UPDATE: Grandma's Cup Shelf...

Brynwood Needleworks - Farmhouse Cup Shelf

   Well, this certainly didn't take long, did it?

I showed this cup shelf to you yesterday, with my post about how I wasn't sure whether to leave it the way it is, or update it with sanding and paint. I've made my decision already.

 

Yesterday, I also posted this image to my Facebook page, where my aunt (Grandma's daughter) saw it. She told me that it used to belong to her grandmother (my great-grandma), and she remembers seeing it in Great-Grandma's house, filled with lots of cups and saucers. She also said that she thinks it older than our farmhouse. Grandma was 97 when she died, and it was her mother's before it came to her.

You know how much provenance and history means to me. That's all it took for me to decide that it's going to continue its life looking just as it has for the past 100 plus years. I know those of you who commented also agreed that it should not be painted. We're all of like minds. 

 

I'll cherish it just as it is, with all the history it holds on those rusty cup hooks, and time-worn boards. I'm pretty sure my great-grandmother, my late grandma (and I know my aunt!) are happy knowing that. Who knew my decision would be that easy?

Grandma's Cup Shelf...

Brynwood Needleworks - Grandma's Cup Shelf

Not too long ago, I was given the cup rack/shelf that belonged to my paternal grandmother. I remember it hanging in her kitchen when I was just a girl. I'm not sure, but I suspect it once belonged to her mother.

Brynwood Needleworks - Grandma's Cup Shelf

I've been spending too much timing trying to decide whether or not I wanted to sand it and then paint it, so I finally got out my tools and hardware, and hung it on the wall yesterday. I'm still not sure if I want to leave it this dark color, but I do know that I wanted it up while I was thinking about it. Having it on the wall might help me decide.

I hung my Memory Lane cups, saucers and platter up, along with one white, stoneware platter I bought at Pottery Barn years ago. I like seeing my acorn embellished cups hanging from the same, old hooks Grandma used.

(***Thanks again to my girlfriend, Denise G. for starting my collection of red and white Memory Lane acorn transferware a few years ago. I love them!)

Brynwood Needleworks - A Corner of Our Farm Kitchen

 

So, while I'm thinking about it, here's my view of the shelf, newly mounted in our farmhouse kitchen. I'll enjoy thinking about all the fun times at Grandma's house whenever I look at it. 

What do you think? To paint or not to paint?

Memory Lane Monday - A Box of Photographs...

 This is the house where I grew up. When I was five years old, we moved into 184 E. Division Street in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. It was a large two-story home with three bedrooms upstairs, and one more tiny room with a closet that I convinced Mum to let me move into once I became a teenager. (I mean, who wants to share a room with their sister for-ev-er?) If I close my eyes, I can still walk from room to room, seeing every little nook and cranny, as though it were yesterday. (This picture was actually taken to showcase our shiny, new station wagon out in front, rather than the house. Just make believe it's not there, ok?)

See those three windows behind the balcony on the second floor? Well, the two on the left side belonged to the bedroom that I shared for many years with a messy, younger sister. Being more of an anal OCD organized person, I constantly picked up after her so that Mum wouldn't trash the room empty closets and dresser drawers (that we shared) in her ongoing efforts to teach us how to be tidy. Ah, yes, how we spent many a Saturday morning...but, I digress.

What I really wanted to share today was this photograph. A family photo taken on the front porch of that old house, with all the memories that well up inside me when I look at it.

I see my grandparents (my beloved Grandpa with his arm around me in the front row), little cousins, my younger brother next to me and that messy little sister (she still is, by the way!) right in the middle of the group with our grown cousin's (her godmother) hand on her shoulder. I see my Uncle Larry (right behind Grandma on the left with his arm on her shoulder) who passed about eight years ago. He was only five years older than me and the closest I'll ever have to an older brother, and I think of him often. My father (Don't smile at any cost!) in the shirt and tie on the right. Aunts and uncles smiling for the camera - and Mum (up in back) looking down the stairs to be sure her kidlets were being good little angels.

I have a special fondness for these old group photos. Between Handsome and me, we have a lot of them. Memories of days when families took the time to travel to be together. When they cared and looked out for each other.

Many of the people I love(d) in this picture have gone. But there are still people who shine in my life like brilliant stars in the night. I'm grateful to still have them to share some of these precious memories.

Life goes on. Change is inevitable, but those memories of meals, laughter, happier days spent with people I loved are seared in my memory - and will last forever, thanks to a box filled with photographs like these.

Thank you for letting me share another Memory Lane Monday today. I apologize that it's late, and thank Marydon from Blushing Rose for reminding me. (Ah, yes. Senior Moments. I've come a long way from that picture, Baby!)

I'd love it if you'd like to share a memory, too! My link will be open until a week from now, so just write your post and add it back here. See you with another memory next month.

How Fortuitous...

You may remember that I've been working to construct a granny square crochet cardigan. Grandma had given me one of the sweaters she'd made for herself (the red and green one I told you about here), and I was using that as a guide.

Mum told me that Grandma had made a crocheted cardigan for her, too. I remembered that she had one, but I was so happy when I came across a photo of my beautiful mother wearing her sweater from years ago. (Doesn't she look like a 1970's model in this picture?)

What made me so happy about finding this picture (aside from the fact that I could share it with you) is that I prefer the style of this cardigan to the one Grandma used to wear. Gram loved high collars in Wisconsin, but I don't really need a sweater with a high collar in Florida - even if it is made with cotton yarn.

So, I've changed the design just a bit on mine and will use Mum's as the pattern instead. Such good fortune to have come across Mum's picture! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now - and it's shining on a beautiful, pastel crocheted cardigan. I'm hoping to finish it this week. Fingers crossed!
Just a couple of reminders:
You can join in my Memory Lane Monday right up through June 6th. (See previous post to participate and link up.)

Also, I wanted to remind you that my Etsy Shop Sale ends tomorrow at midnight - and I'll then put my shop into vacation mode for the summer. I have some ideas for new things I want to bring onboard in the fall and am looking forward to sharing them with you. So, don't forget, the shop (and Boutique) will go "on break" tomorrow at midnight. (You can visit my shop by clicking the button at the top of my blog in the link bar.)

The Big Secret Project Revealed...

A grandma's taste is always a bit different from that of her grandchildren. Gifts from her hands are sometimes not fully appreciated because of style, color or size.

One gift from mine was a bright orange, green and black ripple afghan. Nice and toasty warm, but man, it was uuuuuglyyyy! My grandmother and I worked out that awkwardness when I told her that I'd love more of her handmade gifts, if she would let me choose and purchase the yarns. (I used the excuse that I didn't want her spending her retirement money on me.) She allowed me to choose my own yarns and from then on, every creation made me smile.

Grandma was a prolific crocheter, keeping her hands busy by creating gifts for each of her eleven grandchildren - and eventually her twenty four great grandchildren and nine great great grandchildren.
On one of my visits to see her in Wisconsin, she gave me this sweater. Not as a gift to wear (not really my first choice of colors), but as a pattern to make one of my own. She and I managed to spend a little time crocheting together and she knew that my favorite pattern is granny squares. I think she really liked that her eldest granddaughter had learned her favorite pastime.

I always took her bags full of yarn, with no request for something in return. I just tried to make sure that she could keep her hands busy with a new project to share with someone else in the family.
So, here is the inspiration for all those granny squares you've seen me creating. I'm going to put them all together into a sweater fashioned after my grandma's.

Grandma died in March of this year at the age of 97. She lived a long and full life and she left behind many reminders of her handwork. I'm glad I have this one (along with all those afghans she made especially for me), so that I can carry on her tradition of making sweaters from grannies.

I'm still crocheting at night to finish making my squares, but as soon as it's all assembled, I promise to model it for you. I think Grandma would smile.

On another note...I'm sure by now you all know that Blogger was down all day Friday. I just want you to know that I won't be posting on Fridays for the foreseeable future. I'm sure that you all understand that it just doesn't feel right to me to post on Friday without Fezzik. Don't worry. I'm doing better, so please don't be sad for me. I think I'll just leave Fridays silent for a while.

Sunday Scripture...

Grandma
Oct. 23, 1912 - March 1, 2011
(98 years old)

"Weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning."
Psalm 30:05

When I Fall In Love...

Today, I'd like you to meet our grandson. He's the eldest of our grandchildren and the only boy. From the first time I set eyes on him, I was smitten.

After he was born and came home with his mom and dad, I was privileged to stay with them for about ten days to help out. The first night I babysat, I remember singing "our song" to him for the first time. No one else knew that I'd chosen this song for him. It just happened without forethought. I actually never told a soul until Handsome recently played it with Mike Markaverich. (Remember? I told you about him a couple of months ago.) I had to explain that, hearing it performed, my eyes welled with tears of happiness as I thought back to singing it for our boy.

Thursday night, as he sat on his grandma's lap, I told our grandson the story of holding him in my arms and singing "When I Fall In Love" to him, and as I sang a bit to him then and there, he put his arm around my shoulder, closed his eyes and smiled as he listened to me. My eyes welled with tears again...with such love in my heart for this little boy.

Then, when that moment had passed, I found that my sweet grandson had been plotting a few surprises for his grandma. Last time I was in Wisconsin, we were talking about our favorite beverages and I told him I liked root beer. Well, guess what?Not one, but two cartons of Sprecher artisan root beer for his grandma! I think my thirst will be adequately quenched on this trip!

He also gave me a necklace that he made. The main feature is a 3" round clay pendant that has designs on the front and his initials on the back. (He made a point of telling his grandpa that they share the same initials.) It even has glow-in-the-dark beads! We giggled as I told him I'd have to wear it to bed so his grandpa would be able to find me in the dark.

What a perfect end to a day of travel. Family, good food prepared by loving hands, and memories to last a lifetime.

A Great Birthday Party...

I promised a little post about my grandmother's
ninety seventh birthday on Saturday.

I was invited to the party by my sweet Aunt Eli who told me all her kids and grandkids were going to be there and that they were anxious to see me. How could I possibly refuse? I borrowed Mum's car and followed my brother's vehicle to central Wisconsin. Grandma hadn't been told that I would be there. It was a complete surprise for her.

I walked in behind my brother and saw Gram leaning to one side to try to see who came in with him. When she realized that her eldest grandchild had come all the way from Florida to celebrate, she was fairly over the moon. (I didn't tell her that I'd come north to help Mum prepare to sell her house.) I overheard her tell her daughter (my Auntie Jan) that now her birthday was complete. When my aunt asked what she meant, she said, "Donnie's here". (That's what she calls me.) I admit that I had to smile when I overheard her say that.

We managed to get a great photograph of four generations of my family, and also a picture of Grandma with her eldest grandchild (me) and her youngest great-grandchild (my two-month old cousin, Phinneas).

It was so wonderful to see all my aunts, cousins and their children, along with my brother, sister-in-law and godson. We had a great time getting caught up since our last visit. I'm sure I don't need to explain all that to you. Suffice it to say - good food, great conversation, much laughter and a celebration of ninety seven years for Grandma. We sure made her day special for her.

Passing On Our Common Thread...

Today, I pulled a small selection of old buttons and family treasures from my collection to share with you.

The heart-shaped dish belonged to Handsome's Aunt Eula and it eventually became ours. Many of these buttons were from my grandmother's or my mother-in-law's button jar. I especially love the variety I've chosen to show you...different colors, textures and finishes.

Grandma is going to be 97 this year. She only recently moved into a nursing home, and she is still a prolific crocheter. (She's also still pretty feisty, as evidenced by her sly smile in this picture!)

When she gave me her button jar, she told me that most of the buttons had been taken off old coats and tattered dresses and blouses for future use...a recycler before it became fashionable! I know I'll use them some day, but I get great pleasure just sorting and handling them. (Remember my "Scrooge McDuck" reference in yesterday's post?) I love the uniqueness and character of the old buttons, and they'll eventually adorn handbags, ATCs and other garments.

My mother-in-law, Evelyn was a most accomplished needlewoman. All the women in Handsome's family were avid seamstresses and needleworkers. She sewed for her family and her home, and she loved needlepoint. I have a pair of framed needlepoint gamebirds that she stitched, as well as a beautiful bargello pillow.

Evelyn died the year that Handsome and I were married, but having these pieces - as well as using some of her needlework tools - evokes fond memories of her. I'm reminded that I am preceded by many talented women in my family. (This photo of her resides on the wall in my studio. It's nice to have her there when I work.)

My dish is sitting on a lovely crocheted doily. I'm not sure who made it, but I love its colors of pastel pink and ivory. You can also see the embroidered edge of a pretty little hanky. It also came from Aunt Eula's home. I assume that her mother made it for her, but it could also have been created by Evelyn as a gift to Eula. When you don't know exactly who created something pretty, it's fun to imagine who might have spent hours with needle and thread in hand. I love the fact that it's embroidered with the tiniest of perfect stitches. It's a real work of art.

One of these days I'll pull out the antique linens that were passed to me to share with you, but for today I hope you enjoy these few buttons and the other pretties.

One of the reasons I love owning these needlework pieces and buttons is because of my shared legacy with these talented women. I will enjoy and care for them until I pass them along to our daughters-in-law and granddaughters, along with the stories of these amazing women. I'll be honored to be passing on our common thread.

One final thing for today: We're lucky to be enjoying the start of what I hope will be a fruitful rainy season here in Florida. We've had a couple of years of drought, so the rains are welcome. My friend, Bonnie, shared this link with me. It's a Slovenian group called Perpetuum Jazzile performing an incredible version of Toto's 1980s hit Africa. In their performance, they begin by simulating the sound of rain with their hands. Click on the group's name above to go to the link, turn up your sound, close your eyes, and sit back and enjoy.