Do collect things? What things do you collect? Well, my Mum collected Crosses, Crucifixes and Rosary Beads. Although Catholic, Mum wasn’t fanatical or anything, but rather, she just loved the art, creation and individualism of each of the hand picked ones she collected. Yes they each had a spiritual symbolism to them as well for her. Every country Mum visited she picked up a cross from there. Our whole lives, you would walk through the front door and see the entrance cross art display, we never noticed it really until visitors came and they had a funny look of surprise on their face when first seeing it! The front entry hall cupboard was also the place Mum left gets for us or things left behind or mail.. It was the first stop whenever we went home to visit which was almost always daily..
When packing up the house after Dad, Elisha and Mum passed away, I lovingly wrapped each piece in newspaper in a box to go into storage. Fast Forward, we are now unpacking everything to either use it, gift it or thrift in order to reduce storage. It certainly was an entry piece. I didn’t realised how much I missed those crosses until I was unpacking them at Christmas. Some had perished and some I scattered around the house but I did want to create a little space for my own collage of Mum’s Crosses.
I picked all my favourites and made a feature wall on our back deck and now I get to remember Mum, honour some of her collection and just enjoy the beauty and diversity of these little objects collected from around the world. It’s weirdly beautiful. My Favourite is the wonky one in the middle down the bottom, its made of a type of reed or dried banana leaf. Anyway, for me its simple and powerful.
Mum also collected vintage brooches. She was my biggest fan, my biggest champion and the reason I got into Swing Dance and Vintage Styling. Again, when Mum passed, one of the arduously sad tasks was to go through her wardrobe. Even I was surprised to find so many brooches.. They were all in a jewellery box or anything. Every Blouse, every jack and even some hats had brooches pinned to them. We also found over $300 in coins tucked into pockets everywhere, $2 here, $1 there! There were plenty of tissues (unused) hankies and little bars of soap. We had so much fun really discovering all these things in her wardobe, although completely heartbreaking at times also.
I wanted to keep them, show them off and remember her with them so my darling husband got al old mirror, took the mirror out and replaced with with cardboard and glued felt over it and then I pinned all y favourites on it. I go to that display often and reach for one to match an outfit, it’s a handy way to keep your brooches as well. I have this hanging in my Lindy Charm School Studio so Mu is still around and involved in my Vintage life.. always…
What sort of oddball things do you collect. Next time I’ll share her creepy doll collection! Have a fabulous week, Love Miss Chrissy xx
