Fridge Art

DEBORAH CROMBIE: When we were talking about what we had hiding inside our fridges, I  
wondered what everyone keeps on the OUTSIDE, because that is really a window into people's lives.

But do people still put stuff on their refrigerator doors, or are everyone's fridge's non-stick? Our is about nine years old, bought just before almost every appliance in the universe went stainless, so I have a magnet collection. Most are from England, and my favorite is a seasonal series from the London Transport Museum. Unfortunately, they discontinued them before I got Autumn, so if you ever run across it, you know who would like it... And then there is the Cheshire Cat, which I found at Half Price Books a few weeks ago and couldn't resist.

I do miss Kid Art, and would love to see if Susan's is decorated with The Kiddo's drawings.

Technology moves on, however, and my daughter tells me that there is a company that makes magnets from your Instagram photos. More tasteful than crayon scrawls and postcards, but as much fun??

What about you, REDS? Do you have kitchen galleries?

HALLIE EPHRON: I miss kid art, too. What's on the fridge now I have no one to blame but my self. This is so embarrassing... 

- A button that says I heart Hallie Ephron.  (And I bought it at a writing conference)
- Cartoons that have struck a chord (a couple of old farts watching TV… caption “At some point, there’s only so high you can raise the volume before you admit you’re never gonna understand what British detectives are saying.” 
- Baby pictures. Love the baby pictures.

DEBS: Hallie, love your fridge! Love the cartoon, and oh, baby pictures. Where else can you look at them a dozen times a day?

And I love that no one's collection could possibly be the same. My "Never Walk Alone" is a gift from my niece. The Le Creuset is from my friend Gigi. "A Christmas Story" I bought when Marcia Talley and I visited the Christmas Story House when we were in Cleveland after Bouchercon.

SUSAN ELIA MACNEAL: Hallie, love the cartoon! Yes,we have kid art! Also a Nelson Mandela 
calendar and some random Bear in the Big Blue House magnets. I'm including our fridge, but since it's in a galley kitchen and no one really sees it, I've also included our

(metal) front door, which is Fridge Art 2.0.

LUCY BURDETTE: I'm really sad to say I have NOTHING on my fridge. Our refrigerator is non-magnetic so nothing sticks. And I have some really cute magnets from olden days. Sigh...

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Eeesh. I have too much stuff on my fridge. Our wedding announcement

from the NYTimes from 1997!!  The very first story about me as an author, 2007. The note I took when I got the Agatha

call. A fortune. Grandchildren, Nancy Drew, a blue jay feather, my cat Lola. I should take it all down. I can't.

RHYS BOWEN: My fridge, like Hank's is in serious need of a tidy-up. I still have a photo of Mary Clare as a 3 year old fairy when she's now a pre-teen. And a long hand written list I jotted down from

a TV show on how to avoid Alzheimer's. And Meghan's fashion drawings, and an old Christmas pic. When the kids were young we had magnetic letters and used to write each other messages every day. But alas, my other fridge, in Arizona, is stainless steel. Nothing sticks to it so it is pristine.

DEBS: I declare Hank the Fridge Art Winner!  (That her wedding announcement is still up is beyond sweet...) Hers makes me wish I hadn't tidied up years worth of postcards and fortunes... 

How about you, dear readers? Individualistic art and memorabilia gallery? Or a stainless clean slate?