I have an old wooden tree that was in my parents' home for as long as I can remember. When Mom and Dad moved into an apartment, they gave it to me. For about 5 years I kept it in the diningroom of the little home I moved to after my late husband's death. I used it to hang up coats and jackets of visitors. A few years ago, both of my parents passed away, and I found an old folded up denim cap in my mothers' dresser drawer. It had belonged to her father, my Pap. He wore it while he worked. I remarried last year and when I moved into my new husband's home, I put the wooden clothes tree in my sewing room and hung my Pap's hat on one of the hooks. I use the other hooks to hang up clothes that need to be altered. When I quilt, I see it and remember.. so many people and so many good times together. The other day while I was sewing, I remembered an old red work childrens' quilt that my Grandma gave me. It had various storybook characters stitched in the large squares, and was on my bed througout elementary school. Unfortunately, my Mom didn't save it and it only lives on in my memories. So, I have decided to make a small redwork type of throw to help keep my memories alive. I love connections from my past to my present! What about you? :-)

My home is filled with those kinds of memories. My dining room suite was my grandmothers, then my parents. The china cabinet my dad bought Mom for a wedding gift. I have all of Mom's crochet hooks. I have a lovely old 1914 singer that Mom told me she got at Goodwill for $5 when I was a baby. I could keep going. There is so much of my family here I'm surprised my DH hasn't complained.

I love things like that that trigger a memory. I love your story. What a great thing to have.

I have many things around my home that belonged to both my grandmothers, my parents, etc. Some of them I have had so long it's hard to remember where and who they came from. I went around and took pictures of each one, put the pictures in an album & wrote on an index card what it was used for & who it belonged to. When my kids/grandkids come I let them look through the album & write their name on what they would like to have. I hope this keeps family treasures from ending up in the dump and hopefully there will be no fighting since our executor will know who gets what.

My sister lost her battle with colan cancer when she was just 58. She was very much into quilting & one of the few things I was able to obtain after her death was a small Sunbonnet Sue applique that I think she was doing as a class project. It still has the needle in it & is unfinished. I have it in one of my spare bedrooms & everytime I see that little quilt, it reminds me of my sister's "unfinished" life.

I have several of my Grandmothers quilts: She mostly made them from scraps she saved from sewing clothes and those old clothes: She make all my clothes when I was growing up. We lived on a farm and worked in the fields and she made me a bonnet to wear. I still have it, however it is very fragile and worn but it sure brings back memories of home.

A dear friend died a few years ago, her family gave me her stash. I stopped quilting for a few years, but kept all of our stash. Now when I quilt, I try to add a piece of fabric from her stash. Makes me feel good.

I have been fortunate to recieve many items from my grand, great and great great grand mothers and great great aunt. Most all are displayed or used in our home along with tons of old photos. What a wonderful idea of taking pics of each item and telling its story for my grands, greats and great greats.

I have several items around the house that once belonged to my deceased family members - but the item that gets the most comments belongs to my husband. We have a really large windmill in the yard that belonged to his grandfather. We move a lot due to my DH's job and the windmill goes with us. It started in Iowa, moved to Illinois (4 different houses there) then traveled all the way to California and then back across country to Georgia. I have to laugh every time I see the expression on the movers face's when they realize they must make room for a windmill on the truck!