tell my hubby that I am not a hoarder until there are trails through my home. Keeping it organized and uncluttered keeps us out of that category I hope. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
Hugs,
Jann

Ramblings of a Southern Girl ~ Rhonda G said...

Great collection! The jar is really neat, and how wonderful that is has meaning!

Unknown said...

Love, love the coffee jar. The jars do make great storage items.
Thanks for sharing.
Michele

TracyMB @ Crows Feet Chic said...

Love this post! I like to decorate with meaning as well... just that some things have more meaning than others. :) Love your jar and the 15 collection. Too cute.

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

Sally I know that I just featured you, but girl you made me do it again. Love this jar! Featuring it at SYC Thursday.
hugs,
Jann

The Charm of Home said...

Love this idea! Thank you for joining me at HSH!
Sherry

Michelle~Sugar House Creations said...

I adore your way of decorating. I'm trying to simplify and only hold onto special things as its very easy to junk up the house with just "stuff." My gram taught me to play solitaire when I stayed with her during the summers when I was young and we ended almost every evening playing solitaire or double solitaire. Great memories. :-)