Today when I walked into my office I was surprised to find a lovely surprise waiting for me from my friend Lena. Lena has worked as our cleaning lady for more than 10 years now. Originally from Lithuania, Lena came here and lived with her cousin Marina, a local talented seamstress, which is where I met Lena for the first time those many years ago. I have recommended her to many of my friends - our favorite contractor Brian even hired her after watching her work every week while he was here working on our new addition!
Lena is always surprising FHFB and me with little gifts, usually things she's found or something that someone has given away. There have been many other wonderful little surprises from Lena over the years. Recently, Lena has given us a tapestry picture which is hanging in our upstairs bedroom suite, some interesting painted wooden moulding that FHFB will use in the chicken coop, a large bottle of vodka that she gave us because she saw (from our recycling bag) that we like to drink vodka (yikes!), and a bottle of Lithuanian liqueur brought back from her last visit home. She is really a hoot.
Last Thursday she told me that she had something for me, and with her very strong Lituanian accent it's always hard to understand what she's trying to communicate in English. So, here's what I found in my office today.
It's a lovely old sewing box.
Here's what it looks like inside. The little tray comes out and there's space underneath. Someone even left some sweet old spools of threads and vintage packages of straight pins and sewing needles.
So, what should I do with this adorable little sewing chest? I kind of like the color, it's a washed out green, but I'd love your feedback on how I could use it. Lena would love to see me find the perfect place for it at Frog Hollow Farm.
Ciao, bella!
HI FARM GIRL,
ReplyDeleteHOW LOVELY, I REMEMBER I HAD ONE YEARS AGO, LOOKS ALMOST THE SAME AS YOURS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE IT IS AT, WHEN MOVING, THINGS GOT LEFT, AND THROWN OUT. I HAVE A FEELING THIS IS WHERE IT HAS GONE. YOUR UNCLE BILL THREW OUT THE WRONG BOXES, AND I LOST SOME OF MY TREASURES. HE ALSO DROPPED MY BOX OF HUMMELS, YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE. IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, ACTUALLY I FELT BAD FOR HIM, HE FELT TERRIBLE. I USED MINE FOR A CROCHET BOX, KEPT ALL MY WOOL, AND CROCHET KNEEDLES IN IT. YOURS LOOK GREAT. LOVE,
AUNT RIZ
What a wonderful gesture. The vodka story is cute. See good things happen to people who recycle!
ReplyDeleteHi Ann Marie,
ReplyDeleteThis is just the sweetest! Your Friend sounds like such a wonderful loyal part of your family. Our housekeeper was with us for years and years and left recently because she had a second child. She and her mother use to make wonderful Brazilian food and bring it to us. I miss her! The sewing box/basket is so pretty, I love it!!
xx
Hi Frog Hollow Farm Girl, thank you for your wonderful comment. That is so cool that your son has a painting displayed in DC! I'm glad you like the quotes I use, I try and set a mood for the photos. I love surprise gifts, today my grandma gave me an old Fujica ST801 film camera its so cool. I've been looking into some colleges and Parson's sounds nice. I also am into F.I.T. and NYU. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteSam
What a handsome little sewing box, (tho it's actually pretty big, compared to my caboodles box). Such a lovely distressed color on it as well. It's so nice of Lena to gift you with this, and I'm sure she gets loads of love and niceties from you as well.
ReplyDeleteMy grandma had one like it - but in dark wood. That green is a wonderful color. Keep it the way it is!
ReplyDeletexo
Claudia
It is gorgeous! What a wonderful treasure to receive from a friend. I love the green too-it is just perfect!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Natasha.
So sweet! I would use it just as it is intended, for sewing. Or for writing implements. Either way, it would be for something that is useful. I like the green color, too.
ReplyDeleteYour conservatory fence, in your previous post, is so cute, painted with flowers. I like that idea, there's always something blooming. We love brussel sprouts, too, and I have a similar recipe to the one you posted for sauteeing them. It's about the only way we eat them now.
Enjoy the rest of the week!
lovely...and me too. i love the color as it is...
ReplyDeletelove the vodka story :-)
over here it is wine bottles :-)
happy to see you at Farmhouse, my friend
p.s. i am making lasagna today
sending love,
kary and teddy
xxx
i was just reading your blog and BOOM!!!! i saw you went to EATALY!!!! i saw it on martha a couple of weeks ago...i would give ANYTHING to go.....looks so wonderful...was it heaven???
ReplyDeletep.s. making scampi and pasta for tonight
:-)
So sweet! I would leave it just the color the way it is. On the other hand, if you don't want to use it for sewing, perhaps it could hold some cloth napkins next to the kitchen table. I'm always thinking of kitchen things but then it would also work as a rolled up towel holder in the bathroom too, I suppose. Regardless of what you do with it, you have a treasure from a real treasure! Enjoy! (:
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure, whatever you do with it, it is going to be so cute. How sweet of her to give it to you. I would probably put magazines in it because I am a magazine nut.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice gift. I love the green and wouldn't change it. I'm not sure what I would store in it. Lena sounds like a sweet lady and how blessed you are to have her in your life. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteJackie