Seven years.
Seven years doesn’t sound like a lot of time. Seven years. Seven years ago I was just moving from Seattle back to Los Angeles. I was dating a man that I liked… and eventually I thought better of it and stopped liking him. Seven years ago I was struggling to put myself through college. I was working at coffee shop where I was the most popular barista because I was super nice, remembered everyone’s drink order, and occasionally wore low cut tops. Nevermind that last part, Mom . Seven years ago I was moving into a tiny… and I mean TINY, one room studio with no kitchen. I had a microwave that I rarely used. I read a lot of books, took a lot of painting classes, and drove a Buick. I remember feeling like I was working it out…. I guess I was.
So much has happened in seven years. So much has happened on this path that I couldn’t ever have imagined for myself.
Because so much has happened, and because so much will happen… I made a time capsule (which I keep accidentially calling a time machine).
Making a time capsule is brilliantly easy: invite over a friend (in this case, my dear/blonde friend Jill), gather some of the things that you love, label them, tag them, write your future self a note, take polaroids, pile everything in a fancy box… and let seven glorious, action packed, unexpected, adventure-filled years pass before opening it again. There you have it! A time machine!!
Inside every good time capsule are things that you love.
In this particular capsule I have encapsulated (see what I did there..?):
-my mom’s old watch. looking at it makes me feel five years old again.
-friendship bracelets acquired in friendship this year.
-jewelry that i love… and i’m ready to say hello to again in 2018.
-this year’s holiday card.
-a coin purse i adore.
and -a token from this year’s visit to The French Laundry.
Each item is tagged and reminisced upon.
It’s hard to think of what items I would have encapsulated seven years ago.
I can’t wait to forget about these little gems so I can open them to surprise in the future.
It’s really hard to forget about something that you’re too excited to forget about.
Does that make sense? No? Ok… cool.
Another integral part of the time capsule is the letter to our future selves.
Jill took her time with her future self letters. I think she got deep.
I probably wrote something about bagels and kittens… I dunno. My future self is already shrugging her shoulder is acceptance.
Do they have Polaroid pictures in the future!? Heck yes they do… because we encapsulated them!
There is something soooo romantic about a developing Polaroid. I don’t know what it is… but it gets me every time.
These Polaroids already look aged and weathered. Um… we just took them. No biggie.
Also… that blue sweater makes me look reeeaaaalllly hip-y (not hippie). Not to future self: you were hip-y, or something.
All the tokens go in the box!
Goodbye for now!
Jill put in some little gems that remind her of a crazy year of love, adventure, learning, and chapstick.
Sure, it just looks like a pile of stuff… but it’s a pile of oouuurrr stuff. That makes it important… mostly to us.
Signed, Sealed and Totally Hidden in my Closet.
Hiding something in my closet is essentially like digging a twelve foot hole in the ground and burying it. So rest assured, I will not happen upon this gem for a good long while.
Whatever… we all have our shames… mine is my closet.
Anyhow!
December. 2018. Champagne and newly discovered treasures. Friendship and reminiscence. And celebration! We’ll be living the future!
All of this time capsule talk is to say this:
Happy New Year! Joy of seven years ago would like to thank you for changing the course of her life. I’m so glad you come here and share the world with me. I hope the new year brings you hope, happiness, and bagels and cream cheese. But… before the future is upon us, box up some of the present past so you can remember where you are exactly now.
Love to you. Seriously. From deep down where it’s real,
Joy
119 Responses
Joy! My best friend and I made a time capsule! We’re opening it in 2022. Thanks for the great idea!!
https://passagehillstudio.com/2012/02/2022-time-capsule/
I am so stealing this for a Teen program at my library later this year!!!! Thank you so much!!!!
This is a wonderful post, Joy The Baker. Two years ago, a tragic event changed my world. I wish I had made a time capsule. Two years later… life is so different. Perhaps now is the time to recognize treasures and encapsulate them. Thank you for reminding me. Wishing you all the best… and top sales for your new book too!
thank you for the kind comment!
Yup, I know I’m only the 100th person to tell you this, but you’re a total inspiration. I’m going to go home and make the husband do this with me tonight. We’ve got a lot going on in our lives right now, and I’d love to look back five years from now and remind ourselves that we’ve come a long way and can get through anything. At least, I sure hope that’s what our future selves say!
Just saw your time capsule blog and there was my old watch. Your father bought me it on our train trip
honeymoon in Ogden, Utah. The band has been changed- after all that was 1979. It felt like I was opening
a time capsule as I recently scrapbooked our loose honeymoon photos with professional wedding shots.
So many memories!!!!
We should appreciate Present, because it will soon be Past. Happy New Year Joy. Thanks for your happiness.
What a brilliant idea and a lovely post about it, too. Thank you for sharing your inspirations!
what a great idea :)
dude.
i cannot believe you are gonna not wear that ring for 7 years! THAT’S CRAZYTOWN.
Also- French Laundry!!!!
tons of love.
Totally lovin this idea! I think it would be great fun to do with my daughter. Maybe a 5 year capsule cause kids can’t wait for anything.
You completely inspired me to make a time capsule on New Years Eve with my family. They loved the idea, and were throwing in all sorts of trinkets and momentos from the year (my 14 year old sister contributed a photo of Robert Pattenson). We tied it up and decided to open it in 2022. Thanks for the wonderful idea, it really made our New Years Eve special!
Love this idea! Gosh, my oldest son will be driving by then. Aaaaagh! :) My kids (all boys) are about to turn 6, 8, and 10. Need to get started. Now :) Here’s to seven great years!!
Hi Joy,
I love the idea of a time capsule! You have had a lot of changes in seven years! I didn’t realize you lived in Seattle at one time. I live in Poulsbo….just a ferry ride away. Speaking of seven years, it was seven years ago on December 28th that my husband, son and I moved to the Seattle area from Florida. It was a big change for us but the best move we ever made. We LOVE the Northwest culture and lifestyle. Seven years of living in Washington State has been quite an experience. Be sure and come to Seattle on your future book tour, Joy! Hope you have a fabulous new year. xoxo Kim
You have the most inspiring ideas!
This is awesome! I have a letter to myself that we wrote in youth group that we are supposed to open when we are thirty. I keep it in my car and I have 7 more years until I am thirty. I can’t wait to read it! I want to do something like this with my friends too though!! :)
What a fun idea! I just might do this myself ;)
Happy New Year Joy!
You always have brilliant ideas, I love it! Have a very Happy New Year 2012!
Happy new year, Joy! Hope to see you in MA on a book tour!
Happy new year, Joy!Hope to see you in Michigan on a book tour! Your blog is great to read, it is pleasent to read and makes me feel good! Thanks. 2012 Happy baking.
I might just do this when I’m spending New Years with myself, alone at home, tonight. And hopefully in seven years I’ll open it in good company.
i love this.
also, you have an electronic time capsule waiting for you. It’s called MySpace. I logged in to mine today for the first time in like two years and man, so many memories.
What a great idea! I’m just starting out on my blogging career as you were seven years ago and hope it will be as exciting as yours seems to have been. I think I’ll set up my time capsule and put my first post in it so I can see how it stands up to scrunity seven years later. Not well I suspect – lol!
Cute idea, but I’m mostly interesting in seeing a big version of your holiday card! It looks too cute.
happy new year, J. thanks – you know, for everything. especially the peanut butter bacon cookies. those were rad.
Can’t get enough of your blog and your writing!
Great idea, Joy!!
I so wish I’d done this with my kids’ favorite toys when after they had outgrown them. I think I just got rid of them altogether. Now I’m wishing we had them.
Oh well, we’ll do it for the grandchildren…which I’m NOT expecting anytime soon. I think I should write myself a note so I don’t forget. Haha, but then I’ll probably forget where I put that note.
best idea! here’s to another seven years of crazy/amazingness! cheers joy!
i’m getting my boyfriend to do this with me! what a great idea.
Great post!!! Can I join you???? Loves…
You reminded me that I made a time capsule in middle school…looks like I need to spend some time in my parents attic to find it!
Happy New Year!
I love this idea! I might have to do this with my husband in 2012 – it’s hard to imagine how different our lives will be together years from now! Thanks for the inspiration :)
I had a teacher in 10th grade who had us write a letter to ourselves. 5 years later she mailed them to us. I will never forget that. She told us to write as much as we could in the letter. That letter was like a time capsule for us. It was so funny to see what we were concerned about in 10th grade vs 5 years later. Wonder what will be different for you in 2018. I’m sure it will be awesome just like you Joy. Happy New Year and thanks for what you do. I look forward to when you post your Blogs. They make me smile!
I just LOVE this! Makes me want to make my own. I think a time capsule from even two years ago would blow my mind. :)
I need to do this with my boys. Maybe I can get my act together before Jan 1st. (although we won’t have Polaroids…) Thanks for the idea! I’m glad your path brought you here! I love to visit your blog, read your posts, sigh over your food styling, and smile at your lovely take on life!
Happy New Year!
Oh my gosh! I have to do this with my bestie! Absolutely love this idea!
I love this idea, but I’m sad because I hope you forget about ever posting this so you won’t remember what is in the box.
This is priceless!
I would say I hope you have an amazing 2012, but I already know you will!! I mean, hello?! Cookbook!! I actually have your cookbook on my calendar… That’s right. Just so you know how big that is… I usually only write birthdays and anniversaries on my wall calendar!
I ordered it the second (like, for serious… the second) I saw your post. I didnt even read the post. I clicked the Amazon link, ordered it, then read your post! OK… I saw your post, squeeled with excitement (I was at work, BTW. haha), then clicked the link, ordered it, and read your post. Lol. Let the countdown begin!
Happy New Year Joy! Thanks for all the joy (and sugar) you’ve added to my 2011. I look forward to a 2012 full of Joy the Baker!
Now if only I could remember where my 3-year old self put that time capsule….. :D
A couple of years ago some friends and I did a similar thing, but we put a reminder on my calender on my computer for one year from that date and then listed where we wanted to be in our lives. We all had boyfriends (and one husband) that we were trying to get rid of. When we opened it the next year, we had all sort of made the changes we had wanted to and all three of us were dating someone new!
It was really fun and we’ve made it a yearly tradition.
Love this idea, maybe next year we will do this also….
Have a fabulous New Year sweetie!!!
xxoo,
RMW
Love your idea and also love you blog. So glad I found you this year. You are in inspiration. Hugs and Happy 2012!
Happy new year Joy. Thank you for being fabulous and continuing to inspire. I hope 2012 is even more exciting for you than 2011. xxx
Happy new year, sweet Joy! Wishing you all the best for 2012…
Hi Joy! My name is Cierra and my Mother died when I was 11 and my old friend and I did a similar thing like you did. I moved in with my Aunt and Uncle in Mission Viejo, CA and my old friends from Los Angeles haven’t seen me in about a year. So for my birthday I had a sleepover and we did a a similar version of what you did. Know I’m 13 ( I will be 14 in January) and I play softball. I have a GPA of 4.0 and I’m in 8th grade. I have a great time with life and I miss my Mom deaply but. I mean live moves on and my Mother wouldn’t want me to NOT enjoy life. So I just wanted to share it brought up good memories! Thanks for sharing.
I love time capsules! I made one in kindergarten which I did not open until I graduated high school. It was so great to open it
Doing a time capsule is such a great idea!
Ah, I think we have the same stationery! When I finished my senior year of high school I opened letters I had written to myself in 8th grade…they were kind of awkward but insightful.
I love making time capsules! Invariably I end up opening them waaay before I’m meant to, but still!
I’ve been meaning to make a time capsule!! I love the idea of revisiting memories–I am pretty darn nostalgic. Thanks for getting the ball rolling for me! I just might make one for 2012!
heres to another 7 years and all the suprises they may hold
Uh, what a great idea, Joy! But unlike Jill and yourself – who would sound cute, witty, and all advise-giving to your future selves – I would sound like a total ninny. Seriously. I grimace at grocery lists I made two weeks ago, much less actual words and phrases talking about deep stuff, heck, even not deep stuff. Maybe I’ll devote 2012 to not being such cornball/embarrassment to my future self.
Happiness and love in the New Year,
Shalan
7 years ago? I moved from LA to Seattle. It’s like we’re opposite twins! (or something) :) I got married this last summer, and we had our guests write things to go into time capsules; 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years. Guess we’ll see how crazy they were, in time!
I love this idea!
I did a time capsule when i was 11 and opened it when i turned 18. cried the whole time because the first thing i pulled out was of course the letter my grandma had written to me on her flowery stationary who had died the year prior to the opening. broke my heart but it hurt so good to have this piece of her again. i love time capsules for life because of this. i know you will love opening yours!
I’m about to move to Austin, and although I am 28, I feel much like I imagine your 7-year-ago-self felt. I think that means it’s time capsule time in my house too!
My 8th grade history teacher had his students make time capsules each year. He would then mail them 5 years later to the 18 year-olds they had become. A couple friends and I had written letters to each other and ourselves and it was funny seeing the big, bubbly writing again. I think I had forgotten about that the most, not the time capsule itself! I hope 37 year-old Joy posts about opening her time capsule. :)
Joy! I love this idea.
My family did something slightly similar while I was growing up. We’d write down all our new years resolutions/goals/whatever and stick them in our stockings before they got packed away. THEN one year later….we pulled them out and got to see if anything we wrote down actually happened. :)
hey. happy new year!
We made a time capsule at school in kindergarden that was to be opened when we graduated high school. I forgot to open. My parents still have it. I just turned 25. I always remember it AFTER I return from visiting my parents (who live 1000 miles away). I should probably get on that!
My friends and I did this when we were in the 8th grade going into the year 2000 with the hopes of opening them in 10 years- when I moved out of state in 2004 we moved up the opening date when my friend brought the boxes to my going away party- it was amazing and amusing to see how much we had each changed during 4 years of high school. Lots of Nsync references. lots. We made mix tapes for our boxes as well – um, once again, lots of nsync. oh dear. great post! :)
This is such a great idea! My lil’ sis is getting married this year so I think we may make a time machine and call it The “before-Mal-gets-married” time capsule… I did this when I was young but I put a bunch of dumb stuff in it – now I would be way cooler (at least until my future self sees the dumb stuff I put in the box ;-))
What a cute idea! I’d especially love reading the letters.
I love this idea! Especially the note to your future self. It would be so cool to do this with my son :)
My favorite part of your time capsule- “To Future Joy” “From Past Joy”
Lovely.
I wish you a continued exciting and vibrant life.
Thank you for letting me in.
Thanks for making me cry today. :-) On another note, this is a great idea and I may consider doing it.
Happy New Year!
Oh, Joy! You have the best ideas and the best pictures. Did you take a photography class?
Love your post and love your blog! I think I’ll put some baby socks (from my baby that’s walking now), some undies from my two-year old (is that weird – his Thomas undies are sooo cute), and a memento from a recent date night with my hubby in a time machine.
And now you are not allowed to read or look at this post for the next seven years. When you open the time capsule, you don’t want to be disappointed because you already clearly remember everything you put in it!
so true!
I think I like calling it a time machine better anyway.
Happy New Year, Joy. Hope it’s glittery.
time machine… me too! happy new year to you too!
Hi Joy! I really loved this post – not just for the time capsule idea (cause that’s pretty awesome) but more because I’m in my early twenties now, living in a tiny apartment and wondering what the heck I’m going to do with my life. If I can be anywhere near where you are seven years from now I’ll be a happy little sweet potato! You give me faith that I’ll figure it out. Thanks as always!
you will! you totally will!
Love to you too Joy! You’ve changed the course of my life as well. Thanks for being super inspiring and hip-y. Maybe those are the same thing.
So fun! We’re going to a NYE party this weekend where a time capsule is being created. Exciting!
ah! i love that!
Lovely idea, I love it!!!! Happy new Year to you, your family and all your readers; may it be one full of love, health and the feelings of success and satisfaction in everything you do!!!
I found in my parents basement over Christmas an entire bag of notes written to me from my friends back in high school a dozen years ago. I threw them back on the shelf thinking, “I can’t believe these are still around!”, but now, after reading this, I want to go back and get them so I can laugh about all the “travesties” of our high school lives. (That was my BFF’s favorite word, although I’m not quite sure she knew what it meant at the time. Now, looking back, it’s oddly appropriate.) Maybe I’ll convince my friends to make a time capsule with me, and we can add some of those notes in too to laugh at in another 10 years!
I am doing this on New Year’s Day…a time of reflection and a time of hope for the future and the unknown. Thank you for the wonderful idea…see ya in seven years!
What an amazing idea…. This whole post is beautifully written and put together! LOVE IT!
Happy New Year Joy! you’ve always had the most brilliant and cheekiest idea! :)
This is such a fabulous idea! It’s always fun to see how different your life is (or isn’t) after some time has elapsed.
But with my luck, I would put it someplace “safe” and forget where that “safe” place is!
This is such a great idea! A few years ago I wrote a letter to myself that I would open when I’m 40. I love things like this. Thanks!
this is such a beautiful idea! although time machine definitely sounds way more fun…you should keep calling it that :)
what a brilliant idea! also, you are hilarious. bagels and kittens? hahahaha. we could be fiends in real life. here’s to your time machine!
I love it. Love it, love it. My favorite self-made tradition is that I write myself a letter on my birthday to myself on my next birthday. Occasionally, I’ll write one for five years in the future or something. 2012 is exciting for me, because in four months, I turn 24 and I get to read a letter from my 14-year-old self. I can’t wait to be humiliated by what was important to me at the time. :)
i love that idea!
Love this idea! I might just convince my husband to do this with me as part of our New Year’s Eve celebration :)
I want to do this with my nieces and nephew! It’s a beautiful idea, thank you for posting your time capsule.
Hmm… I was hoping for a good idea to help me remember how my life has changed SO much in the course of one year. This is the perfect project, and YOU are the perfect Blogosphere gal pal I’ve never met for giving us the idea!
I love this idea! Seven years ago, I was 15, and already dating the man I married last month (yeah, I didn’t waste much time on that). So it might be fun to make a time capsule now, my life in 7 years should be quite different.
being only twenty, me of seven years ago is seriously different. thank you for changing the course of my life this year, joy, and happy new year, happy new seven years of happiness and growth and change and amazing life.
I usually do a big tidy and clear out on the approach to the new year in preparation for a fresh start but making a time capsule sounds so fun and wonderful! Though I’d probably lose mine!
2018 seems sooooooo far away right now!
Brilliant idea. I am wondering whether its good to include a bottle of wine. It would age quiet well in 7 years.
This is such a great idea. I do this (unintentionally) when I move. I put things in a box, the box gets put into storage, and the next time I move, I am going thru storage locker with boxes that I never unpacked from the last move and open them up wondering to myself, now WHAT could be in here?! And I surprise myself and have trips down memory lane.
But nothing is cute and well-labeled like yours. It’s usually full of dust and cobwebs and a little stinky from the boxes, but the sentiment is there :)
This is so beautiful! Seven years ago I was twenty one. Holy. Bananas. Seven years from now seems like too far away to even think about. Jeezy peeps, it starts to go fast. I hope you have a wonderful new year, full of as much awesomeness as the one that has just gone!
Jess
so sweet and meaningful and all sorts of awesome! making a time capsule with your best friend is the part that really appeals to me.
Happy, happy New Year!
love to you joy, really
l love read to your words, your dreams. I also thing Polaroid is so romantic. Because it’s old :))
Happy New Year. I wish I will still reading your blog in seven years:)
Love:)
I love it! 7 years ago. I was only 8 so that was different indeed yes. 7 years from now, I’ll be 22. I think I’m going to university then. Maybe I should make one.
Aww how sweet! ^_^ Last year I opened a time capsule(machine) I made 10 years ago, it was such a wonderful surprise. Its amazing to see how much we’ve changed in such a short amount of time (7-10 years really isn’t that long in the broad spectrum of things).
I believe you’ve inspired me to make another! Lovely job with yours though! ;)
Oh my goodness. Reading this jog jog jogged my memory – my friend and I did a time capsule when we were thirteen, and it’s ripe and ready to open next year! I am getting quite scared as my thirteen year old self was not exactly the most poignant of writers…
Your time capsule-making skills are quite admirable, Joy. So cute! I’ll still be reading your blog in seven years :) Happy Almost New Year.
Awesome. My life seven years ago is like another life. I’d probably lose my time capsule if I made one, though, I’m that bad. But I love the concept.
loose it!? dang…