Classy Memory Plates: Heirlooms and Stencils

When my mother passed away, I inherited a large box of some of her Christmas decorations. After a few years of lugging this box in out and out of the attic and re-taping it each time, the box literally started falling apart.

As I transferred everything over into a new box, getting ready to recycle the old one, mom’s writing of “Christmas” caught my eye. Her cursive writing was all too familiar as I remembered the notes Mom would write excusing me from school when I was sick, or signing a check when I needed money, or the many cards and letters she wrote to me over the years.

I just knew I had to do something with Mom’s writing!

I immediately cut out the “Christmas” from the cardboard box and tucked it away in my hutch.

Last year I couldn’t wait to pull the piece of cardboard out of storage. Not only did it remind me of the power that heirlooms can hold in a family as we had lost our mom to cancer, but it had a feeling of love that I wanted to preserve and share with my sisters.

My Mom, Millie, is very dear to my sisters’ and my heart, as we miss her very much. It’s very special how the memory of a loved one can live on through heirlooms, pictures, videos, letters, and even writing.

So I stenciled Mom’s writing of “Christmas” with a black Sharpie marker onto stencil paper.

Cut it and glued it onto a white glass plate.

Poured a high gloss finish onto the plate.

Used a hairdryer to get the bubbles out.

They are not perfect, but I think they turned out stunningly classy.

One for my sis Di, one for my sis Linda and me, with black plate stands to display and to keep Christmas alive, through our mom, in years to come. And I know we’ll be able to pass them down to our kids, or their wives.

When I look at the plate displayed in my dining room, it makes me smile.

I feel blessed. Yes, very blessed.

Do you have a story to share how you’ve preserved your special family heirlooms or memories?