The old becomes new: An old Polaroid camera and carrying case get a new life as sentimental living room décor.

After packing away my Christmas decorations, I enjoyed the tidiness of empty table tops and shelves for one whole day before I got back to decorating.  I left a few snowflakes hanging around the house as a nod to the season, but I stepped away from the winter theme everywhere else.

My mom let me take my grandfather’s 1960s Polaroid camera when we found it as we sorted through items for her last garage sale. 

For all I know, the camera may still work.  The case held extra flash bulbs and unused film.  Yes, kiddos, cameras used to require FILM.  Look it up.

I decided to set up my “mantle” using the camera and the case as the main focus.

I could get all poetic on you and tell you that the clock symbolizes both the dawn of a new year and the relentless passage of time, whilst the vintage camera serves as a stark reminder to capture and preserve memories before they pass.  And also there were some pears.

But, the truth is that I just think my grandpa’s old camera is really cool and the case is super stylish.  And I needed something to put on top of the case, and the pears are just what I grabbed from my stash.

I added a few more decorative items around the room that have a sort of shabby, vintage feel to them.  And this makes me feel very conflicted.

Normally “shabby” and “vintage” are decorating buzz words like make my nose wrinkle.  But I am actually kind of liking the way things look. 

Before you know it, I will be covering the back of my couch with doilies and painting everything Heirloom White. 

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.  :)