Stand tall and be proud of your
ROOTS
**************************
I fashioned a wonderful ROOTS MEMORY BOX for each of my children a couple of years ago.
I posted about these last year, but, after spending a week at BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER'S house, I fell in love with this precious memory holder all over again and wanted to repost for those ladies that may not have seen it.
The lady and gentleman in the upper left corner....Great, Great Grandparents to my children...just think...that's my grandchildren's Great, Great, Great Grandparents...AMAZING.
*
The glasses in the middle section belonged to my Great Grandmother...the glass bottle stopper came out of my Great Grandfather's saloon...
*
The photo of the two men holding a PRECIOUS, BEAUTIFUL, LOVABLE, TINY, CUTE baby...My two grandfathers...and three guesses who they are holding !! tee hee
That's my sweet and pretty mother.....she was a FLAPPER and a beautiful one, at that.
The crocheted flower and needle belonged to Mr. Sweet Nothing's adorable mom...that's her photo. I found the crocheted piece and needle in a drawer of her old, tredle Singer sewing machine and it was just PERFECT to add to this box. The great thing.....there were TWO of these little block flowers...one for each of my children.
My mother was quite the seamstress and these things were from HER sewing machine.
Old needles, her thimbles, tape measures, the photo...
Mother, Dad and me ! I think I was 4 yrs. old here..
The lady and gentleman in the upper left corner....Great, Great Grandparents to my children...just think...that's my grandchildren's Great, Great, Great Grandparents...AMAZING.*
The glasses in the middle section belonged to my Great Grandmother...the glass bottle stopper came out of my Great Grandfather's saloon...
*
The photo of the two men holding a PRECIOUS, BEAUTIFUL, LOVABLE, TINY, CUTE baby...My two grandfathers...and three guesses who they are holding !! tee hee
That's my sweet and pretty mother.....she was a FLAPPER and a beautiful one, at that.
You'll notice her glasses, some of her lovely jewelry, and behind them, a photo from an actual 1920's magazine. The handsome man is my dad with a few of his old pocket knives and coins...
The crocheted flower and needle belonged to Mr. Sweet Nothing's adorable mom...that's her photo. I found the crocheted piece and needle in a drawer of her old, tredle Singer sewing machine and it was just PERFECT to add to this box. The great thing.....there were TWO of these little block flowers...one for each of my children.
The watch, on the left, belonged to my
father-in-law.....there's also a copy of his 1st grade report card.
His pocket watch went into HANDSOME SON'S Memory Box..
My mother was quite the seamstress and these things were from HER sewing machine.Old needles, her thimbles, tape measures, the photo...
Mother, Dad and me ! I think I was 4 yrs. old here..
In that same machine, I found a letter about her family...addressed to me.
There's lots of things in the letter that I didn't know about my family and I sure am glad she left it for me. I'll post about it someday....
If you have memory items like this...smaller objects that you want to save, put them all together and make your ownROOTS story.....
I promise you will LOVE it and your children and grandchildren will treasure it someday.
*********************************
love to all, bj
Oh my goodness BJ!!!! I LOVE THIS, I REALLY, REALLY LOVE THIS!!! I am sooooo excited about finding those little treasures from my grandparents and putting a memory box together. THANKS for this idea!
ReplyDeleteThis is so wonderful BJ, I don't have much from my ancestors, but this is such a lovely thing to do! Yours is a family treasure for sure! Have a great day sweetie! xo
ReplyDeleteI think that this is an excellent idea IF a person has stuff to keep. I don't have so much, so I'll just look at yours!
ReplyDeleteYou created such a wonderful memory box for your children. I know they will forever treasure it.
ReplyDeleteAnd, how awesome that your mother left you the letter. My husband and I love genealogy.
What a sentimental and lovely idea, I’m glad I didn’t miss this post.
ReplyDeleteYour children are so Bless to have such a thoughtful mother.
I’m going to see how many things I can find to make one for each of my children, I have four so I need to find a lot of little treasures.
Have a happy and Bless week,
Virginia
I really like that. What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteWhat a marvelous idea, BJ!! This is such a perfect way to keep small mementos and to keep our memories alive.
ReplyDelete((hugs)) Rosie
What a wonderful idea...will have to start thinking what I have that would be interesting to them.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week.
Good morning BJ, I so enjoyed your roots post today. What treasures to give your children. You gave me inspiration to do the same thing. Have a beautiful day.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Jeanne
BJ... these are beautiful! I want one so bad. The sad thing is I don't have things from my past. There was one sister that lived by my grandparents and her family got it. Then they had a house fire. It breaks my heart. You did a really good thin girl.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea for all those little treasures that are likely to get lost over the years and their stories forgotten. Did you write what everything was and attach it to the back for the next generation?
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure! And a wonderful way to hold onto and pass along some things from your family's history! I hold onto things, but don't know what to do with them, so I end up letting them go! I'll re-think that from now on!
ReplyDeleteWhat a glorious piece of history you created ..... and I am sure you love looking at it as I am sure you kids and grandkids love it also.... very nicely done..... it is beautiful ..
ReplyDeleteHUgs
Linda
Wow BJ what an excellent idea... This was so beautiful and you did such a great job making it...Wonderful post. Have a spectacular Monday...
ReplyDelete(((HUGS)))
Donna
oh ya The Glenn Miller Story is also one of my favorites... I cry everytime...
That is such a wonderful idea! I love it!
ReplyDeletexo
Penny
Precious memories~ what a great idea for a gift that will always be treasured.
ReplyDeleteMorning BJ!!!! Ohhhh I love this post girl...I first thought you was gonna be talking about 'hair' roots! lol lol I am always looking for good ideas on keeping those gray roots at bay! lol lol Ohhhh I am loving the music this morning...I fill like I could do the 'jitter-bug' and I hadn't even had a lesson! lol Loved the post girl..have a great day!
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful!! What a lovely idea and so special!
ReplyDeleteThat's just too sweet and such a treasure for your family forever!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea! This is meaningful and beautiful, BJ.
ReplyDeleteI just read your comment at the back porch. I know what you mean. We too are on SS, plus a little bit each month from J's pension, which, ironically, is tied up in the market, so we are at it's mercy. Makes me wonder if we should have done what my brother in law's dad did. He had little trust for banks and had a safe put in under a floor in his home. That's where he kept his money and they never went without.
Several years ago, we started a family tradition, that might be a good idea, during this time of recession. Each family member provides 5 inexpensive gifts. We started out at $1 each and now, the max limit is $5. It's fun finding things for $5. I think it's much more fun than trying to find the more expensive things. When we began the tradition in the early 90's, we also gave regular gifts. In the past several years, we do only the game. We buy gifts for our four grandchildren, but do not exchange with adults in our family. Even this year, the kiddo's are recieving "practical" things. Sort of like it was when I was growing up, in the 50's.
We pile all the "game" gifts on the floor or the big farmhouse table and roll dice to determine who picks a gift or who robs their neighbor. I think the kids enjoy that game more than opening their presents. We always have "gifts" for all ages and we always make sure everyone "wins" the same number of gifts.
Luckily we have a huge stash of Christmas decorations that are recycled and repurposed each year. We rarely put up the same type of tree more than a couple times. We just go into the storage bins and pull out whatever suits our mood. Our family always enjoys seeing what we come up with, each year. Christmas morning, I'm making breakfast for our family, no big extravagant meal. All our children live within 30 minutes of us. So not so far away.
J's dad died at a young age, over the Christmas holidays, less than 2 months after J's younger brother (age 23) was tragically killed in a car accident. My first marriage came to an unexpected end, over the holidays and just two years ago, we lost our precious grandson Elijah, shortly after his birth. This was just over a month before Christmas. After all those sad events and a few more, we're not about to let the economy dampen our spirits, this Christmas season.
I hope you will enjoy this special time of year. I always remember The Waltons on the TV series and how they celebrated special times, during the Depression.
I love those!! What a wonderful idea and how talented you are~That is a perfect way to share your Roots and Memories.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing those for all of us!
hugs,
Michelle
Wow what a beautiful box, its a work of art as well as a memory holder!! Hope you are well B.J.
ReplyDeleteI remember when you had this posted on RMS last year, it is such a loving idea. I made a small memory box last year after my Mom passed away with some of the dried flowers from her funeral, photos, jewelry, and other bits of memory.
ReplyDeleteBJ!!! I forgot to ask you to sign my permission slip for copying your music today! lol lol I just loved hearing your so I went and put it on mine...what?...what you mean that'll be $10...playlist didn't say a thing about charging me!
ReplyDeleteOh BJ, so glad you reposted this. This is beautiful. Now would be the time for young mothers to put such together while they still have older members of their family to help with the details...wonderful!
ReplyDeleteSandi
What a sweet story, BJ, and a wonderful idea. You're so creative.
ReplyDeleteHey BJ - Me again :-)..I just did another post on my bedroom, and I KNOW you are going to love it~come see
ReplyDeletexo
Penny
BJ,
ReplyDeleteOh what a sweet box that is. I love it. You did a wonderful job on it. I have to look and see what I have now that I can make for my girls. I will need three them.
I opened up the page and saw the red and thought, "am I in the right place??"
ReplyDeleteWe used to have these sorts of things... lost most of them in the tornado... :(
Your box is GORGEOUS!
What an amazing heirloom to make for your children! Gives me ideas, thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteSmiles,
Carol
That is just absolutely wonderful!! So glad you reposted. How could you possibly part with some of those treasures? I guess we can do practically anything for our children. Sally
ReplyDeleteWOW! That is beautiful! You put alot of thought and time into this I see. I bet they appreciate it so much! I think I need one of those! Thanks for sharing that!
ReplyDeleteOh, BJ, this is fabulous! What a treasure for your children and for them to pass on!! I don't have many 'things' but do have some photos, so this is a great idea for Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your visit today and your sweet kind words. You are just precious to me!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia :)
That is so beautiful & a gift to be cherished forever! Think of it being passed on from generation to generation!
ReplyDeleteTake care, DebraK
Very sweet, BJ ... many years ago, I used the same type of shadow boxes to create a keepsake of each of my children's Baby's First Christmas ornaments.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Victoria
That's just about the sweetest gift I've ever seen. You are lucky to come from a family who had enough forethought to save these things knowing that they would have meaning someday. My family has always lived very "in the moment," so I don't have keepsakes.
ReplyDeleteHi sweet BJ...I'm so glad you shared this wonderful idea again, because I'm one of those who wasn't around last year. You had such a varied collection of keepsakes to go with the pictures..
ReplyDeleteJust a priceless gift. ;-) Bo
I thought the idea was lovely when I first read about it and love the idea even more now. Such a fabulous, meaningful keepsake!
ReplyDeleteBJ,
ReplyDeletethat is such a sweet thing. How wonderful to have those beloved objects showcased that way. Thank you for sharing that. I love the pictures and your dear mother's glasses.
Warmly,
Deanna :)
I had forgotten about this, I am glad you posted it.
ReplyDeleteI did one for my Dad of his father but I love how yours puts it all together.
Betty
Hi again, I have been thinking about all the treasures I could put in my memory box. And you're right, even though I don't have a lot of small things from my ancestors, I could start saving things today to do one for my granddaughter. That's a great idea.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea. It looks beautiful and it's a great conversation piece..AND it is a wonderful keepsake....now how many things can you say that about!! I need to make one of these myself!
ReplyDeleteHey BJ; What a lovely idea, love the box. That is a great way to keep the family memories.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week
Hugs;
Alaura
BJ, I don't think that many posts have warmed my heart as much as your Roots Memory Box. I enjoy researching our family genealogy and, to me, the possessions in your Memory Box are priceless. I have small things that belonged to family members (i.e. my grandmother's bright red slip, my grandfather's purple heart from World War I). I would love to make a Memory Box. Your mother was beautiful and your father so handsome. Don't you love to think of their courtship? Please share the letter that your mother wrote you (if you are comfortable in sharing it). Thanks for the wonderful post.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Sweetie
I remember thses memory boxes...I think they are just wonderful. I love the one you made for your dear daughter and all the rememberance associated with all the sweet pieces...hugs, Linda
ReplyDeleteBJ - That is just wonderful. A real treasure for your children to hand down to their children - and it goes on.
ReplyDeleteWonderful idea. I may have to try something like that.
Hugs.
Hi BJ,
ReplyDeleteThat is the sweetest, most thoughtful gift ever! Seeing this just made me cry because it is such a treasure...just like you.
Hugs,
Dena
Hello, BJ, thank you for sharing this marvelous idea. You really have something special here. I am inspired to get my keepsakes together, too. Love, Faith
ReplyDeleteOmigosh, BJ, what a fabulous idea to make a memory box like that! I just love the one you made that you showed on this post. Simply beautiful with so many memories within it!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteWow! Super idea, and so pretty! Thanks for sharing these.
ReplyDeleteYou are very lucky to have so many family trasures, very clever in displaying them the way you have & very generous to give them to your loved ones!
ReplyDeleteThis is so wonderful. Just such a treasure BJ. And what a sweet way to display these precious memories.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Sue