by Alia Wilhelm

Having spent so many of the past few months inside, I've thought a lot about the idea of home and why it means so much to me. When I was growing up, my family and I would move to a new country every few years, and I would spend the summer months caught in the lurch, not always knowing what our next stop would be or which school I'd attend in the fall, let alone what new language I'd have to learn to make friends. The uncertainty meant that my imagination could roam wild: I could picture a new life for myself and would often channel the thrill into detailed daydreams about my new bedroom, inspired by Dexter's Laboratory and decorating books my mom gave me. I'll be moving house in the next two weeks, and funnily enough I've spent the summer just the way I used to when I was younger: drafting blueprints of my new place, and drawing diagrams of where I'll put each little thing I own. For this collage kit, I was inspired by the idea of a 2D doll's house, and I hope you'll be inspired to cut the items out and create your own little version of home. When you're done, send a scan of your artwork to hello@nearnessproject.com

Download the first page of Alia's kit here.