Archive for January, 2008

Thoughts of Fall

By fromskilledhands ( January 29, 2008 at 9:49 pm) · Filed under Change, Collecting, Discoveries, Musings

I came across a post I had started before the snows came, when the rich intense colors of Autumn abounded. I’m not quite sure why I never posted it; I fully intended to do so—-really.

Fall is the time of Harvest. The garden, somewhat neglected this year, has spots of color: the beautiful blush of tomatoes on the vine, the bright green of celery and chard waiting to be picked. Some parts are going back to the soil, the brown of their stems and leaves merging with the rich dark dirt.

We are also harvesting in other ways. Harvesting family history. We have discovered an old box in the basement, full of newspapers and magazines from years long gone. Fragile newspapers announcing WWI; papers describing “society” weddings of the day; celebrations of the end of WWI. Items saved by my father-in-law’s father.

There are Time magazines from 1945 and sections from newspapers that no longer exist that talk about WWII and that decry the atrocities of the day. Funny how some things don’t really change… There are papers that had been taped to windows requesting that passers-by purchase War Bonds. There are magazines that my mother-in-law, an English war bride, brought from England. A box full of interesting and amazing parts of the past.

These are part of the tapestry of our family. The question is, what to do with them; what to keep, how to keep it, where to store them. They sit in a box, waiting for the answer to come. I’ll let you know what it is.

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Simple Gifts

By fromskilledhands ( January 7, 2008 at 5:45 pm) · Filed under Art, Clay, Collecting, Craft, creativity, Discoveries, Gifts, little Blue Santa, Toys

Gifts come in all kinds of forms and packages, from the flashy gift wrap of a high end store, to the wonderfully simple muslin marble bag of the Little Blue Santa. The gift of friendships old and new; of relationships that grow organically, without pressure or intent.

The process of the Little Blue Santa has been like that: it has grown of its own accord; pieces and parts have fallen into place, in their own way, at their own time. I am still amazed at how it has grown, and continues to do so. There is something about this little guy that touches something very deep in so many people. People have shared their stories with us: childhood memories of the traditions of family members long gone; of celebrations and of delicately crafted ornaments and decorations; of preparing and sharing food; and of the magic of the season.

One woman is the genealogist for her family. She had found a family member who had worked at the American Marble and Toy Manufacturing Company prior to the fire. Others have remembered the traditions from their Ukranian and Bavarian grandparents. People who had grown up in Germany and in Eastern Europe shared their stories and memories. Samuel Dyke’s great-grandson visited us and shared his remembrances.

Fourteen skilled hands and many more hearts have shared in the making of the Little Blue Santa. These are the true gifts, from the mostly women and children who labored in the factory so many years ago, to those of us who are passionate about the wonder of this journey, and who share this vision.

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