UPDATE: The winner is…Jeanine Lesperance!
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In January 2020, I lost my mom. After losing my grandmother and father the two previous years, one after the other, my family and I were drained. We inherited their home, and my daughter and her family moved in—and immediately, we had the job of paring down their belongings to make room for my daughter’s family’s possessions. A lot of things that held precious memories went to other family members. My mother was an artist, and most of her paintings flew out the door to relatives who had favorite pieces. Things that hung on the wall for years were gone. It was sad, but we all wanted a memory, something we’d treasure from a woman who was the center of our family made with her own hands and talent.
I inherited all of my mother’s art supplies. And admittedly, and to my daughter’s dismay, I didn’t pare down the treasure trove she left me. She was more into oil paintings, and I keep those paint tubes thinking someday I’ll make the leap and follow her there, but she also enjoyed watercolor painting.
The other day, when I was looking for a piece of paper to begin a new watercolor painting, I picked up an old pad of mom’s paper, and something fell out from between the pages. It’s a painting in neutral sepia tones of my sister, Elle James, and myself as children playing dress-up. I sat with the painting in my hands, smiling. It was “loose” with fun pencil squiggles to portray the flowers on the fabric. I loved it and immediately went in search of a frame. It’s now on my office wall. All I have to do is look to the left at the wall next to me to see her painting. It’s so nice having something of hers right there beside me. I feel like she’s looking over my shoulder.
First, solve the puzzle to see the painting! Next, tell me whether you have a possession from a loved one that brings you closer to them for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!
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What a beautiful gift to have found!
I have pics my grandma took, an ornament she made, a blanket from her house, and many wonderful memories of her.
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My mom’s wedding rings, dads Knights of Columbus ring, afghan made by my grandmother.
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Beautiful painting. Such a wonderful memory to have. I have a cradle my dad made me when I was about 5 years old. We lost him on Dec 21 2005. I miss him every day. Hugs to you.
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I have a painting my sister made. She only made one.
I only have a few things of my father’s, a belt buckle and a western string tie.
I have a lot of things from my mother, all her jewelry, but the thing I treasure the most is a teacup my father brought back to her from his time in Korea. She treasured it and so I do too.
From my grandmother, I have a jacket and a headscarf she used to wear. She was always a hoot.
A great post DD. Merry Christmas!
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Yes many since we had to clean out my dads house that’s been in the family for more than 91 years! Auction is on 12/30! Hardest thing I’ve ever done!
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Handmade quilt my grandma made for my 26th birthday
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What a treasure! You’re lucky to have found that. I don’t have any of the art my dad created with paint or pen, but we do have a big toy barn he built for my boys when they were small, and a desk and chair he built when they were a bit older, so I can still see some of the lovely work he did.
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I Have a Teapot collection that belonged to my grandmother. It Brings back a lot of wonderful memories.
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it’s gorgeous, i’m glad you found this treasure as memories, i lost my mother as well and i keep her foulard it still has her scent and it’s comfort me
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These memories are so precious. I hadn’t really thought much about it until you brought it up. But, I have many of these precious things all over my house. I think the dearest ones are the blankets on my bed. The quilt I finished using the quilt top my paternal grandmother pieced. The quilt my maternal grandmother had made from her double knit pant suits. The quilt that first belonged to my father made for him by his grandmother graces the foot of my bad. I go to bed every night wrapped in generations of my family’s love. It is kind of awesome.
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Just commenting for fun. I love the picture. It’s so sweet! My grandmother died many years ago. One night last year, I had a dream that we were talking and she told me she had something to give me. It felt so real, but when I woke up, I knew it was only a dream. Except, a day or two later, a package arrived in the mail. It was a dresser scarf embroidered by my grandmother sent from my mother’s cousin, who said she found it among her things and wanted me to have it.
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What a lovely thing to find! I’m hoping to move next year and have been going thru things to pare down – the next generation isn’t interested in lots of the china etc – but there are some things like my grandfather’s accordion, the pistols he carried for protection in Belfast during the early 20th century as he went between home & his job in the Belfast shipyards, the afghan my Mom knitted and her handwritten recipes.
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I didn’t think I do
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I know this picture! Elle has it on her website. I’m so happy you found this drawing from your mother. What a wonderful memory. I ended up with some of the oddest things from Mom and Dad’s house. The things that bring them closer would probably be odd to anyone else, a dish, a knick knack – but the warm emotions they evoke are nonetheless so comforting and real.
Happy Christmas! May your season be filled with more memory making.
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4:01 – I have a brooch that my mother gave to her mother. I treasure it.
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I have recipes that my mom wrote out…I love them
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I have a lot of my mom’s craft supplies – yarn, fabric and such. I have my dad’s Victrola and letters from WW2 (he was one of those Band of Brothers guys – Special Forces before they were called that!). And from my youngest sister, I have some jewelry.
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I remember the feeling when I found some of my father’s paintings. None of us had ever seen them. I have them hanging in various places around my house. It really does make me feel close to him now that he’s gone.
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nope
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my greatgrandmother tried to teach me crochet beyond the basic stitches… she could use thin cotton string and make the most amazing doilies and table runners.. I was always in awe but my big bear-like hands made it impossible… but I still have a bunch of her handiwork and it’s so gorgeous
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I wish I culd share a photo. The year I was born my Grandmther decided to try her hand at wood carving, she created a full set of furniture, a side table, single chair and foot stool and a chaise lounge. Once she finished carving the wood, my Grandfather helped her out by upholstering each peice with all the correct springs and adding. She then finished each peice off with her sewing skills and together they created these beautiful peices that I always remember in there house.
My aunt moved to England and took the foot stool with her as a reminder so when my grandparents passed she asked us to ship the chair to her too. neither my dad or Uncle wanted the other peices so my and my brother spoke up, He took the table and I got the lounge. To this day its a proud peice of furniture in my Lounge room.
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I have several things from my sister that I cherish.
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4:48
What a wonderful thing to find! I have a diamond cocktail ring that was my mother’s. I remember how much she wanted the ring and my dad said she didn’t need it so she saved her own money and bought it. It was the only thing of hers that I wanted when she passed away.
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I have 2 Afghans that my MIL crocheted for us 38 years ago. They lay across the back of the couch and once in awhile it is cold enough to actually use them.
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I have a blue carnival glass bowl that my mother used all the time, as well as a multitude of pictures of family members for at least 3 generations past. I am most sorry about not having a set of painted dessert dishes which was passed down from her mother, but my aunt made the mistake of requesting them at mom’s funeral and my father was so upset about that, that he immediately divided them up between his 3 kids. I have mine, but have no idea what happened to the others after my siblings’ deaths.
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I have the only photos that my Grandparents from my father’s side allowed my uncles and aunts to take of them before they died. There is no photo of them that had survived wear and tear after many years. And the others that we knew excited could never be found. I have them hanging on my lounge room wall. I miss them so much.
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I have a few odd and ends that belonged to my husband. The kids keep saying they want this or that but neither is in a stable situation right now so I keep everything.
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I have a ring my grandmother gave me in secret when I was 10yrs old. My mom never knew about it until years after grandma passed away.
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I loved reading all the stories of the wonderful Christmas gifts and memories you all shared. Thank you!
The winner of the Amazon gift card is…Jeanine Lesperance!