When I went off to college, my mom sent along a little clay jar filled with small, folded pieces of paper on which she had written quotes from one of my favorite books, Earth Prayers. Whenever I felt sad, alone, or wanted inspiration, I could reach into that jar & pull out a scrap of paper.
It was like unwrapping a little present from my mom each time I unfolded a tiny little square. I’d see her handwriting, which carried a presence just on its own, & then I’d read the quote she’d chosen. No matter what was going on, it always seemed to offer a perspective that help put my concern in relation to something larger.
Whenever I ran low on the scraps of paper, I’d give her a call, & she’d send along a new envelope of little folded squares for me to pour into the jar.
I wanted us to create something like this for others. In our Flying Edna style...
I have been using one of these boxes that Kai made for several years. Like the clay jar, it too holds pieces of paper... first it was recipes, now it’s writing prompts, floating fragments of thoughts, an image or two, anything to get me started when I feel stuck.
After a lot conversations, hours spent in the studio, & time testing these in a variety of places in our home, we came up with three different shapes & sizes (plus a few one-of-a-kinds...)
We decided to call these story keeper boxes because they hold stories for when we need them most...
This piece is fashioned after the original box Kai made. the lid lifts off & it is sized to hold recipe cards, or letters, or all sorts of things you might imagine... 
Kai made this particular box to hold memories of his mother. Every time we remember something about her, something she said, the way she laughed, a story she'd share, a favorite memory... we write it down & put it in the box. And on a day when we are missing her, we can reach into the box & pull out a memory that will bring her a little closer. 
These are just three of our story keeper boxes - Kai also makes one-of-a-kinds like this one here that he gave me as a birthday gift...
It holds cards Kai made to pair with favorite memories he wrote out. We're both meant to add to this over time - photos, cards we give to one another for birthdays, menus from favorite restaurants, & whatever else we come up with as we create new memories together...
Whether you choose one of our story keeper boxes or a little clay pot or a glass jar or something else, having a magical place that holds inspirations toward a life you love can be a memory that lasts for very long while...
wishing wellness & wonder,
fia