Of all the seasonal decorations that I put up, the items on my Easter Shelf hold the most personal meanings. Going left to right, let me tell you about them, as they each have a story...
The little pink and grey soap stone carved mushrooms were made in Nicaragua. Mama and Daddy lived there after I was married and Mama had various carved pieces. I like them so much, I searched out a market place vendor while visiting them, and bought these. I have had them for nearly 50 years.
The Big Goose is made of pecan wood shavings, glued somehow, to be able to shape, sand and polish into lovely things. It is much lighter weight than you would think! I fell in love with this guy when I saw him in a shop I frequented in Lodi. I saved up my pennies to get him and have loved him for nearly 38 years!
I bought the big distressed metal and perforated board star about 20 years ago, to go with my July 4th decor, but I found that first, it is difficult to store, and second, it goes with all my seasonal decor...so win/win!
My step-daughter, Michelle, gave me the darling Easter Fairy last year. He is a perfect addition to this shelf...perfect in color, shape and size. I just love him!
The large Papier Mache Easter Eggs are also from Michelle. Many years ago, when our now 20-year-old grandchildren were small, we celebrated an Easter with them in Tri-Cities, and she filled these with chocolates. I brought them home and have displayed them every Easter since. The largest of the three is sitting in a vintage plant pot that matches the color of all my Hobby Lobby egg vines and wreaths (also purchased in Tri-Cities, as we do not yet have a Hobby Lobby locally).
The beautiful wooden mushrooms were a birthday gift from my daughter, Mishel, last year. She had found some lovely carved mushrooms for my grandson Michael's room, and I kept threatening to steal them, as I like them so so much. Apparently, she wanted to make sure I would not go through with my threat!
And finally, the big carved wooden bowl I found at a yard sale, many years ago, where a man had a table full of bowls carved from exotic woods. They were quite expensive and it was so hard to choose which one I liked the most. This one came home with me. Inside it, is one of my Grandma's old, heavy, wire, basket-frogs for flower arrangements. This helps hold the silk greenery that you see. The ivy I purchased in the very same shop where I got the Big Goose. A few years ago, I had to replace and replenish some of the other silk greenery, as it was not holding up very well. I hope the new greenery stands up to the years as well as what I bought decades ago in Lodi. (It washes very nicely with a little soapy water.)
So you see...each thing that one person might perceive as just a do-dad or a useless piece of "stuff", many times has a much deeper meaning to the person who has collected that trifle.
As my granddaughter, Elly, told me a few years ago: when going through your "useless stuff" that you have collected over the years, ask yourself, "does this thing bring me joy?"
If the answer is yes, then keep it. Only get rid of it if, and when it ceases to bring you happiness...
Love this!! 💜