Monday, October 25, 2010

Storing Up Memories

I can't even remember when my mother got this beautiful set of barrister bookcases....at some point in my childhood they became a fixture in our home.  Many years ago, they came to my place....and now house a treasure trove of memories collected throughout the years.



It is unusual to find such a complete set of these bookcases.  Trust me, I "junk" enough to know that I am sitting on a gold mine with this pristine piece, complete with original wavy glass fronts, a topper and a base!  However, I never intend to let go of it....

The shelves are crammed full of memories from my childhood, like these Cherry Ames books my mother bought for me and which brought me many hours of reading enjoyment....



Family photos from the time I was only a few days old....my grandparents posing in front of their Christmas tree....my sister and I sitting atop a trashcan filled with leaves as my parents worked in the backyard.....




Ed has a large collection of Larry McMurtry books and together we have begun collecting first editions of some of our favorite books...."Gone With the Wind", "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Giant", several Steinbeck novels and my complete collection of Jan Karon's Mitford novels.....






A little owl perched on a pencil holder that my dad made as a child sits on a set of children's encyclopedias my sister and I poured over when we were little.....


A small brass plaque with a Mother's Day poem Sam found at a garage sale when he was in grade school and brought home for me....and the Willow Tree figurine of "Mother and Son" which Ben bought for me the first Christmas he had a job and his own money to spend....truly special pieces.


Part of the beauty of storing these items behind glass in that, in addition to being beautifully displayed, they are protected from getting knocked around and the inevitable dust that settles here in West Texas!

There are so many items that are priceless to me on these shelves. I wish I could pull out each item individually and share the wonderful memories behind it with you!  There is not a single piece that does not have a story to go along with it.  But, space and time do not allow it in a single blog post.

So, I will leave you with this final image of the barrister bookcase, sitting in the corner of our living room....right where we can enjoy it on a daily basis and share it with Family.


I am linking up with Cha Cha over at Sit Relax and Read for Sentimental Sunday.  Hop over for a visit and see how others are using items with sentimental value to make their homes warm and inviting.

I am also linking up with French Country Cottage's "Feathered Nest Friday", another terrific place to find inspiration and make new friends. 

~Jane~

12 comments:

  1. What sweet memories, you are blessed. I love first edition books and have started collecting them also, we need to share list and keep an eye out for each other. Thank you for sharing

    Cha Cha

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  2. What a beautiful post and a beautiful bookcase to match!

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  3. How wonderful that have such a treasured and magnificant piece to display and store other wonderful memories.. xo HHL

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  4. That is beyond wonderful. My mom didn't have a lot of stuff so when she died, I was not left with many things. I don't even have a lot of pictures of me as a child. I just don't know what happened to a lot of them when my parents divorced. These wonderful things you have will be cherished many generations to come. What a gift!

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  5. I think everybody has that some corner as you Jane!!Thank you so much for your thoughts!! I was thinking the same as you! She certainly rained on my parade that night! Ugh!
    I was going to quit blogging all together but I decided to stay!
    Happy Tuesday!
    ~Jennifer

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  6. Special, precious memories indeed!
    xoxo
    Pat

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  7. I love going over people houses and looking at their displayed memories. Not that many do that anymore. I love the bookcase.

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  8. What gorgeous bookcases...to store such treasured memories! Loved seeing & hearing about some of your favorites! LOVE the picture of your sister in the trash can...priceless!
    Enjoy your week Janie!

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  9. Jane,
    The bookcases are treasures filled with treasure. Beautiful.
    I also love the Mitford series!

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  10. Those bookcases are beautiful. You are so right, they are so hard to find in great condition. And it would be so nice not to have to worry about dusting.

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  11. I would love to have bookcases like these...in fact, we are looking. I need to show hubby yours! They are gorgeous! {I remember the Cherry Ames books!}. Love all the treasures you have stored on the shelves! :-)

    Happy Weekend, Jane!

    XO,
    Jane

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  12. Hi Jane~ Your barrister bookcase is beautiful! I love all the things you have filled it with- so many wonderful memories and priceless treasures! I love things that hold family history, memories, etc.. they just add so much! I have to tell you also- my daughters name is Ansley! I saw on your sidebar that you have an Ansleigh in your family too!! Thanks so much for sharing this at Feathered Nest Friday! :)

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