Friday, April 3, 2009

a beautiful gift

for me there's nothing more wonderful than putting clean crisp sheets on my bed.
freshly washed and dried on the line sheets.
they remind me of being a little girl, playing all day with my brothers and sister
in the bright spring sunshine and then
being coaxed into the house for dinner and a bath...
There's nothing like
putting on "fresh from the clothes line flannel jammies"
after a nice hot bath
stiff from being dried on the line
and so fresh and clean, that the scent stings your nose...
my daughter, Katie, presented me with the best gift ever.
She had made for me this wonderful brown homespun
~ and completely hand sewn ~clothes pin bag.
It's just wonderful.
Inside I found at least a whole dozen or more of clothes pins.
Katie hand carved ~actually, we like to say they are whittled ~each one for me.
and they
every bit as sturdy and useful
as they are beautiful.
Simply hand carved from our own poplar whips and tightly wired together.
what could be better than this...
a nice hot bath after a long day of working in the yard,
slipping into a stiff pair of flannel jammies
and snuggling down
and falling asleep between the first crisp sheets of spring.
Thank you, my Katie.
***
~here's a wonderful tutorial by Katie if you'd like to make your own wooden clothes pins! ~

16 comments:

Carole said...

What a beautiful and practical gift indeed. I'd never seen clothes pins made that way before. She's so clever. The sheets on the line with the woods in the background look so lovely blowing in the wind.

Christine Crocker said...

thank you Carole.

I think they're just beautiful too. They're smooth and light weight, they're really strong. I love them, it just makes hanging out the laundry even more fun.
Thank you about our woods.
That's our poplar grove that we planted about 10 years ago...and when they all leaf out it's like stepping into another world to walk through them. Every kind of bird and deer and once in a great while, an elk can be found.

thank you for coming to visit.
I loved reading that you are a farmers wife too! My dream was to one day own a nursery~yours looks so beautiful!
thank you again.
I'll be sure to come and visit you again soon.
Christine

Christine Crocker said...

thank you Clarice.

She is a wonderful daughter.
She knows I love hand made things, especially useful hand made things.

Katie loves hand making many of her own things. Her home is filled with lovely things that she & her husband both have made.

I'm so glad you came for a visit,Clarice...
how are things in Storybook Woods? Has spring come to stay in your corner of the woods?

Becky said...

What a pleasant memory, and wonderful gift. Your Katie is so very talanted.
Spring has been a big tease here in Virginia, not a whisper of when it is ready to stay for good.

Be well,
Becky

Heather said...

wow, what an amazing gift! katie did a wonderful job! I really want a clothes line...I've never had one! I imagine it must be so nice...

Katie said...

Thank you ma! What a nice posting about my whittling endeavor. I made myself a bunch of them recently and the trick was to let them dry and cure before I wrapped them with wire. Thanks mama.

cathypentonatelier said...

Wow how cool is that!!! Oh Katie is amazing and what absolutely gorgeous photos....I found a photo in a recent magazine of a lovely timber clothes line I would like.....need to put it on Geoff's list I think...Love to you C xx

Theresa said...

What a great gift... it makes me want to go whittle. :)

Hugs,

Theresa

Anonymous said...

Katie is so very talented, just like her mother! Those clothes pins are so wonderful. I don't think I have had the pleasure of sleeping on line-dried sheets. It must be divine! Maybe when I get that house in the country I dream of. :0)
xoMira

Christine Crocker said...

thank you everyone for such nice comments this morning.
you know that you can hang your sheets most anywhere.
you really needn't make anything permanent. a clothesline can be hung between trees like I have done (because when we have company or want to bring the big tractor into the trees, no one is hung up on the line). You can use your porch or fence posts.

I hope you'll give it a try. It's such a simple thing and saves energy.
Happy sunny spring days to you all,
C.

Lena said...

These are quite wonderful. I've always loved old clothespins, but to have each of them handmade, is a beautiful sight to behold. I can imagine your delight with such lovely gifts. The clothespin bag is equally as nice, made from homespun, that speaks of your love for simple things.

I am equally as delighted with a wonderful gift that arrived at my home today. Your pattern for dear Miss Zinnia Birdwhistle came today, and I am indeed "over the moon" happy to have the privilage of her company. Thank you for including me in your drawing, and for the care that you took to wrap your gift so lovingly. I love the card as well.

With all my best to you,

Lena

Kingfisher Farm said...

Where oh where does she get such cleverness?? (winks) Pam

Queen Of The Armchair aka Dzintra Stitcheries said...

Hello Dear Christine...and what beautiful whittling your Dear Katie does...A lovely post...somehow brings up images of wash day back then and how special it was to have all your things lovely and clean...
My Suzy is keen to get in touch with your Dollies one day...thank you for the invite...Love to you ♥x

Anonymous said...

What a special gift. I rather have a homemade gift from someone than anything from a store. I would love to have a clothes line for my sheets, but I can't in my subdivision. It must be awesome! Madeline

Olga said...

Ahhhhhh!

I can feel the fresh air, hear the birds in the trees and the drye leaves under my feet that remain on the ground from last year as I read your beautiful words.

And you are feeding my dream.

Thank you, Christine!

Love from someone ho long for hanging her loundry in the sun!

Olga said...

Ahhhhhh!

I can feel the fresh air, hear the birds in the trees and the drye leaves under my feet that remain on the ground from last year as I read your beautiful words.

And you are feeding my dream.

Thank you, Christine!

Love from someone ho long for hanging her loundry in the sun!