I Heart Old Things

I like vintage stuff. Vintage kitchen appliances (last year I was on a vintage mixers kick), antique books, vintage dishes, antique toys, and vintage linens are a few of my favorites. Right now I seem to be on the linens kick. A couple of months ago my dad asked me to clean out some of my mothers things that had been left in a drawer of her dresser, untouched for years. I knew the items were there. I had spent several quiet afternoons alone in my father's house over the past few years, snooping through my mom's things, lifting each item delicately from its resting place, unfolding and gently refolding after I relived long ago memories. In the drawer that he sent me to were about 7 or 8 old aprons. All but one were for little girls, made probably 40-50 years ago by the hands of my grandmother and great grandmother. The designs and colors varied, mostly gingham, trimmed in lace. One is a light gingham blue, trimmed in white lace. Others are gingham green, trimmed in red ric rac, with a tiny rose made from red ribbon on the little pocket. One is made from cloth patterned with Santa's big rosy smiling face. I vaguely remember those little aprons, wearing them as a tiny girl. I found one that my mom wore all the time. I vaguely remember my grandmother wearing it too. I'm not sure how old it is but I can remember my mom wearing it throughout my childhood and later in my adult years. I brought it all home with me. I spent this weekend gently washing each apron and hanging it to dry, then pressing with the iron. I was careful of the delicate lace trim, some of which was already spotted brown with stain and even had tiny little holes. I don't know what to do with them. I went ahead and packed away the little aprons, in a box with tissue. I'll share them with my sister, perhaps if she comes to visit this summer.

Daddy also sent me home with a few vintage doilies, made by the hands of my aunt, long gone to heaven. One doilie is fairly large. I plan to put it in the center of my dining table, maybe add a tall vase of long stemmed calla lillies. I like simplicity.

Aren't these table linens lovely? I am longing for a set of vintage table linens, like these, with a beautiful, yet subtle design. I'm sure there are some around my childhood home somewhere. I'll go snooping, or junkin' the local antique stores soon. Maybe, when I head south to my sea islands next week, I'll spend a day junkin' around Brunswick and Savannah.

I'll take pictures soon of the aprons and doilies. I'd love ideas about what to do with the little aprons. The big apron of my mama's? I'll be using that one. Carefully.