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Making ordinary things extraordinary things. In high school I was very interested in fine arts and my high school art teacher used to talk about “making the ordinary extraordinary”. The assignment was to find an ordinary item and create a piece of artwork from it. I remember I chose this old, bent metal measuring spoon we had in our kitchen. (looking back it was the perfect piece of vintage decor and I wish I still had it!) I drew it on a giant piece of paper, noting all its beautiful curves and shadows. By doing that exercise, I first learned to appreciate the ordinary.

And now I truly appreciate old items from the past. Before plastic and mass manufacturing. Before things fell apart after a small amount of use. When things were handcrafted with care and precision.

Things that others would throw away I’ve given new life to. I see things that not everyone sees. Sometimes this keeps me awake at night, lol. Everyone has a gift of “seeing things” and seeing potential when others might not. And that’s what makes everyone so unique!

These wall hooks were made out of discarded, ordinary items. Drawer fronts, broken chair backs. An old wooden, non-functioning level. A once dusty and dirty drawer front now sits in someones bedroom holding jewelry. Holding hats and keys in a hallway.

Maybe I identify with “throwaway things” because for a long time in my life I wrongly believed that about myself. I let someone else define me as “not enough” or “unworthy”.
Since leaving that relationship it took a number of years to undo that kind of thinking. Making the ordinary into extraordinary really helped me in the healing process and believing in myself again.

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