I love sharing with you all the things I covet or admire from afar, but for this installment of Collected, I'm going to share with you my favorite handmade possessions. So much better to want what you have, right?
As I looked around my house, taking photographs, I realized that--unsurprisingly--my most cherished handmade things were also a reflection of what I hold most dear.
Meet Gnomie. As in, "Look! Thommy is hangin' with his gnomie." One of Thommy's first friends. Hand-sewn, hand-knitted, and hand-painted. You can get your own gnome here.
My best friend Marykate knitted me this scarf. I wear it everyday, because I am secretly convinced that if I don't, my mojo will be lost. I love that I get to take a little bit of her wherever I go.
See that ring in the middle? It half of a matching set of silver rings meant to mimic water. I bought these for me and Dennis for our third wedding anniversary (five is coming up this month!). Sadly, the Etsy seller I purchased these from is no longer in business.
Aurora drew this portrait of pregnant me before Thommy was born. I love that in the drawing the two of us are gazing at each other and smiling.
This quilt. I left it unfinished for years after receiving some terrible news during the course of making it. That time passed, I finally finished my stitches and now the whole thing is a blanket for snuggling, drinking tea, and reading picture books under.
Okay, I'll tell you a secret. I was once not nearly as mellow as I am now. Even more secret--I'm still not always mellow. Shhh! Long ago these facts inspired my husband's first and only artistic work: this wholly good-natured and oddly spot-on rendering of an angry Maeg. I hung onto it for a long time and finally framed it because I love it so much. It's a family heirloom in the making.
What are your favorite handmade possessions? I want to hear all about them in the comments below.
Photo challenge: Take a picture of one or some of your favorites, post them on your blog, flickr, what-have-you, and leave a link in the comments so we can all take a look and see your story, too!
xoxo Maeg
