Beautiful Messes.

 Today, I read an article in Bella Grace (Summer 2022) called "Beautiful Messes." In it, many readers shared times when messes are fun or dear. I decided to make my own list. Josh and I are well matched in most ways, but I'm a messy maximalist while he is a minimalist who needs order. Still, I think he may find some of these messes endearing.

• The huge ink bruises that bloom on the side of my middle finger, on my fingertips, and on my palms from writing with, cleaning, or filling fountain pens.
• Glitter from the little purple Christmas tree spilling on my project table.
• My big makeup bag overflowing with colorful eyeshadow, sparkling highlighters, and glitter mascara.
• An avalanche of new sheet protectors when Oliver is playing.
• The dishes and spilled ingredients in the kitchen after I make a good meal...especially sinxe Josh usually cleans up after I cook.
• Spilled glitter that getrs in rhe carpet and that the vacuum can't quite catch.
• A scattering of fountain pens by the kitchen sink when I'm cleaning them.
• A bin full of magazine photos and ephermera waiting for a collage or the art journal.
• A skidding stack of book I've read recently, bristling with colorful page flags marking all the lines I want to write down in my quotation composition books.
• New stickers spread out and waiting to decorate journnals, especially the ones that come from Pipsticks!
• Josh's little snack bowls and wrappers on various surfaces.
• Starry's hair (and even the claw-pluck marks) on her favorite chair.
• A paper towel covered in ink splotches after I use it to blot my newly-filled pens.
• The scatter of tiny ink bottles from my Inkvent calendar on Josh's desk.
• My closet, stuffed but color coordinated, full of sparkle, velvet, bookish tees, stars, and polka dots.
• A slam-packed freezer with plenty of fish sticks (Oliver), pizza (usually Oliver), veggie patties (Josh), and vegetable steamer bags (mostly me).
• A leaning tower of new magazines on the ottoman.
• All the pastel narwhal page flags studding my journal, marking lists (like this one) and poems I need to type.
• The leftover foam in the tub after a bubble bath.
• Dr. Pepper and Cherry Coke cans before Josh whisks them away.
• The chip crumbs on the table and floor after Oliver has a treat.
• My books, computer, notepad, and pens spread out on a table in the college library.
• A basket full of pink and purple laundry.