making memorials

In the olden days, people called Memorial Day Decoration Day. Families visited graves and memorials, paid their respects to the war dead and adorned these sites with flowers. We believe the date was chosen as so much of our country is in bloom in late May.

In the modern age (that's us), we also mark the official start of summer, we approve the wearing of whites and we fly the American flag at half mast from dawn until noon.

my maternal grandfather, floyd e. johnson, 1909-1999, charlottesville, virginia

I've come to think of the holiday as a time to recall our personal and national history.  I use the day to tell the children about their extended and distant family. I tell them the basics, the legends and the lies (let's don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!)  As a child, my father amused and taught with stories whose characters came straight out of Big Fish or The World's Largest Man; that's entertainment. And to pull all these sentiments together, last year, my sister sent me this New York Times article that suggests that families that tell family stories stick together longer and better.

In the last ten years, my husband and I start one selected project on or about Mother's Day. We garden, plant trees or flowers, build something.  Sometimes we finish in a day, but we often finish on or about Memorial Day. Then we go fishing as a family.

Of course, all the fish take our sorry, undersized bait as soon as it hits the water. We spend all day and half the night passing the pole between our muscle fatigued arms. The monster won't tire!  The sand gnats swarm in island sized clouds. We land the beast on deck just in time before the tidal waters disappear. We've narrowly escaped being beached and with a hearty supper that will feed all of Vernonburg! True story!

2010: springhouse roof redux, 2013, spring house "porch", 2014 springhouse vertical garden, 2015 potting bench, sink (wip)

Also true, it strikes me as I write this post that I am making memorials to my family, passed (in service to our country or simply in service to our family) and present. I pay homage to Savannah and to the life that I am carving out. I'm also creating a standing memorial that refers to the past, present and future. Our projects are informed by and honors those around us, some dear, some strangers. Both the making and the associated story helps us to create our own traditions and to recall some part of our past.

I'm looking forward to torturing my children with history and projects this entire month, but especially on Memorial Day. Whose story will you tell? Who will you honor and what form will that endeavor take?

plant in vertical garden adopted from lynn serualla + adam kuehl in turtle shell found by family in the georgia woods 

Blogging this week for The Paris Market, artist and collaborative designer katherine sandoz makes abstract paintings, fiber arts, illustration, portraits and collaborative works of art in a barn behind her home in Savannah, Georgia. The flora and fauna of the low-country serve as fodder for her imagery. Sandoz, a former service member herself, is moved and inspired by soldiers and warriors of all kinds and times.  

Vintage Find of the Day: Hardbound Books

We've loved vintage books for as long as we can remember. Admittedly, we haven't read every word in the majority of the old books on our shelves. However, we do tend to continually obsess over the old illustrations and vintage typography that adorn the covers and spines of each book. Being the history lovers we are, it should come as no surprise that old books are right up our alley. Every book is evocative of its own era and our vintage collection sparks the imagination with another time and place altogether. Sometimes we get so caught up with the cover of vintage book that we forget to look at what's inside. As beautiful as a cover of a book may be, discovering the mysteries that lie inside is like finding buried treasure. Lately, as we've been thumbing our way through our collection of vintage books we've been finding scraps of history that we didn't even know existed! What excites us even more than the historical clippings is seeing the personalized touch of the book's previous owner. Which, for us, is what makes vintage finds much more exciting than anything new.  

Yearly Recap: The Best of 2013

As most people tend to do on New Year's Eve, we can't help but look back on the past year and remember all of its most wonderful moments! The new year isn't even here yet and we're already feeling nostalgic for last year's memories! 2013 was truly an amazing year filled with an amazing group of friends, exciting events and memories that we'll cherish for a lifetime. If 2013 is any indicator of a great year at The Paris Market then we know we can expect nothing but the best in 2014! Enjoy some of our favorite highlights from 2013!

The Paris Market Family

The ever growing, ever amazing crew of hard working creatives!

Artist Spotlights and Staff-Made Products

FOUND Jewelry - Erica Wilson crafts a wide variety of beautiful jewelry from found objects and materials that have become a Paris Market standard!

Lily Lewin - Lily enchanted us immediately with her hauntingly beautiful photographs, especially her taxidermy series. It wouldn't be The Paris Market without Lily's photos hanging on the walls!

Strawberry Moth - When it comes to greeting cards and paper goods, the shop of Strawberry Moth always steals our hearts!

Collin Garrity & The Pale Blue Atlas Club - Our favorite woodworker, Collin's brilliant products range all the way from children's toys and Christmas ornaments to lighting fixtures and furniture. Collin has certainly carved his niche in the Paris Market!

Our Favorite Barista - Susie's delicious homemade scones were an instant hit the second she brought them into our cafe and now we can't imagine sipping coffee without them!

Chef John Besh Book Signing

When it comes to great recipes and delicious cuisine, no one does it like Chef John Besh! We we're very fortunate to be able to host Chef Besh for a book signing for his third cookbook, Cooking from the Heart, and it was a true delight!

Farewells

It's never easy to say goodbye, and saying farewell to Monica and Cole this year was very difficult! We know Monica and Cole we'll do great things wherever they go so we're excited to see where life takes them next!

Window Displays

2013 brought on some of our best window displays yet, including classic film inspired displays, as well as those inspired by nature, camping, fashion, jewels and so much more!

Spongebob Squarepants comes to Savannah

By far one of the most exciting events this year was watching Antonio Banderas race up and down Broughton street in a pirate ship. The filming of Spongebob Squarepants 2 kept us plenty entertained for the couple weeks they were in town!

Weddings

Truly one of the happiest moments of the year - our beloved blog contributor and Parisian correspondent Reba tied the knot! Congratulations!

Presentations

And finally, we wrapped up the year with a few of our ideas on wrapping gifts for the holidays. Of course, there are so many other wonderful memories from 2013 but the new year is approaching and we need to save room for all that it may bring! Happy New Year! See you in 2014!

Take a Note: New Journals

Take a note of these journals! Just in time for the back to school season, we've got notebooks of all sizes. Whether you're looking for something to stash in your pocket or something a bit more traditional, we've got you covered! Not to mention, the array of beautiful designs that adorn all of the covers. Seen below are a few of our new favorites. Next time you're looking for something to organize your thoughts, record a memory, or simply write out a list, try one of our beautiful notebooks!

Available at The Paris Market.

Behind the Glass: Mess Hall

If you’ve ever attended a summer camp you’re probably familiar with a mess hall. If you’re new to the term, or never attended a summer camp, a mess hall is nothing more than a room used for serving meals.

Fond memories of sharing a warm meal with fellow campers inspired the display behind this week’s window. After a long day of exploring the wilderness, nothing felt as satisfying as retiring to the hall for a grand feast. With every camper housed under one roof, mealtime was always the best way to make new friends and establish a stronger sense of community. 

Our display artists incorporated some of our greatest vintage products in order to keep the nostalgic feel present. Antique bottles, fishing baskets, old lanterns, tin cups and vintage plates and bowls make up the bulk of the display, and are all items that we remember dearly.

Bring the mess hall to your own home with some of favorite items from the display:

1. Vintage Glass Bottles | 2. Black Canvas Notebook | 3. Small Bowls | 4. Vintage Postcards | 5. Brass Tea Kettle | 6. Antique Sparkler Container

Available at the Paris Market!

What are some of your favorite memories from summer camp?