My mum keeps a trunk of heirlooms that I still am not allowed to touch :) The most covetted being the beautiful old wool Hudson's Bay Company blanket (HBC is a relic from the fur trades here in Canada). I do have a bag of doilies, some crocheted by my mom, my great grandmother and my greaat-great-grandmother. They live in a bag while I have tiny kids in a tiny house, but I will have them out...someday.
A few years ago, my husband found me a blue steamer trunk feom the late 1800s that belonged to the great great grandfather of a man we bought a hutch from. He sold us the trunk for FIVE DOLLARS. It's beautiful. It now holds woolens I knit (and collect) for my babies and grandbabies. Absolutely one of my biggest obsessions is collecting (and making) clothes for my future family tree, out of beautiful wools and fabrics. I worry that ALL clothes might be plastic by then, so I'll even collect used organic cottons and linens to tuck away, just in case. I think my husband might think I'm crazy. I tan hides, and pack them away. But my boys wear sweaters that belonged to their dad, and I do hope that one day, some one will dress my own ancestry in things I created and saved.
Oh Liz this is SO beautiful. Your trunk of real things for your real future progeny is exactly the sort of thing I had in mind while writing this. As a fellow knitter and fiber obsessionist (I wish that was a real word), I especially appreciate your efforts. And what a deal on the trunk! I have an old hand painted immigrant trunk with the original keys and it was NOT a deal (but I love it) 😆.
My grandmother Meg was one of 11 … a big farming family that weathered both of the wars & the Great Depression. She along with her sisters were prolific bakers & wonderful cooks of truly delicious home made food. My most treasured possession is the mixing bowl ( Mason & Cash Cane Mixing Bowl C1930’s ) that she used every day. She only had one good sized bowl. ONE & one wooden spoon for all of her adult life. The base of the bowl has a small circle of worn away glaze that allows the fired ceramic clay to show through, the spoon has one whole side worn away by about 1/4 from all the stirring. For me it represents all the love that was poured into every cake, biscuit, dough, pastry, slice & batter. She was the embodiment of kindness, patience, graciousness & generosity which shone through in every meal she made.
One of eleven! Amazing. The wear on those items truly is a testament to all of her dedication to her craft and her family. I actually have two Mason and Cash bowls (not antique) and one old stoneware one I thrifted and plan to pass them on one day!
My mother had a number of antique items, most of which I sold after she passed away. While they were nice furniture items, I did not have the space nor the lifestyle to keep them.
My most cherished heirlooms that I inherited from her are much more prosaic. One is a large metal spoon, the sort you use to stir sauces or soup while they cook. It is probably of early 1950s vintage, as that is when my mother got married and set up her house. I love this spoon because it is the perfect size and shape and feels good in my hand - modern versions are too large and unbalanced. Also, whenever I use it to stir foods as they cook, I am reminded of my mother and the meals she cooked for us. She was a working mom, in a time when most women didn't work - but she felt strongly about the importance of a nutritious, home-cooked dinner and went to considerable trouble to plan and prep meals every day so that my dad or I could just heat them up or pop them in the oven.
The other item is a large wooden bowl, probably dating from the 1910s or 1920s. It belonged to my grandmother, and she used it every Saturday to bake seven loaves of bread. My grandma passed away before I was born, but my mother often told me stories of her childhood, and how the Saturday baking ritual was one of her favorite days. I also remember her telling me that the homemade bread was divine on Saturday and Sunday when it was fresh, but by Tuesday or Wednesday it would be getting rather stale - and that was the reason that so many old recipes involved grilling or toasting bread, or making breadcrumbs, or bread puddings and other such concoctions. Before the advent of plastic wrap and commercially-baked bread filled with preservatives, everyone had a lot of stale bread to use up by midweek!
Oh I just love these stories. Thank you for sharing! I know what you mean about those older spoons too. My mom had one from that same era called a “Kitchamajig” that I loved using as a child, so when I found one at a junk shop when I was a teenager, I bought one for when I eventually moved out and held onto it. I still have it and actually since have bought a back up!
And seven loaves of bread! I can’t say I’ve ever baked more than two-that is a lot of work, and I love that your Mom had such good memories of it.
Love this 🙌🏽 I truly see how a life woven with such intentionality is woven with the threads of soul. It is alive, like you said, the very artistry and skill of the makers are present in each piece. There is so much more depth and beauty in such pieces compared to the often empty and stale creations of today. Also the fact that sometimes one needs to wait to really find the right piece feeds into this slow, intentional life of care and beauty and goes against the grain of immediately getting the thing right when you want it.
Yes! I love what you added about having to wait. Right now I’m looking for a jelly cabinet for my canning supplies and I just have to be patient despite my nagging, nesting brain wanting one RIGHT NOW so I can check it off of my “before the baby comes” list, but there is nothing available that I have been able to find that suit the area it will be placed. And that’s okay, and eventually I will find something perfect, and I will be grateful for having waited. Instant gratification goes hand in hand with throw away planned obsolescence, turns out!
That's beautiful 💖 Our home has a bunch of older furniture pieces (a sofa bought for 100€ from a grandpa with a dog in our district), my grandparents' armchairs, my grandma's table...but then we also have some typical Ikea, Jysk, etc. woven in, along with a few more "designer" pieces (a mango wood coffee table from a Dutch brand; the iconic 60s Tam Tam stools...).
Where my love for arts, crafts and folklore shows is in accessories and homeware! I type this, sitting beside a wire woven fruit basket bought at a folk craft store in Slovakia (my home country), drinking tea from a handmade, handpainted, also Slovak teamug. There are embroidered pictures on the wall, and a handmade tile on the kitchen counter. I just love these objects, and take them wherever we go 😍😊
I loved reading reading the description of all of your things, they all sound beautiful and like they work so well together! I’m a big fan of folk art as well and am working on a little collection, not hung up yet but waiting for our dining room to be painted so I can hang them.
I am so lucky to have come from a family that decorated and collects antiques and handmade items. My paternal grandparents had a mix of authentic colonial and western decor and items, while my maternal grandmother leant towards Scandinavian/midwest boho/80s modernist style. I’ve been the enthusiastic recipient of some of their items, but I’m grateful most of all for the infusion of heirloom knowledge I’ve received in my upbringing!
My mum keeps a trunk of heirlooms that I still am not allowed to touch :) The most covetted being the beautiful old wool Hudson's Bay Company blanket (HBC is a relic from the fur trades here in Canada). I do have a bag of doilies, some crocheted by my mom, my great grandmother and my greaat-great-grandmother. They live in a bag while I have tiny kids in a tiny house, but I will have them out...someday.
A few years ago, my husband found me a blue steamer trunk feom the late 1800s that belonged to the great great grandfather of a man we bought a hutch from. He sold us the trunk for FIVE DOLLARS. It's beautiful. It now holds woolens I knit (and collect) for my babies and grandbabies. Absolutely one of my biggest obsessions is collecting (and making) clothes for my future family tree, out of beautiful wools and fabrics. I worry that ALL clothes might be plastic by then, so I'll even collect used organic cottons and linens to tuck away, just in case. I think my husband might think I'm crazy. I tan hides, and pack them away. But my boys wear sweaters that belonged to their dad, and I do hope that one day, some one will dress my own ancestry in things I created and saved.
Could not love this more 💛
Oh Liz this is SO beautiful. Your trunk of real things for your real future progeny is exactly the sort of thing I had in mind while writing this. As a fellow knitter and fiber obsessionist (I wish that was a real word), I especially appreciate your efforts. And what a deal on the trunk! I have an old hand painted immigrant trunk with the original keys and it was NOT a deal (but I love it) 😆.
My grandmother Meg was one of 11 … a big farming family that weathered both of the wars & the Great Depression. She along with her sisters were prolific bakers & wonderful cooks of truly delicious home made food. My most treasured possession is the mixing bowl ( Mason & Cash Cane Mixing Bowl C1930’s ) that she used every day. She only had one good sized bowl. ONE & one wooden spoon for all of her adult life. The base of the bowl has a small circle of worn away glaze that allows the fired ceramic clay to show through, the spoon has one whole side worn away by about 1/4 from all the stirring. For me it represents all the love that was poured into every cake, biscuit, dough, pastry, slice & batter. She was the embodiment of kindness, patience, graciousness & generosity which shone through in every meal she made.
One of eleven! Amazing. The wear on those items truly is a testament to all of her dedication to her craft and her family. I actually have two Mason and Cash bowls (not antique) and one old stoneware one I thrifted and plan to pass them on one day!
My mother had a number of antique items, most of which I sold after she passed away. While they were nice furniture items, I did not have the space nor the lifestyle to keep them.
My most cherished heirlooms that I inherited from her are much more prosaic. One is a large metal spoon, the sort you use to stir sauces or soup while they cook. It is probably of early 1950s vintage, as that is when my mother got married and set up her house. I love this spoon because it is the perfect size and shape and feels good in my hand - modern versions are too large and unbalanced. Also, whenever I use it to stir foods as they cook, I am reminded of my mother and the meals she cooked for us. She was a working mom, in a time when most women didn't work - but she felt strongly about the importance of a nutritious, home-cooked dinner and went to considerable trouble to plan and prep meals every day so that my dad or I could just heat them up or pop them in the oven.
The other item is a large wooden bowl, probably dating from the 1910s or 1920s. It belonged to my grandmother, and she used it every Saturday to bake seven loaves of bread. My grandma passed away before I was born, but my mother often told me stories of her childhood, and how the Saturday baking ritual was one of her favorite days. I also remember her telling me that the homemade bread was divine on Saturday and Sunday when it was fresh, but by Tuesday or Wednesday it would be getting rather stale - and that was the reason that so many old recipes involved grilling or toasting bread, or making breadcrumbs, or bread puddings and other such concoctions. Before the advent of plastic wrap and commercially-baked bread filled with preservatives, everyone had a lot of stale bread to use up by midweek!
Oh I just love these stories. Thank you for sharing! I know what you mean about those older spoons too. My mom had one from that same era called a “Kitchamajig” that I loved using as a child, so when I found one at a junk shop when I was a teenager, I bought one for when I eventually moved out and held onto it. I still have it and actually since have bought a back up!
And seven loaves of bread! I can’t say I’ve ever baked more than two-that is a lot of work, and I love that your Mom had such good memories of it.
One new thing for a new baby-- yes, I understand!
A few little outfits too ♥️
Beautiful. This is so important. Quality homes matter.
Yes they do, thank you!
Love this 🙌🏽 I truly see how a life woven with such intentionality is woven with the threads of soul. It is alive, like you said, the very artistry and skill of the makers are present in each piece. There is so much more depth and beauty in such pieces compared to the often empty and stale creations of today. Also the fact that sometimes one needs to wait to really find the right piece feeds into this slow, intentional life of care and beauty and goes against the grain of immediately getting the thing right when you want it.
Yes! I love what you added about having to wait. Right now I’m looking for a jelly cabinet for my canning supplies and I just have to be patient despite my nagging, nesting brain wanting one RIGHT NOW so I can check it off of my “before the baby comes” list, but there is nothing available that I have been able to find that suit the area it will be placed. And that’s okay, and eventually I will find something perfect, and I will be grateful for having waited. Instant gratification goes hand in hand with throw away planned obsolescence, turns out!
That's beautiful 💖 Our home has a bunch of older furniture pieces (a sofa bought for 100€ from a grandpa with a dog in our district), my grandparents' armchairs, my grandma's table...but then we also have some typical Ikea, Jysk, etc. woven in, along with a few more "designer" pieces (a mango wood coffee table from a Dutch brand; the iconic 60s Tam Tam stools...).
Where my love for arts, crafts and folklore shows is in accessories and homeware! I type this, sitting beside a wire woven fruit basket bought at a folk craft store in Slovakia (my home country), drinking tea from a handmade, handpainted, also Slovak teamug. There are embroidered pictures on the wall, and a handmade tile on the kitchen counter. I just love these objects, and take them wherever we go 😍😊
I loved reading reading the description of all of your things, they all sound beautiful and like they work so well together! I’m a big fan of folk art as well and am working on a little collection, not hung up yet but waiting for our dining room to be painted so I can hang them.
That sounds like an excellent plan 😍
I am so lucky to have come from a family that decorated and collects antiques and handmade items. My paternal grandparents had a mix of authentic colonial and western decor and items, while my maternal grandmother leant towards Scandinavian/midwest boho/80s modernist style. I’ve been the enthusiastic recipient of some of their items, but I’m grateful most of all for the infusion of heirloom knowledge I’ve received in my upbringing!
Off to buy a subscription to Primitive Place magazine, which I did not know existed until now!