Breathless

I saved this to show you because I had to think about it for a few days.  I still don't quite know how to share it with you.   Shirley was at our retreat last weekend.  She is a knitter and she works cross stitch.  She makes antique looking samplers with primitive details that would make you think a long time about how authentically old they are.  You'd want to examine them very closely to be sure they aren't.

Shirley says she lives in the 1820s.  Yes, she has electricity in her house and she drives a car but her heart and soul are in the 1800s.  It's where she feels at home and comfortable. She relates.  I can relate.  I know what she means.  Do you?  Do you get it?  Can some other time make you feel like that?

 She showed us this box.  

She found it at an antique flea market. Her husband put leather hinges on it and the brass key plate.  Looking at it I knew it was incredible but I didn't know just how much so till she opened it up.

 Inside, were these treasures.  Yes, treasures.  Authentically old samplers, and I believe one she did herself and "aged" with coffee.

 This book is a fabric sample book.  It's an old spine falling apart German bible that she pressed authentically, historic fabric pieces in.  These fabrics are truly from the era they were born in.

 All of them.

She overdyes her embroidery floss with coffee.  Ties the skein right out of the wrapper in a loose knot and dips it in coffee.  It comes out looking like it had aged in an old wooden box for 100 years. Or 200.

Breathless.  I was truly breathless. Still am.  And I still can't describe it like it should be. It isn't even trying to describe the box that has me in knots.  It's the feeling I can't describe.  I guess you have to believe you can have a true affinity to another time and place and if you do, then you'd know what I mean.

If I could have tucked this under my coat and brought it home without her noticing, I shamelessly would have.   Shirley, thank you for this.