Having recently moved to my first big-girl apartment, I needed a lot of stuff.   I needed dishes and glasses and living room furniture and a cake stand and a compote dish.

Who doesn’t need a compote dish, right?

Many of my family members have offered me things for my apartment.   Many of those things have been passed down through my family, which is right up my alley.  I love having things with meaning and a story, especially stories involving the people in my life who mean the most to me.

My Aunt Anna, Grandmother’s sister who passed away last year, had collected some lovely items over the course of her life.  Since she didn’t have any children, she left many of her things to her siblings and her nieces and nephews, but there were still many items in her home that had no designated home.

Grandmother told me that there was a set of dishes, some glasses and other items that I should check out in case they might work for my apartment.  When I went over to see these things, I fell in love and decided I would most definitely make them work in my apartment because they were not only beautiful, but also a part of Aunt Anna.

Grandmother told me that people have mentioned to her that they remember going to Aunt Anna’s house and eating a wonderful meal on these grape dishes.

I hope to continue that tradition.

I haven’t had much luck making coffee in my apartment so these have not gotten much use.  I guess I’ll start drinking tea.

I adore these glasses.  I use them every day and they make me feel fancy.

And they have matching salt and pepper shakers.  How awesome is that?

I can’t wait to display a beautiful cake (baked from a good old Southern recipe, of course) on this cake stand.

The problem is, although I like to bake and decorate cakes, I really don’t need to eat a whole cake.

But that won’t stop me.

I don’t really know for what occasion one uses this size glass, but I’m sure I’ll find a use for them.

I decided this compote dish makes a fabulous fruit bowl.

I love these glasses, too.  They seem more appropriate for holiday occasions, but that blue and gold combo is awesome.

No more predictable red and green in my holiday décor!

I have always loved these chairs (there are two of them, just alike).  Aunt Anna bought them when she was newly married, which means they are probably close to 50 years old.  They just don’t make beautiful fabrics with such interesting colors anymore.  I have taken inspiration from them for the colors throughout my apartment.  More to come on that.

I’m so glad to have all of these things that were Aunt Anna’s.  They’re not only beautiful, but they carry great meaning and memories.

They are such treasures to me.

Y’all come back,

Sugarlump