And because this is such a special post, our seldom-seen CEO Ozzie is serving as our co-host today! We are very appreciative since, like Greta Garbo, she usually says I vant to be alone, dahling! 
The first treasure I want to share is my mother’s baby bonnet. Yes…that’s a baby bonnet! It was made for her by my great-grandmother in 1921. 
It was lovingly handmade of black silk and trimmed with little handmade pink silk rosettes. Aren’t they fabulous? 
There is also a little matching coat with upturned sleeves…wonderful!
The color choice may have you puzzled, but I was told that black was a popular color for children in the early 1920s. I think it is interesting that my vintage French spools of thread (a treasured gift from my sweet friend Pat) are in the same colors…black and dusty rose! They must have been very popular in France, too! 
And now for the French antique! I was very fortunate to have won a 25 euro gift certificate at Fleaing France! Simone combs the French countryside for brocantes …sort of a cross between an antique fair and a flea market…and finds fabulous little French treasures which she offers for sale at her online brocante! You should head over and have a peek! She frequently restocks, so there are new goodies all the time. Her next sale starts today! 
And this is what I chose…a wonderful antique measuring tape dating from la Belle Époque…the late 1800s. Isn’t it fabulous? Can see you what it’s shaped like? It’s an acorn! It is made of vegetable ivory…the tagua nut from the ivory-nut palm. It was a vey popular material during the Victorian era because it was as hard as ivory and could be polished to a lovely patina. It was also used to make buttons, umbrella handles and chess pieces. Good…because I am sure it saved quite a few elephants! 
The measuring tape is housed in this intricately carved case and is wound around a bone spindle with a little bone pull. The tape itself is marked in centimeters, although I have seen a nearly identical piece marked in inches. Isn’t it wonderful! Merci, Simone! I am loving my petit trésor! 
I have to admit that I am now smitten with antique sewing notions and I am on the hunt to add to my little collection! Help! Another addiction! But…at least these tiny treasures will not take up much space!Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my vintage treasures! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Beth at The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Marty at A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Anita at Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up! on Tuesdays
Kristin at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for Sizzle into Summer
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday
Heather and Vanessa at At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!
How sweet to have the baby clothes of your mom's. Those tiny roses are so sweet. Those would look great in a shadow box and hung. Cute little tape measure.
ReplyDeleteI love family heirlooms! The coat and hat are sooooo special!
ReplyDeleteI love that baby bonnet...the way they made things back then (by hand) is such a work of art in itself. I am going over to check out your friends blog...that tape measure is so cute.
ReplyDeleteI love the baby bonnet! I can imagine black was very practical back then, but those sweet roses make is also adorable. Now i'm in LOVE with that sweet tape measure. Oh what a cute thing to collect! Hugs, Linda
ReplyDeleteDebbie,
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet baby bonnet and coat! Black and pink, very chic, indeed!We purchased a beige fur coat trimmed with brown leather with a brown leather cap for our son. Oh, the photos of him wearing it are precious! Your petite tape measure is quite elegant! Our Antique Mall & Flea Market here always have the neatest vintage sewing items...you should be able to find them readily available, as well! Enjoy your new adventure! Please tell Ozzie, " I vant to see more of you, dahling!"
Fondly,
Pat
Hello to the rarely seen Ozzie! Looking very interested in his co-hosting job today! Wow Debbie, what a treasure your are sharing today with your mother's baby bonnet! It looks to be well preserved and in great condition. The close up of the rosettes shows how beautiful the fabric is and must have been when they were made. Black silk and pink rosettes, I can just see your great grandmother holding her beautifully dressed baby! I'm going to show this post to my MIL who is 90 and still sews and has shared some of her mothers things with me. Love your vintage spools of beautful threads. How lucky for you to win the antique measuring tape. Great post!
ReplyDelete~Emily
The French Hutch
priceless
ReplyDeletelove your mothers hat and coat so special.
also your antiques sewing notion the tape measure is wonderful also
that reminds me of some of mine I have collected over the years
I have a clown that is a tape measure he is made like the tomamto pin cushion shaped like a clown and his nose is the tape measure, if I had a camera that took close ups I could show it off sometime
Oh Debbie, your mom's bonnet and jacket are so precious. What a wonderful treasure. I love the tape measure too and how fabulous for Pat to send you the thread. Great start to a new collection. Thanks for joining the party. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful treasures! The sweet hat and bonnet are so precious! I have a friend who collects antique tape measures -- she would be soooo envious of your little French one! Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteWhat a special treasure to have your mom's baby things. I love the tape measure. :)
ReplyDeleteLove all of it...what treasures. Thanks for sharing!! Hope your week is going well!
ReplyDeleteYou have so many sweet heirlooms...I love the rosettes! I have an old sewing box filled with ancient sewing notions. I think it is from an etsy shop or Ebay. The next best thing to having it all passed down!
ReplyDeleteXO,
Jane
Debbie, those are amazing treasures. Do you display your mother's baby clothes or just take them out to admire them? It's always fun to open a drawer or box and rediscover a hidden treasure. Your little tape measure is divine. I like that it's in meters. That makes it all the more French. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI adore the antique sewing notions, but your mother's baby bonnet is amazing!!! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
ReplyDeleteDebbie, I was thrilled to see your name as the winner of Fleaing France's giveaway. Her online brocante is fun. Years ago I was really into collecting antique sewing items. I may have one of these vegetable ivory acorns in my group of things. I need to look. This one is fun with it's little tape measure.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing treasure you have with the baby bonnet and coat. Such an elegant look with the black silk and pink rosettes. I can just imagine your mother dressed in this gorgeous outfit. Do you have any photos of her wearing this?
~ Sarah
PS
Love the combo of black and dusty rose. ;-)
Debbie, I agree about collecting sewing notions. Since my mother, grandmother, MIL were all great seamstresses, you've got me thinking about going through what I have. Also, are you displaying that adorable bonnet and jacket - so sweet - especially in the toile bedroom! Linda
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you have your mother's hat and coat! The little pink roses on the black fabric are so sweet.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful treasure your mom's coat and bonnet are. What a beautiful heirloom to pass down to your own daughter.
ReplyDeleteThat is the cutest little measuring tape ever. I am going to hop over to that site and take a look see. I always love viewing some French brocante.
xxoo
Ahhh...what a sweet looking bonnet, and how special it is because it's your moms. Lovin' that tape measure...what a neat item.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Linda
Absolutely charming.
ReplyDeleteWhat delightful heirlooms Debbie, true family treasures. Love your sweet tape measure too!
ReplyDeleteRose H
x
What a fabulous bonnet...such a treasured family heirloom...I would have loved if my mom had any of her childhood things...!...Great acorn tape measure...!
ReplyDeleteI love 'em all ! Wonderful to have the baby bonnet etc from the family but I have to say that tape measure is a treasure :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a special family heirloom. I absolutely love the antique measuring tape. Thanks for sharing at DIYbyDesign.
ReplyDelete