[Individual photo credits: 1. Photography: Ania Wawrzkowicz, Styling: Aliki Kirmitsi, alikiandania.com 2. Things Organized Neatly 3. Bob Dinetz Design 4. Thing Organized Neatly 5. Jamie Newton 6. Todd McLellan 7. crowhand 8. Monika Hoinkis]

**Note:** I apologise for my absence from this little spot on the net for the past few months. It has been a difficult time personally with family health issues taking up all of my (our) time and attention. Things are very much on the up and hopefully this means for a restful and stress-free rest of the year! It’s really nice to be back! xx

I had the most amazing day last month at a family birthday gathering by the water. It was the normal family get-together in every sense except that I spent the better part of two hours with my mum and young nieces walking along the water’s edge.
I “taught” my nieces how to collect shells and how to pick the most special ones and was met with sheer excitement when they learned that they were allowed to take their found treasures home. I pocketed my collection forgetting about it until now.
Driving home yesterday I rounded a corner in my car and heard a muffled sound like something spilling. When I pulled over I found the cup of shells I promised to take home for the girls spilled all through my glove compartment. Instead of being frustrated by the mess to clean up (including a few stray creatures that had hitched a ride home) I was happy to have remembered the great day spent with my mum and my favourite little girls. I went home and uncovered my own collection still hidden in a pocket.

So, this is the start of a place for my collections. To document those items & collections of things that are kept that often have no tangible value except for the memories and feelings they stir. Memories that often get lost in the corners of our minds only ever to surface when sparked by a smell, a sound or a treasure collected long ago.

Very much inspired and moved by Heather Smith Jones’ Arrangement series on Flickr and her collaboration with Alicia on the Noticing Project.

I too am now endeavouring to notice more.