Oma and Opa's Treasures

My grandmother has been in Heaven for almost 25 years now, and until recent, her things sat collecting dust in my grandparents' home they shared since the 1950s.  My Opa passed away a little over a year ago, and my aunt (mainly my aunt and cousins since they live there) and Dad have had the horrible task of going through so much of my grandparents things because there's no other word to say but....hoarders.  They kept everything and never got rid of things at all.  I hear of many of their generation who do hoard things because they have gone through wars and economic devastation in their life time.  Can we blame them?  My grandmother was from what was East Germany and was the only one of her family who got out before the wall was built.  She died right before the wall was taken down and destroyed.  She would have been thrilled.  In this process of going through their things, I have gotten some great things of hers that I will cherish.  I washed all of her knick nacs that I received,  antiqued with black paint her great shadow boxes, and now have them displayed in my home!  I LOVE it and thought I would share with all of you.

These are her beloved tea cup and saucer collection.

I remember admiring them as a child.

Decided to put in my curio cabinet (my first gift from my husband after we were married) and

place in my kitchen sitting area.

Closer view

My grandmother's shadow boxes she had up for as long as I remember.  

They were already red and cream so cleaned them and added black to antique them a bit.

The green wine set, crystal bell, and red crystal vase and basket were all hers!

Since taking the above picture, I added her picture that I restored in a frame and put on the shelf.

Lena Martha Nagel Zalasar 

This is the picture I digitally restored.  It had a crease across her face and stains.

After my grandfather passed in August 2011, my dad recieved one of my Opa's uniforms.  

Here is a picture of the shadow box I put together for my dad so he could

enjoy his father's uniform instead of having it hanging in a closet.

  

My dad was very touched when he unwrapped this priceless gift!  

I feel it is a blessing to have things of our family around us to keep their memory alive and make our house a home.  I'd love to hear from you about what you've done with family heirlooms.   

 Psalm 103:17 

But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children—