"I Made"

These beautiful pieces were in that tub from my closet with a note in Mom's handwriting folded within that said "I made". I don't remember that Mom ever did any crocheting, but her embroidery work and sewing were never less than perfection ! The square piece was probably made as a dresser or table scarf. I love the adorable appliqued potholders. They would be perfect in someones country kitchen, but, they will remain in my "treasure chest" !!

Days of the Week

Flour came in white cotton fabric bags many years ago. Of course, nothing was ever thrown away -- recycling is not a "new" idea ! These white bags were most usually hemmed around the edges and used for wiping the dishes dry. Embroidering a set of seven for the days of the week was a favorite pastime. A note in Mom's handwriting was in along with this set saying they came from Bertha who was Mom's older sister. These treasures were in the tub I opened a few days ago. Ironic that I purchased a twelve pack of "flour sacks" a couple of years ago to use when washing windows and mirrors.

One More Powder Box

This is the last of the vintage powder boxes that I have collected. But, who's to say it is the last I will ever purchase ? I might add to the collection should one catch my eye ! I think this is more "art deco" era -- the box is ribbed glass and very pretty. These powder boxes sit on a mirrored tray on the dresser in my bedroom along with a few other mementos.

Baby's Bonnet

A wonderful vintage, baby's bonnet hangs in the collection of photos in my stairwell !! This was a gift to your Great G'ma Rose at a baby shower when she was expecting your G'ma Ruth in 1916. A friend to Minnie, Toxey Jones, tatted the little bonnet. The silk handkerchief was another gift at that shower from a relative, Susan Trealor. I wrote down this information that day in 1994 when G''ma Ruth was "showing and telling" as I knew I would never remember those details. She was going to put them back into the box when I suggested she let me take them and have them framed. They were just too precious to not be where they could be seen. After framing, I returned them to her. When she moved to the Eastern Star Home, they came back to our house to stay !

Rose Bowl

I have a set of 6 of these pretty little 5" china dessert bowls in my kitchen cabinet. The marking on the bottom says "Germany". Mom had these amongst the truckload of things she brought back to Iowa from Ohio when she helped her sister, Bertha, clean out a barn load of family mementos. So, these once belonged to my G'ma Hanle and possibly belonged to her mother. A complete set of china with this design would be wonderful to have, don't you think ?? I think these were probably just a specialty piece, though. I like using them for sliced fresh fruits or applesauce -- they are just the right size.

Pretty in Pink

I purchased this pink depression glass "platter" at a farm auction in Iowa several years ago. It measures about 11" across and has a home in my china cabinet. Most times at auctions, boxes of miscellaneous items will be put up for bid. You may end up with items that you wonder what on earth you are going to do with, or, things that may be just plain ugly in your eyes, but, in order to get that one thing in the box that you really love, you bid and hopefully win. All the extra items are good for the next garage sale if the price was right !!

Moustache Cup

This was my G'pa Hanle's moustache cup. And, what is that ?? Well, the cup has a divider in it -- the front half has holes in it for the coffee to come through. Supposedly, this would keep him from getting coffee on his moustache as he was drinking. The marking on the bottom says Austria. Mom had this on a knick-knack shelf in her kitchen for many years. I think she probably remembered seeing him drink from it. I think it is a beautiful piece of porcelain and it has a home in my china cabinet.

Mirror, Mirror

My hand mirror is all that is left of a vanity set that originally included a brush and comb. It was all in a beautiful box given to me at Christmas in the early 50's. G'ma and G'pa Hanle always came up with neat "grown up" gifts for my sister and me. We had a dresser and a vanity table in a room we shared as girls and we each laid our vanity sets out on them. The vanity was created with a nice finished board with a pretty pink skirt attached to it. This was set on top of Mom's old treadle sewing machine. Mom had seen the project in a magazine. She also made a cover to match for one of the old wood kitchen chairs so we would have a seat in front of our "vanity". The comb belonging to this set lost several teeth and the brush lost a lot of bristles through the years. I discarded them and the box a long time ago. I am happy to still have this remnant of my childhood. It's home is now in a bathroom drawer and is used often.

Special Jewelery Box

This ornate brass and glass, hexagon shape box was amongst the things that once belonged to my G'ma Hanle. My Mom brought it back from Ohio in that truckload of things from Aunt Bertha's, and of course, it was love at first sight for me !! I really didn't think Mom would let me have it, but, she did !! The jewelery that I display in it are vintage pieces I have purchased at the antique mall shopping trips -- pieces that I "just couldn't live without" !! A pair of G'ma Lottie's earrings, a teddy bear pin, and a tiny green glass kitten have found a home in this box, also. It sets on my dresser in my bedroom and when I am dusting and cleaning, I always spend a little extra time on it - just admiring it, because it is beautiful and special, as are the pieces within it !!

Gift for Mom

In the early 50's when my sis and I started exchanging gifts and pooling our money to buy something for our parents, this little salt and pepper shaker set was a gift we purchased for our Mother. One of Mom's friends that we used to exchange those "Sunday dinners" with had the entire set of dishes in this design. Shirley and I thought it was just beautiful and we wanted to get Mom started on a set just like it !! Unfortunately, (or maybe it was fortunate,) this was the only piece ever purchased. Every special dinner, without fail, the shakers were filled with salt and pepper and used as part of the table setting. We knew Mom loved them and the bit of elegance they lent to her table !! Of course, they have a special spot in my china cabinet !

The Four "B's"

I like to call my fetishes "the 4 B's" -- bears, boxes, butterflies, and books, the books being altered ones, of course ! Before I retired, it was the "3 B's" !! I began collecting and creating those altered and handmade books in 2005. Of course, anyone who enters my home instantly knows that I love bears. The butterflies appear here and there throughout my house and I love using them in my creations. The boxes - another story !! They must be decorative in some way or contain music and not be too large. It is also fun to find something inside them. I especially like the few vintage powder boxes I have collected over a number of years and this is one of them. The box is amber colored glass with a celluloid lid and it came with the matching manicure tools and button hook -- a set picked up on one of our antique mall excursions about 5 years ago. We do have fun just perusing all the booths at those malls, don't we ? Now and then, there is something I "just can't live without" !!

Christmas Past

When we were young children, gifts did not appear under the Christmas tree until Santa made his visit, be it for Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. Boxes that came in the mail from grandparents were also delivered by Santa ! We never had a clue ! We also "knew" that Mom and Dad "had to pay" Santa for toys or what ever we asked for and there was always a limit. Even after we were aware that Santa was a myth, gifts were not under the tree until he "made his visit". This tradition was held even after we were grown and gone from home. As my sister and I approached our teen years, we began to exchange Christmas gifts with each other and would pool our money for a gift for our Mom and Dad. The glass "powder box" with the dog on the lid was a gift from my sis sometime in the early 50's. It still has the original Gardenia body powder box inside. We were shopping together when we saw these two powder boxes and chose to buy them for each other. I always loved the one I gave to my sister with the little reindeer on the lid, too. I pointed it out to you on an antique mall excursion a few years ago, and that following Christmas, it appeared under my tree ! They both love their home on the counter in my downstairs bathroom.

Flapper Fun

This little beaded purse was found in my G'pa's wicker trunk along with the clothes that date from the early 1900's. It looks to be handmade, to me. I failed to get any information about it from Mom, but, I think it was probably hers or her older sister's when they were teenagers. Maybe they even shared it ! I doubt that these girls went "dancing", being raised in a strict religion, but, I can picture them dressed for an afternoon social event at church or school. Those were the days -- a person didn't go away from home in jeans and a t-shirt !!

"Cupid"

CUPID -The dictionary says "compare Eros, the Roman god of erotic love, a figure that represents Cupid as a naked, usually 'winged boy' often holding a bow and arrow." Since I wrote a "little bit" about "love" yesterday, these little pictures came to mind. Female Cupids !! Another item that has been around since before I can remember !! These little gals in 3" x 4" metal frames with glass, were my Mom's. I don't remember her ever telling me how she came about having them, but I suspect they were probably in her possession as a young girl. I can picture, maybe, my Dad buying them as a gift for her - they were childhood sweethearts, as you know !! I would say these are probably about 70 years old. Anyway, I have these treasures hanging in a collage in my bedroom along with the silk flower cigarette inserts.

Silk Flowers

The objects of discussion !! These little silk embroidered flowers were in my mother's sewing box for as many years as I can remember. She told me that her dad, my Grandpa Hanle, had brought them back from Germany in 1934 and they had come out of cigarette packages. He thought she could use them on a sewing project. As it is with "us", she thought they were just toooo pretty to use on just any old thing, consequently, they remained in her sewing box ! I weaseled them out of her about 20 years ago and have laid them on black background, framed and hung in my bedroom. The smallest one measures about 1" tall. Pretty, huh ?