We are just moments away from October and that means the countdown to Christmas is officially on! Don’t panic though, dear readers, Ms. Jeannie is here to help you shop. With just 12 and a half weeks until the big holiday, she’s  excited to launch her holiday gift guide – a contemporary vintage suggestion gift list  that incorporates the old with the new for one completely memorable gift giving experience.

Whether you are looking for a simple hostess gift for your friend’s party, a unique treasure for Aunt Sarah who has everything or a nostalgic gift for your closest family member, Ms. Jeannie will be highlighting a dozen items over the next three months that combine meaning and memory with a modern twist…

So grab a cup of hot chocolate, put on your favorite Christmas songs and let’s start shopping…

Idea No. 1: Lace Patterned Stoneware

 

Embossed with vintage lace and crochet patterns, these stoneware dishes and serving pieces combine the  prior popularity of the doily with a fully functional and modern shaped piece of pottery.

The doily has been around since the 1700’s and was intended to protect wood and cloth surfaces from dirt and scratches. Many (so many!) for centuries were used on tabletops to protect expensive wood and on couches and chairs to prevent dirt and oil from seeping into the fabric. (You’ll notice one on the back of the chair in the Christmas photo above!).

Mostly, these cloth buffers were hand-crocheted – fine examples of a seamstress’ sewing abilities, a love of hobby and a stunning example of utilitarian purpose. But with the advent of modern cleaning products  their usefulness has fallen out of favor in the home decorating market. What used to be an example of pride and beauty and function, now no longer seems quite so stylish in our contemporary lives. Which leaves a bit of a sentimental conundrum. What to do with all those family heirloom sewing pieces?

In Ms. Jeannie’s case, both her grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother were all sewers – which means a fair amount of crocheted doiles have been left behind in their wake.

You may recall seeing Grandma Dorothy’s tablecloth once before on the blog back in February 2013…

It’s a big swatch of a tablecloth full of round flowers and intricate webbing.  Thanks to Ms. Jeannie’s artistic pottery  friend Sloan, Grandma Dorothy’s tablecloth is also a now a pretty platter…

Ms. Jeannie sent this platter to her mom as a Mother’s Day gift, which made it a three generation gift. A nod to the past and also to the present!

Since the design is rolled out onto the clay and then lifted before firing, the heirloom fabric does not need to be sacrificed for a project such as this. Ms. Jeannie was able to choose the shape, dimension and colors of the piece as well  for a completely custom gift.

Sloan also, as  a little surprise, made three pottery birds (one for Ms. Jeannie and both of her sisters) to use as tree ornaments or a petite wall hanging.

Of course the sky is the limit in the customization department. If you do a search on Etsy for lace patterned pottery, you’ll find a bevy of pretty examples from subtle vases…

to dramatic jewelry…

By incorporating lace from a bridal dress or veil you could also transform this idea into a custom wedding or anniversary gift. Imagine what a pretty object this dress could turn into…

If you love this idea, but do not have any crocheted family heirlooms in your treasure trove to call your own – don’t worry Ms. Jeannie’s got you handled in that department also.  She has a (non-family!) doily bundle available in her shop here…

Two artists meeting many years apart to form one special gift for your one special person – it’s going to be one memorable holiday:) Stay tuned for Idea no. 2 next week!