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What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

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    #1

    What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

    I'm still in the process of clearing out dad's house. Today, I asked my brother to get the rest of the boxes from the attic so I can sort through things. This whole process has been quite emotional for both of us. The house we grew up, my mom & dad's things, including their personal love letters during the war. Grandmother's hand crocheted table cloths, doilies, and handkerchiefs, great grandma's quilts and stuff, and more than 70 years of photographs. Old crystal vases, many things from my great-great grandmothers.

    Ok, I sat down and cried after I saw the bundles of love letter between my mom and dad during the war. I didn't read the letters as I didn't need to do that. I've always known my entire life how much they loved each other. It was just so poignant that mom kept every single letter! Who does that? My mom, I guess. They didn't have FB or texting in those days.

    Now I need to re-group myself (as I am the only strong one left in the family.) I had to come home and think about what I'm suppose to do with all these cherished things. I suppose I could pack and save some of these things for my grand-children, but it probably wouldn't mean much to them. They're teens and if it doesn't chirp or beep, probably wouldn't mean anything

    I must sell the house, get some closure and find appropriate places for the life's treasures. It's just so hard to see so much of my life having to be closed now. It's like shutting the door on my childhood and all my happy memories in that house with my folks and siblings.

    Just suffering a little of letting go.............
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    #2
    Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

    All I can say is, it is hard to part with all the things they have accumulated. When my mom passed, I just kept saying Mom, I just don't have room anymore. I talked to her a lot during those times. Find good homes for the treasures you have to let go of, let someone else treasure them. Good luck.
    Blessed are the children of the piecemakers for they shall inherit the quilts!

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      #3
      Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

      Maybe the local historical society would want some of the items.

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        #4
        Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

        Anyone you know into altered books and/or scrapbooking? The letters, when handwritten, make wonderful backdrops for photos and stories . . .

        Having been there and done that, I emphasize completely with what you are facing. I started doing some scrapbooking before I got hooked on quilting and have eased off because it is very obvious that our daughter doesn't give a patootie about ancestors and I don't think she ever will - and there's no one else unless she gets excited and passes that excitement to the granddaughters.
        Sometimes, when there's a raging fire,
        it's best not to try to put it out with gasoline.

        "...pal carajo con la negatividad..."

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          #5
          Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

          do they have who might be interested? Or great grand kids? I know as a 15 or 16 year old girl I would have been over the moon to see such letters. I'd DIE to see them now! I LOVE history! Wouldn't it be cool if someone took their letters and made them into a novel? Oooo! That would be so amazing! I'm so sorry you are going through this...there must be some amazing memories there but I can imagine how sad it must be if you were close to them. ((((HUGS)))))

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            #6
            Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

            Scan them and make a book. You can make a book online. What a wonderful treasure!!!!
            Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.
            Maya Angelou

            ~Megan~

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              #7
              Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

              I have the letters we wrote back and forth. You know what would be neat??? Make fuzzy photo copies and transfer them to fabric and make a quilt! I think that would look great!
              pat.

              No rain....no rainbows!


              sigpic

              If you can't be nice.....BE QUIET!

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                #8
                Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

                I think a local historical group would be interested in the letters. Even just having them in a ribbon is a display can be a great asset to the display.

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                  #9
                  Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

                  I know it is hard to hold on to everything, but it is to hard to let it go. Maybe some day your kids will appreciate them.
                  Blankets wrap you in warmth, quilts wrap you in love

                  Marilyn......
                  sigpic

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                    #10
                    Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

                    Originally posted by Sandy Navas View Post
                    Anyone you know into altered books and/or scrapbooking? The letters, when handwritten, make wonderful backdrops for photos and stories . . .

                    Having been there and done that, I emphasize completely with what you are facing. I started doing some scrapbooking before I got hooked on quilting and have eased off because it is very obvious that our daughter doesn't give a patootie about ancestors and I don't think she ever will - and there's no one else unless she gets excited and passes that excitement to the granddaughters.
                    Exactly, I have the letters my mom and pop wrote and my uncle wrote to my granny during WWII, and I used them in altered books. I color copied some and used them as background to be pages of pictures taken during that time. I also used my granny's KCStar patterns to make a page to highlight her quilts.

                    I am a Navy wife, my husband and I wrote each other every day of every ship deployment, sometimes twice in the early years of our marriage. I have them all. I keep them in hat boxes. Most are pretty much daily life, nothing hot or heavy... but a few of them make me blush. LOL.

                    But, I know that just knowing I have my moms letters tucked away has always meant something to me. I would not part with them for anything.

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                      #11
                      Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

                      When my husband and I got married we got a gift from someone on his side of the family and it was a book of love letters between his great grandparents during WWI. When I was pregnant with my first baby, I had some complications and had to be monitored several times a week during my last couple of months. My husband would come with me and read that book of letters to me while I was hooked up to the monitors. It was a very nice love story during a time when life was really hard and I really enjoyed listening to their story. Your grandchildren might not appreciate it when they're teenagers, but it might be something very special to them later in their lives. So I would agree with the idea to put them in some kind of book to save for future generations. I wish I had something like that on my side of the family.

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                        #12
                        Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

                        My sister had her grandmothers letters and similar things as you. In her family room she has a coffee table that has a glass top on it cut to size. She has taken some of the letters doilies, postcards ect and arranged them under the glass. It really is a lovely tribute for all the family to see and read.
                        Visit my Flickr page, sewing and cakes!
                        http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/

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                          #13
                          Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

                          I like Sandy & Megan's idea. You could put together a nice photo book..........using some of the letters showing in the background and add some of your parents old photos to the pages. The books would be so pretty & you could order copies for those in your family that would appreciate them.

                          Here are a few links.

                          Photo Books, Photo Albums, Create a Photo Book, Personalized Photo Album | Shutterfly

                           Photo Books | Make a Photo Book | Personalized Photo Books | Snapfish
                          "I'm putting together a list of 100 reasons why I am NOT relentless!" - Sue Heck, The Middle

                          Leonard: For God's sake, Sheldon, do I have to hold up a sarcasm sign every time I open my mouth?
                          Sheldon (intrigued): You have a sarcasm sign?

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                            #14
                            Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

                            Oh my, SAVE the letters and photos, and try to identify who is in all the photos if you can. It will be a priceless heirloom for someone, perhaps in the future. That is just something that I would treasure. I'm convinced that as your children grow up and start their own lives, at some point, that precious tie to the past will be significant. Any handmade heirloom pieces too, I would treasure, the crystal and such, is just so much 'stuff' but the personal things are priceless.
                            sigpicMiss Sheri

                            For me, it's all about Love, . . . Always!

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                              #15
                              Re: What to do with 70 yr old love letters?

                              Every Labor day we have a family reunion of those on my father's side - not just immediate family - but my grandfather's descendants along with those of his 2 brothers and 1 sister. After both my parents were gone I took the albums for identification of those who were in it. There was a wedding photo taken when I was about a year old along with a table full of other people.

                              My dad's cousin (in her 80's at the time) was almost in tears. In that photo was her mother and 2 brothers who had passed away. And that was the only known photo of the 3 of them together. So distant a relative for me - and so special for her - I let her take as many photos out of the album of her family that she wanted. I've since gotten thank you notes from several of the younger generation who she passed copies to. That just shows me somewhere - someday - someone would appreciate the old things.

                              And I'm still trying to figure out how to incorporate those old linens & doilies into a bedspread or quilt!

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