Today I am joining Diane's @ A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words blog party, 2nd Time Around Tuesday. Today I want to share with you my Grandpa and Grandma's China Cabinet. It is the first piece of large furniture that my Grandpa made. He made it from cherry wood left over from a job. Grandma wanted a pie safe style china cabinet with Hepplewhite legs. The cherry was wood for cabinets and moulding in a house. When the job was finished, Grandpa asked his customer what she would like done with the left over wood. She asked him to ..."haul it off..." He asked her if he could have it, "I can make something nice for my wife out of it." She told him to take it. He made it in 1931.
Grandpa had a hard life. Orphaned and abanded at age 8 with a 2 1/2 yo half brother to raise. After nearly starving to death, he began whittling wood into little things he could sell. A carpenter saw his work, took him under his wing,gave him a job, apprenticed and journeyed him.
As an adult, my Grandpa became one of the most sought after Carpenters/Designers/Construction Formans around. In winter months, people with 'means' would bring him photos of furniture and he would custom build it for them. If Grandma really liked it, guess what? She got one too! But this china cabinet was always a prized piece b/c it was his first large furniture. If you look close you can tell it is scrap wood. But that is OK. Does not decrease the value in my eyes a bit. :-D
A 3rd grade education, my Grandpa read everything and anything he could get his hands on. Encyclopedia books, dictionarys, practiced spelling, etc. One of the smartest men I knew.
My Grandma died when I was young so I did not know her very well. But I was very close to my Grandpa. I still miss him. This is one of the pieces I received from his estate. I used to love hearing all the stories he would tell me about his furniture. Almost every piece had a story with it.
To see more 2nd Time Around Pieces or to participate in Diane's 2nd Time Around, please go to Diane's Blog.
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!
Hugs,
Melissa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Addendum~~~~~~~~~~~~
I need to get that 3 in a row linky thing everyone else is getting. If you like this post, read this one. You will love it. It is one of my first posts.... Grandpa's Chair
A 3rd grade education, my Grandpa read everything and anything he could get his hands on. Encyclopedia books, dictionarys, practiced spelling, etc. One of the smartest men I knew.
My Grandma died when I was young so I did not know her very well. But I was very close to my Grandpa. I still miss him. This is one of the pieces I received from his estate. I used to love hearing all the stories he would tell me about his furniture. Almost every piece had a story with it.
To see more 2nd Time Around Pieces or to participate in Diane's 2nd Time Around, please go to Diane's Blog.
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!
Hugs,
Melissa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Addendum~~~~~~~~~~~~
I need to get that 3 in a row linky thing everyone else is getting. If you like this post, read this one. You will love it. It is one of my first posts.... Grandpa's Chair
22 comments:
Hi Melissa! This was the most beautiful story ever! And the most beautiful cabinet EVER! Deb
Oh, Melissa! What a sweet story about your grandpa! He was a very talented man. This cabinet is gorgeous and I know how you must cherish it! You know, young people today don't seem to have what your grandpa had. They wimp out and do not know what responsibility is all about! I really admire a man like your grandfather, willing to do what it took to live and make a life for himself. God bless his heart and thank you for sharing his story, Dear One.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia :)
Hi Melissa...what beautiful memories you have of a wonderful man...His work was truly an art form...the cabinet is a testament to his talent & skill. I am so happy you received it from his estate, because you truly appreciate it's real value. ;-) Bo
Oh my what a touching story...... and what an amazing man..... that hutch is magnificent.... I truly love hearing about your Grandpa...... maybe you should write some of the stories down...... so they are not lost...
HUgs
Linda
Beautiful piece of furniture-- and a beautiful story to go along with it. How lucky you are~
Melissa, that is one of the sweetest stories ever! I loved hearing it, and what a very special man your grandfather was! That is an amazing story about how he was orphaned so young and still made it and took care of his brother! Oh, my heart aches for him, but apparently, he rose like cream to the top and was able to use his God-given talent to have a wonderful life.
That cabinet would mean everything to me. I have one that my grandfather made for my grandmother (a pie safe) that ia a lot more primitive than your pretty piece, but I treasure it, too. He had a hard life, too, but made the best of it and was a well respected and wonderful man. He died before I was born, but I heard such loving things about him. I have so much respect for people who make the best of bad situations and turn lemons to lemonade. Their situations make so many things seem trite by comparison.
Thanks for sharing, and that is a beautiful cabinet!
Happy 2nd Time Tuesday...
XO,
Sheila :-)
Melissa, my words mimic everyone's words above. I looked close and all I see is a beautiful cabinet made with love. A treasure to cherish. How fortunate to have this wonderful work of art from a grandfather as special as him. What happened to his younger brother? Thank you for sharing this beautiful story today.
Hugs...Jeanne
This is such a beautiful piece of furniture that your grandpa made....what a treasure! Your grandpa sounds like an amazing man...and he has left you with precious memories. I know you miss him sweetie. I'll tell you, I miss mine...a little more with each passing day and year, but We'll see them again, one day.
Hope you have a beautiful day!
Big Hug,
Queenie~
What a lovely reminder of your grandparents.
Oh Melissa,I love your story and I love you china cabinet.
Hey,you've given me an idea.My dh has a workshop.Why can't he build me one?he was a carpender many yrs ago.hummmmmmmmmmm.
Your story or rather his is movie material.We need more people like your grand pa.He sounds so wonderful.What a man to look up to.wowow.awesome...Ann
I see you have birds,so do I.yipeeeeeeeeeeeee...Ann
I love this story. Family is so precious and I'm glad you inherited this lovely piece. I know you treasure it and your memories beyond measure.
Judybug
Wow, that is a beautiful piece, scrapwood or not!
Happy Tuesday!
Hello! thanks for that sweet comment on my page.
It is nice to inherit something from a dear family. Love the story behind it.
Melissa,
The china cabinet is gorgeous and I was taken back by all your sweet grandpa went through. He sure put his God~given talent to good work and created a pice of beauty with his hands.
It is so special to inherit something so special and full of love!
♥♥♥
Oh Melissa, What a lovely story! How precious that beautiful china cabinet must be to you! And what a man your Grandfather was! You are truly blessed!
What a gorgeous piece of furniture. And such an amazing story!
It's beautiful, and all the more so because of where it came from. What a treasure.
That cabinet is wonderful! For you to have something that your grandfather actually made with his own hands is unique.
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece of furniture, and for the sweet story! It made me tear up...we need to treasure those moments with those older than us!
And thank you for linking to 2nd Time Around!
Diane
What a lovely tribute to your grandpa, and his work is absolutely beautiful!
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