Onebyone

Covert the album to digital prints and no guilt in not keeping the album. That is what I would do.

cashs_mom

I've learned that the younger generation isn't as appreciative of handmade stuff and don't seem to want to have anything around. I find this sad. I love the reminders I have in my house of my parents and grandparents. Sometimes I just look at them and touch them and think that someone I was related to used these things 100 years before I was born. It makes me feel good.

hen my husband had to move his dad and stepmom into assisted living, I was helping him clean out their house and found a whole box of studio pics of his half sis who is almost 20 years younger than he is and her mom. I put them in a box and sat it in the center of the living room for her. I showed my husband where it was. I was thinking that his sis might like them. They were really nice pics. Nope. When she came to look at the stuff and see what she wanted, she didn't take even one. I found that kind of sad, but I guess it's just a difference in generations. IDK

b.zang, I'm so sorry for your loss. It's never easy to lose your partner of many years. I wish you well.

Austinite

b.zang, I'm so very sorry for your loss, i cannot imagine how hard things must be for you! I will second the recommendation for an estate company, it would be well worth it!

I will say that the world has changed and younger people (my children for example) live very different lives than my grandparents, parents, and even me. they plan on changing jobs more often because sadly it's often the only way to get a meaningful salary increase and as a result, buying a home, heavy wooden furniture, books, lots of things, those are more of a burden than they are to many of us. it's just more stuff to carry from place to place.

my grandparents on both sides bought their first home very young and lived there for 50+ years, worked at the same job for decades with good benefits. their great grandchildren live very different lives. my sweet MIL is moving for only the second time in her adult life and none of her high quality, heavy, well made wood furniture is useful to any of her grandkids, it's very sad. it's going to the thrift stores

ptquilts

If you are very ambitious, you can set up a free website to host the pictures. I have one on Tripod that I have had for years, it's free.

AprilM

Hello, everyone… i am overwhelmed and humbled by all of your heartfelt responses and ideas. I hope that everyone knows and understands that my intent on posting about this situation was not to make anyone sad, angry, or discouraged. I am trying so hard to understand something i never even imagined might happen - let alone that it might literally fall into my lap. As you might have gathered here, this event has truly shaken me.

BUT… it really has caused me to consider a few things. Bottom line… when youre gone it may very well be true that NOBODY WANTS YOUR STUFF. Ok, i really do kinda get it now. BUT… will i let this stop me from doing the thing i love? No, it wont because there is still so much good that can come from my efforts. And YOUR efforts as well. When i started quilting over 30 years ago it truly helped me healing a very broken heart over the sudden loss of my beloved Dad. I always wanted to quilt but had no idea where to start, but a very wonderful shop owner taught me and became a cherished friend. I found that quilting helped me to give of myself to others in painful circumstances - and in doing so i found ways to honor my Dads memory. In the process with Gods help i found healing and a depth of empathy that has become a treasure in my life that i share with others. The best sharing for me is in those anonymous gifts to people i will probably never know or meet. Knowing that SOMEONE CARES is something this world needs more of.

So… what about MY STUFF - the stuff my two grown sons and their families might have no use or appreciation for or desire to keep? All this has gotten me to thinking… i do know people who would appreciate certain things which are cherished to me. I can make sure that i gift those things while i am still here to do that and see their enjoyment. I do know many people who wouldnt let them end up in a dumpster or thrift shop. I really struggled to come to this place, but i dont want to judge THE QUILTERS family… its just hard for me to understand what happened. Maybe i dont need to. Maybe i just need to be THE CHANGE I WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD and let this event serve a positive function in my life.

Its a wake up call for me. I wont let it keep me from doing the things i love. But i will let it broaden my perspective. Its ok everybody, we CAN use something like this to help us be more intentional about things we maybe hadnt thought about before. Im not saying that YOU havent - im saying that I HAVENT! I cant unsee or unfeel the aftermath of all of this. Maybe at my age there are still a few things i need to GROW UP about - in a POSITIVE and LOVING WAY.

Again, thank you ALL for helping me sort this out. All i can do is offer it as food for thought here.

Nesie

I can't express in words how much this post has affected me today. I have reached several milestones in life recently and thought long and hard about some of the issues you have discussed. I actually feel some kinship in your post in the sense that others might feel the same way. I certainly don't think it was your intention to make anyone sad or angry. I have taken steps in my quilting life to address what I need to do about those things I care,about now while I am able. Thank you for this post. I really needed to hear it today.

GregB

I read all the post to this question. I see you are from Iowa. In most states now they have a group that records the history of quilts and their makers. Even if she was not famous, they record what the quilter accomplished. In this way your friends designs can live on.

cashs_mom

In the past, I have been the recipient of some beautiful things that others knew I'd love and their families wouldn't want or preserve. I'm very grateful for their generosity and have continued the tradition. I've run across a few younger people who mentioned vintage things that they loved and collected and I had one! I gifted it to them and they were so excited. I wish I'd run across more people like that for my treasures.