A Piece of 1936

 Yesterday, I decided to  rifle through a box of Christmas decorations . I found something I thought I'd lost, 26 years ago. It's a simple strand of net lace. A little torn, and a little yellowed. But it once was the ribbon on my mother's wedding bouquet on Nov 21, 1936. If it could speak, it would talk volumes....

I  attached it to a wall quilt I've been creating. A fantastic, out of the box thing with wonderful antiques that come from the earlier 20th century; clipped  onto the quilt by a grouses kilt pin, a gift from my Scottish grandfather. It still has the claws attached.

 Nov 21, 1936 my parents were married in Victoria, B.C. Not a fancy wedding, but there was a beautiful net ribbon to tie up the flowers. My mother told me once she made her own dress and veil. Cost about $5.00.I saved that ribbon, many years later, and had it included in my own wedding bouquet of  silk flowers. Now that I look at those flowers I think how garish they were ( shudder), but the old lace was there, just a strand of it hanging down . All that was visible in that mass of blue .

 

I had stuffed the bouquet into a garbage bag. Forgotten.  Till yesterday. A hodge podge of dusty decaying silk, torn and ripped. And there was the 1936 lace. Still intact. It's way safer on the wall, where it can be seen and apreciated. I've been working at this quilt off and on for about two years. It's adorned with family heirlooms, lace hankies from good friends, pieces of lace tablecloths that I started with my mother and never quite finished.

Fragments of pearl collars, gold leaf fabric, and rhinestones...I love it. It's out of the box. Has that exquisite , vintage feel.

                                

The same day I found the lace, I found these photographs of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. This was when they visited Canada to dedicate the war memorial in Ottawa. On May 22, 1939 they travelled to Toronto.These would have been photographer shots at the time. Have no idea where they came from.

                                 That piece of lace from my mom's bouquet  survives from the same time frame.

                   In 1939 the King and Queen not only came to Ottawa and Toronto, but they visited every province along the way.

             Nov 22, 1936, mum and dad on the Kathleen, on their honeymooon.

 Another wedding in the 1930's , one in which my dad attended. Solemn expressions. So serious. And the "Norman", in 1932. An airship that was disbanded after the Hindenburg exploded, and the 2nd World War about to start.
                      Makes me think , if that yellowed piece of lace could talk......the things it would say.