The Stuff You Find

The last couple of months I have had on my to do list to declutter some areas of my home. Yesterday I started with a box that has been sitting by a trunk I use as a coffee table (my maternal grandfather's WWII army trunk) in my living room. To give you and idea of how long it took, I watched the first two movies of a Harry Potter movie marathon (to continue today).

I can't believe the things I found in that box. A little photo book from my prom, a photo from a birthday party when I was in 7th or 8th grade, a sketch of a gal I did from a book cover, some scrapbook paper, my social security card with my maiden name on it (not pictured for obvious reasons), a postcard with a 50's era photo of two adults pulling a kid on a sled, stickers and some ribbon from my college alma matter, an old fashioned luggage sticker, business cards, a postcard from the kilt shop my husband bought his kilt from, a card from the hubs, a blackmail photo of my BIL, a handmade invitation for a baby shower I gave for my sisters first child almost four years ago, a sticker form my highschool marching band (I twirled a flag in the band), a newspaper clipping from an article about our highschool band going to DC to be in the first president Bush's inaguration parade, journals from high school and college, letters & cards from ex boyfriends and friends from college, art projects, a Christmas list I wrote when I was probably six, pages ripped from magazines with decorating ideas, gardening tips and recipes I want to try.

All in all this spans between 1988 to present day. Over 21 years - the same amount of time it takes to grow a legal adult!

I also found a map of New York city with an autograph from Peter Cetera (if you grew up in the 80's you know who I'm talking about). This was from a trip in 1988 and I met him waiting for the ferry to Staten Island. At first I thought he was someone who could win a look a like contest. It's really pretty surreal when you meet a celebrity in person. Especially when its serendipitous.

The inspiration photo for my wedding cake (ripped from a magazine). The plaid icing was actually layered and woven different colored icing. There is ribbon around the round cakes. I love the different shaped cake pieces.

And the actual wedding cake. I brought the above photo to my cake person and she said the icing would cost me a lot of money. So, she scanned a scarf I have of the tartan that matches the hubs kilt and printed it on sugar paper which she wrapped around the cake and seperated it to make it look woven. This was necessary because I could only afford three sheets of sugar paper. I didn't want all the flowers on the cake. That appeared without me knowing. My flower person was my best friends mom. She did a wonderful job but we disagreed on flowers for the cake - I guess she won. :) BTW - we did save the top piece and ate it a year later. My mom froze it for us.

I can't believe some of this stuff. I have packed it around to places I have lived. I moved to North Carolina and back and some of this stuff managed to keep with me. Its not for being organized either. I'm down to just a few boxes and bags left to go through. I wonder what else I will find? What kind of crazy stuff have you all turned up in your efforts to declutter?