i love being at home. I love fragglin’ around my nest. I love rearranging, re-finding treasures and just being around the things I love. I have a lot of stuff..a variation of different collections. I am very nostalgic and like to keep things from all parts of my life and my friend’s lives too. I like the stories behind “old stuff.” I have report cards from when my mom was a kid, art pieces my dad made in school, countless family photos (my own and others), multiple furniture pieces from my family - including a telephone table that was my Nana’s and most recently my Grandmother gifted me her sacred heart Jesus. I’m not a religious person, but this piece is so meaningful to me. I have seen it my whole life. My grandmother remembers being a very small girl, about 3 years old, moving and her mother having her hold and guard the statue until they arrived to their new home. She remembers holding onto it like her life depended on it. It’s sweet memories and stories that encourage me to hold onto things.
in general I like to collect old things. they’re so much cooler than modern day things- better design, colors and durability. Not everything that comes home with me has a personal nostalgic attachment..sometimes it’s simply because I think something is cool. I always veer towards the retro style of things. I’d say mid-century kitchen items is what started it all. There was a point where I was a Pyrex fanatic. Anything and everything. I still have quite a few pieces, but probably more than one person needs or can use on their own. I still really want to visit Corning, NY.
specimens, metal lunchboxes, cameras, shoes, California Raisins, E.T collectibles, stickers, buttons, matchbooks, coffee table books, dresses, vintage dachshund statues, Pyrex, dried flowers, pennants and snail figurines are just a few of my collections. I probably have collections I’m not even aware of. I say I am an organized mess, but I’ll be honest, sometimes when I am rummaging around, I will totally forget I have something. Over the years I’ve been better about organizing my collections, but I also want to “show and tell” my collections. I want to make more collage books and notebooks with my saved items. I will write an entry about my collage books soon.
my nests have been called “homie.” I wasn’t sure how to take that, but realize it’s a compliment. A lot of looking around happens when people come to visit me. Sometimes I pretend I live in some sort of cool museum. I lived in San Francisco for 12 years and in my Tenderloin apartment, I lived for 10 years. It was a studio and I definitely made it my own - my nest. It had cute honeycomb tile in the bathroom along with a brass and glass door knob. That knob was my keepsake. I took it with me as I knew that apartment would be gutted and gentrified. It was a sudden decision to move so I didn’t thin anything out. I just packed all the years up!! It was intense moving out of there. Back in Los Angeles, my first spot, I started to make my own, but then needed to move quickly. I’ve been in Burbank for just a little over 2 years now. I really love this apartment. It’s part of a triplex and has cute vintage features that I adore. I have started to pile up home projects and am excited to continue with them. I have a slew of art projects I’d like to begin to work on too.
being at home gives me comfort. It’s me. However, sometimes hermit me will get too stuck in my own brain and feel more isolated, anxious and unable to nest. I am in a weird cycle right now, but it’s okay. I am learning to accept and learn from these changes I have forced upon myself. I am becoming accustomed to being a homebody and figuring out ways to power through even when it might get a little dark.
xo.anna
Birds of a feather, my friend. I love your collections and you.
Great space!