The Hallway of Feels

How do you evoke feeling into a blank and sad space?  The importance of things is often overlooked.  Labeled as clutter and dust grabbers.  Inanimate objects that have no permanent or perfect place and should possibly be gifted to another or thrown in the trash.

I would absolutely never.    

Holding onto things has given me joy.  I feel it between my fingers and gaze into a memory as if I can bring it back to current reality.  Remembering the moments when.  When we had a get together and laughed all night.  Or when we received the best news ever and cried out in joy.  Either way it's at Lisa's house and she has a special place for it.    

I have arrived at the purpose stage in my life.  I don't want a memory tucked away in a box.  I want to see it and allow an enormous amount of joy into my space.   

​The hallway of feels started with a crooked light switch.  My OCD was in overdrive each and every time I walked down the hall.  Looking at the unleveled work of whomever put it up made me want to send out an all points bulletin just so I could shake them and put them in timeout.  Description of the suspect?  Find a person who just doesn't care!

Trust me I laugh at myself often.  ​

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The naked eye is very misleading when you attempt to balance design on an open canvas.  I didn't realize how off the light switch was until I hung the first picture.  It appears level, however, in most cases it is a close second to the leaning Tower of Pisa.  As I started working on my picture wall I knew I wanted to go with a color scheme but I wouldn't know what that was until I found my first picture.   Natural picture frames combined with black frames to add contrast and an even balance.   I incorporated canvas prints, mirrors and other things that simply make me smile.  It really is that easy.

Going big or going home is the motto here.  Once I started, it began to take on a life of its own.  Oh, I will add flowers to the wall and maybe a seashell, or even a porcelain mask I was gifted from Russia that spent over 10 years in a drawer collecting dust.  

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A treasure in a box becomes lost joy.  Dust it off and bring it back to life.  ~A. Jones 

​As I add more items I realize I shouldn't limit myself to one side of the hallway.  I will expand my feels into each nook and cranny I can find.  The space over the entry ways.  The little slither of wall space between the pantry and my room.  The eyes will truly go into overdrive and feel and bit overwhelmed but it will be something to remember.  My hallway of feels is like a big warm hug whenever you need it.  I will take that each and every day.

A few pictures below to show the progress I have made.  I can't rush this feeling.  I will know what goes up next when I feel it in my anxious bones.  

The end goal is a sentiment of feels that will reach out and grab me, or you, each and every time. 

​~AJ 📸