Monday, May 26, 2008

Treasured Memories

My child - as well as being special and wonderful and gifted and creative - is very much like every other child.

She hoards.

I should not be surprised by this. Her own mother has a hard time letting go to "stuff", her father was a collector extraordinaire, her maternal grandparents bring new meaning to the word and have several generations of historical relics on hand (or in the container or sheds) and I suppose we could count the blessings of war, family dysfunctionality and refugee status that her paternal family don't take part in displaying too much that is significant to the family travails (although they are typical of their culture in that every surface does have its own variety of clutter on display).

However, there comes a time when needs must means throw out!!! Yesterday was one of those times.

I am due to upgrade my computer, and the trade off that 'Salina is looking forward to is that she will receive this one. "Yay!!!" she says. And then groans follow when it is explained that this means LESS SPACE for crap in her room. As furniture changes will also be required, yesterday was the beginning of a long project.

She needed to clear several shelves in a cupboard to make room for clothes that were evacuated from one piece of furniture that has been slated for "out of the room".

During our going through the seven boxes reduced to two this means in real terms, we came across many things that she holds close to her heart. Old toys she has not played with of late, projects that were started and never quite finished - or never yet started, presents that were put by for "later" and artwork that is fantastic (says the unbiased mother) but not worth keeping for posterity.

We had the digital on hand to capture these significant structures before they got "donated to landfill" (or recycled - after all, most of the materials for them came from the recycle bin in the first place).

So I present you her gallery...







The Dog

Artfully wrapped boxes with inked features, this 3d canine representation was the joy of an afternoon late last year.
The Cat

This milk carton and toilet paper desgin was inspired last week.

If only the digital camera videos would translate to this computer, I could show you her inspired farewell scene to the creature.
The Lion

This creation was a pre-school project at school, which culminated in a musical presentation.
The Dogwash

This installation piece has hoses for washing the dog, ramps and special pens for the customers, a shelf for holding instruments, cardboard cutout shampoos and a cloth for drying the dog with.


The Horse

This is one of many, many such creations. The saddle can be taken off, there was a bridle and the tail moves.


"But how could you allow her to part with such memories, you heartless mother," I hear you cry out.

Well, I have had to harden myself to such purges over my own life because I know the walls will eventually cave if you KEEP EVERYTHING.

And as well as the 7 shopping bags of rubbish, large collection to pass to cousins, box for a potential garage sale and 2 large boxes for recycling, a lot did get saved for her to look back on.

And we still have much, much more to go before we can declare this job FINISHED!

15 comments:

BB said...

Excellent work - room for a puppy then??

:-)
BB

Melody said...

Oh you do have a little hoarder. What I tend to do, so Monet's room is not full of 'stuff' is (when she's not loking), piff some of the junky stuff - either in the bin or to give to charity. Monet's been pretty good lately by offering her stuff that I want 'out' to her little friend around the corner.

Crazed Nitwit said...

I have a hard time letting go as well. I have tons of the boys art etc from elementary school saved but did toss tons of crap when we moved. Moved some with us as well but it is all still boxes my lazy ass doesn't really doesn't want to unpack.

Your daughter will never be like an alligator. OH no girls are never mean. Especially to their mothers. Your child will be a delightful happy girl all her life I'm sure. (you're delusional but I'll support that).

HUGS!!!

Rootietoot said...

When #4 (he's 9) makes something, I force him to get rid of something. He gets to choose.

♥.Trish.♥ Drumboys said...

yes - excellent job done but hard ! Remind her the digital photos take less space and will be a great gallery/portfolio of her childhood she can take anywhere.

LOL at BB ... aww a puppy !

Debby said...

Don't give her 'Mine'.

Oh, gosh, does that bring back memories. Children sobbing during room hoe-out, usually done right before the holidays, to make room for the glut of new things. Everything was near and dear to their hearts and they could not BEAR to part with ANY of it. Letting them choose never worked...the holiday hoe-out was always traumatic.

jeanie said...

bush babe - ah ha ha ha ha ha ha. Haaa ha ha ha ha ha ha. Actually may be room for an elephant if we keep going.

Melody - I tried that once. The emotional scars were something quite fierce when discovered. Good on Monet for being such a sport.

crazed mom - thanks for the confidence builder - even though I know you are lying, I am willing to believe!

rootietoot - V likes that approach also.

debby - part of the problem is her mother, also. It is trauma for all involved.

Jayne said...

Crikey you were lucky!
Feral Beast gets rather...umm...feral when we try to clean his horde of goodies up.
(psst we've found that if we do it on the q.u.i.e.t when he's out we can usually k bits and pieces away to the bin without him noticing....for about 10mins)

Anonymous said...

I love a good clean out, but then I am not a hoarder. Gorgeous creations though. And I love your silver lining to war, family dysfunctionality, and refugee status. Your real name is Pollyanna, isn't it! Come on, you can tell us.

Anonymous said...

Awww - not the music stand!! Or the horse either.... Salina will now have lots of inspiration to make some more now she has some space!!

Love MM

Tracey said...

She is very creative! Taking photos of them all is a great idea.

Melissa said...

I can sooo relate to this. Both of my guys rooms look like mad scientist labs. Just amazing. We do a quarterly purge so that things don't get too out of hand.

But it's hard to throw out all of that creativity. We take lots of pictures to save.

Lavinia said...

Ah, been there and done that. My daughter is a hoarder too. When she was small, and I would empty her pockets prior to laundering her clothes, I would find so many rocks, pebbles, twigs, and other little bits....that she had carefully chosen, picked up and 'collected'.....thanks for bringing back those sweet memories for me...

Anonymous said...

I have an artistic hoarder too.
She has a collection of rocks in one drawer and a collection of misc. paper in the next one down and I wonder why her clothes are always all over the floor.

jeanie said...

jayne - the secret is bribery - want the computer? Kybosh the clutter...

hilary - you found me out.

Thanks mum. :) And no, the music stand stays.

tracey - inspired - of course, it can clutter up the computer archives!

melissa - it is hard to let go, even as the mother of the creator!

lavinia - ah, we have the same child - a pebble collector here too.

tiff - its all about priorities, isn't it?