It’s probably because I love antiques and I’m fascinated by family history, but somehow I ended up being the keeper of the family bibles.  They are tattered and worn, but so beautiful.  I love that each one tells its own story. Most of our bibles tell who they belonged to and the year they were given inside the cover.

My grandma and grandpa, on my mom’s side, both had fathers who were preachers.  I can just image how they must have lived with their bibles at their sides.  To hold something that belonged to my great grandfather, and is over 100 years old, feels really special.

Every time I look through them, I find little treasures tucked inside.  Today, I found a letter that my grandpa wrote to his father for Father’s Day in 1941.  He described the job he had just taken in a garage in downtown Seattle and assured his father that he was living a Christian life that he could be proud of.

I know I’ve written about this before, but my favorite thing is that there are notes written in the margins of the bibles. There is something about handwriting that makes me feel a bit more connected to my past.  Seeing handwritten notes, always in cursive, helps me to see what was important back then.

Being the keeper of the family bibles has inspired me to start Bible Journaling.  If you are not familiar with this, check it out on Pinterest.  My hope is that someday my great grandchildren will love to see my notes, doodles, and art (if I can even call it that) left behind for them.

Happy journaling!

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The pocket watches belonged to my step-dad and grandpa. I love holding something in my hand that they held onto for so many years.

 

This sewing machine was in a corner of my parents’ garage for years, before it found a home in my craft room.

 

There is nothing more meaningful than holding your great-grandmother’s Bible. There are even handwritten notes inside from church services and Bible studies.

When we were going through my grandma’s old suitcases, we opened one and found her wedding dress and my grandpa’s WWII army uniform. Many years before, she told us she had thrown them away because they were tattered. It was amazing to find them in perfect condition inside a suitcase in her garage.

The flower garden quilt is from my husband’s side of the family. His grandma sent it home with me after a visit to her house. It is very tattered, but I just have the good part of the quilt poking out of the basket. The star quilt was made my great grandmother and the picnic basket belonged to my grandma and grandpa.

This one was made my great grandmother and my great, great grandmother as a wedding gift for my grandparents. The patterned fabric was made from old shirts and dresses. They didn’t have a lot of money and they used the scraps they had available.

I can’t say I purposefully fill my home with antiques. I don’t seek them out, scour thrift shops, or shop ebay for a great deal. I fill my home with these treasures because each piece has a story.

What story does your home tell?

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I love treasures that tell a story. Even more special is a treasure that tells part of my own story, and reveals a little bit about where I’m from. I love the look of old books in home decor, but I really love that my old books came from my grandparents.

They have the neatest old covers.

The inside of the cover is beautiful too! They just don’t make books like this anymore.

Here’s my favorite. This is a bible that was on my grandma’s bookshelf. Inside, it says, “For Our Dear Mother. From, Edith and Chester. August, 1927.” Edith and Chester were my grandmother’s parents. So, this bible belonged to Edith or Chester’s mother, my great-great-grandmother. How cool is that… just to know that I’m holding the same bible that my great-great-grandmother held.

There are even hand written notes inside the margins that were written during church services or bible studies.

I also have an old hymnal from Seattle Pacific College (now Seattle Pacific University). Both of my grandparents, both parents, several aunts, uncles, cousins, and I also went there.

If you look around my house, you’ll see that I decorate with lots of old books. To most people, that’s all they are… just old books. To me, they’re part of my history and it’s amazing to hold a little piece of history in my hands.

Happy decorating!

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This sewing machine was in a corner of my parents’ garage for years, before it found a home in my craft room. My step dad said it was either is mom’s or grandma’s.  I love the case as much as I love the machine and display it with several old wooden spools of thread that my mom had.

 

There is nothing more meaningful than holding your great-grandmother’s Bible. There are even handwritten notes inside from church services and Bible studies. It’s tattered and I’m always a bit worried that something will happen to it, now that it’s sitting on a table in the living room where the boys play their video games.

When we were going through my grandma’s old suitcases, many years ago, we opened one and found her wedding dress and my grandpa’s WWII army uniform. Many years before, she told us she had thrown them away because they were tattered. It was amazing to find them in perfect condition inside a suitcase in her garage.

The flower garden quilt is from my husband’s side of the family. His grandma sent it home with me after a visit to her house. It is very tattered, but I just have the good part of the quilt poking out of the basket. The star quilt was made my great grandmother. I had to bribe my sister to let me have it.

This one was made my great grandmother and my great, great grandmother as a wedding gift for my grandparents. The patterned fabric was made from old shirts and dresses. They didn’t have a lot of money and they used the scraps they had available. What a treasure!  I hung this in my hallway and think about a great grandmother and great, great grandmother who I never met, every time I walk down the hall.

I fill my home with these treasures because each piece has a story. It reminds me about home and family, and isn’t that what life should be all about?

What story does your home tell?

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Many of the linens hold memories of visiting Nanie and Baumpa’s house.  The bedspreads covered the twin beds for as long as I could remember.  I always loved the nubby texture and the fringe at the bottom.  Someday, when my kids are grown and I have an extra bedroom, I will have twin beds with white nubby bedspreads.

I don’t use all of the linens, all of the time.  I usually start pulling them out in Spring.  They feel light and bright to me, which feels springy.

Most of the linens were made by my great grandmothers (at least that’s what I think my mom said).

I wish I had the patience to do this type of stitching.  It’s beautiful.

Happy Spring!

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I love old picnic baskets. I can’t honestly say that I’ve ever taken one on a picnic, but I just love the way they look around the house. They are perfect for hiding a magazine pile or storing an old quilt. I always imagine my grandparents taking a basket like this on a picnic to the beach. When my grandma moved from her home to a retirement center, I think we found about five picnic baskets in her garage. I have several of her baskets, but I couldn’t resist buying this one too. It was $6.00, and I thought that was a pretty good deal.

I had seen baskets like this at antique stores, usually selling for $15-$20. I don’t really make purchases like this, thinking I’m going to sell it and get make a little extra money. If I buy something old or antique, it’s because I like the look and think it will add character to my home.

I can’t tell you how excited I was, when my Country Living magazine arrived this month.  See the basket on top of the fridge?

Here’s a closer view.

It’s my basket!  I wonder what’s hiding in that basket.

Happy decorating!

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Next came a few accessories.

The rooster planter was a treasure my mom found in her garage a few days ago.

I’m loving this new little area of my deck.

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Note to self:
Stop by Goodwill more often this summer.

Happy thrifting!

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