Sunday, June 17, 2007

Fun Monday - Hanging

I have looked forward to being able to host a Fun Monday event. Now, that school is out, I have a little more time. For this challenge, you have been asked to show us something that hangs on your wall that is fun, interesting, endearing, sentimental, or otherwise enticing. Select the picture of Uncle Horace, Grandma Galt's needlepoint, or little Susie's first fingerpainting to show the blogging community. However, in creating this challenge, I did not stop to think about some of the technicalities of this wall hanging Fun Monday. If your keepsake is something in a frame with glass, the glass reflects the camera flash and your lovely treasure is obscured. Hopefully, you have not had a great deal of trouble in taking pictures of your Fun Monday items or you may be wanting to hang me. To alleviate the light reflection problem, I have scanned some of my treasures, but the scanner does not scan the larger items.

My first exhibit is a gift that my mother gave to me when I began my teaching career. This is my great-grandmother, Pamelia Conger's teaching certificate dated April 24, 1869, which is about 100 years before I started teaching. I treasure this family heirloom, and the certificate itself is much nicer than my actual teaching certificate.
The next is a Valentine that Daddy D made for me when we were dating in 1966. Isn't he romantic?
This caricature of my Dad was given to my Dad on his retirement from the International Harvester, where he worked for 41 years. After he retired, my parents moved to Naples. One of Dad's co-workers created the cartoon, and all of the people in his department signed the back. The picture hangs on my wall in a very nice frame with a maroon matting.
This framed quote by John Wesley is from my sister, Margaret. This is one of Daddy D's favorite sayings. The advice from Wesley certainly is sound.

The picture of Lionel Richie was a sixth grade art assignment for our oldest son, Dean. In this assignment, students were to complete the second half of a black and white photograph in pencil. I think that the picture is wonderfully done.

Luke, our second son, had a comic strip published in Purdue's student newspaper, The Exponent. Comic strips are typically drawn at a larger size and then are reduced to fit the newspaper. This framed strip is one of Luke's originals. In this strip, one of the main characters, Cosmo, is taking an Organic Chemistry test. Daddy D teaches chemistry so he especially likes this particular strip.
This friendly little gate hangs in our blue kitchen. My husband's step-father made this gate; I believe out of old siding. George was an interesting fellow and an inventor of sorts. He was forever making things out of stuff other people threw away. He made the most beautiful oak kitchen cabinets out wood from the interior of an old building.



This wooden clock was made by one of my former students in his high school industrial arts class some twenty years ago. Last spring this former student, Caesar, stopped by school for a visit with his wife and pictures of his new baby. The teddy bear tucked inside the clock is one that I had as an infant. This same teddy bear was also loved by our two children when they were very young. On a quite memorable occasion, shortly after we brought Luke home from the hospital, newborn infant Luke was crying, and his almost three year old brother said, "Don't cry baby, here is my Teddy." This was the same bear that his daddy had to retrieve before bedtime from our friend's house, who watched Dean during the birth of Luke. This is the kind of memory touches a mom's heart.
So those are some of my treasures that hang on my wall. There is list of other Fun Monday participants in the margin on the left. Go visit those folks, and see what they have chosen to show us. Thank you for your visit and participation. I hope that photographing your hanging wares was not too difficult.

Interested in next week's Fun Monday. See Friday's post.

44 comments:

theotherbear said...

My favourite is definitely the teddy in the clock and the story to go along with it. All your hanging things are warm and snuggly if you know what I mean. Yes, OK, they are hard and in frames, but the stories behind them are just warm and snuggly feeling.
I didn't worry about the flash on the glass for my post! I figured it was part of the charm...

Anonymous said...

Geez Molly, you set the bar a bit high with this post! I was just going to wing this one, now I might have to rethink my strategy. I like the Teacher's Certificate the best.

Anonymous said...

I'll have to say I like the Valentine the best. Very cool, Daddy D! Your walls are filled with rememberings of family and friends. What a wonderful thing to have surround you...

Thank you for hosting Mjd. This was most enjoyable.

Beckie said...

I'm with Willowtree on this one - you are setting a high standard - although nicely done.

I liked them all and the stories that went along with them.

Margaret said...

I love your choices, but it is VERY difficult to take photos of paintings with glass over them. You have a sister named Margaret? That's wonderful. What a great name!!(smile)

Robinella said...

Thanks for letting me play this week, mjd. I loved seeing your treasures.

Unknown said...

You have so many nice things. I really like the teacher's certificate. Love the story behind the wee bear and the drawing your son finished!

PS - I did have trouble with the flash but figured I wouldn't be alone, you put me to shame. :)

Anonymous said...

Lovely treasures! What wonderful memories you have to look at all the time!
I'll put one up tomorrow. The flash cast a shadow on mine, but, oh well.

Pamela said...

such a variety... and so touching, too.

I've been very bad about saving things --

I love that quote.

twilite said...

Hi mjd! Thank you for dropping a gracious note of encouragement. Do come by again.

Like your post on hanging. How varied...indeed memories are made of these! Cheerio.

Anonymous said...

I'm crashing your Fun Monday. I hope you don't mind! If you can get my link up fine and if you can't that's fine too. I love the John Wesley quote.

ChrisB said...

I loved reading all the stories that go with your treasures. I find it hard to pick a favourite but the pencil drawing half of LR is brilliant, to have your great grandmother teaching cert is wonderful and the clock and teddy bear story is so sweet. A really enjoyable post- thank you.

my post is up.

Wendster said...

What great wall hangings. Now I'll have to go and look at mine. Mine is probably an oil painting of the desert by my Grandpa Clawson who has since passed on. I hope you don't mind if I quote your DO quote?

theotherbear said...

By the way I have now fixed my typo in my Fun Monday post. How dreadfully embarrassing, I had your name wrong. I must have been over tired this morning and thought you were the white robin. Actually I don't know where I got it wrong and why I wrote Robin from the Return of the White Mollys or whatever I had before. I blame a really bad management meeting that I was late for first thing at work this morning that I had to fib at and say my train was late when I just slept in. When I re-read it upon getting home this arvo I was horrified at my carelessness!

Hootin Anni said...

Wow, wow, and more WOW!!! Being very interested and liking to sketch myself, I especially love the one of Lionel Richie!!

Everything is perfect!! My measly collection of 3 isn't much compared to yours!!

Anonymous said...

You have lots of great stuff. The valentine??!?! So sweet and wonderful. Great topic this week.

Anonymous said...

I love, love, love the teddy bear story.

So sweet.

Anonymous said...

I thought I commented last week, but apparently not. I'm in too

Jodi said...

I love the Lionel Richie picture your son drew...

Tiggerlane said...

Wonderful items! Your home is definitely adorned with love.

The teddy bear and the story have to be my favorite, tho - thanks so much for hosting!

Anonymous said...

You definetly have some very special treasures hanging on your wall. I especially liked the Valentine and your grandmother's teaching certificate.
I didn't have too much trouble with the flash, I tried to block out the sun's glare, but still have enough light for the shot!
Fantastic job hosting this Fun Monday!

Debs said...

I think the Teacher's Certificate is very neat! Love the clock! Great job. :)

Anonymous said...

That teacher's certificate is so neat. What a great thing to have! I liked everything you showed, but because I'm a big mush I think the Valentine was the best. Great Fun Monday Molly!

debi said...

Oh my, I love them all. But I have to say that the Valentine is my favorite. How romantic.

frannie said...

I had saigned up last week--- maybe blogger ate my comment.

anyway, I will participate.

frannie said...

nevermind--- I looked at the wrong links. no one ever accused me of being the brightest bulb in the chandelier!

Jenni said...

That has got to be the only good excuse--other than being related--for hanging a picture of Lionel Ritchie on your wall. He did an excellent job, though, and I'd be proud to hang it, too.

I'd like to join in for this week. I'll have to wait and post this afternoon or evening though as I'm about to head out the door now.

Jenni said...

Awww, I just went back and read the valentine. Too sweet. And now I've really gotta go!

frannie said...

back again--- I didn't want to read your post until I had mine up. (I feel like I'm cheating :)

I love your treasures! The valentine is so sweet! and that teaching certificate is very special!

thanks for hosting!

Debbie said...

So many interesting treasures. I love all of the stories that went along with them. The teacher's certificate is amazing. How lucky you are to have such a wonderful artifact.

Anonymous said...

I love that your home is filled with so many cherished memories! It seems as though everything you have has a story behing it. And to me, that's the way it should be.

btw, you weren't kidding about the flash...it was a stuggle, but fun trying!

Frema said...

I love the Lionel Richie drawing and Luke's comic strip. I can't wait to have mementos like that from my own kids to hang!

Biddie said...

That really is a wall full of treasures. Is there anything better than being surrounded by wonderful people and warm memories?

Unknown said...

I LOVE the V-day declaration of love!! How sweet.

I thought I'd have something on my walls in time to participate...but no such luck...thowwy. I'll participate next week (and try to slip something in;)).

Karina said...

I love all your stuff! The Valentine is way too sweet, your son's comic was hillarious, and the teaching certificate is such a wonderful heirloom.

I didn't comment last week that I'd be participating, but I do intend on posting mine later tonight, when I get home from work, and from visiting my dad, who had some light surgery today...so it'll be late, but it'll be up!

Julie said...

The valentine is the cutest and sweetest thing ever! I love that you have it framed in your home - what a nice reminder of true love.

Dawn said...

Wonderful selection of wall things. I wouldn't even know what to choose for a favourite.

Anvilcloud said...

Wonderful treasures. I'm especially impressed with the first one.

Kila said...

Wow, those were great. I especially liked the Teacher's Certificate. What a keepsake.

I know it's late, but count me in for Fun Monday!

http://momto3cubs.blogspot.com

captain corky said...

That's some really amazing stuff. Priceless. I really like you're dad's retirement picture.

daddy d said...

All those wall hanging have meaning that has been there for a long time. The joy of life shows in the range of material.

Anonymous said...

Molly, wow...no wonder you thought of this for Fun Monday--your treasures are WONDERFUL...ALL of them!

This week's theme was a reminder to me, too, to get my children's artwork framed, doggone it. I have a stack of it, but never seem to get it to the shop. Maybe I should take a page out of WT's book and do it myself (note to self: find do-it-yourself framing site, lol).

That teacher's certificate is art...I love having a "piece" of many of my family members just hanging around; I understand why this means so much to you :).

And that Valentine? Oh, my...THAT has to be one of your favorite gifts EVAH! Tad made a book for me when we were in college, and to this day, it remains one of my favorite presents ever, too.

Thanks for hosting and your kind comments... I really appreciate the way you THINK through your comment, you never "ring and run".

Emma in Canada said...

I love everything, but especially the teacher's certificate...what an amazing piece of history!

Still haven't had a chance to do mine, soon I hope!

bichonpawz said...

Thought I had already posted...must be I'm getting forgetful. Great Stuff! Thanks for Sharing!