Dearest friends,
Started this post with "I've been in a slump" but thought, maybe I should check the meaning of being in a slump.
Here's what Celestine Chua from Personal Excellence wrote:
Slump: A period of decline or deterioration, during which a person performs slowly, inefficiently, or ineffectively.
After a while, you feel drained. Since nothing you do amounts to anything, you feel like doing nothing. Eventually, you turn to sleep for comfort, hoping that everything will be better when you wake up.
and these days, I can't even count on sleep for comfort because of shoulder pain! :) It's getting better, I promise.
this is not my coffin, it's Mama's old cedar chest. So, I went about the house looking for things that make me feel happy. The chest makes me happy, oh, and so does my favorite old china cabinet...
Think it could hold a few more pieces? A few of these were gifts from dear blogging friends...the small pink pitcher from Diane, and the two beautiful teacups and saucers (sitting on top, center shelf) were from Sharon. The bunny bowls from Andee...
Oh, my sweet little bunnies. I still miss my real bunnies.
The little wall cabinet filled with teeny tiny pieces makes me happy...
Oh, how could I not feel happy, looking inside Mama's old cedar chest at some of the things she embroidered...
These pillowcases are my favorite! There was a dime store in the little town of Vass, not far from where Mama lived. They carried lots of embroidery items. When I spent the night with her, we would go there and pick out something special to embroider.
but my embroidery was just not as pretty as Mama's work so after finishing her beautiful pillowcases, she finished the little blue birds.
This set of pillowcases, I'm still working on, but it has been so long, I don't even know where to find the other one. :(
This one had pink lace crocheted onto the scarf. That must have been so hard to do!
Oh, how could I not feel happy, looking inside Mama's old cedar chest at some of the things she embroidered...
These pillowcases are my favorite! There was a dime store in the little town of Vass, not far from where Mama lived. They carried lots of embroidery items. When I spent the night with her, we would go there and pick out something special to embroider.
I picked out a set of pillowcases to embroider that had flowers and birds...
but my embroidery was just not as pretty as Mama's work so after finishing her beautiful pillowcases, she finished the little blue birds.
This set of pillowcases, I'm still working on, but it has been so long, I don't even know where to find the other one. :(
I have lots of other embroidery pieces...some very old, picked up at yard sales over the years. I used to love embroidering dresser scarves.
This one had pink lace crocheted onto the scarf. That must have been so hard to do!
More pieces from the old chest...
When Mama was old enough to leave home and get a job in the nearby town of Ashboro NC, she bought this beautiful cedar chest and made monthly payments on it. Her first big purchase.
Gosh, if you're still here, thank you! I've missed you.
Love,
Henny
I've missed you too Henny. I'm sorry that you are still in pain and had to go looking for happy. It does look like you have a LOT to be happy about. Just the sight of that beautiful embroidery you and your Mama did makes me happy and I don't even have the memories you do. I would love to do more embroidery. I used to do lots of pillowcases and dresser scarves but I haven't done any in years. Your post has encouraged me to find something in the near future. I will be praying for you to soon be completely healed my dear friend.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and love,
Betsy
Thank you Betsy. You do such beautiful work and make so many things to give away. Seems like dresser scarves was a favorite for young girls to make for their hope chests years ago.
DeleteOh, your embroidery pieces are lovely! My grandma gave me quilt patches to embroider what I was 7. It took until I was 18 or 19 to get them finished, and even then I had help from a few other people. My cedar chest holds extra quilts and comforts. At my grandma's sale my daughter bought grandma's cedar chest which she can now start filling with her treasures. My daughter embroidered quilt patches for a crib quilt. We have it finished except for the binding.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I bet your quilt turned out beautiful, and the crib quilt too. It takes me forever to finish things like your quilt patches. I get so impatient, wanting it finished, so most times they never get finished. :) So glad your daughter got your grandma's cedar chest. Things like that are so special.
DeleteHi! It was a discouraging day for me too as such fatigue but I loved to see the embroidery pieces. You are so lucky to have your Mom's Cedar chest. I have some embroidery pieces but have not done much myself.....Nancy
ReplyDeleteHey Nancy. Sorry you had a discouraging day too. Those days seem to come too often lately, don't they? Embroidery is so pretty.
DeleteHi Henny, I've missed you! I hate that you are still having so much pain and I so wish the doctor could find something to help you. You are so wise to go looking for happy things. I love that and think I should do the same on some days. Your Mama's cedar chest is gorgeous and I so enjoyed getting to see the beautiful embroidered items she made! It really takes me back to see those.
ReplyDeleteWhen you mentioned your bunnies you reminded me of something I've been meaning to tell you. My granddaughter has adopted a baby miniature lop eared bunny! She named her Beatrice and she is just the sweetest little thing! I thought of you when I first saw her. I sure hope you feel better soon!
Thank you Bonnie. I go back to the shoulder/arm doctor Friday and will probably get an injection in each shoulder. It will be good to sleep through the night again. Oh my, I bet your granddaughter loves that tiny bunny. I am so tempted to get another bunny. I will look for the miniature lop eared bunnies on line. :) Thank you.
DeletePleased to read your problem is getting
ReplyDeletebetter Henny..It'll take time, try and
be a little patient..! You'll get there! :)
I have an old chest..(ottoman)..of mia Mama's
in one of the spare rooms, just about the
same size..and as mia Mama was only 5ft tall,
l used to say..jokingly..we'll fold her over,
and bury her in it..! :).
Half the family wanted her cremated, half wanted
her buried..anyway..we decided to let her live a
bit longer..HeHe! :O).
And..Mia Mama had a china cabinet about that size
to, went she went over, l lady living nearby liked
it so l gave it to her..empty of course, as it was
full of cut glass, now, living in my glass cabinet!
I could handle embroidery as a boy, as Sicilian boys
are raised just like the girls, they cook, sow, knit
and embroider...might have a problem with it now!
The pillowcases are lovely to..nice BIG flowers!
And l have the exact pink dinner/tea set, l bought
back in 1973..on our return to the UK..it all cost
me £12..($15.73)..it's a 'Constable' painted set..!
And to~day each item cup/saucer/plate etc is worth
£12 each..each piece of the set..! But! I still use
it on a daily basis..though l have broke a couple
of cups, couple of saucers and a serving dish...! :(.
Must get on..busy! busy! over here, having a new
fence fitted on the right of my home..gone is the
Privit hedge..and the fence is being repaired on the
left..so it's ALL happening..! :O)
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Willie, thank you so much. You are so funny, talking about your Mia Mama and the chest. Only 5' tall. I would have pictured her as a tall lady. I bet your glass pieces are beautiful and the pink dishes. I love the pink ones! The few dinner plates and saucers in my cabinet came from a thrift store in Virginia. I look for pieces all the time. I have no teacups to go with the saucers. Teacups were probably broken easily, especiall the handles. Luck you getting a new fence...I love fences and gates!
DeleteHope you will be soon feeling all better..and as soon as the cold weather goes away..that surely will help. Its a different Season every few days here right now..but welcome to NC. :0) ..or the Sunny South. I love all of your beautiful furniture pieces..and also, your Needle Art Embroidery. I collect it when I see it affordable..though I have never personally created any other than a few past cross stiches. I love all of the vintage worked linens. So pretty.. Hope you get a fix soon for your shoulder..living with any kind of pain is so difficult. Take care and have a blessed Spring.
ReplyDeleteThank you ChiChi Mum! Have you ever seen anything like this NC weather!! We've had beautiful sunshine lately but the cold wind makes the days miserable. The days will warm up soon and that always makes me happy. When I see the shoulder doctor on Friday, I think he will give me an injection in each shoulder. Hope you have a wonderful spring too.
DeleteBest wishes today...about the wind..it sure blows that pollen around and for those of us with allergies...yuk..lol Getting a bit aged...well.. brings out all kinds of things we have never known or felt..therefore, I agree.."aint for sissies". :0( Take care and hope you are enjoying your beautiful abode outdoors very soon.
DeleteSometimes that trip down memory lane is just the thing to get us out of this slump. I love looking at all these beautiful things that you have. They remind me of what my grandmother used to do and my mother. I tried to embroidery in crochet as well as they did that I never think that it turns out near as pretty. I certainly enjoyed looking at all your lovely thing and up here work still cold and ugly outside this post cheered me up.
ReplyDeleteHi HENNY,
ReplyDeleteIt is good that you have the Chest and Embroidery so dear to your Mother and it is very special to You- every bit made of great memories for sure. The only item I have from my Mum is a small Broach- it isn't real gold and the diamonds are glass - though it does not matter - it was Mum's favorite Broach and I do remember Mom wearing it at home. Mum passed away at 'Little Bay Hospital' some 45 years ago from heart failure- Mum was 64. Best Wishes. KEV.
There were many similar dresser scarves, pillow cases, tea towels, and doilies when my sister and I went through our mother's things (which included a lot of her own mother's). It must have been such a popular thing to do. Those lambs and baskets showed up on many items. I do hope that you start to make your way out of your slump, but chronic pain can do that to a person. You're allowed. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteOh, Melba, I'm so sorry that you're still hurting! Long-term pain is so awful, and it does WEAR YOU DOWN :(
ReplyDeleteThe linens are simply stunning! That apron with the little lambs is precious! I have a few pieces, but none like those. My daughter, who's 30, loves to do handwork like that. It's nice that somebody is still doing it.
Get better, dear friend! It's hard to see the Happy when you Hurt!
Those are beautiful embroidery pieces. I have quite a few that my mother in law did. The ladies in my family were more into crocheting so I have several doilies and such from them! I hope you found some happy but don't worry, this too shall pass.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful handwork! Thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteMelba, I feel the same way...in a slump. My personal slump has lasted for a few years, now. It gets harder and harder to find things that make me smile (other than my grandblessings). I love every piece of embroidery! Your Mama had a great hand, didn't she! Mine always looks like a kid did it but I love it anyways!
ReplyDeleteFriend, I pray both of us get out of this slump very soon!
Grace & Peace,
Pam
Melba, I am so glad to hear from you! I have been in my own slump, so don't feel alone. However, your mama's cedar chest and the beautiful items in it are beyond beautiful! What treasure, things made by yours and your mama's hands. I hope your health is on the mend, waiting for a report! Enjoy the beautiful weather as soon as you can! Love you from the mountains! Take care of yourself
ReplyDeleteHey Terry. Seems like a lot of us have been feeling down lately. Maybe warm beautiful spring will help us all...once spring decides to stick around. We keep going back to freezing weather. Thank you. Hope you feel better (happy) soon. Love, Melba
DeleteMe too-as far as being in a slump! I enjoyed looking at your beautiful embroidered treasures!
ReplyDeleteHi Henny! ♥ So sorry you're feeling slumpish...I went through that myself the last few weeks...I had to really push to do things that normally gave me joy. For me anyway, it's the time of year, a little cabin fever waiting for spring. What beautiful things your Mom created! I love the pillow cases with the cute birds!! ☺
ReplyDeleteI spent a while just looking at the pictures of your china cupboard full of prettiness. You know me and pretty china!! Your embroidered pieces are so sweet. I love Bluebirds and the ones on your pillowcases are so cheerful.
ReplyDeleteI think once Spring is really here we'll all feel more encouraged. I sure hope we do anyway.
That is such a lovely cedar chest and such a nice size, not so large as most you see. And the lift out section there on the right makes it easier to go through looking for some small specific piece. The embroidered things are beautiful. Just think how much time and effort went into making them.
ReplyDeleteThank you Victoria. I do like having the little tray that lifts out of the chest. All this has kind of got me in the moos to embroider.
DeleteIt's good to see you here!
ReplyDeleteLooking at happy things is always good, and I enjoyed your sharing of these good thing. The embroidery is so pretty! I remember learning it while staying at an aunts house when my youngest sister was born. She started my cousin and I on a pillow case. What a fun memory you brought up today.
Well dear Henny, we've missed you too! Thanks for coming back. So sorry to hear you're feeling a little down...that can happen to any of us....but hope seeing all the things you love that you've posted, has cheered you up a bit! Seeing all those things in your mama's cedar chest sure has made me smile! Such beautiful handiwork that she did and also that you did! I love cedar chests. Also love your china cabinet and all the sweet things in there. You wouldn't like our weather....we've had 3 ice storms and branches laying all over the ground. So sad. Hope your weather is better than ours. Winter just doesn't want to give up this year, it seems. Take good care Henny, we all care about you and hope you've feeling good as new soon!
ReplyDeleteWell I appreciate that, Diane. I've got to cheer up and stop posting about my aches and pains, and about feeling down. So many bad things going on right now and I really do have a lot to be thankful for. Three ice storms! That would be depressing. We have been back into below freezing night and cold windy days. Hopefully spring will come back to stay for us all. Thank you for your sweet comment.
DeleteI hope all of these lovely comments are cheering you up. You are loved and we are sad that you are still n so much pain.
ReplyDeleteI have some old embroidered pieces from my grandmother. I even did a bit of embroidery when I was a girl. Those days were so long ago now.
Late commenting here, Henny. But hope you feel better soon. Part of it is the weather and the pandemic... and of course pain doesn't help either. But spring is here and although not at it's peak yet, will be soon. This will help I think and if you get some relief for your shoulder, things will look up. The cedar chest is beautiful. I used my mother's and then gave it to my daughter. She still has it in her guest's room. And although 'things are just things', their memories are precious.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry you are still in pain. I wish you could get back to normal sooner. It is not fun living with pain.
ReplyDeleteI love your china cabinet, but oh, that embroidery. I so loved looking at it. My mom had a chest--not a cedar chest. Just a home made wooden chest. And every now and then she would let me get in it and look. It had extra sets of sheets and towels that had never been used. And it had pillowcases, etc that my sisters mainly had embroidered. I just really loved them.
What beautiful embroidery. It filled me with nostalgia for times gone by when things seemed slower and we had more beauty around us. One so seldom sees such beautiful things being used now.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are soon feeling better, it has been a long road for you. Hugz, Mxx
You have some lovely embroidered pieces, just beautiful work!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry you're still having so much pain. You must be so anxious for Friday to come. I pray the shots will give you blessed relief.
ReplyDeleteWhen we're cautioned about having too many material things, surely "they" weren't talking about your Mama's cedar chest and the precious things inside it, or your pretty china. Memories are attached to those things, and there comes a time in life when we need that kind of happiness, having them to touch, admire, and remember. I remember when cedar chests were awards given by furniture stores to graduating high school girls (probably in a drawing.) They were called Hope Chests, to be filled with the things a girl would need when she got married. (I'm sure your Mama bought her chest for that reason.) I remember one time in the late 40's, early 50's when plastic by the yard came on the market. My aunt helped my cousin to line an orange crate with maroon colored plastic held with thumbtacks for a Hope Chest. They filled it with tea towels, potholders, etc. I learned to embroider as a very young girl and still love to do it. My mother had every surface covered with starched and ironed doilies and dresser scarves, and although she couldn't do it herself, she paid a lady (the one who taught me) to embroider pillowcases and to crochet edgings on them. I have some of Mom's, and along with my own and others I've collected, there are drawers full of them. It's such a lift to choose from them when housecleaning, to pick something happy and new to look at. God bless you dear Melba - may your pain soon be gone. Never apologize for speaking about it - see how many prayers are being sent up for you!! We're all in this world together. ♥♥♥
Hi, I have missed you too.
ReplyDeleteI do hope things are getting better regarding your pain.
I love the stories you share about your Mama, please continue to do so.
Love, Carla
So many beautiful things in this post dear Henny Penny! Those linens ... just adorable. I'm so sorry to read you are still enduring lots of pain - it can be so wearying being in pain alot. I remember from when I broke my neck - it was constant & did get me down. I hope the Dr can get some relief for you & you can start feeling like your old self again Henny. xx
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog, and leaving comments.
ReplyDeleteYou asked how to Follow my blog.... My "Side Bar" is on the bottom of my blog. It's my "Bottom Bar." >,-)
So scroll down, down, down, past the 3 posts on my page, and you will find my Profile Page and etc. There is the Blogger 'thing,' to Follow My Blog. I hope this works for you.
If you scroll down farther, past the big picture of Tom Brady, you will find my Blog List, using the Blogger Follow Gadget. But, it has not been working correctly, all the time. -sigh- May not be showing all new post. I can not add new Blogs to it. -sigh-
So, I made a private Blog, with the links to the blogs I follow on it. I have to click on each one, to see if they have new posts, but it's better than not knowing.
Hope this helps.
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An addition to my last comment...
ReplyDeleteI am starting a Blogging Break right now. So please don't expect new posts, for a wee bit.
I keep using my productive time, on blogging. And my house is getting messy. Only way to fix this is.... To take a little blogging break. Get things straightened up. Come back to blogging, with a plan, to get both done, daily. Both housework and blogging.
'Cause a messssssssy house, drives me up a wall, as the old saying goes.
And I do hope you get out of your doldrums. -sigh- The state of our Beloved Country, and of the World, is enough to depress anyone!!!!!!!! And make it hard, to 'put one foot in front of the other.'
Looking at all the lovely, lovely, lovely things you have, seems like a great way, to try to make yourself feel better.
Your Mother was a amazing seamstress!!!!!!!!! The way she "filled" the petals of flowers!!!!! Gorgeous. Don't think I have ever seen such an effect, before. Just lovely....
Don't let "The So-Called News" ruin your life!
Courage!!!!!!
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awesome post
ReplyDeleteOh, Henny, my mom did the same thing! She got her first job right out of high school and started paying every week on a cedar chest and then filling it with things for her married life! She is 95 now and still has her “hope chest” in her bedroom. It’s so sweet. I love all your embroidered linens and your pretty china cabinet. I’m sorry you are feeling sluggish and I’m glad you looked around and found things to cheer you up. What cheers me up is getting outside. I have been sitting on my porch and walking in the woods and appreciating all the spring things I can see and hear and smell. If I don’t get outside, I definitely get sluggish too. I hope this is a better week for you. Sending love and hugs!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing all of your embroidery and even more hearing the stories that went along with them. Wonderful memories to pass on to your children.
ReplyDelete