Heirlooms

Heirloom; something of special value handed down from one generation to another.

 When my Grandmother passed away in 2002, I inherited her only jewelry possession. A ring that she wore every single day, even after arthritis had long folded her hands. It is very small and the center stone is actually black paint, decorated to look like a gemstone. The ring is priceless to me, even though it won't even fit on my pinky, it tells a story of struggle, perseverance, and of a love that lasted more than 5 decades, without a single diamond. 

 

    Recently, I featured a dressing table on instagram, that was Alex Michael's Great Grandmother's. It's one of my favorite pieces. It had sat in a garage for more than 20 years when Alex Michael and I decided to restore it. With a little sanding and stain, it was good as new. I think that's the beauty of old things, they can be fixed, they were made to withstand time. They exhibit a quality that no longer exists.

    Another Heirloom we are fortunate to have is my Great Grandmothers silver platters. I think the thing that makes the sterling silver platters most special is the fact that my mothers family did not have money for silver. They were not wealthy people, they were farmers. I imagine that those platters were probably the most valuable possession Minnie Sue had. Recently we cleaned them up and now they're as good as the day they were purchased from the Sears & Roebuck Catalog. 

    The last item I will speak of is my husbands Grandmother's Piano. My husbands Grandmother could easily play the piano with her eyes closed (and probably backwards). I love this piano. My husband learned to play on those very keys and one day our children will too. It's not an antique, it's not a fancy brand. It's just incredibly special. That is what I want to fill my home with, special things, from special people. 

My most prized possessions in my home are not things I purchased from Homegoods or Pottery Barn, they are items from our family.

XO,

Shelby C.