Wednesday, September 19, 2007

One of my stolen treasures...

Ok, I didn't actually steal it... or perhaps it depends on who you ask... My Mama said I could have it!! My Papa... well, he didn't even know it was there... OK, here's the story- I'll try to keep it brief, but you know how hard that is for me.

Last weekend, we made a very fast and brief visit to West Virginia to visit my folks and to help my Dad with a chore. He needed some muscle and since I have that in abundance... not personally, mind you, but in the form of a hunk of a husband and 6 sons. Oh, alright, Abe the babe wasn't likely any help, but were we supposed to leave him home? Sheesh, you guys sure are argumentative, today. Maybe my conscience about my stolen loot. So we ran to their place Saturday night (5 1/2 hour drive) and came home Monday night. See? Quick. Well, while Dad was having the guys help him with a very heavy air-conditioner... I found myself downstairs with Mom. I didn't plan on pilfering- she had canned some squash for me that I was going to set out to take home. That was the only pilfering I was planning. But then we got to sorting through boxes. Some of them had eons-old polyester fabric in them that really was nasty- given to Mom by someone else trying to declutter. She took it in pity. Not for the fabric, but in the effort to help a... is there a nice way to say, "Pack Rat?" "Horder?" See, it just doesn't sound nice... How about, "Collector?" We won't say a thing about taste. Getting back to my pilfering... er... collecting. Mom and I threw away about 5 big black trash bags of junk that had seen better days. Nothing of value. Honest. Mostly worn out clothes- and even some we saved. My dad had 10-15 years of Sears uniforms stockpiled... just in case he decided to come out of retirement? Well, we decided they would make a fine quilt- full of memories for the grandkids. See? We really didn't throw anything of value away. Touchy, am I? Well, I did overhear Papa saying how that it is very easy to come into someone else's home and throw away their treasures, but it would be a different story if he came to my house and threw away mine. So I am just saying, yet again, no treasure, either real or perceived, was tossed. And we did find some treasure and that is what I am getting at.

This quilt was made by my maternal grandmother. How cool is that? I just love the idea of it looking down at me from that wall. She passed away 31 years ago, next month. It is machine pieced and hand quilted. She liked the diagonal quilting and did this on several of her tops. I love the blue- don't look so shocked! and the aqua. It is a light and airy quilt and perfect for the summer, but now that Fall is upon us, I'll be taking it down and putting up Abel's quilt. I confess that I also collected a quilt made by both my great grandfather and great grandmother, Grover and Oe. It is a utility quilt and full of love- ie.holes, but I still treasure it and have it sitting on the armoire in a place of honor. I'll try to get a picture of that posted, soon. It is a lot of fun- full of scraps- inside and out! My first quilt- started when I was about 8yrs old, was also found- it is still in blocks. I threatened to assemble the blocks- which some were made by both me and my sister- and giving it to my sister to be "treasured" forever. It is polyester, in pink, navy and maroon. Very bad. Just a simple 9-patch.




Here's a postcard idea I went with- I have lots more. It's fun and bright but could still be masculine. I find guy postcards difficult to make. They start off looking all manly, but by the time I embellish... girly. So no, or little, embellishing on a guy postcard! This has just a touch of metallic thread and some varigated thread.

Oh, and yes, I need Dad to come and help me de-clutter my piano! He can feel free to toss anything he finds on it! "Flylady" would call it a "hot spot." I call it a raging inferno of torture!! This is the landing spot of choice for all of dh's treasures. And I see a Dr. Suess book there, and a beanie, and is that a toy gun? Yeah, right, they all belong on the piano. But ya know? I've given up. When company comes, sometimes I just dump it all in a box and hope he'll be able to find the power bill in time to keep the lights on! Other times, I figure, "what's a little clutter between friends?"

9 comments:

Pamela (Peni) Teel said...

Pianos are made to rage...at least mine always had that way about it. Special extra b-day kisses to our little man. No problem with the cast outs...Papa says, "What, did she take my uniforms?" No dear they are still downstairs...honest.

Glad to be home again. Missed YOU!

His Office, My Studio said...

Great treasures stolen or not.

Love the photos of the kids the past few days.

Please send birthday wishes to Abraham from me.

Tonya Ricucci said...

Gorgeous quilt. I love the blues in it too. I bet those first quilt blocks of yours are excellent (so awful they're wonderful?) - where's the pic?

teelduo said...

Dad would consider any of his "treasures" thrown out bad. LOL YOU GO GIRL! Can they walk in a straight line yet down there?

Darcie said...

giggle

You're always so fun to read about. I can just hear your Dad wondering about his treasures (clothes). Funny, isn't it!

Love your quilt that was very fairly GIFTED to you! And not a better home for it to be displayed it, may I say. It looks lovely!

I have one of those pianos too. I keep threatening that we should get rid of it. No body plays it...ever. "But oh...why would we get rid of it?" Men. Are they all cut from the same cloth?

Gorgeous postcards-in-the-works!!!

Love you tons!!!

atet said...

What a fantastic find! Love the quilt and the postcards you're working on! But, you've got me curious. I would love to see those first quilt blocks -- and yeah, you should give it to your sister to treasure! *snicker*

Shelina said...

This is such an amusing post. My family members are pack rats too, and they always get suspicious whenever I throw anything away. I haven't thrown away anything of value ever - I'm a pack rat too, but sheesh!
Your postcard ideas look great. I like both the batik stripes, and the gray ones.

Pamela (Peni) Teel said...

I keep coming back to look at Mom's quilt again. (No, I don't want it back!) I remember the red and white print she used as background to the churndash having a texture/nub to it. Wonder where ever did she find that bright geranium style print? She would have called it a utility quilt (I'm thinking the red-white was clothing or drapery); and it was a bit unusual for her to go with blue sashing, though I like that too!

Carrie said...

So funny! My dad is a huuuuge pack rat, too. I don't dare set foot in his home with the intention of decluttering. No, siree. Learned that one the hard way! ;)
Love the quilt, lucky you!
God bless :)