As noted earlier this month in my Three Confessions post, I had a messy book situation. The books were tidied up more than a week ago and here at the visuals to prove it.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Do you see any of your favorites?
I do have a few more bookcases not pictured, but they are looking good as well. Some of the books are still in cabinets, but they are easier to see and find. What shape are your bookshelves in? Do you have any goals to fill, reduce or organize them?
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And my favorite part of the wonder of Christmas is the magic of Christmas stories. Rather than stowing 
a bunch of gifts under the tree for the month—tempting little fingers to pick and peek at them—I scatter our collection of Christmas books under the branches. This gives my kids something they can handle, old friends they can revisit from the previous years.
We spend a few days reading through a chapter book or read a picture book each night while enjoying the sparkle and messages of the season. So far this year, we’ve read CHRISTMAS MAGIC by Patricia Hermes and YOU ARE MY MIRACLE by Maryann Cusimano Love and Satomi Ichikawa.
Another thing I love is Christmas music. Here’s a sample of one of my favorite voices—Mitch Malloy—singing Silent Night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFOdUJ8W9rs&feature=g-hist
What are your family’s traditions? Your favorite Christmas story? Song?
“Reality lies beyond the horizon…” That’s been my mantra for over half my life. The saying—yes, with the ellipsis because it proves that reality isn’t final in this moment—came about the same time as my self-appointed nickname “Wonderwegian.”
When I was seventeen I dubbed my room WONDERLAND and inhabited my kingdom with Wonderlonians. I’ll omit the embarrassing titles I gave my favorite people but let you know I had everything from court jesters to royal exiles. And Wonderland was covered with pictures of people, places and artwork that inspired me. I even had items hanging from the ceiling!
Besides covering my walls with images, I placed several quotes in key locations. Most were hand written in calligraphy on index cards and they were everything from lyrics to writing quotes. One of them stated “Reality lies beyond the horizon… -Wonderwegian.” There was also a paragraph-length exposition on that theme I wrote with the input of my pen pal Justin Williams, but I can’t locate it right now. (However Justin did locate me on Facebook two years ago. Hello!)
I’ve tried to “grow-up” décor wise since getting married and what was once a room-size collage is now crammed onto an 8×5 bulletin board. I’m wondering if increasing the space of visually inspiring images would produce more written work. 
What are your thoughts?
Can you work in a room like that (okay, maybe minus the Nelson poster—though it does have three autographs now) or do you need calming negative space?
P.S. If you insist in knowing, I’ll give you one title: Thor was guardian of the realm.
