After the Parent's, Are Gone, Who Should Get the Family Photos?

My sister-in-law, my husband's oldest sister, arrived with a small photo album of old pictures.  I had never had the opportunity to see these photos before, this photo album was given to one of my brother-in-laws by my father-in-law a few years before his death. All the siblings asked him to see the photos and for some reason he would never share them, until now.

I was delighted to see photos of my husband when he was a small child and quickly got out my portable scanner.

This is the first time I have seen a photo of his grandmother.

Four of his eight siblings.

These are just a few of the  photos that I scanned. In all but two of these photos, George is the only sibling in the photo.  

Now for my question. . .

Should the original photos be given to the person in the picture, if no other person is in it? 

After having kept these photos from the family for several years, my brother-in-law has given the album to my sister-in-law who scanned all of the photos and put them on a DVD for each sibling. She is now the keeper of the photo album. 

I realize that I have scanned copies of these photos, which I am very happy to have, but the originals have slightly different coloration, texture and the sweet curly cuts on the sides, not to mention the date. These photos are the archaeology of my husband's childhood, of his joy and pleasure, they show the innocence of his youth.

However, in this digital age that we now live in does it really matter if I have the original photograph?

Am I being, overly sensitive because George is no longer with us or do I have a valid point. 

I would really like to know what your opinions are on this subject. 

Should old family photos be given to the person who is in the picture or their decendents or is a scanned copy good enough?

Lakefront Walk

The company has returned to their homes, all the bedding has been washed and placed back on the beds waiting for the next visitor. Love seeing family and friends but it's nice to get back to my normal routine.

I'm getting ready for our family vacation in Door County, Wisconsin, we leave on Saturday for seven fun- filled days, memory making days. This time the size of our group has grown by one with the birth of my sixth grandchild, Dominic Paul. Did I ever mention that Dominic's middle name is in honor of me? Well, that's what they tell me, but my son in laws name is Paul.

Had a relaxing afternoon with my oldest grandson, Declan at our beautiful lakefront enjoying the sights and sounds of Lake Michigan.

Feeding the ducks and the nasty geese.

Have you ever heard of ducks in a row?

Well, these were geese in a row. 

They were waiting to steal the bread being offered to the ducks.

Young ducks.

Sleeping ducks.

Hoping for a piece of bread to land somewhere on the cement

where the competition isn't as aggressive.

Lovely boats docked. 

Beautiful Lake Michigan.

This seagull sure does have a bird's eye view of the lake.

One of our lighthouses.

A selfie of me and my oldest grandchild.

Sculptures are scattered all around our lakefront.

Declan and I thought this looked like a person

wearing a party hat.

An area was fenced off while crews 

were getting everything ready for 

'The Taste of Kenosha' this weekend.

We watched as they setup this huge 

Adirondack chair. 

Yesterday the temperature was 66 with a strong breeze. Kenosha has a slogan 'Cooler near the lake.' It's true I could have used a sweater!

I will be absent for another ten days from blogging enjoying my family in Door County.  See you all soon.

Decluttering Vintage Dolls

Sorry, for my absence from blogging but I was hit by a bug and haven't been feeling well. I hope to get caught up reading my favorite blogs soon.

My blog posts will sporadic for the next few months, my niece and great nephew arrived from Florida for a weeks visit, my sister-in-law will arrive on Sunday and stay with me for a week, and at the end of the month is our family vacation in Door County, Wisconsin.

The great declutter of my basement continues although progress has been slow. I have found many things that I will keep and many, many, many things that I will give away or donate.

When I found this box and opened it up, I let out a little gasp and a loud EWWW! Here's the story, almost four years ago my friend's mother-in-law passed away. Her home was sold and the contents needed to be removed from the house. Before her passing, she asked her family not to have an estate sale but rather give her things away. Mary was in her late 80's and had lived in this house since she was a small child, the home was filled with wonderful items.

While cleaning out the attic, they found dolls that belonged to the oldest daughter. She has a son and was not interested in keeping the dolls, my friend and her husband had a daughter and son but neither were married, so no grandchildren to give the dolls too.

So you may have guessed that I was the recipient of these dolls for my only granddaughter Lulu Belle to play with.

The dolls have never been played with because they were put into the basement and forgotten about until the great declutter.

Let's have a look at these dollies.

These dolls actually are from my parents house and I have saved them all of these years. The blond doll has blue eyes, and the brunette has browneyes. Where are their clothes? Doesn't the brunette doll look a little like Snow White?

The next dolls were given to me by my friend. This pretty lady still had her hairnet on top of her head. Rhinestone earrings and necklace, fur wrap with a black satin gown. Her finger and toenails are painted red. Where did her shoes go?

This blue eyed baby still has her earrings and shoes, but she needs to have her hair styled.

Naked as a jaybird this sweet faced dolly appears to have a medical problem perhaps rosacea or scarlet fever. She does have a sweet face and rosebud mouth. 

This is the most frightening doll I have ever seen! The doll looks like it's furious and the piercing blue eyes are just creepy. All I can say is EWWW.

In the past four years, my friends daughter got married and had a baby. Her granddaughter is now 2 and a half years old so I am going to take these dolls over to her house for her granddaughter. I think theses keepsakes should stay in the family.

I sure hope this doesn't end our friendship !!

I'd like to extend a warm welcome to all of my new followers.

Thrift Share and Family Fun

I can't do it, I just can't do it! As I drove to the post office late Friday morning, every street corner seemed to host a sign pointing to a rummage sale or estate sale. I noticed each and every sign but kept on my charted course towards the post office.

After mailing my packages I took a different route home on a small county highway, I noticed several cars on both sides of the shoulder of the road, I rubbernecked as I drove past trying to get a peek of what was for sale. I drove a short distance and spotted another sale. Because I am weak in spirit, I stopped to take a look.

I came away with two vintage books one written in 1959 and the other in 1969. They were 50¢ each.

The baby book written in  1969 has advice for each stage of babies first years. This information is so antiquated, but that will be another post. I have never heard or read the story of 'Johnny-Crows Garden,' the graphics are fantastic, I'll also share more about this book later.

With my decluttering resolve broken I turned the car around and headed back to the sale with all of the cars. What an assortment of items that were for sale, handmade, new yard decorations and bird houses, clothes, and tables full of household items. Several people were stationed around the different areas. 

The first item I saw was a Pyrex bowl, it was not priced I walked over to the card table where you would pay and asked the ladies for the price. One looked at the other, they looked at my Pyrex bowl, shrugged their shoulders and asked if 25¢ was okay. Yipee!

My 25¢, 443 Pyrex bowl, holds 2 1/2 quarts and is a very subtle shade of yellow. I noticed the Brody hobnail vase and got that for 50¢. 

The bean pot had a pink sticker price tag of 50¢, how could I pass it up.

West Bend bean pot made in the USA, and the plastic picture frame, which will look so much better when I paint it a different color, was $1.00.

As I walked around the tables I tried to tell myself only buy things you will use or really need. My next purchase was neither of those, more like a want.

I saw this sitting on a table and thought  it was a shaker for bath powder, but when I turned it over there was no way to fill it.

After a few seconds, I realized it was a hat pin holder. This piece has been well loved and probably washed with harsh solutions as the gold paint is faded in several spots. There is not a maker's mark only the words 'hand painted.' Now all I have to do is find my collection of hat pins.

I sure didn't want to put these thrifty finds in my basement so, the hat pin holder now sits on the dresser in the guest room, a nice addition to the other vintage items on display.

After washing the Pyrex bowl I found a place for it in my cabinets, it is a nice size for mixing. 

The books, well those seem to be my weakness and will go with the rest of my books stored in wooden crates, after I finish reading them. 

Looking for the right shade of paint for the picture frame before I place one of my family photos in it for display.

The bean pot was washed and used on Saturday for a family cookout we had at my son's house. I told him and his wife to keep the bean pot.

What a lovely Saturday afternoon I spent with my three children, their spouses, my six grandchildren, and my sweet sister and brother-in-law.

Here are a few photos of our family fun.

I don't believe I will have a chance to work on my great declutter in the basement this week, but rest assured I will get back to it next week.

I hope to be linking with with theses parties.

Sir-Thrift-A Lot:  Thriftasaurus

A Living Space: The Nifty Thrifty

Costal Charm:  Show and Share

Me and My Shadow: Magpie Monday

We Call It Junkin: We Call It Olde Link Up

ColoradoLady: Vintage Thing Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson: Share Your Cup Thursday

My Summer Reads In the Month of June

Enthusiastic, overzealous, excited, determined, gung-ho, would describe how I felt during the first few days of the great declutter. Now well not so much.

For the past few days, I have been reading and taking short breaks from the book to spend short amounts of time with the decluttering process.

Here's what I've been reading.

Mary Kay Andrews is my all time favorite author, I've read every book that she has written including her Callahan mystery series under her real name of Kathy Hogan Trocheck.

For several years she has released new titles in the month of June, I have blogged about those books. In June of 2012 her book "Spring Fever" came out, you can read that post here. Also in June of 2013 she released the book "Ladies Night," you can read that post here.

June's 2014 release is titled "Save the Date." I reserved the book from my public library and was number 10 on the wait list. I didn't want to wait that long so I used a Barnes and Noble coupon and purchased the book.

Amazon's synopsis of this book.

"A savannah florist is about to score the wedding of a lifetime—one that will solidify her career as the go-to-girl for society nuptials. Ironically, Cara Kryzik doesn't believe in love, even though she creates beautiful flower arrangements to celebrate them. But when the bride goes missing and the wedding is in jeopardy, Cara must find the bride and figure out what she believes in.  Maybe love really does exist outside of fairy tales after all."

I can normally devour her book in two days, but this one just didn't hold my attention likes the rest of her reads did. Mark Kay Andrews writes with a formula for her books, but tosses in a twist that makes you fall in love with them. I believe I gave it 3.75 stars on Goodreads.

An email from the library told me the reserved title of "The Glass Kitchen" by Linda Francis Lee that I wanted to read was ready for pick up. 

I have confessed several different times that I judge books by their covers and this cover caught me eye. Trendy with painted canning jars, hydrangeas, and that color combination in such beautiful hues would pull anyone over to check out the book.

A synopsis from Goodreads.

"Portia Cuthcart never intended to leave Texas. Her dream was to run the Glass Kitchen restaurant her grandmother built decades ago. But after a string of betrayals and the loss of her legacy, Portia is determined to start a new life with her sisters in Manhattan... and never cook again. 

But when she moves into a dilapidated brownstone on the Upper West Side, she meets twelve-year-old Ariel and her widowed father Gabriel, a man with his hands full trying to raise two daughters on his own. Soon, a promise made to her sisters forces Portia back into a world of magical food and swirling emotions, where she must confront everything she has been running from. What seems so simple on the surface is anything but when long-held secrets are revealed, rivalries exposed, and the promise of new love stirs to life like chocolate mixing with cream. 

The Glass Kitchen is a delicious novel, a tempestuous story of a woman washed up on the shores of Manhattan who discovers that a kitchen—like an island—can be a refuge, if only she has the courage to give in to the pull of love, the power of forgiveness, and accept the complications of what it means to be family."

The book was filled with sassy characters that were often unconventional but believable. A quick summer read, I give it four stars.

I finished the book in two days, you can guess how much decluttering was done during that period of time, not a whole hell of a lot. 

I knew that this was a popular book and others had reserved this title, so after I finished it I quickly returned it to the library. I, of course, walked down the isle where the 'new' and 'hot' titled books are shelved. Not having any title or author in mind I scanned the shelves of books. Of course, the cover of the book caught my attention.

The cover is simple and elegant with a lovely font to announce the name of this book. I scanned the front flap seeing that Paris and antique furniture were involved and checked out the book. I was hooked from the first sentence in the first chapter.

Amazon's synopsis of this book.

"When April Vogt's boss tells her about an apartment in the ninth arrondissement that has been discovered after being shuttered for the past seventy years, the Sotheby's continental furniture specialist does not hear the words “dust” or “rats” or “decrepit.” She hears Paris. She hears escape.

Once in France, April quickly learns the apartment is not merely some rich hoarder's repository. Beneath the cobwebs and stale perfumed air is a goldmine, and not because of the actual gold (or painted ostrich eggs or mounted rhinoceros horns or bronze bathtub). First, there's a portrait by one of the masters of the Belle Epoque, Giovanni Boldini. And then there are letters and journals written by the very woman in the painting, Marthe de Florian. These documents reveal that she was more than a renowned courtesan with enviable decolletage. Suddenly April's quest is no longer about the bureaux plats and Louis-style armchairs that will fetch millions at auction. It's about discovering the story behind this charismatic woman."

I sat reading yesterday afternoon before I had to leave to babysit my newest grandson who is almost eight weeks old. Such a sweet baby and so good. I only had a chance to read  eight chapters before I had to go, but I am loving the story line, the characters and the history that the book is offering me.

Probably not much work will get done today. Have you read any good books lately? I am always open for book suggestions. Oh, by the way, if you would like to read Mary Kay Andrews book 'Save the Date" I am finished with my copy and would be happy to mail it to you. First come first served and perhaps the next person could pass it on to someone else.

Decluttering Cups and Mug, The Beauty, The Cutie, and What Was I Thinking

People are obsessed love coffee cups and mugs. Starbucks mugs sell on eBay often times at outrageous prices. Pinterest has pages and pages titled 'My coffee cup obsession' or 'My mug obsession.' Vacation souvenirs from friends and relatives are often times coffee mugs.

While I don't have a Pinterest page of coffee mugs and cups, I did find several mugs and cups during my great declutter. Some are very elegant, some whimsical and a few brought the question of 'Why?' to mind, and do I possess any type of good taste?

Here are the three out of the several, too many, lots of cups and mugs I found that fall into this category.

The Beauty

While I found many china cups with delicate flowers and designs, this was a cup and saucer that I loved immediately. For me, it's a happy cup and very pretty in that 70's kind of way.

The Cutie

Who wouldn't fall in love with that adorable face? I paid 50¢, what a deal! It's not a deal if it's put away and never used. I could have bought an apple with that money. This declutter is making me realize that not all cute or pretty items have to come home with me, even if the item is a low price. 

The Wow or What the Hell was I Thinking 

The front of the mug

The back of the mug

The side of the mug message,
May your cup always be two-turds full in Wisconsin

The inside of the mug

Yep, those are supposed to be two deer turds!

Are you shaking your head, just like I am? If not you are too polite. What else lurks in my basement? Stay tuned.