A couple weeks ago, we went through the last of Grandma’s things and divided it up amongst the family. Whatever we didn’t keep got donated. There’s just something so final about that. And while I knew things at Goodwill once belonged to someone, it gave new meaning to all the trinkets you find on the shelves there. They probably belonged to someone else’s Grandma, too. And, now I want to go and scoop them all up and love those items as much as those Grandmas once did.
There were a few surprise findings. There is a blue velvet dress that belonged to Grandma’s mother and it is in PRISTINE condition. I believe the note says it was bought in the 1920’s. We are now looking for places where we can get it cleaned and preserved. It’s a part of the family history and I insisted we keep it.
The other thing that surprised us, was a dress of Grandma’s that we found. It’s so nice, it could almost be a wedding dress! It’s creamy white with the most beautiful lace over the bodice. None of us can fit it, and we’re wondering what we’d do with it if we preserved it like the other dress.
My initial thoughts were to have a dress maker make some little doilies for the granddaughters to carry at their weddings. Or little drawstring bags for the same purpose. It would be lovely to have something they could keep for that special day. Something they could put in their hope chests until then.
What would you do?
Besides the dresses, we found some wonderful crystal bells, candy dishes and serving platters, as well as some holiday figurines to keep. I can’t wait to start using them and display the treasures in my new house! And beyond that, I think it would be a beautiful thing to keep some things for my daughters to have once they get a house of their own. What would you keep and what would you pass down?
~Jamie
No Delusions of Grandeur 
Bittersweet post. My paternal grandmother share her wedding dress with us a few years before her death. The fabric was crepe and pretty well disintegrated. It had faded from it’s once deep green color to a light sea foam. I removed the lace panels from the dress and had each one matted and framed for the girls in the family and one for my grandmother. It was a great way of sharing her special day with all of us and making sure that it would be long remembered.
Hope you find a way to preserve the beauty and the memories of your special dresses.
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That’s beautiful! I would love to do something like that. I’m pretty sure nobody cares what’s done with the dress, they just don’t want to have to store it with no plan in place. It’ll just sit there and disintegrate.
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