7.28.2012

leona








next week my maternal grandma, leona (or lee lee, as my grandfather - last picture - used to call her) turns 90. an achievement indeed.

familial traits are funny things. i certainly look like a strange mixture of my mom and dad, but most of my family agrees that the person i really resemble is my grandma.  i'm pretty sure i'm the only one that inherited her nose (although i come by some pretty strong nose genes from all sides of my family! we're nosey people, i guess!) and we both have the ability to give a look that can stop a child from misbehaving halfway across a restaurant! in other words, no one is left in doubt of our displeasure! after my last set of pictures on this blog my mom even commented that i pose like my grandma! i'd like to think i've inherited her legs, which last time i checked are still just as svelte of ankle as they are in these pictures.

i remember the first time i came upon these photos of her and my grandfather when i was teen. i was pretty obsessed with classic movies from the 30's, 40's and 50's.  katherine hepburn was my idol. when i saw these pictures of my grandma - most of them taken to send to my grandfather while he was away in the navy during world war two - i thought she looked like she had just stepped out of one of those movies! i still think she looks like a movie star.

my grandma was also quite the skilled seamstress, making many of her own clothes (like lots of women during that time) and even some of my mom and aunt's clothing. my sister had borrowed her old kenmore sewing machine a couple years ago to sew curtains for her apartment and after using it a few times had pronounced it broken.  this past christmas we pulled that old machine out to see what was what and it turns out it had just been threaded wrong! my grandma, at 89 years old, after not touching a sewing machine for decades, showed us all up by deftly threading her machine and setting it right without missing a beat!

but whether she was sewing her clothes or buying them from a store, my grandma always had, and still has, a great  eye for fashion and quality - a trait that, unlike her sewing skills, she did  pass down to the women in her family.

i'll be gone all next week visiting my family and getting ready for my grandma's surprise birthday party (don't worry - i didn't spoil the surprise! she still shakes her head wonderingly anytime anyone mentions "the internet" and she probably thinks a "blog" is a minor, but unfortunate skin disease) so the blog will be quiet(er) than usual.  when i get back i get to enjoy the thrill of packing up and moving apartments - a task i'll be happy not to do again for quite some time! so needless to say things may be a bit dead around here. but i'll try to get everything back up and running as soon as i can! plus i'll have a whole new sewing room (all to myself!) at our new apartment so i'll be excited to break it in.

hope you all have a good couple of weeks (can you believe its almost august?!?!)

xx

24 comments:

  1. Aww, happy birthday, gram!  What beautiful photos!  You definitely resemble her!  I hope you have a great visit, and that your move goes well.  :)    

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  2. She is stunning. What an amazing women to look up too. Enjoy your new sewing room!

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  3. what a babe! and your right, she has fabulous style! you look  just like her :) happy birthday grandma x

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  4. Wonderful photos! Pictures of my grandparents when they were young are definite treasures for my sister and  I!

    (Started reading your blog recently after coming across your sewing and those awesome jeans you made!)

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  5. What a pretty lady!  And terrificly stylish, too. 

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  6. There's a lot to be said for a decent nose. She is certainly so stylish, those pics are precious and I can definitely see the resemblance!

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  7. Oh how lovely! Wait until we show her this! Thank you sweetheart...

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  8. I see where you get your love of sweet summer dresses!  A beautiful woman that Lee Lee!  Best wishes to her on her 90th birthday!  And how lucky you are to have her in your life.

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  9. From the first picture I thought, wow, you look a lot like her--your face, everything. What a lovely woman! I hope you have a wonderful, full of stories family reunion for her birthday.

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  10. She does look like a movie star!  I definitely see the resemblance.

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  11. Wowee your granny is so glamorous! You definitely take after her - I love these pics - especially the one on the beach - fabulous!

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  12. quietandsmall adventuresJuly 29, 2012 at 6:51 PM

    wow your grandmother is gorgeous!! lovely lady, lovely poses, smashing clothes!! enjoy your vacation!

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  13. Amazing, even before reading the post I was thinking "they must be related, because they look so much alike". You're both stunning! I wish I had inherited those legs :) Happy birthday to your lovely grandma!

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  14. oh my goodness... what lovely pictures! I really enjoyed scrolling through them. That's funny that you say you resembler your grandmother the most because I do too! I hope your grandma has a wonderful birthday (and many more!)

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  15. In a shocking turn of events, Sallie's granny is a megababe. Those genes don't come from nowhere. Especially loving her in that white outfit.... Hope you have a great visit with your family and an easy move. My advice is to hire movers. It takes about 400% of the stress off. xoxo

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  16. OMG, these photos are enchanting **swoon**! I seriously wish that was my grandma, I would be proud to take her under my wing if necessary ;o) You most definitely look a lot like her and that's a huge compliment considering how absolutely stunning the lady is!!! Happy Birthday to her, I hope you all have a wonderful family get-together - no doubt it'll be emotional as well as great fun!

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  17. Dude, holy crap, your grandma was a BABE. And I totally see little bits of Sallie in her - especially the expression & the legs (so jealous of both of your legs, btw haha. Oh god I sound like such a creeper! I'm not a creeper!). I seriously cannot stop looking at these pictures. Especially the one of her in the white suit on the steps. Just lovely!

    Good luck with your move! Landon & I are moving this month too... although we have a whole month to get everything moved/cleaned (and also, we are poor, since we are paying rent twice this month! Argh!). Moving sucks, but living in a new place is pretty neat :)

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    1. Oh my god I'm poor this month too!! First. Month last month and security! Blergh!! It's killing me too because I want to do some shopping for some new projects. Ah well... Having a place to live is pretty important too I guess!

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  18. Happy Birthday to your inspiring grandma!  Mine made it to 94, and I treasure every question I was able to ask her & time we spent together, as well as those glamorous 40's photos! 

    Good luck with your move!  My favorite thing about that is that it encourages me to actually organize my stuff and figure out what I really don't need any more.  How exciting to move into a new sewing room!

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  19. movie star indeed.. wish you great days with your family :)

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  20. Happy birthday to your grandma! I hope the festivities went well.

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  21. Gorgeous. And yes, you definitely do take after your grandmother - for all the right reasons! I think your mother is bang on when she said you pose like her too. Thanks for sharing - the photos are fabulous!

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  22. I love so many things about this post, I can't even begin to tell you... The pictures are amazing... Thanks for sharing!

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