Sharing Blessings ~ Receiving and Giving Both Have Pleasure

Country formal- vintage lace and stylized pottery design exemplify my idea of heaven in home

In styling speech-makers, presentation is partner to content. The most effective communicators elevate words of denotation to phrases of connotation. The bond with the audience comes when a trinity of thought, intellect and soul is formed.  

Among family and friends, the setting is partner to the emotional communion. It is what makes a house the home where the heads.

When Sandra Price gave me the pottery plate, it was piled high with strawberries dressed in reverse stripes of white, dark and that mocha shade of milk chocolate. "Share Your Blessings with Family and Friends" could be her and Chuck's family motto.

While Sandra is younger than I, she has taught me much about the art of gracious giving. One- smile. Two- make the gift about the receiver. Three. The gift doesn't have to be new. Over years of friendship she has brought down things she instinctively knew I would like.  

This lacquered jewelry box is as close to a family heirloom as my mother left. It was a gift from her brother, a memento of his service in Korea. It is on its way to the granddaughter who remembers it as a treasure chest.

Two generations of little girls marveled at its contents. In its heyday it had been filled with cabochon-encrusted jewelry my father hand polished and set in his garage workshop.  From within, little fingers let strands of department store beads run through their fingers like water falling from an engorged stream. 

Wonderful for building memories~ not so good for the jewelry box.  Broken hinges and filled with decades of dust, I had my doubts when I handed it to my husband to see if any glory might be restored.



 The air compressor had its worked cut out for it, blowing embedded dust from the original velvet interior.

Acrylic tubs were blended until the brownish black background was matched. It was then thinned with extender to spread on barren spots and corners with the smoothness of a spray.

A gold pen gilt the outline outlining the inlaid abalone mosaic lid border.

Tiny brushed dipped in acrylic enhanced what was left of the oriental landscape renderings.

Broken hinges were repaired, minuscule fasteners refashioned to fit where the originals had long ago gone missing in action.

Two layers of wax free shellac brought up the sheen and sealed the artwork.

A polishing with Renaissance Wax.

My mother has been gone for over a year, but through polishing and passing this memento, a portion of her lives on.

Linking up to Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

This Valentine's Season, the partnership of vintage lace with the platter remind all who view it, above all else, this is a family home.