Part Two of the Keepsake Trilogy

The secretary desk was the first piece of furniture my folks bought after they were married.  I remember it being in the living room of my childhood homes.  I also remember sitting next to my dad at that desk learning my multiplication tables.  My dad was so patient --- drilling me until I knew them.

When the desk came to be part of our home's furnishing, it was in excellent condition.   It didn't take long to break it in to our lifestyle.  Our dog liked to play ball in the living room.  Invariable the ball would end up under the desk.  Reilly would try to retrieve his wayward ball by chewing at the base.  It required a family member to get it out.  Our oldest daughter suggested that we install Plexiglas at the base so Reilly wouldn't be frustrated trying to get his ball.  Now that would have been a good look!

I often wondered, if one of our children damaged our furniture, if we would have been so understanding to them.   Speaking of children, I am not sure which one of them will make room for the secretary in their home.   All I know is I am thankful that we made good use of it in our home.  

I am my mother!

Looking back at childhood pictures, I remember my mother's decorating style.  She had beautiful mahogany furniture, oriental rugs, crystal lamps and silver.   When I was first married, I wanted to go the direct opposite of the decor in my childhood home because I wanted to have my own look.  However, some family heirlooms that show up in many of my childhood pictures have been a constant in our home decor through out the years. One is a secretary desk that was the first piece of furniture my folks bought for their home.  The second, from my husband's childhood, is a Hoosier cupboard that belonged to his aunt and uncle.  The third is a Cloisonne vase that was a wedding gift to my parents, and it is the focus of this post. 

The vase was always in our living room throughout my childhood.  Usually, my mother would put fresh flowers in it from our garden.  In our home it holds florals that I change seasonally.  The photo I am sharing shows this year's spring arrangement.  Here is where I give you "Meg's helpful hint"...In one of the floral design classes that I took at COD, I learned an arrangement should be one and a half times the height of the container.   Learning this one trick helped me to showcase this beautiful vase to its best advantage and truly make it the focal point of our living room.

I am so thankful that I was smart enough to hold on to some of these family heirlooms despite my desire to decorate my home in my own style.  I have been surprised at how well these items have fit in to every style we had throughout the years. Now here's how I am my mother.  I have come full circle.  The type of furnishings (mahogany, oriental rugs, silver) that were found in my childhood home have found their way to my home today. I love to look at these pieces and remember loved ones and fond memories, and I am hoping that my own children can someday incorporate some of these pieces into their homes and remember.