BEFORE

When I started painting The Peg Box, Jim interjected, “WAIT, Sue! Don’t you want to sand the box smooth before you paint?”  I explained to him that the box itself represents “life” and life is not smooth; it is full of up and downs and unexpected twist and turns.  When he came home from work the following day, I asked him to glue the pictures down on the box.  He pointed out that the pictures were not lined up to the file folder insert at the end of the box.  I nodded, reminding him that the direction upon which I set the pictures represented those twist and turns that I was talking about.  “Life” is not a straight journey and some of those turns in the road are sharp and unexpected.



The pictures represent happy memories along that road with an example of an unwanted twist.  Pictures also represent life’s unforeseen. Pictures do not always come out as we intended due to lighting, the electronic device they were taken with, the person behind the camera or the subject in front of the camera.   Nor does the word “Survivor” necessarily mean that you poked Cancer in its derrière one more time, because you have survived other twists in the road, large and small, to reach the moment in time that this box was created. 

Those black specks you see, if you look closely, were created by a fan and NOT intended. Nor was the torn “S” on sisters.  In life you constantly get these small bumps and look at the positive side.  One, as you squint to see these black flicks you are sharing a piece of Jay, Fred and Wes’s Carolina projects that I made for them.

 Secondly, the purple, pink and gold flicks, shells, and stickers were INTENDED as an afterthought to make the best of the unintended. Therefore, this makes the family cycle complete, by including bits of Strawn, Colin, Lacy, Paige and Claire’s projects onto your box as well.  (Jim is already included for he glued the pictures on ALL of the boxes). Now “Peg’s Box” has become a “WE” box along with remembering funny, loving, crazy, and dramatic memories of you as I made it.   Taking advantage of the unexpected bumps in making this box reminded me we never know what life holds for us.  We simply enjoy and embrace Life’s Blessings and survive the blips no matter how large or small those blips might be.

Paige helped design her own shell frame (gray) and Claire's frame (purple) with the shells and drift wood that I have collected through the years.

 I mainly made this box to make you smile, laugh, cheer you up, cry a little and think of your crazy sister who loves you with all her heart.  I like things “a little over the top,” garish and yes, unexpected.  Therefore, life is never dull.  Thank you for making me a part of your life and sharing ‘family stories.’ I so love them all and look forward to the new ones.  I love going down memory lane with you and hearing funny, amusing and zinger ideas you made for Kelly and Kyle.

Lastly and most importantly, what comes along with your box is a BIG HUG FULL OF WARMTH AND UNDERSTANDING.  If you close your eyes and use your imagination you will feel it…Better yet get all the kids and Gary to give you big hugs for me…..I love you, Peg!

The colorful specks and the shells were intended.  The shells, a few jewels, and the ribbon were placed on the box by Peggy.  This makes the cycle of the "Peg Box" complete. 

Dear Sue,

This is the greatest prize I have ever received.  The story behind the box intensifies the beauty of the box, if that is possible as it is simply beautiful of itself.  I cannot tell you the emotions (mainly joy) that come each time I study it.  It amazes me that so much can be said in a box top.  Leave it to you to make a practical object into a valuable treasure.  Thank you does not say enough, but THANK YOU !!***!!  I too enjoy all the stories and sharing that we do.  You are right, it is laughter that sees us through all the twists and turns, lumps and bumps, and of course the smooth times of our lives.  I love you, Sue!  peg

These next two examples are pictures I make for Colin and Jay are done on Photoshop.  It was included because it represents many adjustments I made in all the pictures.

 

   

For fun I added this picture for it shows Peg's Box
and Antone, Kai Bella and Isaiah's photo carry boxes.



ST. AUGUSTINE "Better Late Than Never"

Learning how to do a blog and the timing in writing versus posting the blog is a slow process for me. I wrote this blog post before I left for St. Augustine and forgot to post it. In order not to waste this I decided to post it “after the fact” and will do a follow up in a few days.

I am headed to St. Augustine, Florida tomorrow. I am looking forward to this trip for I enjoy my cousin Alec and his wife Sharon. They are real nice down-folk people. Last year they visited my sister and me in South Carolina and we so enjoyed their visit. We managed to sightsee quite a bit in the Savannah/Beaufort/Charleston area. I love photography and I managed to take some really great pictures. (One of these pictures I framed for them). I hope to do the same in St. Augustine, especially since a portion of our family’s genealogy is from that area. I am hoping one of the old homestead houses will still be there. We also have to scatter Uncle Gay’s ashes into the St. John’s River. My dad and Uncle Gay (I always called him uncle) were best pals growing up and I absolutely adored him. I will share memories of Uncle Gay in another blog report. Gay died last year and this will be a celebration of his life at his request. He is and will be missed by all of us. He was a true gentleman as is his son Alec. He lived into his nineties. He was one of those that aged well and was a handsome man until the day he died


The only negative part about this whole trip is making the decision on what to take to wear. Here it is April and we are having 50 degree weather. Two days ago it was 75 degrees. Florida is further south than us so I am assuming it will be warmer. It would just be my luck I pack clothes for warm weather and it turns out to be cold. Thank goodness I am not flying for I would be limited not only on weather clothes, but suitcase weight. (In August I head to Michigan….Lord help me on trying to decide what to take for I am flying on this trip.) The only thing I dislike about traveling is making decisions on wearing apparel. I usually start packing a good two to three days ahead of time. I am constantly putting clothes in and taking them out. I worry about forgetting something so I put the “stuff” I need beside the suitcase hoping I will not need it before I leave and if I do I hope to remember to put it back. I even half-dream about what I am taking or might be leaving and I mentally do a check list instead of getting a good night’s sleep. Well anyway after all of that ranting I am packed and pray I have not forgotten my toothpaste and u-pants.