The girl can't help it.

It seems like every time I come up on a corner,
I slam my breaks and squeal my tires
trying to make the turn in time.
There's just so many garage sale signs that sneak up on me...
I can't help it!
I used to go garage saling for fun with my grandma.
I actually had never gone without her until this year.
She passed away last summer from cancer,
and at first I was worried that it might be too emotional.
I know, that sounds really pathetic- but we were really close.
And garage saling was like our thing.
But now I'm just going cause I'm looking for a new dresser.
And I keep hoping someone's getting rid of a vintage one,
like... oh, I dunno... circa 1950?
Like this one that was found on a curb!
I know I'm not that lucky. But I can't help it.
I haven't found anything worth buying...
but I have found that I really don't like garage-saling.
In fact, I'm border line on despising it.
Why waste all that time and gas and still not find anything?
It's so not even worth it.
I used to love visiting garage sales,
but I guess what I really loved was spending time with grandma.

After attempting for a fun afternoon of hittin the sales with the kids,
I decided that I needed to document the memories
I have of going with grandma.
I didn't want this to be a usual scrap page.
And here's what I came up with:

I wanted to pile visual images that would conjure up memories
as much as the words in my journaling.
I can remember sitting at her feet
with a wad of bubble gum in my mouth,
watching her circle interesting looking garage sales in the newspaper.
She never needed a map- she knew our city inside and out.
So I used the garage sale section out of our newspaper
and spray mounted it to a piece of cardboard.
That was my background.
Then I took plaster colored paint and brayered it onto that.

Another visual memory I have of our garage saling adventures
was blue glass.
She collected blue glass, and it was EVERYWHERE in her home.
So I took a photo of one of the blue glass bottles
that she had bought me at a sale.
I blew up the photo, cut it out, and cut it in half.
I outlined around it on the background,
and then stamped "with grandma" in white
and scribbled "garage saling" with an orange pen.
After I cemented down the half of the blue bottle,
I journaled in the other half.
This was really fun to make,
And now I'll always have this piece of art
to remind me of our special times together.

I think I want to try more of this-
journaling about specific objects that are important to me.
That way, when I'm gone, my family will know
why I kept all that "junk,"
and maybe it will then be important to them.

Comments

[emily anderson]

oh mandi...i love this post. what sweet memories you have of your grandma...and what a great way to document it!
and you can send me that layout whenever you get the chance...seriously. no rush. it will probably be a loooong time before i get yours sent out, so i'm in no hurry!
thanks girl...talk to you soon friend.

[Amy Tangerine]

you are so darn clever.
my grandma is staying with me for a little while and I decided to have her tell me what she remembers of old photos and use her journaling. even though most of the time she gets the details mixed up, but who really cares?!

[Kara]

This is so sweet and beautiful, Mandi. I love the idea or object "cataloging". And that layout is dynamite.

I fail at garage-saling. But, thrift stores... Dude.

[HeatherJ]

This layout is so wonderful. Love the story you shared behind it. I love garage saling also, but feel the same way you do...why waste the gas and time if you aren't going to find anything? I've been waiting for the community/city wide garage sales. More fun having a bunch together! :)

[HeatherJ]

This layout is so wonderful. Love the story you shared behind it. I love garage saling also, but feel the same way you do...why waste the gas and time if you aren't going to find anything? I've been waiting for the community/city wide garage sales. More fun having a bunch together! :)

[Christina]

Dude, your grandma would be so proud!!
I love that layout too.
Someone told me once, about the time you want to give up, is the time you find the thing you are looking for.
So, maybe don't give up so easily?
Unless it making you crazy, and then don't go crazy, because well I don't want a crazy friend! ;)

[Kim Whitten]

what an awesome
layout and tribute.

Love all your ideas for pages.
Seriously you have major creative talent.

[Yvonne]

That is so awesome. I love how you made the layout so personal. That is what its really about, capturing a memory on paper with ink, paint and a dash of L-O-V-E.

yeah, I know, that^^ was very corny but I really love the layout with the journaling is so endearing. **sigh**!

[Bekka]

This page is amazing! I love all of the stuff you incorporated into it! What a wonderful memory!

[Debee Campos]

i so hear you on the garage sales.
i cannot stand them
i don't get them
plus
i never wake up early
and never for a sale :)
LOL
but you journaled your memories so beautifully!
I really hope this does get appreciated for generations to come
-d

[Jen]

you are so much inspiration!!
i just love coming to your blog and looking and soaking and getting insanely creative b/c of you!!!
all i can say is you wow me everytime, girlie!

[dani]

this is beautiful. I can't get over how meaningful it is. you're such a genius.

and yeah, I have to be in a REALLY good mood to garage sale. Most everything in our new place came from garage saleing. But it was my brother and my husband's doing. And they got some awesome stuff. But I think it works out really, since I'm the one that has to keep it all clean. :P

[shaina]

this is too cute!! great job!

[Juliana]

WOW! I just love the LO about your grandma! Love the idea of what you captured with this! Thanks for the inspiration!