Me and Mary and a Christmas Sweater

For Christmas, my Mom gave me a handknit sweater that her grandmother, my Great Grandmother, Mary Guthrie Donaldson knitted for her. She said it was the last thing she knit for her so I'm thinking this was made in the 1960's. It is super warm. It is not extremely flattering nor is it my favorite color. However, I love it. It is knitted beautifully and with a little pink lipstick it somehow makes the color look better on me. Does that sound retro-housewife? Oh well, it's true. My Mom said she wanted me to have it since I knit. The knitting gene skipped both her and her Mother. Apparently, she knit a lot of clothes for her three girls as well.



Here is Mary (the maker of the sweater) second from right. See the beautiful bows... she made all of these for her three daughters. My Grandmother, who, unfortunately, I never met is on the right. I am named after her. The other two, my great-aunts, Jessie (left) and Janet are in their 90's. Janet was a milliner and a wonderful seamstress. I guesss she too got the gene.

I am so happy to have this sweater.

Tuesday and my love for vintage hankies

Yes, hanky is a funny word. To some it may seem odd that I like to collect something that someone may have sneezed or blew into but, I do.
Some have been passed down to my from my Mother's family. Others, I have collected over the years.
I've thought about sewing all the squares into curtains. Maybe someday I will. I have so many cute prints and ones edged with crochet or decorated with embroidery. I've also seen them framed and hung together in a group (MS). Recently. I have been into garland so I decided to hang them over a clothesline in the kitchen. I love it.

A beginning

I used to keep a diary. I used to write. A lot.

I kept a diary when I was ten under lock and key and recorded silly little details about my days like, today I had a piano lesson and we had pizza for dinner. Or, Brendon Dillon asked me to be a cheerleader for his basketball team, I said 'yes', but, my Dad said 'no'.

Then came my journal of trips which my Father thought would be a good idea to include how much the tolls and hotel rooms were costing us. I also included how many times we got sick. There are also some funny stories and intesting details to be had. Unfortunately, we drove everywhere for vacation: Canada, the Eastern seaboard. I say unfortunately, because if you have ever been in the car with my Dad you know it is a death trap. It is amazing my immediate family is still alive. He is the type of driver who pays no attention to the rules of the road...miss an exit..that's ok, pull off to the shoulder and back up for half a mile so you can make it. Yikes. I digress.

I had penpals all over the world. I used to get the most mail out of anyone in my family. I used to enjoy walking in the evening dusk to the mailbox after dinner to mail my letters. It was so interesting to read about all these people's lives all over the world: Australia, England, Africa to name a few. I still wish I could meet these girls. I know their faces. I remember their stories. Who and where are they now?


With the beginning of 2007, I decided go forward and start a blog and Etsy shop. I have been so inspired reading many blogs this past year and I want to join in. I want to write again and share with others my interests and love of being creative.

So, thank you, and Happy New Year. I hope your year brings you much joy.