Treasures of Time

‘Riches do not consist in the possession of treasures, but in the use made of them.’ Napoleon Bonaparte.

What is it about something old that is so endearing and intriguing? Over summer I came across a stash of old dressmaking bits and bobs…stored for over 30 years! Instead of thinking ‘This is musty’ or ‘What do I do with it?’, my immediate thought was ‘Ooooh!! I wonder what I can use this for?’ 🙂 Maybe it’s my love of reusing and recycling fashions.

I’ve never really been a fan of lacy things in the past…it’s always seemed ‘old-fashioned’, and yet I couldn’t resist looking through the big box marked ‘Lace’ unopened for so long. Inside was a variety of treasures – lace collars, motifs, edgings, ribbons, cuffs…the list is endless! I did go through thinking of possible uses, and also had competition over some things in the shape of my mother, but still ended up with a substantial pile with my name on it! Not bad going for a girl who claims not to like lace! Admittedly, I’ve not had much cause to use any of it yet…but it’s there 😛

I think also there is that feeling of history. What has this item seen in its life? Who has worn it before me? This little posy of flowers, for example, was with a selection of costumes that my mother remembers from her childhood…so brought back memories. For me, I immediately wondered where it was from, and what I could make from it. Ok, so at the moment it is in my pen pot on my desk, not the most imaginative destination, but it never fails to catch my eye. I’d like to think that in 40 or 50 years time, the things that i so carefully stored and kept will be such a treasure trove for someone else 🙂

 

Speaking of treasure troves…so many buttons!! I didn’t get to keep these, as my Grandma wanted them back, but searching through them for the perfect buttons to add to my latest project was so much fun 🙂 So many colours, shapes, sizes…the tin seemed bottomless! At the time I wondered what use so many odd buttons could possibly have, but looking back, the possibilities are endless! I’ve been making a lots of macramé bracelets recently, and I use a button as a fastener…there’s no point using one of a set, because then the set is incomplete. An endless supply of odd buttons is then very useful 🙂

As well as the above, I love the ribbons and fabric I’ve accumulated over the past few months. It is so satisfying to be able to create something new from something old, or to jazz up an old t-shirt with a home-made corsage. Maybe it’s my money-saving nature, or unrelenting creativity…but, why buy something when you can have something unique and personal for free?