As most of you know my Dad died a little over a year ago. One of the things we looked for all through his house, was a violin that had been my Great Grandfathers and had been passed on to me. We searched his house from top to bottom and couldn't find it. 
When we sold his house, I asked the new owner if they found it would they please let me know. I didn't think anything would come of it. They moved in. A few months later we got a call. Would we meet them at a restaurant near us(they had kids that lived close by)? "Sure", we said.
We walked into the restaurant, sat down, and the new owners with big smiles, pulled out the violin. I was speechless. (That doesn't happen very often to me!) They said, "Open it" so I did. I remembered the violin being old, dirty and coming apart. This couldn't be THAT violin. "We sent it out and had it restored by a professional", they said."It's our gift to you."
Sometimes , people do wonderful things. Of course I cried and thanked them over and over. It still had the letter to my Great Grandfather when he sent it away to have it appraised in 1947. The violin was made in 1860 in Germany. Nobody in our family played it, but it was passed to me because I was the only musical one.
I wanted to share that story with you, because what they did meant so much to me. It's like having a little piece of your family given back to you, that you never thought you'd see again. By the way, they found it in my Mom's fabric closet, stashed in the back.
I made a little folder for Caroline to keep her and her clothes.
I'm still working on embroidering a few of the outfits. Click HERE and HERE for the PDF if anyone wants to make their own. I'll be adding more clothes as I upload them.
Thank you to Pam from Treasures-N-Textures for my wonderful box of wool. I'll be using that in a new project. We're going away for the weekend to Fredricksberg, Tx, so I hope some heavy junking and antiquing will be happening. Still hot as heck here-upper 90's and even triple digits. Hope you all have a great week.
When we sold his house, I asked the new owner if they found it would they please let me know. I didn't think anything would come of it. They moved in. A few months later we got a call. Would we meet them at a restaurant near us(they had kids that lived close by)? "Sure", we said.
We walked into the restaurant, sat down, and the new owners with big smiles, pulled out the violin. I was speechless. (That doesn't happen very often to me!) They said, "Open it" so I did. I remembered the violin being old, dirty and coming apart. This couldn't be THAT violin. "We sent it out and had it restored by a professional", they said."It's our gift to you."
Sometimes , people do wonderful things. Of course I cried and thanked them over and over. It still had the letter to my Great Grandfather when he sent it away to have it appraised in 1947. The violin was made in 1860 in Germany. Nobody in our family played it, but it was passed to me because I was the only musical one.
I wanted to share that story with you, because what they did meant so much to me. It's like having a little piece of your family given back to you, that you never thought you'd see again. By the way, they found it in my Mom's fabric closet, stashed in the back.
I made a little folder for Caroline to keep her and her clothes.
I'm still working on embroidering a few of the outfits. Click HERE and HERE for the PDF if anyone wants to make their own. I'll be adding more clothes as I upload them.
Thank you to Pam from Treasures-N-Textures for my wonderful box of wool. I'll be using that in a new project. We're going away for the weekend to Fredricksberg, Tx, so I hope some heavy junking and antiquing will be happening. Still hot as heck here-upper 90's and even triple digits. Hope you all have a great week.
Leslie
That is an absolutely heart warming story! To think they found the violin is good but to have it restored, UNBELIEVABLE! What a wonderful thing to do for you and your family!
ReplyDeleteI'm wiping away happy tears. What a beautiful story. I just love happy endings. I'm just so happy for you. Have a wonderful time antiquing and junking. Be sure to take lots of pictures!!
ReplyDeleteWhat thoughtful and caring people! What a wonderful family heirloom you've inherited to pass on to future generations.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, what a wonderful story!!! How great that you have it and that they were so thoughtful to have it restored.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great story I read it twice. I loved it. You are so lucky. Smiles...Renee
ReplyDeleteWow, what a neat story, and a beautiful violin!! A true treasure! xo Heather
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story! I have a violin that my great grandfather made when my Dad was born, it is a child's size....It is in terrible shape being here in Arizona, I am going to need to find someone to restore it now that I see how one restored looks! I am so happy for you! :) Sandy
ReplyDeleteOh your story made me smile! How very nice of them... you obviously sold to the right people!! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHi Leslie,
ReplyDeleteSo happy you were reunited with your Great Grandfather's violin!
Such a lovely lovely thing to do, hoping the bestowers are treasured and made to feel dear in their own lives! Such special people and you guys obviously made a connection with them to move them so to action. Wonderful story and made ever so much more wonderful by it's being true.
You were saying your aunt had a cabin in the woods - Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead? What fun that must have been as a child!
Loving your paper dolls! I had a Betsy McCall lightbox when I was little and I would draw hipper clothes for Betsy. :) Very renaissance Romeo and Juliet clothes. Course I can't draw worth a lick but I loved it nonetheless.
Happy Wednesday!
Hi, Leslie,
ReplyDeleteI have been out of town(and still am. I'm in the library typing this) What a wonderful thing those people did for you. Not only finding the violin, but having it restored. So glad you have it back now.
D
What a precious story, Les! It made me very misty, so I can imagine how touched you were. Clearly your dad's house went to the right family. God bless 'em!
ReplyDeleteLet's have lunch soon!
What a wonderful story and it shows that even though there are so many crazy things happening in the world right now, there are still good and thoughtful people in it!!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Hugs,
Debbie
Oh, Leslie! Your story brings tears to my eyes. What a precious treasure. I am convinced that violins give us one of the sweetest sounds under heaven. My husband is a violinist and, as I write this to you, he is in his study playing away. He played in the symphony to put himself through college many years ago. Today, he gives lessons.
ReplyDeleteI am so blessed that you shared, my thoughtful friend!
Hugs,
Carolynn xo
ps.ps. I almost forgot to tell you how darling your little paperdolls are...In my hometown I am called "Caroline" by my closest friends.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Carolynn
Just when you think that there is no hope for humanity, along comes people like this, to restore our faith! Such a great story, Leslie, and I'm so happy that the violin found it's way back to you. Oh, and I love Caroline's Closet, and her little embroidered dress!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing such a wonderful story! I am curious , where was it hiding? The paper dolls are precious!
ReplyDeleteThat's such a sweet story about the violin! And now it's something else that you can tell people about it. So neat! Sometimes people do really good things and it totally catches you by surprise. I love when that happens...and I'm glad it happend to YOU!
ReplyDeleteErica :)
How wonderful that the new owners found your Dad's violin. And what a beautiful gift they gave you, by having it cleaned and restored.
ReplyDeleteI really love your embroidered Caroline clothes. I'd like to try to make some.
Thanks so much for your sweet comment Leslie - I'm the only one left in my immediate family and boy, I sure do feel adrift and alone. WAH! Sending you hugs, I'm sorry I don't know when the first anniversary is for you?
ReplyDeleteHope you had fun gallivanting and shopping!
oh my goodness! They must have sensed your "goodness" to do such a sweet thing for you! Wow-wow-wow!
ReplyDeletebig hugs,
Cheryl