One of my fav things to do these days is get up before my boy, saunter out onto the patio with a warm blanket and decaf coffee and fall asleep again on my outdoor sofa if I desire. It's quiet, cozy, and so pretty out there! But something else is making my AM routine extra special.
It's this cozy blue reversible flannelette (flannel) blanket.
This flannelette blanket is very special because:
#1. It was handmade by my Aunt Edna
#2. The flannelette sections are from my mom's own collection.
My mom was an awesome sewer. In fact, I was pretty good myself at one time. (are you shocked, Miss Mustard Seed?!?)
Anyway, back in the day when babies were being born, my mom would make all kinds of flannelette items for the family with the most popular being bibs.
To this day, I prefer flannelette for sheets. :)
So when my mom passed away, my Aunt requested the precious vintage like material scraps. We didn't question why.
Isn't the cat design with the hearts adorable?
And then Edna paid a visit one day and gifted me with this incredible keepsake! And yeah, I cried. :)
I've seen many bibs lovingly worn out wearing these materials, so to see the scraps in new condition and in blanket form was pretty thrilling for me!
Here's the kicker. There's this little secret panel that you can open up...
revealing a wool blanket that my mom also had, which also makes this blanket extra cozy.
With a personal message inside.
Mom always gave the biggest warmest bearhugs ever. Isn't it amazing that she's still keeping me cozy and warm every single day?
Thanks again Aunt Edna! And Mom. :)
But you can't be messin' around for too long. This blanket is in hot demand...
And in other news: last week's FOLK magazine 1 year subscription winner is:
The Old Block House! I'll have FOLK get in touch with you to receive your 1 year free subscription!
Would you like a chance to win a year of FOLK as well?
Tell us about your own favorite little item you enjoy daily in comments and you're in!
Order a single copy or subscription to FOLK from my blog's sidebar HERE and comment to enter again!
(you can be extended or reimbursed if you win)
(winner will be announced next week and must have email in profile activated or in their comment)
Looks so comfy! My husband loves flannel sheets!
ReplyDeleteI'm rewriting the post as I wanted to add something. How special for you to have this treasure to remember your Mom with. My Mom sewed my clothes all the time and taught me to sew. I couldn't even bring myself to go into a fabric store for over a year after she passed.
ReplyDeleteHow special is THAT?!?! Wow! This is just very impressive. I would have cried too! Lucky you for having such an awesome keepsake!
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure....looks so cozy. My favorite thing is a gnarly ceramic coffee cup I have used for years. It's stained and chipped and I swear there are wear (ware?) marks from my fingers. It's a perfect fit!
ReplyDeleteHeidi, I can so relate. I'm a coffee freak and I KNOW the right cup makes it taste right. ;)
ReplyDeleteDonna
What a beautiful, wonderful thing for your aunt to do and the secret note makes it extra special. I'm sure your mom is smiling down knowing that you still feel her warmth and comfort. Best wishes for a great new week. Tammy
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous flannel quilt!! I love the secret flap!! So special!!
ReplyDeleteMy fav thing is to get up early early and start up my Keurig. Then have a cup of Folgers' Black Silk and read blogs!!
Hugging you
SueAnn
One of my favorite items are Scrapbooks my MIL has made for my me. Usually for the holidays I get one with different themes.....the kids...our vacation...when we first met, etc. I love them all!
ReplyDeleteThat is completely precious! When I started thinking about my fave thing to use daily/almost daily, the only things I could come up with were my favorite coffee mug, my running shoes, and my smart phone. I'm thinking I need to invest in some quality memories!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely creation, made with lots of love and memories. It is priceless.
ReplyDeleteI enjoying making coffee every morning with our stainless steel coffee pot on the stove. I wait for it to start perking, turn the heat down and set the timer for 5 min. When it's ready I pour it into my flower strewn coffee cup, and into DH's more manly cup. A nice morning ritual to start our day.
FlowerLady
What a great keepsake Donna and my favorite part aside from it being made with love with your Mom's fabrics is the special message. I ordered my Folk subscription through your blog and I cannot wait until that first copy arrives in my mailbox. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful treasure Donna. So nice of your aunt to make that special blanket for you and I love the secret pocket with the message. That wool labelled blanket was probably a staple in many Canadian homes and I like that she had the label showing under the flap. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteTeared up reading that post...
ReplyDeleteMy favorite thing is the skills my parent taught me: sewing, gardening, cooking...I use them everyday and it always brings back fond memories.
I'd love to win the subscription...my e-mail is ascofam@aol.com
Thanks for a great story Donna!
(is flanette the same as flannel?)
So sweet! My daily used item that I love is a coffee cup that has a cute little image of a child's drawing of a mama and her 2 kids in her kitchen. Written on it is "Mommies know best". I gave my mom the cup when I was young and she gave it back to me when I had my 1st (of 4!!) baby. It reminds me of her everyday and my kids love to look at the picture.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful blanket! I absolutely love it. It really would feel like you're getting a hug every time you curled up in.
ReplyDeleteawwww how sweet!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat is wonderful! I wish I had an Aunt Edna (wiping away tears). My kids still sleep under quilts my mom made for them when they were little...they are 17 and 20 now. I also nap on my porch. I put a bed on mine!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful blanket with beautiful memories! You know it's cuddly when even the cat wants it!
ReplyDeleteOh I love stories and special keepsakes like that! Nothing compares to those special kind of gifts from the heart with so much meaning behind them. I'm lucky enough to have so many special things from my parents and family that I can't pick just one. I have special little reminders all over the house and every time I look at each one, sweet memories take over.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful! I LOVE the hidden panel. Heirloom city!
ReplyDeletexoxo, Beth!
What a sweet, sweet gift! Absolutely precious!
ReplyDeleteThat is so special! I bet it feels so cozy too.
ReplyDeleteHow precious Aunt Edna is to keep you wrapped with your mother's love.
ReplyDelete~Lynne
[w/l]
My favorite thing in the whole world is to be standing on the beach watching the waves roll in..... MaryAnn Joye
ReplyDeleteNow thats what I call a very thoughtful kind and loving Aunt. She has done you proud with your mom's material scraps. Yes I think I would cry if I recieved a gift like that and I just love the secret message, fantastic. Enjoy your gift.
ReplyDeleteWhat a thoughtful gift....and your photos embrace the moment. I have a crystal in the car that Mom gave me and when the sun shines on it I feel her presence. Thanks for the giveaway and the memories! Diana (dj)
ReplyDeleteThat is just so beautiful. The blankie and the message....how thoughtful. My favorite thing....and you all are gonna think I'm crazy....but it is a calf rope that my dad gave me a long time ago. I roped many of calves in breakaway roping when I was younger and to this day I still have that rope. Last year, I made a Christmas wreath out of it. It's in a place where I can see it everyday. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful treasure! ...Your Aunt Edna AND the blanket with the secrets it holds! LOL... enjoy your flannel keepsake.
ReplyDeletePat
One of my favorite things I use daily is a sheep wool that is tossed over the back of the couch... on my side. The couch is leather and the fleece keeps the chill off my back. We got the fleece at a working farm B&B we stayed in on one of our trips.
ReplyDeleteLove your aunt's artistry. Beautiful!!
Every year at Christmas, I do a treasure hunt for my kids to find some of their Christmas gifts. One year, My Dad and Step-Mom made me an amazing flannel quilt and sent me off on a treasure hunt to find it. They thought it was my turn! The memories and the quilt are pretty special.
ReplyDeleteLost my comment! I hope this isn't a duplicate.
ReplyDeleteYour Aunt Edna is a very special person. Your blanket is a wonderful way to keep the memory of your Mom alive.
My 'special item used daily' is a thick old jadite coffee cup that was my Dad's. He passed away 4 years ago.
(What a bunch of coffee drinkers we are!)
I love the flannel blanket and the story. It is an heirloom for sure.
ReplyDeleteOh I love that blanket and its' story. The title of my blog is "Cozy Blanket", and it is named that for some of the reasons you spoke of in your post.
ReplyDeleteOne of my treasured items that I enjoy daily is my polka dot mug filled with hazelnut coffee.
I got a lump in my throat reading about the gift your Mom gave you, through your Aunt Edna. What a sweet treasure. And what a brilliant idea it was to show the blanket and the secret hiding place...just the neatest idea. And that Aunt of yours...a real keeper!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful keepsake for you and Cody. I love the secret panel. I have a quilt my mom made and althought it has seen its better days I still keep it. I might have to use the secret panel if I ever recover the riped up top on the quilt my mom made me.
ReplyDeleteA precious gift, my grandma made quilts and I have one she made, we snuggle on it every morning too. Although mine doesn't have a secret panel it is pretty special. Flannel is snugly and warm, too warm for sheets in my region, but I do love it for pjs.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite thing is my clear blue Fireking mugs. I remember when my Dad would get up early every morning and make himself breakfast.....eggs, bread, and lots of butter. He always drank coffee from one of the Fireking mugs. I can still hear the clink clink clink of the spoon hitting the sides of the mug when he stirred the cream and sugar in his coffee.
ReplyDeleteDonna I love your blanket and that was so sweet and wonderful of your Aunt Edna to make that for you. You can pass it on to Cody. That's great. My favorite thing..things are my dad's
ReplyDeletewedding ring I wear on my thumb and mom's wedding ring I wear on my ring finger. That way I feel like they are always with me.
reeree1949@bellsouth.net
Such a precious and cozy gift from your Aunt to remind you of your Mom, especially with the secret inscription. I was tearing up just reading the story behind the fabrics, but the inscription did me in (missing my mom too.)
ReplyDeleteHow sweet of your aunt to make that for you..I love the idea of going out on the porch early and just enjoying the morning before your day begins..
ReplyDeleteJanet
I love my front porch. early in the morning I like to watch the sun come up with a cup of green tea. We've got a big wicker couch that was garbaged picked and it's so comfy. Hoping the humity breaks this week so I can start enjoying it again.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your blanket.I lost my mom 20 years ago.I'm 48 now, and though packed away i still have 2 of her house coats. i take them out now and then just to smell them. I"ve never washed them and they still smell like her. I miss her but they help bring her back to me.
Thanks
Karen
I was reading along and admiring with envy your pallet sofa. Next, I began to tear up reading about your lovely blanket and Aunt Edna's note.
ReplyDeleteThen, I saw that I won a year's subscription to FOLK magazine! Thank you bunches! I'm so looking forward to reading this.
gertie @ The Old Block House
What favourite little item do I use daily? Hmmm...our house is chock a block full of items that are meaningful to me but I suppose the one that I use daily would be the quilt and afghan that were made for me by my Grandmama. I grew up 3000 miles away from her but her love for me (and mine for her) lives on in both of these blankets that I snuggle under each day when I read.
ReplyDeleteDonna that is so wonderful! I know I love the blanket my mom made for me a few years ago, I can't imagine getting a blanket like yours. It would make me so happy! I have several special things, but two that make me smile. One is a bowl, that is hand painted by my great great grandmother. I never knew her, but every story I hear from others is that she was a wonderful, kind, and caring person. I also have an antique pink transfer ware coffee pot, creamer, and sugar pot that came from my grandma. She had gotten them from her mother, and when I got married she gave them to me because she wanted me to have a bit of "history" with me. I love them, and every time I look at them they remind me of family and love.
ReplyDeleteOH Donna, what a BEAUTIFUL gift to receive. I can't even put into words how thrilled I would have been to have received something like that! I am such a soft hearted soul and love stories like this. I have so many things in our house that are from my Mother and Grandmother and I couldn't bear to part with any of them because of the stories that go along with them. I can only hope our children and grandchildren appreciate them in the same way I do.
ReplyDeleteCathy S.
What a very special gift you received from your very thoughtful aunt!! I just love the idea of the hidden message! Just thinking about that brings a tear to my eye.And how cute that there are cute kittens on there too, sort of another little memory added to your blanket for another lost friend. This is definitely a memory blanket to be treasured.
ReplyDeleteHi Donna: My fav go to item is a lovely oversize coffee mug which was painted by my then 2 yr old great niece Amelia. It holds just the right amount of coffee, keeps it nice and hot, and it reminds me of my living far away family every day. Patty (farthestwest@shaw.ca)
ReplyDeleteAfter a long day, my favorite thing is to curl up with a book or magazine on my love seat with my down throw, which I refer to as my magic blanket. It's magic because all I have to do is lay back, close my eyes, pull the magic blanket up over my head (with my nose sticking out so I can breathe) and I am asleep in minutes! It's always warm and cozy and so lightweight and soft and in the winter I couldn't survive without it.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful story and idea! Being a quilter myself, your story has given me ideas for future quilts. You have a very precious quilt that was made with love.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your early morning naps. This is another great idea especially with Fall coming soon!
What a beautiful blanket! A favorite item I enjoy daily is curling up in my papasan chair with a comfy throw and a good book.
ReplyDeletecereza25 at yahoo dot com
How wonderful that there are Aunt Ednas like yours in this world - so thoughtful a gift! I can just picture you curled up with that blanket at dawn on that gorgeous bench. You are truly blessed.
ReplyDeleteHow adorable, what a great way to remember your mom and grandma. And made with such love, what a kind thing to do for you.
ReplyDeleteSome gifts are just more worth than anything! And how I love the american tradition of making quilts out of material that meant something special.
Hugs from Norway,
M
Ps. I absolutly LOOOOOOOVE your blog! Your bloody brilliant!
I would have to say my fav memory i use would be either my grad sweater that i still wear to this day when i want to be lazy at home. It's paper thin but i love it or in the winter it would be my baby blanket that i still have = ) But what i admir most is my picture frames, as crazy as it sounds, because they hold all my memories in them that i love changing around with all my photography pictures i take from my adventures through bc....
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic treasure. That window and secret message are an ingenious idea. I may have to use that when making my daughters college blanket.
ReplyDeleteMy "one thing I enjoy daily" is my quilt from my grandmother. She made it for my and my husband as a wedding gift. I still fold it daily at the foot of our bed and it has become even more precious to me since her passing 6 years ago this Christmas Eve.
I am new to your blog which I found thru a feature in the Flea Market style magazine. One of my favorite things to do is take time to do my hand applique.
ReplyDeleteOh I love your blanket - what a treasure! My favorite thing is my maternal grandfather's rectangular clothing brush. It has a leather top with his name on it that zips open and contains a shoe horn and a comb. I have it bristles up with my favorite picture in the world stuck in the bristles - all of my maternal aunts and uncles as well as my grandmother, grandfather, mother (at age 3), and great-grandmother on the big front porch of my great-grandmother's house. Aren't treasures wonderful?
ReplyDeleteLove your story!! We have a family blanket called a "Nummie" , which was named by my oldest brother. My Mom's Aunt started making them many years ago, and my Mom carried on the tradition for years. They too are flannel, full of warmth & love. We all have had family fights over who gets the nummie. The ones i have will be cherished forever. Someday I will get to the box of squares she gave me to carry on the tradition.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure to have that blanket! I love to get up before my kids and have Hot Chocolate, but I only have a well loved couch and some manhandled cushions to keep my cozy. But I do love my early mornings. Makes me all cozy thinking about your blankie. That is too sweet.
ReplyDeleteIt seems blankets are some of our favorite things. I too have a blanket that my mother made for me .... she made our PJ's when we were kids and used the scaps to make all of use these bonus blankets. Maybe this is why I became a quilter ... I make several quilts each year for my friends and family. Making memories!!
ReplyDeleteAnother heart-felt post. How precious is that blanky...? I love the secret message panel. I made "jean quilts" for my boys and put a pocket at the top to hide little treats for them at bedtime. Ah memories... so sweet and dear.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy time with your son and have lots of fun.
It's wonderful to be able to start each day surrounded with warmth, love, memories and coffee. I look foward to a warm creamy cup of coffee in bed every morning before my two little ones wake.
ReplyDeleteI really,'really like how the message is concealed under the buttoned flap.
This giveaway event is now closed. Congrats to #11 Lori from Wildflowers for the win!
ReplyDeleteDonna