Made with love.

Last week I had a very special day. Lucy and I had an afternoon going through the baby things that I have kept stored away since the girls were babies. These things have moved houses numerous times and have been kept here up in my high cupboards.

A row of boxes contain baby cards from when both the girls were born, precious baby clothes, the outfits the girls came home from hospital in, special dresses they wore and all kinds of little treasures. It includes the hand made things of five generations! The oldest things I have were made by my Great Grandmother Annie Susannah Pratt. But she is Lucy's Great Great Grandmother of course. And the babies Great Great Great Grandmother!

Annie Susannah is the Great Grandmother who's Bible I have with all her markings and notes and the unbelievably beautiful letter she received from a friend when my Great Grandfather died. She had 13 children and my Nan was the youngest one. When Nan was born she slept in a shoe box lined with cotton wool she was so small. Annie Susannah was also tiny. She was 4 foot 8. Lucy is almost as tiny at just 5 foot exactly. So there is plenty of Annie Susannah in Lucy I think!

Here are some silk crochet garments she made. The little booties are just beautiful. I don't know where she got the silk thread from and this must have been very special as they didn't have money... they were farmers and hard workers. The silk things in the middle you can see, have sheen to them.  The blanket (Winnie the Pooh) I made, the cardi on the top left Mum made, the dress Nan made.

Next I have things made by Nan (her daughter) Cora Jean. Nan had black hair, fair skin and blue eyes. She sewed, knitted and made so many things always for us all. She also spun her own wool and dyed her own yarns. She provided so many things for us and everyone she knew.

Also Nan's friends made me things when the girls were born. I have talked about Loris Smith and Mrs. Mann before and how wonderful they were. This is a little dress Mrs. Mann made for Chloe which she wore and wore.  Then Lucy wore. I could cry at the sight of it now!

Out came Lucy's baby album. She could see what she wore when she came home from hospital and then there it all was kept for her. Over and over she could see her little dresses in the album and then see them in real life. Here is the album with Lucy in a little dress Great Gran made and the dress next to it.

Then there are so many things made by Mum, Patricia Ann. Mum made things from newborn right through their childhood. Mostly knitting but some sewn dresses as well. I still have most of it and even though it was all worn constantly it all is in great shape.

There there are things I made. One of Chloe's favourite things is when she was at kindy she went dressed to something as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. I painted a little pair of shoes bright red then layered them with red glitter to make ruby red slippers. At the time she could hardly walk in them as she had to stop and admire them so constantly that progress was slow. She has these on display in her home now as they pretty much set the standard of her love of shoes!

Over the years as I have sewn, embroidered, knitted and crocheted, I've stashed away things for one day for the girls. I used to sew for a baby boutique and I made a set of everything for both the girls. Pram sets, sheet sets, baby rugs, embroidered blankets... singlets, muslin wraps and wash cloths... piles of stuff.

It was so much fun getting all this out!

Then there was a box of things that were little dresses worn through childhod. Lovely smocked liberty print dresses, knitted dresses and more! A little velvet dress I wore when I was four in a wedding!

I think Lucy was surprised by how much of it she loved and thought she can use. Of course if she has a girl there are more things but I have made things suitable for boys as well as girls so there is lots there.

Everything represents love to me. I appreciated it all at the time but even more now.
If Great Gran and Nan were here now they would be so excited! Mum is and you guessed it she is probably knitting as we speak! Luckily Lucy adores knits and cute things. Her baby will be wrapped in things made with love from the minute its born.

The things these women did everyday so influenced me so much.  And the girls and now a new baby. I am so glad I kept these little treasures. And my line has been filled with sweet things as I have washed it all up and hung it in the sun. This was my line today... I'm up to the bigger dresses! Lucy is set if she has a girl. But if the baby is a boy Mum and I will create a new supply!

Really this was an afternoon of loveliness. Gran and Nan kept us company as we thought of them and all they did.

I took over 80 photos of mostly differnet things. Another day I might post more of my embroidery as there are little outfits with Winnie the Pooh themed stories on them and mice getting married and pushing prams and all things I made up!

It makes you wonder what are we making that will be handed down the generations and treasured? Not only that but just how much we are remembered and how much we influence our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so on...

We have the opportunity to be a great blessing to them all!

There is the saying that some days are diamonds. This day was one of them! xxx