Friday, September 17, 2010

Favourite Thing(s) Friday

**This is a re-post from last year, but I thought it was a good representation of my favourite things!**

Check out my friend, Mrs P's, Favourite Thing!

I am not a typical "girl". I'm not much into makeup or jewelry, I don't like flowers, and I'm not what you would call "soft". Oh, there is lots of physical softness, trust me, but I'm just not all warm and fuzzy. I like lots of personal space and I feel much more comfortable "conversing" on a computer. I also despise "stuff". I hate clutter, I hate keeping anything I don't use. There is, however, another side to my sentimentality. I have a few things that I hold near and dear to my heart and not because they are worth anything in the monetary realm, but because they have been given to me by those I love.

First and foremost, my wedding ring is important to me [for two reasons]. When Rob and I married, we didn't have money for anything other than a band for each of us. I was quite content with that, but had casually mentioned that if I had my choice of any ring, I would love to have one similar to my Nanny's (my maternal grandmother). After we had been married for five years, he purchased the very ring from her and "proposed" with it. It was nearly the sweetest thing he's ever done for me. I am in love with this ring, because it's from him and because it used to be hers.

My other grandmother was likewise quite special to me. She passed almost exactly four years ago. To say she was a lady was an understatement. She and my grandfather did quite a bit of traveling and they bought many special things and did a wonderful job of bequeathing them to family members [after her passing]. These plates were purchased in Israel and every time I see them I think of her.
































This is my dining room. This room holds all of my "special" things. It is the only room in my house that actually contains a full set of anything (furniture, china, glasses, silver). My silver was purchased for my "hope chest" at an estate sale, the "jelly glasses" were one of my Nanny's wedding presents [when she married], the china was bought by my dad in Japan when he was in the navy, and the furniture set was given to us by my Nanny when we purchased our home. I wish I could say that we used this room more, but that's also why these things have survived. My dad makes pottery in the winter and the vase on the buffet is one of ten things that he fired in a large outdoor kiln. I love the idea of a "hope chest": to slowly add special things to give your child on their wedding day. It is a bit of an antiquated idea, but very special all the same.

I hope you have special things in your life. Not because they are things, but because they remind you of people who love you.

7 comments:

  1. First of all, that paragraph describing yourself fits me to a T. Do you think we were two peas in the same pod at one point? ;)

    I love your favorite things, it's very touching and endearing. Thank you for showing us.

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  2. What a lovely post, Kirsten! I love all your favorites. Thanks so much for sharing! Visiting from FTF. Happy Friday! :o) Larri at SeamsInspired

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  3. A lovely post, it is wonderful to have special things that once belonged to loved family members. You have lots of beautiful things to show.
    I love your dining room, I don't have a specific dining room as my house is open plan.

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  4. I think that those of us who love to write are pretty similar in personality! I really wanted to copy Mrs P's favourite thing - what a great post!
    I just left you a huge comment on your blog!

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  5. thanks, ladies! Our house was built in 1955, when people still had dining rooms - the room isn't used very often, but that's probably why my breakable things have survived three kids!

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  6. What I am noticing about all of our posts is that not one of them has been about an expensive material object that we paid for. Many things have been about things we hold dear because they once belonged to someone we loved, or things that make us happy that dont cost a lot of money but are meaningful to us in some other way. How cool is it to meet like minded people!

    Now onto your jewellery- it is truly lovely. A classic piece. How wonderfully romantic of Rob to think of such a lovely way to honour his commitment to you.

    (And if I was an envious person-I;d be eyeing off your special cabinet contents , and sighing at all the great things in there !

    Thanks for sharing FTF .

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  7. Such a wonderful post! I think you've hit the nail on the head--so many of our favorite things are favorites because of the memories they inspire.

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