Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Eye spy.....an acorn

Keeping with the acorn theme, I thought I would share a special treasure of mine. When I wrote Hazel to thank her for the amazing swap quilt, I told her about this special little acorn. Can you find it?

Kitchen Letter Box

This is our "Kitchen Letter Box". Refinished by my late father-in-law years ago, these letter boxes lined their family home hallway and were filled with spools of thread, trinkets, memories and printer press letters that spelled out family names in reverse. We now keep this one in our sunny kitchen nook and although most of the collection stays constant, occasionally something new appears. We sort of use it as a test: who will find the 'new' thing first? It doesn't take the kids long at all!

Twelve years ago we sold our house for a brief move to Toronto. The house sat on the most beautiful block of East 7th Avenue in Vancouver. Both sides of the street were lined with majestic 90 year old oaks. The 'plonk, plonk, plonk' of acorns landing on cars was constant. The neighbours were lovely....B and I were just recently married and most definitely the New Kids on the Block. A women's group formed and we got together monthly for movies, craft nights, seed exchanges, dinner out and general fun. Everyone was so good to us when T was born early, requiring 2 ambulances (but that's another story...with a happy ending).

Acorn treasure 1

At our going away party, held in our box-filled living room, neighbour Wendy presented me with this amazing little watchmaker's case. I was so touched that she would nestle this sweet momento of our street on golden wire inside the case.

"Open it, open it" she kept saying.

I was confused. I opened the box, removed the acorn, put it back, replaced the lid.

"No! Open it!"

Still confused. Finally she had to tell me to remove the acorn and lift off the cap...it opens!!!

Acorn treasure 2

Incredible! She had carefully hollowed out the acorn with a dremel tool and filled it with beautiful blue crystals. The cap stays on with a small bit of cork glued to the underside. Isn't it amazing? D often wants to show this to friends and I allow it, but always remind her how special it is and that it is most definitely my acorn.

Despite the fact that we moved to Oakdene Avenue in Toronto, I was most unhappy there and we only lasted 20 months before returning to the west coast. We're amongst cedars now, but I am right where I need to be....very, very happy. With my little acorns.

5 comments:

grammilou said...

What a lovely memento! What a nice story. Thanks!

Micki said...

The kitchen letter box is incredible! I never saw one like that !
Micki

Beth said...

wow, that letter box is beautiful, and that little acorn is so awesome!

PatchworkPottery said...

Aaaah! Krista! What a wonderful acorn and such a sweet and touching story! Claire's cap supply consists of only 5 and I have used 3. Hopefully we can collect more next year because I definitely want to make a fabric acorns again!!! Hugs, L

Mandi Stephanie said...

i love the display and the story :)