Vintage Thursday on Friday

Once in a while I sit myself down and say.., " You are a very lucky woman to have grown up in a wonderful home with good parents, that weren't perfect, but they did their best to provide a stable and happy home for you and your sister". Now that they are both gone and the "things" in their home are being sorted and divided up between my sister and and I...., I realize that a lot of that stablity is what makes those memories that were stored in this house's corners. Every piece of furniture, every cabinet and each room has so many poignant memories.
Yesterday the Prospector and I drove down to Mom and Dad's house, which is now my son and daughter-in-laws. They are renting with the intention of possibly buying the place in a year or so and they have been working toward that end. It's just wonderful! I had not seen the house since I left a week after the memorial for Mom. They have done so much work on the place and they finally moved in last weekend. New paint, carpeting, painted kitchen cabinets and counter tops, new bathroom floors, cabinets and fixtures.It's looks beautiful and I know that Mom would be happy that they have done such a great job. My grandbabies are going to make new memories now.
The prospector and I picked up the trailer that our son had borrowed to move with and I had a few more things to bring home with me. My husband deserves a special award for the way he has handled his wife during this trying time. Especially yesterday when I already had a garage filled with things from the last trip and now I wanted to bring home more..., and I have no place to put it ..., and there will have to be a major upheaval of our little house to accommodate these new/old things. Not a word has been spoken in anger or tiredness. Even last night when we finally got home and I realized that I had really gone too far.
Today he helped me move more things around and we did get my grandmothers bookcase/desk moved into the bedroom. It's so beautiful. The chair is a duplicate of another that I have had for years, but in much better shape. I did exercise some self control here. I only brought ONE chair home with me. There are 4 more, but they have cane seats and are badly damaged.


This desk is in beautiful shape. It has a beveled mirror in the top and old hand blown glass in the bookcase section. There is a broken hinge in the drop down desk that is just bent and needs straightening. Other that the hinge everything is perfect. The old oak is beautiful. A brass bolt that holds a shelf in place says March 1897 on it. If that is also the age of the desk then this is truly "an antique". I love it in my bedroom and feel like I am the "guardian" of this wonderful family heirloom. It's so beautiful and I will always keep it safe until I pass this treasure to one of my boys in years to come.
The prospector has said that the boys can have all of it...., 'cause if anything happens to me he's moving into an RV and going on the road. Just he and Carl. Without any furniture. But..., he didn't say this yesterday.., or today. Bless his heart.

Vintage Thursday: A special gift.

Remember my dear friend "D" who came down here when my Mom passed away. Well, many years ago, when she came back from her travels one summer ( June of 59'), she brought me this bible. It is the most beautiful bible I have ever seen. It's covered with mother of pearl and leather and says on the Licence page...
In terms of the Letters Patent granted by Her late Majesty Queen Victoria to Her Printers for Scotland, and the Instructions issued by her said Majesty in Council, dated Eleventh July Eighteen Hundred and Thirty- nine. I hereby License and authorise Messrs. William Collins Sons and Company Limited, One hundred and forty four Cathedral Street, Glasgow, to print and publish, as by the authority of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the second, an Edition of the Holy Bible in Times Ruby Type..., dated at Edinburgh the fourteenth day of April, Nineteen Hundred and Fifty Eight..., and it's signed W. R. Milligan- lord Advocate.
A few of the mother of pearl pieces are missing now but it's still in very good condition.

The illustrations are just wonderful and there are maps of the holy land in the back. I have taken good care of this bible for 50 years and it's one of my prized possessions. "D" brought it back from Jerusalem and told me that it had been blessed on Jesus' tomb. I remember thinking, at the time, that this was very cool.
I always wonder if some of these many bibles that were written in different languages lost some meaning in translation and I have my doubts about the accuracy of them, as a whole, but something that has lasted for 2000 years can't be completely dismissed and it's a fascination to me that each translation can still be so interesting.
I'm sure there is an argument for and against every interpretation. To me this small bible represents more than a history of a people that lived 2000 years ago; it's also speaks of life, struggle, belief and faith in something much larger than any of us understand and yet something as fundamental as a friendship that has weathered time..., and the need for connections , memories and love. To me , this beautiful little bible is filled with the "holiness" of each life that has been touched by it and in that respect..., it's invaluable.

Please stop by Colorado Lady's blog for more vintage things. If you like "Vintage", you'll love the list of blogs that have something to show you.

M.W.K. Would be Happy

When my sister and I went to the Art and Soul Festival in Asilomar I noticed that some of the ladies in our class were using old suitcases for their supplies. "Great idea", I thought and made a mental note to keep an eye out for a small case that I could use for the project I was working on at the moment. Instead of a bag or box that I had to lug around I could find a small makeup case that was sturdy and easy to carry.

This weekend when I we went to the Room With a Past vintage, antiques and collectibles sale, I found the small case I was looking for. It's sturdy, in good shape, lined with washable fabric..., has a good solid lock that won't open accidentally and a handle. I can put everything I need for one project in here and there is a mirror, just in case I have to check for spinach in my teeth or watch someone without them knowing it.

I don't know who M.W.K. was, but she (I'm guessing this was a "she") took good care of this little case. There are no nail polish spills or tears inside. We use to call these totes "overnight" cases or "makeup" cases. I had one when I was young. Too bad I didn't hold on to it. Right?
So many things that are now sitting in antique malls across America were useful items that still had a lot of shelf life in them; things that were given away or sold because they were not "new" enough or "good" enough . I think there's a trend (and a good one) ,now, to re-use rather than buy something new. Maybe the economy, tanking the way it did, has made folks rethink how they live. There are a lot more people in the thrift stores these days.
M.W.K. might have sold this case, or lost it or maybe she died and it was sold in an estate or garage sale. Who knows where this little case has travelled, but I'm glad I found it . I guess I could cover the initials with my own. I could decorate the outside with some Mod Podge and pictures that I like. We'll see..., but for now, I will put my Mystorian book parts inside and everything will be in one place and I will use this "new", little old makeup case for a different purpose. It's a good thing.

Please check out Colorado Lady's blog for more vintage, retro and antique items and a list of blogs who share the love of "old" wonderful and useful things.