The California Transplant

To take away the heaviness (and give me something else to think of) from yesterday's post, I decided to go around my home looking for something that I could tell a story about- maybe where I got it, or some significant meaning behind it, perhaps even an inside joke that goes with it. I took pictures of a couple things, but decided to start here. And why not? It is the entryway after all. But, first let's get something off the table- I am not an ace photographer or even someone who aspires to be one, so just go with it (when we get there). Okay? Okay!

A few years ago, and I do mean a few. Maybe six. I was at Target, because let's face it, who doesn't love Target? and found a couple lanterns on clearance for a grand total of $5. I was a college student at the time and worked full time and had money to just blow on everything, so I figured why not? they'd look cute.. somewhere.. maybe.


Well, weeks and then months passed and still I found no place for them. I did decide that they needed to be hung from the ceiling, but where? I still lived at my parents house and just couldn't find a spot quite right for them. And so more time passed. A year, two, then three. They stayed in my closet, not tucked away or hidden, just there. Getting banged around and hit with shoes, pulled out and pushed back in, covered with a jacket, then a pair of jeans. Eventually after years of distress one gave in and had enough. Just a little window break, not enough to worry about, but it did make me think of throwing them away.  I thought about this many times over the six year period that they were in my closet, but always felt as though they had a deeper purpose than to fill a trash-can.

Eventually, I moved out and of course they came with me. I waited six years! And let's be honest, if I couldn't find a place for them here, then there just wasn't a place for them to be had. But, low and behold, after a couple months of just hanging around (no pun intended, because they were actually just sitting around), I found the perfect local for them as you can see.

and

I hung them from the ceiling with fishing line actually- to give them the floating in space look! and inside each lantern is a little spot for a tea-light candle to sit perfectly.

(disclaimer: this is a cell phone picture)

And, I have to say, at night with the lights out, they provide the perfect illumination for the entryway. The other great thing about them is that they help separate the kitchen from the entryway since as you can see it's a rather open floor plan. The area beneath the lanterns is still not set to my liking, but we'll save that for another post. And there you have it. A Lantern Story.