In Comparison

>Two years ago I discovered design blogs. It was an awesome discovery for me! It's like opening up the pages of a new magazine every day. Every photo is nearly picture perfect with inspiration galore!
I've been thrilled to read of some bloggers who've had the opportunity to actually have their homes photographed for magazines. What a dream come true! I have also been amazed to read just what these photo sessions entail: make-up artists, lighting experts, caterers, wardrobe specialists, and prop designers with loads and loads of beautiful accessories. All these people come in and turn the average pretty home into photos of a home that we drool over and long to have. And we look around and compare our home to what we see on the glossy pages---a home that has now become more of a gorgeous set design than the lived-in, real home it was before all of the specialists swooped in with all of their magical effects.
As I looked around my home this morning I thought about all of the things that would have to be changed in order to have it photographed for a magazine.
The remains of homework left on the dining room table.
Birthday sacks strewn across the floor, remnants of a wonderful family celebration.A bounty of toys to entertain my beautiful granddaughter.Doors to our entertainment center left open wide from late night veiwing.A crumpled up heating blanket deserted by a preteen in the early, chilly hours of the morning.And stacks of books piled high beneath collections of pretty pottery.Is my home ready for a magazine photo shoot?
Not at all.

But it is picture perfect to me.