Gratitude is the Memory of the Heart....

Gratitude is the Memory of the Heart

~ Jean Baptiste Massieu

We invest our time, energy, hearts, and souls into projects... some don't work out.. but others flourish.

I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you, from the very bottom of my heart, for all of your love and support. It is just the beginning of Tiny Treasures, but I have a wonderful feeling about it: Not only do we already have a marvelous group of contributing members, but we have a gallery of outstanding images. I am humbled and honored that so many talented artists are choosing to participate and display their work. Artistically and creatively crafted, the images that are being posted are great tributes to those small items we hold dear to our hearts.

Speaking of hearts, Valentine's Day is just around the corner. I know, I know... a lot of people cringe when they hear others speaking of what many refer to as the "Card Company" holiday. I understand how "cheesy" such a holiday can seem.

I have friends who are so turned off by this holiday that they purposefully dress in black, watch horror movies, and play drinking games during it. You see, the spirit of Valentine's Day lives within all of us... we just all show it in different ways. I am the type who loves glitter, flowers, shades of red and pink, chocolate truffles, and sweat sentiments. I am more than happy to put on heart shaped earrings, pass out candy and cards, and go out to dinner with my sweetheart (or stay in and watch a movie while snuggling on the couch).

Now, let me explain something: I am someone who believes that you should love those that are special to you everyday. There is no need to create a holiday just to give you the excuse to tell someone that you love and appreciate them and surround them with chocolates and flowers. I tell my sweetie that I love him everyday and I buy him gifts far too often than I probably should.

But... since we have a specific date (February 14) set aside on all of our calenders, why not celebrate it!? Lets bake and decorate cupcakes, give each other heart shaped cards filled with heart shaped confetti, take our honey out for a night on the town, tell those that are dear to us that we love them because we don't tell them nearly enough. Maybe it's the fact that I was born in February that I love Valentine's Day so much... Maybe it's the fact that I love baking and decorating... Maybe it's the fact that red is one of my favorite colors... Maybe it's the fact that I love making people uncomfortable by telling them that I love them...

Whatever it is, I love celebrating Valentine's Day and I would like to leave all of you with a bit of inspiration from some of the contributors at Tiny Treasures. I hope it gets you into the spirit of love and I hope it inspires you to go out and photograph the tiny treasures you see during this lovely holiday...

 

 

 

 

 

And Thus Tiny Treasures is Born...

"There is No Way to Peace, Peace is the Way."

- A.J. Muste

Tiny: Itsy-bitsy, itty-bitty, little, mini, miniature, petite, teensy, teensy weensy, teeny, wee, yea big...

Treasures: Something one considers especially precious or valuable...

Tiny Treasures is dedicated to the dear items we diligently and delicately dust daily on our shelves… To the items we wear on our fingers and that adorn our necks… To the stuff that we tote around in our pockets and keep safe in our handbags… To the small tokens our grandmothers pass on to our mothers who pass on to us … To the frosted cupcakes and golden foiled wrapped truffles we indulge in... To the little items whose only purpose may be to enchant and delight… To the teeny tiny objects that bring us immeasurable joy…

So to put it simply, this space is for artful photos of small items that make our hearts flutter.

The possibilities are endless. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Knick-knacks, cups, broaches, salt and pepper shakers, journals, diaries, cameras, rings, cupcakes, charms, keys, toys, cake toppers, stuffed animals, mugs, perfume bottles, trinkets, guitar picks, truffles, handmade objects... Are you getting the idea? :)

The image above is of this lovely set of salt and pepper shakers Cory and I stumbled upon. We saw them and knew they were destined to be ours. Not only are we Oregonians (an thus the hippie/tree-hugger vibe is in our DNA) but we also very much love each other and the fact that these two little porcelain things are kissing was just too perfect to ignore.

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for little knick-knacks such as this set of salt and pepper-shakers (Sidenote: I really should come up with names for these little guys (let me know if you have any ideas)). Growing up, my grandmothers on either side of the family were always giving me tiny porcelain figurines, jewelry, small collectibles, charms... all sorts of different things that really served no real purpose but to make me smile. In most cases it is the memory that makes the object valuable.

I want to be able to share these mementos and their stories and see what others find interesting and precious.

Welcome to Tiny Treasures... Let's get started!