at home

True to my astrological sign - I am a cancer - I love the idea of nesting. I believe that nesting doesn’t have to start with a new relationship or a new baby. I like to think of it as creating a cozy and private alternative universe for myself to live, think, eat, sleep, grow. I’ve lived by myself for the past year with my yorkie, Bella, and find that there’s comfort in running my own household. It’s not always easy. My grandmother’s pretty Portmeirion dinnerware does not get washed unless I put on the gloves and do it. The antique Chinese rugs fast become catastrophes unless I take the time to vacuum. But living alone allows me to paint my living room Queen Anne Pink, to stay up as late as I want knitting and watching PBS. To eat ice cream at midnight and leave the dishes for tomorrow.

My rent is ridiculously cheap and thus my apartment building is not exactly what you’d call luxurious. I’m pretty sure that the basement is haunted and my next-door neighbors party as if it’s their last day on earth every. damn. night. But as soon as I close the front door, none of that seems to matter. I’m safe because I’m home.

If all goes as planned and I stay here for two more years, it will be the longest I've lived anywhere since childhood. My big dream is to have it published down the line, though life’s circumstances (school, time, limited funds) have caused roadblocks in the decorating process. We’ll see what happens.

In the meantime, I find great joy in posting snippets of it when I can. Above are a few photos of my apartment from instagram. My favorite pieces in the space are those that I found in odd, forgotten places, or those that I’ve had for eons. For example, the curtains sat forever in the corner of an antiques store until I adopted them. The tiger-print cork board was a high school graduation present from a family I used to nanny for. I stand by the fact that you can decorate a house in six months, but truly building a home takes years. The fantastic thing is that each year has proven over and over to bring better objects. I’m looking forward to what 2014 has in store :)

(shoddy photos et al. live here)