flowers

Tracey's front walk

 

In honor of Mother's Day month, I am featuring guest posts by some of my favorite home- and garden-loving mamas. Each mom will be sharing snapshots from her home life and a guest post about what home means to her.

Today's guest is Tracey Clark, photographer, mama, and founder of Shutter Sisters.

 

Daisy in a handmade pitcher

tree

Backyard tree

 

Tracey, what does home mean to you?

For me, home means comfortable and easy; warm and inviting. Home is light streaming in and a breeze running though. Home is where vibrant life is lived, inside and out; where everything grows and thrives. Home is a nest, a haven, a shelter...home is where I really love to spend my time.

Although my ideals for the perfect home are far from met each day, the core of my home is all of these things for me. On most days, it’s bursting at the seams with the absurdity of life with children and pets and other tell-tale signs that we really live here (including me working from home). Piles of toys, shoes, and dishes among other things can get overwhelming. Because the perfect home is an impossibility, I create little vignettes around the house that make me happy, bring me peace, and tell stories of the love we share as a family. Framed photographs of fleeting moments, objects of affection (trinkets, candle, gifts, etc), plants and flowers are displayed and arranged deliberately in ways that bring me joy.

I draw daily inspiration from our yard, lush and overgrown and often turn my lens toward the beauty just beyond my window. It’s become meditation for me. Even when my kids and dog are running wild in our yard, I can still often find a calming perspective when I shoot. And this same idea carries through within our four walls. By observing and capturing the tiny glimpses of beauty in my everyday life, I am able to find the place of gratitude that helps keep my mind as ease. This practice is not only enjoyable, it only makes me appreciate the things about my home and my life that can sometimes be overlooked.

About Tracey Clark:

Tracey Clark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tracey Clark is a photographer, writer, and the founder of Shutter Sisters. She lives a Southern California coastal town with her daughters (11 & 5), her husband, and their new dog.

Thanks a lot, Tracey. I think most of us can relate to the magical reality that is a vibrant, well-lived and well-loved home. Readers, come back all month long. We'll hear from more creative moms about their home lives, through their photos and their words.

 

Previous Nesting & Nurturing guest posts: