sometime last year my mom gifted me the most beautiful pair of thigh-high, hand-sewn deerskin boots. these deerskin boots once belonged to my grandfather's mother's grandfather who was a doctor living in vermont. i'm not sure of the exact date.. but the boots were made sometime in the early 1800's. the boots had been sitting in a garage collecting dust and mold for many, many years. they were given to me with the hope that i'd turn them into something new that our family could incorporate into everyday life.
it was a really, really hard decision.. but i had my dear friend margaux turn one of the boots into three separate journals which i then gave to my grandmother, mother, and brother as christmas gifts. there's always a small feeling of guilt that goes along with cutting up something so old and beautiful.. but, as you can tell from the bags that i make, i'm real into turning these historical pieces into practical, useful objects. (i decided to keep the other boot intact and am currently searching for the perfect place to display it.)
margaux did such an incredible job - i wouldn't have trusted my leather with any other hands. these books seriously brought tears to my eyes.
it was a really, really hard decision.. but i had my dear friend margaux turn one of the boots into three separate journals which i then gave to my grandmother, mother, and brother as christmas gifts. there's always a small feeling of guilt that goes along with cutting up something so old and beautiful.. but, as you can tell from the bags that i make, i'm real into turning these historical pieces into practical, useful objects. (i decided to keep the other boot intact and am currently searching for the perfect place to display it.)
margaux did such an incredible job - i wouldn't have trusted my leather with any other hands. these books seriously brought tears to my eyes.
14 comments:
it would have done as quite a sweet little stocking!
Surely your heart was in the right place but what were you thinking to destroy these historic artifacts? Simply unbelievable. And family pieces at that. Oh my.
I for one think you absolutely did the right thing. Keeping one for display, and ensuring that the other lives on as a much treasured item - perfect! And they're absolutely beautiful notebooks.
those are amazing. & now everyone can share the leather! such a sweet idea.
I think this is the perfect way for those boots to live on. Too often people leave family heirlooms to molder and rot, sometimes not even realizing that precious items are being damaged by improper storage. I'm glad you salvaged the leather! Those journals are gorgeous, and absolutely priceless.
i love the books margaux made. it's such and beautiful personal gift. the resulting journals can always stay in your family as well as their history as your ancestor's boots.
the journals ARE lovely, but i couldnt have done it!! we dont have much of a packrat family so the few old pieces i have (no clothes, but a gold topped cane, and some trinkets...) are sacred! but it's total old new england mentality to take old things and make them into new, so i bet your great...great grandfather would have done the same!
oooohh my. yes yes yes. i am all about repurposing important family heirlooms that would otherwise sit untouched. these are perfection- the best possible reincarnation.
what a lovely idea, and they turned out beautifully. such a great way to turn something meaningful to you into something you can cherish and make use of.
You surely made the right decision, those books that margaux made are just lovely!
The photographs are already wonderful on their own. I think you are very brave to make the decision to use the boots. and what a good idea to give them away to your family.
I think the journals look fantastic, and while the boots were beautiful, it's great that they have been transformed into something of use that has been given to those who will most appreciate the sentimental value.
I love these!!very creative!
Shouldve just put em on and let me bang you from.behind
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