04 May 2007

Cardstock Memories

I'm Sharon, and this is my collection of tiny buildings crafted from business cards, packaging and other nice papers.

In the 1970s, when our children were young, my husband, James Mount, started a collection of tiny buildings - made from odds-and-ends cardboard packaging. The original idea was for them to be Christmas decorations - to be placed over tiny white lights on our tree, or to gather on a side table as a little village. Each holiday, James would add to our collection. A few were given to friends, but most rested in an attic-stored box through most of the year...escaping for Christmas, to our delight.

Because the tiny buildings were made from familiar boxes, or restaurant business cards, or other pieces collected as we traveled and lived, they became miniature memoirs of happy times and places.

Many years later, in 2000 or so, ten years after James' death, I started to add to the collection. I gathered cards from the many stores and restaurants and fun places that Jane and Madison, our now-grown children, and I visited, and gave them to each of them for Christmas presents.

So, this is a continuing history of our wonderful, happenstance memoir medium. Enjoy!

4 comments:

Charmaine said...

I'm tearing. When I can see through the tears, and when your crying (becuase she's tired from playing so hard) grand daughter takes a nap, I will comment more. But for now, this is wonderful. Beautiful. I am so blessed to be a part of your family. Clearly James was an amazing man, as evidenced by his son. and you and Jane aren't so shabby your selves ;)

maureen said...

Hi Sharon, my friend, Kim Carney pointed me in the direction of your tinybuildings blog -- through her flickr page and the tiny buildings she made inspired by you. It's so cool you are sharing these little treasures with people outside your family -- what a wonderful idea to make these as memory-pieces!

I send a link to your blog to my youngest sister who is an architect and who has young children still at home (our 5 are all grown) I'm sure she'll be as delighted as I am to see the buildings are read about them. I'm glad I came by here. Will subscribe to your blog so I can see when youadd new tiny buildings. :-)
Maureen

Jason Thompson said...

Sharon,

These are wonderful. The size of the tiny buildings make them so intimate in the selective focuse photographs. Before I read the "About Me" page, I just thought it a cool and clever idea. Now I see your hobby is infused with memories and a little sadness. Thank you for sharing. They may be little, but they inspired me a lot. Jason

cally said...

The blog is so lovely, and the buildings. Now I've read the story I'm loving them all even more. It's so good when something has such a personal connection like this.