ag·ate
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Noun
- An ornamental stone consisting of a hard variety of chalcedony, typically banded in appearance.
- A colored toy marble resembling a banded gemstone.
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ge·ode
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Noun
- A small cavity in rock lined with crystals or other mineral matter.
- A rock containing such a cavity.
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Growing up, I remember going to my grandparents’ house and playing in their spare room upstairs. They had a bookcase and sitting on it in front of the books were agates and geodes which I called cool rocks. I was fascinated by them. The crystal formations pitted in the rock and the smooth and intricate designs and colors were amazing. My grandfather had spent a little time in his college days studying geology, so I am guessing he was just as captivated by them.
So, naturally, I took to rock collecting as a child. All children do this right? Right?? Amongst other normal kid things to collect (French stamps, totally normal), my rock collection was one of my favorites and to this day I have no idea what happened to it!
It’s funny the things we take with us into our adulthood.
I hadn’t thought on that collection or my grandfather’s cool rocks for years until I stumbled across a rock shop on one of our trips out-of-town together. Then, working on our Let’s Rock This House! series, I have been thinking about bookcases a lot. Which triggered that memory and now the collector wants to start collecting again. Is it no coincidence that the word rock just happens to be in the title of this series? I think not.
So, by chance I found this agate and it wandered home with me for the pimp my library wall project, naturally, as all agates do. It’s not gracing my bookcases just yet (only because we are in the install process) but it is sitting happily on my coffee table and when I look at it I can’t help but think of my Grandpa and my 5-year-old self playing in that room. Happy thoughts are the best exercises our mind can do.
The collector is going to start collecting again…I am keeping my eyes open for some more cool rocks for my collection and library install.
I guess in some small way, this is a tribute to my Grandpa who is no longer with us. I love how an object can transport us to a different time and place in our history. It’s just a rock, but when I see it, I see my Grandpa’s face, I feel like that little girl again. I smell the room (everything at my grandparents’ house always had a just cleaned smell), I remember rifling through all the books on the shelf. History books, LIFE series books, and encyclopedias. I see myself staring in amazement at those cool rocks, studying them with the wonder of a child.
So, there’s a little trip down memory lane.
Until the library wall reveal, I thought we could all drool over some pretty images. I love bringing natural elements into a design. I also love how nature can inspire some really bold design choices.
Here’s what I’m talking about:
My 5-year-old self is really excited to add some more cool rocks to the collection.
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