Stitched Samplers have been a part of family histories through the centuries. The earliest known sampler was stitched in the mid-1500s and is housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England; yet history suggest they were utilized even earlier than the 16th Century After the turn of the eighteenth century, sampler work switched…

As we begin our second week of the New Year, the excitement and celebrations are beginning to be replaced with our return to our normal routines and schedules. Here are seven ideas I will be attempting to include in my life this year and may be a perfect fit for yours. Begin each day with a…

“My children are not interested in my heirlooms. What can I do?” I hear this question all the time from people I meet in my gallery. As an older family member, you have lived with these items for most of your life and the actual items have, in your mind, become a part of who…

The Christmas Season has been an integral part of our beliefs and our lives for a very long time. I think you may find the following eight tidbits of information most interesting. Most of the traditional Christmas Customs we celebrate today in the US were introduced to our country by the Southern Colonist based on…

Antique linens are works of art, and should be treasured as labors of love from many generations back. Yet, they are also most usable today. To supplement the show, I have compiled some ideas for cleaning vintage linens that may be helpful as you enjoy treasures from past generations. Each stain on a piece of…

We live in a world where we are all so blessed that most of us actually need very little. I would like to invite you to consider some of these ideas as venues to share a part of you and your spirit with those you love this holiday season. Personal Letters For your family members…

The following are eight interest things about Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald that one may not know. While researching Zelda, I came to the personal conclusions that Zelda had a zest for life that no one of her day could touch. Her artistic flare forever changed the opinion of women and their place in the world. She…

1.Chippendale is the most well-known name associated with antique furniture. Thomas Chippendale, a cabinetmaker, was England’s foremost furniture designer during the 18th Century and the first person  whose name is associated with a style of furniture that was not nobility. 2. Born in 1718 at Otley, in West Yorkshire, England, Thomas Chippendale was the son…

Character traits I feel most define the Southern Gentleman are manners, courtesy and respect of others, and personal grooming. A Southern Gentleman has a strong enough self-esteem, that he can naturally put another person’s feelings before his own. The following ten traits that I have listed are not new. Southern Gentlemen have been incorporating them…

Bringing the Family Back to the Table 60 Years Ago, the average dinnertime in America was one and a half hours. Today it is less than 12 minutes. In the past 20 years, the frequency of family dinners has declined 33 percent, this could be attributed to both parents working and trying to balance the…