Thankfully, This Project Did Not Require Hot Glue.... But I Did Burn Dinner

I've had some family items missing their mates for some time, but I held on to them knowing I would one day figure out what I could do with them. Frankly, I just felt that (to me anyway) they were just way too cool to get rid of. Finally, I got the Big-Light-Bulb-Above-My-Head and almost slapped myself silly when I realized it had been staring me in the face for years.


I was in the middle of gluing cut and sized sheet music onto different pillar candles around the house when I realized what I needed to do. It hit me rather like a bolt of lightning. When we inherited Mr. Snooty's Grandmother's piano, we'd also acquired all of her old sheet music as well. Needless to say, I've got mountains of it. Again, I believed I'd eventually sell it all, give it away, or use it in some hair-brained craft project. And, guess what? It's not in the least bit hair-brained. It's truly brilliant!!!


Approximately 10 or 15 years ago I bought 4 necklace display cases thinking I'd use them for something at some point but they had been consistently building up a thick crusty layer of dirt, tossed aside and forgotten about for the time being. They measure 18-1/2" in length, 12-1/2" in width, and approximately 1" deep. So when I had this great epiphany, it was like the heavens and earth were immediately aligned and in unison. Don't you just adore it when that happens? And Mr. Snoots insists claims there is no such thing as multitasking. HA! I decline to tell him that perhaps it doesn't exist in men, but we women are the ones who came up with the phrase. Am I right or what?
 

This first one contains the following items:


The 1950's And 1960's:



#1 Taxco sterling silver bumble bee, made in Mexico. Belonged to Mr. Snooty's maternal grandmother.



#2 Great cat's eye sunglasses. Belonged to Mr. Snooty's paternal grandmother.



#3 Gold plated heart shaped perfume bottle. Belonged to my mother, the Brown Recluse.
 


#4 A teensy tiny ivory die. Belonged to my Great-grandmother.







#5 Kid leather glove with teensy checked pattern. So Avant-Garde. Belonged to hubby's paternal Grandmother.

The next one is more of a Victorian theme:




#5 My maternal Great-grandmother's old lace glove, Circa 1922.

#4 An ornate gold plated perfume that belonged to my maternal Great-grandmother.




#2 and #3 are a Cameo and a Cameo hatpin that belonged to Mr. Snooty's maternal grandmother, whom he never knew.

#1 An old solid cake perfume with painting of a woman which belonged to my maternal Great-grandmother as well. 



Anyway, on with my story. I gathered up everything I knew I wanted to display and the tools I'd need to do so and set to work. I knew I was only planning to use two of the display boxes for this project using single items that had once belonged to the women of both our families, namely our grandmothers. First I went through a music book of Johann Strauss until I found just the right music titles for the backgrounds. I didn't necessarily group the items according to specific grandmothers but I did match things to eras and patterns or decoration. I also played around with different combinations and placement until I was satisfied. I astounded even myself with the outcome. 


Now, tell me what you think. Isn't this a brilliant way to display little things? Besides, it's easy peasy, lemon squeezy while it protects your small, mate-less and orphaned family heirlooms.....

On another note, I did manage to burn dinner tonight. It was over 70 degrees F today, so Mr. Snoots wanted spare ribs for dinner. Since I felt like indulging him, I embarked on my mission. Everything went swimmingly until I accidentally left the lid to the grill ajar. Apparently, it was just enough to flame up and blacken the ribs. Thank gawd they weren't Baby Back Ribs, right? Man, I hate when that happens....