Childhood Treasures

I was cleaning out my daughter Hunter's closet the other day and stumbled upon a few dresses that I wore when I was little.  The lace one is my favorite.  It must have taken forever to make.  Many of my dresses were handmade.  Another reason I think I'm so addicted to anything handmade.  I wonder if my daughters will feel the same when they get older? Speaking of that, I will probably be up late tonight working on a skirt for Hunter's first day of school tomorrow.  Yes, I'm last minute...I'm trying to break that habit for my husbands sanity. :)

The giveaway winners are:

16" x16" pillow- Wendy

11" x 8 1/2"  pillow- Casey

Thanks to all who entered and for the sweet comments here and on facebook!  You guys are great! :)

Childhood Treasures

My mom was cleaning out her basement last week.  She told me she had something for the girls.  She gave them her tin dollhouse that she had when she was little.  They love it and I'm in love with it too!  Immediately they got out the vintage Fisher Price Little People.  I want to bottle up that memory forever.   

Childhood Treasures

This "Childhood Treasures" series has brought back many memories.  It started out with a few items I had in various rooms.  Now, I have had to look a little harder.  Bags in the back of closets and bins in the basement.  I got this clown from a family friend.  When the nose is turned it plays "Brahms Lullaby".  Yes, it does look a little scary.  Scary and cute at the same time!  Gotta love it!  

Childhood Treasures

This Eskimo doll and penguin used to be displayed on my dresser when I was little.  The doll belonged to my Mom.  The poor little penguin is loosing his nose.  It's hanging on by a thread!  He will have to remain in my room, away from the adventures in barbie land! 

Childhood Treasures

Yes, I'm posting this on Tuesday instead of Monday.  I'm not going to start making excuses.  I got this Bunnykin music box for my 16 th birthday.  My parents got it from my grandfather's antique shop.  It plays the song,  "Happy Birthday To You".  It is something that I have kept out on display.  It is made by Royal Doulton.  I have a few other Bunnykin items from my childhood.  I love the scenes on the mugs and bowls.  That will have to be another post.     

Childhood Treasures

I was looking to post something different today until I found these three things.  My baby blanket, and two Fisher Price toys.  They both still work but aren't in the best condition.  They were certainly played with and loved very much.  I had forgotten about snoopy.   We had simple toys that at the time seemed not so simple!  The music box was one of my favorites.  Did any of you have these toys?  Please share friends!

Childhood Treasures

I  received this book Gnomes by Rien Poortvliet and Wit Huygen as a gift when I was about 8 years old.  I read it from cover to cover.  I was convinced that gnomes existed and that if I was careful I could actually find one!  Looking back, this book is a very comical and the pictures are a little too revealing!  I don't think I'll be sharing it with the girls anytime soon! 

Childhood Treasures

Let me introduce to you Egbert the Easter egg.  He's stuck with me since kindergarten.  I made him 31 years ago.  I LOVED this project.  There were lots of steps to making him, paper mache, painting, gluing, oh that poor teacher!  He's moved with us along the way and each Easter we take him out.  Now, if I could only remember the words to the song....

Childhood Treasures

This week I thought I'd share some handknit animals my great-aunt made me when I was born.  They look so springy sitting on the chair.  I love all the detail she put into them.  The rabbits clothes come off too!

Childhood Treasures

Here are a few board games that I kept from my childhood.  I'm so glad I did!  We enjoy playing board games as a family.  Even though these are old, the girls really like playing with them.  Do you have any old favorites?

Childhood Treasures

Playdoh was a big deal when I was growing up.  I loved getting a new container.  The smell to this day brings back so many memories.  My grandmother had these cookie cutters at her house.  Each of them is labeled with who they are.  I found these the other day when my girls were playing with all the other Playdoh accessories.  I think I'll place them on a string and  hang them in my kitchen.  Then I'll be able to look at them everyday and think of those simple days spent at my grandma's house.

Childhood Treasures

This is another item that I played with at my grandma's house.  It is quite old.  I always found it challenging when I was little because depending on how I placed the cubes it would make one of six puzzles.  Many times I would get frustrated with it and set it aside.  The other day I got it out and the girls did a few of the puzzles.  I'd love to know how old it is!  I did notice on the back that it is made in Germany.  Has anyone seen one like this? 

Childhood Treasures

I remember sitting beside my Mickey Mouse record player and listening to these books.  I would follow along and turn the page when it told me to.  I'm glad I kept these for my girls to listen to.  I only wish I still had that record player.  Probably one of my younger brothers broke it.  Hmmmm. 

Childhood Treasures

Pins were an important accessory to my coats and sometimes my sweaters when I was little.  I found a couple dates on the back of two pins, 1980.  I was just starting out in school.  My mom would make sure when it was Spring my chick pin was on my spring coat.  It said "Happy Spring".  When Christmas rolled around, my dresses and sweaters would have a Santa Claus.  Then there was Mickey and Strawberry Shortcake.  I don't know about you, but I have a hard enough time just to get everyone ready in the morning and out the door without remembering to put a pin on one of my girls' outfits!  Maybe, it was because I was the only girl!  Did you wear cute little pins?

Childhood Treasures

Books were a big part of my life growing up.  I use to visit our local library just about once a week.  The Nancy Drew books were found as you made your way down the stairs to the basement of the library.  In one year I read as many as I could.  Over the years at garage sales, I have picked up many of them.  I like the older editions.  They have that vintage look.   What series were you into growing up? 

Childhood Treasures

O.K. so I just realized that my post on childhood treasures is today!  The whole Valentine's day thing has been taking up a lot of my time along with a little one with a fever that is lasting forever!  This week I decided to pick card games.  When I was growing up I'd visit my grandparents on the weekend.  Most of the evenings were spent going out to dinner with my grandma, watching Wheel of Fortune and The Golden Girls.  We'd usually spend time playing card games such as rummy 500 and a card game called Nerts.  It was basically just solitaire against one another.  Here are some other card games I kept from when I was younger.  The girls love to play the Old Maid card game.  Did you have any favorite card games growing up?

Childhood Treasures

Growing up we had a record player.  My dad had quite a few albums.  I started collecting them when I was fairly young.  Here are a few my mom just recently found and gave back to me.  We now can listen to them on our recently new to us record player.  It certainly shows you what I was interested in back then.  The Mary Lou Retton one cracks me up.  I always wanted to take gymnastics.  It wasn't available in my town so instead I took ballet. When I listened to this I would try and teach myself the moves!  It's so funny to think of it now!  Did you have a record collection (if you're old enough)?!

Childhood Treasures

Just setting up all these little people by Fisher Price bring back many memories.  We had the garage with the elevator and also the a-frame house.  We would play with these for hours.  I loved putting the "gas" in the cars.  That little detail on the cars was perfect. We didn't worry at the time that they were small and probably a chocking hazard!  Today's little people aren't as cute.  I'm glad my mom kept these all these years.  I got them out for my girls to play with a few years ago.  The still love making up all kinds of stories with them.  Did you play with little people?  If so, what ones do you remember having?

Childhood Treasures

These metal lunch boxes were stuck away in a cupboard up until a few months ago.  I think I have found a perfect place to display them.  My husband made this coat cabinet out of cherry for the girls.  He wood  burned each of their names above their hooks.  They store their book bags, coats and boots in there.  On top I placed our vintage lunch boxes.  We each kept two which is kind of weird!  Mine are Raggedy Ann and Andy, and Mickey Mouse.  His are Kiss and Hanna -Barbera.  How cool is that Kiss lunch box?!

Come back here tomorrow for my first giveaway!  

Childhood Treasures

If you are just stopping by, this is my second Monday post about items from my childhood.  I'll be doing this every Monday.  I have kept quite a few things!  I'm glad I did since I have three girls.  They love playing with my toys and I love seeing them play with all of it!

This week I had to share my two boys-Danny Ashley and Cedrick Norvil.  No, I didn't have to go looking for the birth certificate's.  Their names just rolled off my tongue.  It's funny, I never wanted a girl cabbage patch (I think it was the yarn hair).  Danny was my first one.  My Mom had to endure the whole craze, lines and all.  I've told my girls the story and I still don't think they truly understand how crazy it was!  Cedrick was my next one.  He's a preemie.  My Mom had clothes made for them.  I love the details in the clothing.  I especially love the coat.  From an early age I was exposed to handmade.  I think that is why I love handmade so much.  Did you have a cabbage patch when you were growing up ?