The Gathering Room

I love mantels and shelves ...If I had double doorways in every room of this house , I would have lots of these shelves! Why, you ask??? When I get up each morning and I have a walk around the house, I have a visible reminder people that have been special to me.. and will always remain an important part of my life. these shelves help me express myself and think of people I love.. . My home has no special design or decor. Some like primitive, some like contemporary and some go for shabby chic...I go for another style of decor...I call it "Memorative Decor. "

Kitchen Shelf

This shelf is above a double doorway in my kitchen . I have added things that I have received over the years and enjoy yet today. The sign says"grandma's house" and once hung in my mother's craft shop...which was called Grandma's House. She had over 300 consignors at one time and ran it while yet the 1970-80's, and it was a very successful shop.

This is a shadow box I made for an
elderly couple, Mike and Helen Lambert.

Mike was a carpenter and made many dollhouses to sell in mom's shop. In this shadow box I have a cubicle called, "Mike's shop" , that shows a miniature doll house, tools, and more..all made by me. Also there is a cider press and barrel of apples in another cubicle..they were well known for their wonderful home made cider. Another shows their garden and to the sides there are other personalized things, like an adding machine,. as Helen was a book keeper. After Mike died, Helen called me over to her house one day ..and told me how much they had enjoyed this shadow box over the years. She then said she would like to give it back to me. She passed away two weeks later. I am glad now that she wanted to give it to me, as she appreciated the thought and love that went into this...and wanted me to know this..

This is a picture that says "Cindy's Place" It was made by my sister in law, Delores , all in counted cross stitch. I have it framed under glass. It depicts an Amish farm with quilts hanging on the line. Dee made this for me as she knew I collected Amish porcelain dolls

These are part of a wheat patterned dish set that belonged to my parents. I remember using these many times each year on Thanksgiving. I still will bring them down and use them each year..I have no other pieces but treasure these. The flag in back was made by Tracy, daughter to friend Carole , who sent this to me as a RAK years ago . The canning jars are some I collected over the years .

This was once the housing for a clock that I gutted out and made into a shadow box to show my spoon collection. Five were from the Chicago World's Fair, and belonged to my husbands grandmother. The two smaller ones ( at 11 o'clock position) were my grandmothers, and the large fork belonged to Bob's grandmother. That red white and blue "bullet" is a collectible from the late 1800's...it has an interesting story . but that can be for later!

On the other side of this doorway is another shelf.....

This side is in my dining room. At Christmas time , I will have pines and some mini lights up here and a sign that says All hearts come home for Christmas" In the Fall time, I decorate it for Autumn.

The vases are cranberry glassware. the two smaller ones were my grandmothers and are hand painted. Mom used to have them sitting on her dining room buffet.

The Lucille Ball hollow head vase was purchased at a flea market for 1.00. Normally valued at 100 + dollars, she unfortunately has a crack in the vase, ...but I liked it and bought it because it reminds me of a very dear person I knew that collected these, and later passed away from cancer. I like thinking of Ellen when I see this. She was my sister's mother in law... terrific person who enriched the lives of many that knew her. I purchased the hanging quilt at a craft shop and admired how well it was pieced. The old mantel clock belonged to my husband's mother, Clara .