Grandma's Bottles

I recently cleaned out the guest room and when I came across this display I snapped a few pics. Memories came flooding back as I looked at these bottles.
They had belonged to Steve’s grandma and came to me plain. She saved everything and these were really old bottles.

Grandma was your quintessential grandma..she was short, with short gray hair, sensible shoes, and a strong German character.
She outlived two husbands and a baby daughter. My own grandparents lived far away when I was growing up, and died when I was young. I was so blessed to inherit Steve’s grandma when I married into his wonderful family. I always felt loved and accepted by her.
As a young wife and mother, I was fascinated with what life was like for her when she was my age. We had many discussions about home making, and being a wife and mother. She patiently answered all my questions, some, looking back, must have been embarrassing for her, but she must have known the innocence of my inquires and my need to figure out what life was all about. (I found out later that she didn’t even have these discussions with her own daughters!)

Well into her 80’s she lived alone in a two-bedroom bungalow, where she kept a garden and canned her own fruits and vegetables. She made dill-pickles to die for!

She had a strong faith and loved the Lord, although when we named our youngest son Caleb, she apparently didn’t care for the name. I said “But Grandma, the name Caleb is in the Bible!” to which she responded “I know, I looked. But it’s only in there twice!” :-D

She lived a good long life. Kept active almost to the end with church activities and game nights with her “Lady Friends” as she called them.
She passed away 16 years ago at 94 years. I loved her with all my heart.

When Darlou and her sisters were going through her things if they’d come across something they think I’d like they’d say, “This looks old-give it to Myrna!" ;-)
That’s how I acquired these bottles, along with some of her costume jewelry and bits and bobs from her sewing box. I gathered up the items and glued them on the bottles. Used her earrings for the tops of some of the bottles. That was 16 years ago. Back then I called them ‘embellished bottles”…NOW it’s called “altered art! Who knew that it would become so popular today? ;-)