Today’s post was written by Chatter.
One of my favorite things in my new house is actually pretty old. Granny made the piece back before mom was even born.
My first memory of seeing it is when mom had it hanging in what we called the dangerous room. It was really our guest room, but since there were things my sister and I could get into our parents started calling it the dangerous room when we were toddlers and the name stuck.
When I was in high school I moved into the dangerous room so that we could both have our own room. I liked the piece so much I ask mom if I could keep it on my wall.
I asked Granny to tell me about making it. She said “Why that ole thing? I can’t believe yall still have it.”
She went on to tell me at the time she made it her and Pap were living in a rented house in Murphy. She said it was all the rage at the time.
Women would buy a piece of printed fabric, sew it to another piece of fabric and then sew around certain items in the scene and stuff them with cotton to give it a 3-D effect. Once that was done it was attached to a board and framed.
Granny said back then about every house had similar artwork. She said most women chose animal or mountain scenes to create the art.
After talking to Granny, I did a couple of online searches and found a few similar ones for sale.
It’s one of my favorite pieces of art because I love the colors, the horses, and the whole vintage look of it. The piece also reminds me of Granny because she made it, but also of mom because she liked it enough to save it and put it in her home when Granny wanted to discard it.
Do you remember this type of artwork?
Chatter
Last night’s video: Simple – Quick – Chocolate Cake – So GOOD with Ice Cream!
I’m 71 now, but once upon a time, I was a little girl going to vacation Bible school the very first week of summer vacation. This padded picture was one of the arts & crafts projects along with gluing uncooked macaroni to cigar boxes and spray painting them gold. I was in the macaroni group and my older sister made the beautiful picture which hung in our home for many years. Good memories!
That is a beautiful picture. I remember those pictures. My Mama made some for family. We had 2 hanging in our den or family room. Haven’t thought about them in many years. I think that is wonderful y’all have saved it. I love vintage. Granny reminds me of my Mama and Mother in Law and my Granny. They were always making crafts, crocheting, sewing, quilting. They have passed their hobbies on to me. I love crafting and my 5 Granddaughters enjoy it too. I hope they will pass on the treasures of days gone by just like Corey and Katie do.
My Momma taught me how to do that. Maybe we should bring it back?
Happy Birthday! My grandmother had one with quail.
Oh my what memories that picture brings back! My grandma made several of those! Not sure what happened to them though. She tried all the latest crafts and was very good at each one. Sadly I didn’t inherit much of her talent. Does my heart good to see how you treasure all the old things. Not many young people care about such things these days. God bless you and Austin as you get settled in your new home.
This immediately stuck a memory in my mind of a beauty piece of art my mom made when she was a little girl! Similar but with a beautiful house sparrow! She’s gone now, I’m 55 and still remember! Thanks for sharing!
My roots are in the Appalachia and raised to treasure our memories. A treasured memory that I have Is a framed printed fabric of a Grandma Moses picture….popular some 65+ years ago.
A son-in-law recently commented how much he regreted not saying how much he would have liked receiving the 2 landline telephones that I had had to leave behind when home was sold….they represented memories for him. My children hope to receive one of their childhood books to treasure and read to their grandchildren.
Another memory that I have Is a framed printed fabric of a Grandma Moses picture….popular some 65+ years ago.
A son-in-law recently commented how much he regreted not saying how much he would have liked receiving the 2 landline telephones that I had had to leave behind when home was sold….they represented memories for him.
I was raised to Treasure your memories. Children as they age love and treasure things they have grown up with; i.e, I treasure the Grandmother’s wooden shelf clock that my father wound up for them. A problem occurs when several children or descendants long for the same memory.
I don’t recall seeing pictures like that growing up. The artwork is creative and very pretty. The fact that Granny made it is why you like it so much. I’m guessing your mom has given it to you, if not now then sometime in the future she will.
Yep, I sure do… My Mom used to make them too… I recall that they were beautiful… ! She also used to do the oil paint-by-numbers on both canvas and velvet… My brother has the two Angeleus paintings and I do not remember who in the Family has the Clown paintings…
The textile mill where J worked his entire life closed down last year.
J was able to get an old book about the mill & this gorgeous red & white pillow with beautiful scenery.
Our puppy, Roxy, loves to chew on things. I noticed she had chewed around the corners of the pillow.
Last night I told J that I plan on taking the pillow apart to save the fabric. I am going to frame it.
I had no idea that was a thing! Now I may try my hand with embellishments. I love the look of that! Very cool!
I worked on making many of those trapunto hangings with my granny when I was a girl. We also made lots of quilts, stuffed animals, rag dolls & just about anything we could make from clearance items & freebies from the local sewing factory. I am glad that you have a taste for that kind of decorations. Most of the young ladies in my family are into modern decorations & with phrases painted on their walls using calligraphy stencils. They have no appreciation for handmade items.
My own house is “decorated” in a hodge-podge of handmade hand me downs: quilts made by me & granny hang on many of my walls along with lots of old enamel cookware & the kind of stuff found in old junk stores. I also have several of those trapunto pillows made by friends & relatives. It makes me feel secure & relaxed. So, congratulations on your wedding & keep us updated on the filling of the house. In my experience the old things will keep you happy & the modern things will become tiresome.
I LOVE that wall hanging! It’s beautiful! I treasure things that have been made by hand, too, and I’m so glad Chatter is giving it a place of honor in her new home. I have similar things in my home that my mom made for me many years ago and they’re my most treasured pieces of “art.” I got such a kick out of the “dangerous” room! It reminded me of my guest room. I think I’m gonna have to start calling it the “dangerous” room. It’s a small room that not only serves as my guest room, but is where I work on my creative projects … writing, painting, or whatever strikes my fancy. It changes from day to day, and today it’s my sewing room with fabric strewn all over it … no telling what it will be tomorrow!
My aunt had a bedspread of that very same print!
I remember somebody doing that kind of thing. I think it was my Aunt Merrill. That would have been in the 1960s. She made pillows and decorated the front that way. Mommy didn’t do anything like that. She quilted, did embroidery and made lace (tatting).
What a beautiful picture Corie! I also remember seeing this type of artwork. It’s been a long time ago, but I think it was my great aunt that had one hanging in her house. I also remember decorative pillows made like this and it looked like they had been quilted. So sweet of you to have that hanging in your home and your Granny is very talented!
I remember it well, and I actually did one myself. It seemed so pretty back then. There seemed to be a time when living room furniture and draperies would be alive with pictures and color. My couch had such a busy design that I recovered it with a beige naugahyde, Such a difficult job that I never continued with any reupholstery on anything. I remember especially looking for a material that had lots of visuals, and there were birds in the design. It may have been drapery material, not certain. I liked the end product very much, but upon moving back to my home state it became one of many discarded items. This trend fell by the wayside possibly along with the paint by number and Elvis painted on velvet pictures. What a treasure, and it makes me wish I had hung onto a paint by number my dad painted.
We made those in Bible School one year! Mine was of deer. A man in the church made all the frames! I’m sixty nine now, so that was many moons ago!
Law yes! I had one like that! My grandma made it! I do not know where it went…lost in one of our many moves I guess. I loved doing the cross stitch pictures. I did one with a beautiful fiddle/violin. My grandma made two beautiful huge pictures of roosters out of dried beans & peas!
I think this is a beautiful picture, I love anything vintage and old my self. It also does my heart good to know that someone as young as Corie is interested in this kind of stuff and is sentimental as we are and will pass these items on to her kids and future generations. Lord knows we need more Corie & Katie’s in the world. . Loved this. Thanks for sharing. ❤️
I vaguely remember having seen such art. Don’t know where. The nostalgic framed art I remember from my grandmother’s house was a large print of “Found” which depicted a collie that had found a lost lamb lying in the snow. No doubt others had that picture in their homes. I don’t know the artist at the moment.
My parents had the same one hanging over their roll top desk. Their sister in law made it. I wonder if it is in the attic.
I remember one with birds and one of Noah’s Ark. I don’t remember where I saw them. It must have been at a friend’s or cousin’s home because I don’t think I saw them a lot. It seems like the one with birds had a poorly made frame that always drew my attention. Your frame looks much better.
Corie, you amaze me. I appreciate that you treasure these type of things and I’m sure will pass them down to future generations. I love that you are putting this special piece on display in your home and not packing it away in a box somewhere where it won’t be enjoyed as much. It is a constant sweet reminder of your precious Granny.
Chatter, I do remember those pieces and the method is called trapunto, stuffing used to raise
the design from the background, usually in quilting. What a sweet memory you have associated
with it and one you will cherish for many years.
Best wishes to you and Austin.
I like it to. I like most anything in earth tone colors. I had never encountered that particular kind of artwork before though.
Your reference to “vintage” makes me think of the old elementary school readers; the ones with Dick, Jane and Spot the dog. Books of the 1950’s had a particular sort of look. I’m sure there is a word for it but if there is I do not know it. The colors are kinda muted or soft or something like that. They were all artwork and not photographs. There was no shine to the pictures. They had a matte-type finish.
Off the subject, but I remember the ‘little blue books’, the biographies of famous Americans; George Washington Carver, Luther Burbank, U S Grant, Eli Whitney etc. There were lots of them. Then there was the “Landmark Series” about events in American history. The one I still remember was “Up the Trail from Texas” by J. Frank Dobie. It commemorated the era of the cattle drives. Illustrations in it were earth tones if memory serves. Guess most all of those books have gone the way of the dodo. I think every kid should have the whole library of them.
Makes me smile to think that we never really know just what our descendants will treasure, nor exactly why. Some “old thing” we never thought will be precious.
I really loved “Up the Trail from Texas,” too, as well as all those “Landmark” books. I think all those biographies you read were from the “Signature” series, and each had a copy of the subject’s signature on the front. Reading those books helped give me a life-long love of history.
Oh my goodness, we had one of those back in the day too! Ours was a house scene sort of gone with the wind kind of looking house and some things around it were stuffed, it always hung over the tv I’ve got to look through some old pictures and see if I can find it to show my kids, can I still call them kids at 29 & 27? Y’all have to do a new video with Granny, I love to hear her stories and just her views about things.
It was popular when I was young (I’m 42) to do this kind of thing on stuffed pillows. So, same steps, but instead of framing it you would sew it into a pillow. They actually printed fabric to suit this. My younger daughter found some fabric like this with cats on it a made some for a friend a few years ago. Seemed like all our houses had some, gram’s, mine, aunts. Wonder where they all went? I have a piece of “art” like that too (one that was going to be gotten rid of & was saved). It is a cross stitch piece of the state of NY that my very talented aunt made. It has our home town stitched on with all of the state bird, flower, tree, etc….. But it has my maiden name for the last name. My mom didn’t want it, because #1 they don’t live in this town anymore & #2 she never really liked that aunt to being with. Ha. Its actually one of my ‘treasures’ because I remember the xmas it was given and everyone got one. I like to think of all the work that went into it. Treasure it & write a bit of it’s “story” down and pin it to the back. See how long you can keep it hanging around.
Good morning, Miss Chatter! It’s so good to hear from you anytime you drop in on your mother’s blog! I’ve never seen anything like the artwork you showed and it surely is pretty! I think you made a fine choice in “dangerous” art!!! I mean who doesn’t like mountains, greenery and horses? Lol. Macrame was mom’s thing- really ugly hanging tables, frogs woven into towel holders and other really hideous “art.” Lol My windows are coming today and I’m excited!!! God bless y’all today wherever you may be!!!
Yrs, I do remember that type of artwork. The one you have is beautiful and deserves an honored place in your new home.
Chatter and Tipper, thank you for sharing this piece and helping us to remember good things. My grandmother did this also and I have one of her pieces that I value highly. Have a good day to all Blind Pig readers!
No, I’m not familiar with that type of artwork but I understand why it is special to you and will become more precious through the years. I would love to have something like that from my grandparents.
I have nevet seen this tupe of art, but I do like it. Almost a quilted wall hanging
What a treasure for your new jome
My mom made these in the 70s. I remember that she used a toothpick to stuff very narrow areas of whatever design she was working with, and I was always fascinated by how puffy and full she could get the designs. Hadn’t thought of them in years, though! Thanks for the reminder!
We had this very same picture in my house growing up. There were two scenes like this both of horses my mom had done. Unfortunately these were some of the things we lost in the fire but i definitely remember this one!!!
That’s so beautiful. I never heard of that. Granny is talented
Wow, what a treasure. I do not remember family members making these pieces of art, but I do remember having seen them in friend’s homes years ago. Wonder how many have been discarded as junk and not valued as you have. Stay well, God Bless you and your families.