A Cute Little Gift

This little guy was a Christmas gift from my grand-daughter, Hilery. She has been creating these little stuffed animals and characters this past year or so, and I ooh and aah over every one of them. She uses mostly fabric from socks and every one of them is just as cute and perfect as they can be. The hat covers his teddy bear ears and I am a teddy bear fan, for sure ! Plus, red has always been my favorite color, so, it was a perfect gift for Gramma !!

Gift from Grandparents

This little bracelet was a Christmas gift from my maternal grandparents when I was around 7 or 8 years old. Wish I still had the box it came in -- it was every bit as beautiful as the bracelet !! I can remember my sister received a similar bracelet which I always thought was prettier than mine. It had more of a rounded face instead of flat as this one is. Oh, the jealousies of things my big sister had and the things she got to do that I didn't !! I look back now and see that being the middle child was not as bad as it seemed. My brother, to this day, claims that Mom and Dad liked me best !! I will place this in the "treasure chest."

Turquoise and Silver

Your Dad had this necklace custom made for me in the late 70's. I can't remember if it was for a birthday or Christmas, but, his gifts were always well chosen and pleased me -- even when he didn't have you around to help him, anymore. It seemed he alway "knew someone who knew someone" for just the right thing, too !!

A Vintage Gift

Your Dad gave me this "turquoise" pendant necklace for my birthday when we were dating during our high school years. That would make it a vintage piece since that was way back in the "50's !!! It is purely costume jewelery, not the real thing. I really loved this piece and wore it a lot. While we were living in Oklahoma, I became very fond of turquoise jewelery-- the real stuff !! So, more gifts from your Dad coming up !

A Wedding Gift

This silver plated set of salt and pepper shakers were a wedding gift to us back in 1958. They once looked quite fancy and regal sitting on the table with the "melmac" dinnerware !! The salt slightly corroded the finish on the one and I haven't used them since those early years. I have very few things left that came to us as gifts that year. I keep them because they commemorate a special day in my life.

Birthday Gifts

Today is my birthday and as usually happens, I get to have more than one party. Between family and friends, celebrations happen all week long. Special thanks to my creative girls, you, Tamera, (and Bob) for this LOVELY quilted heart (and the punch and stamps), and, Hilery, (and Adem) my dear grand-daughter, for the altered mini-jar with "fun money" inside. I have art hanging in my computer cubicle, so the heart will find a home there. My friend, Sharon and I, attended the auction yesterday. On my way home, I stopped to play my favorite poker machine with my "fun money" and luck was with me a little bit !! The $20 is now $200, so now, I have even more fun money !!! Thursday evening, the family treated me to dinner at Memphis Barbecue -- tonight, my girlfriends are treating me to Italian fare at a restaurant that overlooks the city. I will see if I can figure out something more to do in the next few days to continue my celebration. Please, just no one remind me of how old I am !!!

Merry Christmas

The thought and love given in the creation of these gifts for me warms my heart and soul. You, my dear daughter, had to have inherited your seamstress skills from your grandmother !! The use of her vintage fabric scraps in this beautiful tote bag makes it even more special for me. I can't wait to carry it and get reactions from my friends. They will be so envious !! After I bake the cookies using the mixture in the quart jar, I am going to use the jar to store the mini-ornaments from the little live tree you and Bob sent earlier. And, my sweet little grand-daughter decorated the "cedar chest box". Inside, was the charm bracelet wrapped in Asian motif fabric. The charms feature love, faith and trust on one side and the Asian symbols for the same on the opposite side. The clasp says "Create", so I think I will go do that now. Or, should I bake cookies ?? Thank you, my girls, (and your husbands) for making me feel so special with these lovely gifts !!

Christmas Spirit

Two days ago, UPS rang my doorbell and here was a surprise from you and my only Bob - a mini live Christmas tree ! A string of lights and a few ornaments came along with it for decorating. It needed just a few more things to fill in some empty spaces. A shopping trip to Micheal's was called for ! Oh, how I hate it when that happens ! Yesterday was my day to have breakfast with Hilery and Adem, so Hilery was with me to help pick the extras. It will sit on the pass-through to be enjoyed for the season. Thank you for helping me get into the spirit !

Mr. and Mrs. Bear

This cute little couple were a Christmas gift to me from your Dad. They sit together on the old school chair in my bedroom and they have a teddy bear crib quilt to lean against and be "comfie". Did I say I like teddy bears ? The Christmas of '96, nothing was appearing under the tree with my name on it. When I came home from work on Christmas Eve, a beautifully wrapped, large box had appeared. Your Dad could still surprise me after all these years !! When I opened the package on Christmas morning, he related the story of seeing this couple two months earlier at a little gift shop in a strip mall down the street. He didn't know where he would be able to hide them and keep them from me, so he took them to Willa, our friend across the street. He asked her if she would wrap and keep them until the day. Those two conspired more than once through the years to surprise me !

Sweets for the Sweet

My sister-in-law to be, invited all of my high school girlfriends along with relatives and family friends, to the wedding shower she hosted for me over 50 years ago. Most of the gifts received were useful household items; sheets, towels, appliances, that sort of thing and all very much appreciated, but, most of which have long since worn out ! This little aluminum candy "dish" is one of the few "pretties" that remains "unworn", given to me by my friend, Jolane. I have used it very few times through the years and have sometimes wondered why I have kept it around. Maybe, because I like the thoughts that come to mind when I look at it. Young love ? A new family ? Lasting friendships ? Changing times ? How fast the years go by ? Well, I don't like that thought so much !!

The First Gift

Your Dad and I started dating when we were sophmores in high school. Do I remember what we did on our first date ? Let's see !! It was what all kids did in the 50's. Your Dad came to pick me up in that beautiful "robin egg blue" '54 two-door Ford automobile, met my mom and dad, and away we went to "drag main street" of the big metopolis of Ogden, Iowa !! Dragging main street meant driving back and forth on a 4 to 5 block stretch, U-turning at each end and doing it all over again. Of course, there would be stops here and there to visit with other couples and singles doing the same thing. Now, wasn't that just so exciting ? Well, I thought so, because I was with the best looking, most handsome boy in all of Ogden High !! If you remember the sitcom "Happy Days" ? Well, your dad was "THE FONZ" of our school with that gorgeous black hair in that duck-tail style and his black leather jacket. Geez, was I the lucky girl !! And, then before the evening was over, there was the drive to Boone to the A & W root beer stand for that great root beer float. And, then that kiss goodnight ! Wow ! Oh yeah, back to the gift ! This necklace and earrings was the first gift your dad ever gave me. It was that first Christmas after our first date. I am sure his mother helped him pick it out, just like he used to take you to help pick out gifts for me. This set has had a special place in jewelry boxes throught the years - over 50 years now !! Wasn't that just yesterday ?