One (wo)Man’s Junk…

…is my treasure!

I went to my Mom & Dad’s last night, as I often do, when Baby Girl has her dance classes as they live right around the corner from the dance studio. My Mom has been going through some boxes filled with “stuff.” You know the “stuff” I mean. Treasures that you don’t know what to do with. You don’t really want them anymore, but for one reason or another, you just can’t get rid of it. I am a firm believer in the fact that one of the reasons we have children is so that we can give them the “stuff” we don’t know what to do with anymore. That way, we can feel better about not just getting rid of our “stuff!”

There were actually quite a few things that I really wanted and I was smart enough not to take anything I really didn’t want! Here are a few of the things I did want:

Some beautiful laces and trims

An embroidery hoop that belonged to my Grandmother’s favorite Aunt. It was used in the late 1800’s. It still has the twill wrapping intact and the patina on the wood from use is lovely. The metal “disk” in the center was actually an ashtray that belonged to my Great Grandfather and apparently was a set of undetermined amount, but we only have this one left. It also is from the late 1800’s.

Two fans that had been mine as a girl. For any of you in the know, the front fan is from a place called “Boblo Island” that was an amusement park on an island near Detroit, Michigan. It was open from 1898 through 1993. I got the fan there in the 1970’s.

These glass squirrels. Yes, I’m aware that they are ugly. Yes, I am aware they are an awful shade of green. Yes, I am aware that they are chipped. The thing is, my Grandmother received them as a gift around 1960 and she loved them! She also used to let me play with them when I was a very little girl. I used to love the sound they made when I would tap them together, hence the chips! Truth be told…I still do like the sound they make!

This last thing was in a very special box. My Grandmother’s jewelry box. It is actually the catalyst for me bringing some of the other things home. Yesterday, while brushing my hair looking in the bathroom mirror, I had a stray thought. I would love to have one of my Grandmother’s watches…this watch, in fact. It may be that something about my movements, which I usually pay no attention to, may have reminded me of the way my Grandmother used to move her arm and it made me think of her watch. So, when I got to my my Mom & Dad’s, I asked for it! It’s a wind up Helbros watch, I have no idea of the age, but it was meant for me! It still works and fit’s my wrist perfectly! Definitely a treasure!

So what “stuff” have YOU run across lately?