Monday, March 07, 2011

Beaded cap remnants...



That is what is written on the tag. I found this little box at a local "Antique Mall". This place is HUGE - 12,000 square feet huge.

I pass by it at lease twice a week going to/from my son's house driving on Highway 30. I never stop and I am not sure why - I love looking through those places for little treasures. This past weekend I found a little treasure. I found this little box, opened it and found a tangle of beads with a crocheted band. I was instantly drawn to the beads, they were obviously old and very pretty. Then I checked the tag and the contents were described as "beaded cap remnants". I bought it.



When I arrived home, I opened the box again and began to untangle the bead strands. Most of the strands were broken and the little bit of material that was still attached to the crocheted part disintegrated when just a tiny bit of pressure was applied. It's okay, I really only wanted the beads. All the beads are beautiful, but I think the red are my favorites.



As I started taking the piece a part, I wished it could tell me its own story - like why and for whom it was created. How many have worn it? Was it for a special occasion? A party?



After separating all the loose and still strung beads, I left the band piece in one piece with the beads still attached. The piece is a little dirty and obviously warn, but all the beads on it are in tact and still firmly attached. I could not bring myself to cut it up. What to do with it now - I am not sure yet. Any suggestions?



On another note - it is finally warming up around here and I could not be happier about it! A couple of other residents are pretty happy with the sunshine too :-)

2 comments:

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Hi Grace
The beads are beautiful and you are so right. When you find a antique treasure it really piques your curiosity as to its history.

We are coming to Ft. Wayne in a few weeks. Going to poke around and the kids want to eat at the Golden Coral.

The antique mall is a perfect place for Terry and I to go if we drop Laurie and the boys off at the mall. I'm going to look into it. Thanks for the tip.

I'm sure you will find your own unique purpose for the beads!
xx, Carol

Gina said...

I clicked on the pic to enlarge and the band is crocheted rather than tatted. What a treasure of beads you found though! I wish Ft. Wayne wasn't so far - close to a 3 hour drive for me, but I'd sure love to visit that mall! do you have an address and maybe I can plan a roadtrip when it warms a bit more?

Leaves of Grass

This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body - Walt Whitman