by Roxanne -

My Mother’s Sewing Machine

Last fall I took a course in memoir writing. Memoirs are not a recount of history, nor are they necessarily chronological. They are more like vignettes of memory from our life experiences – “word snapshots” if you will. Below is a brief vignette I wrote about my mother’s sewing machine.

Photo Antique Singer

I remember my mother’s sewing machine from my early childhood. It was antique even then. I think she got it from my grandmother. It was black; a Singer with a heavy, metal floor pedal and a hand-turned wheel. It smelled of old metal and oil. It was mounted on a dark base, but the motor ran smoothly, “whirring” without fail. I hated sewing with it. The bobbin thread always tangled. More often than not I would have to use the big, black handled scissors to untangle the bobbin thread  rather than to cut fabric.

When I was perhaps seven years old I first used the machine to make a cloth pocket to keep my spare buttons in. The pocket was kept closed with another large black button. The fabric I used was a small piece of shiny, blue, floral rayon fabric from my Grandma Marie. She wore a dress from the same fabric. I sewed a number of projects at that old machine. But curiously, I don’t remember my mother ever sewing!

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by Roxanne -

Doll Houses From My Childhood

While I had many toys growing up a few remain clearly in my memory. Perhaps you have some childhood toys that you remember?

My mother had an antique, cardboard doll house from her own childhood. It came with amazing wood furniture. The kitchen featured a dry sink like the one shown here. There was also an ice box – not a refrigerator. In the bedrooms, small wooden lamps that sat on each side of a wooden vanity with a real mirror. My sister and I enjoyed playing with it for hours.

Of course we had our own “modern” doll houses from the sixties. They had more furniture, people and accessories. My doll house was given to me by my childhood friend K. It was metal like the one below, but pink with white trim and the furniture and people were plastic. It even had a baby grand piano for the living room.

There was a crib, playpen and stroller. Plastic yellow stairs attached so you could move the people to the upstairs. Except for the baby – all the family members could stand up on their plastic bases.

My father used to bring home discontinued wallpaper sample books from work. We used the patterns to create our own doll houses from shoes boxes. Stacked on one another they created a doll house with wallpaper, curtains, draperies and even patterned carpets!

If you grew up when I did perhaps you or one of your friends had a Barbie Townhouse? I had one just like the one in this picture. The furniture was cardboard. There were tiny hangers for the clothes. Two drawers for clothes under the closet. The vanity in the center actually had small curlers, a comb and a hand mirror. The entire house and contents folded up into its own suitcase with a carrying handle. I could take it to friends’ houses. We also had an aqua, plastic Barbie Corvette. These dolls really had the life. But today I wonder, what values were being taught?

One of the most memorable and more creative toys I ever got was from my Aunt. She gave me a toy showboat theatre. Almost like a doll house, it came with a stage curtain, plays with scenery, characters and dialogue scripts. If I can recall the plays were Pinocchio, Wizard of Oz, Heidi and Cinderella. We used this for hours. I kept it for many years and my own daughters played with it too. Wherever it is today, I hope someone is enjoying it as much as we did.

I think it’s interesting the toys we remember and what they taught us.

You may also like Paper Dolls, Roller Skates & Gum Chains, My Mother’s Sewing Machine, and What Is Your Story?

by Roxanne -

Piano & Stuffed Cabbage

You may think it unlikely that stuffed cabbage and piano should be linked in anyone’s mind – and you’re correct. But in my mind they are connected.

Growing up in Highland Park in St. Paul, I played the piano. Playing the piano has been a pleasure I have enjoyed my entire life. As a child, my piano teacher lived just a few houses away. She opened her house and her heart to me. Starting in the third grade, each week I would visit her for piano lessons. She had a black baby grand piano in her living room. A wooden metronome sat to one side. I spent many hours at that piano. We used the “Schaum” piano lesson books. She is an accomplished pianist and vocalist. As I grew older I would also babysit for her two daughters. On occasion I helped her out in the kitchen on evenings when she and her husband were entertaining friends.

One of those times was the very first time I had stuffed cabbage. I remember smelling the tomato and garlic the instant I stepped in the kitchen. She had a large Nesco on the counter in her tiny kitchen. Inside were dozens of bubbling, stuffed cabbage rolls! They were like nothing I had ever tasted before. How amazing to be able to make something like this. Now I do. And so can you.

Any fall or winter afternoon when you are hanging around the house is a good time to make this dish. Soon cabbages and sturdy greens will arrive at the farmers’ market. Pick some up and make this dish. It takes a little time, but it isn’t difficult. Here is a classic recipe I have used for twenty five years or more.

1. Fill a soup pot with about 2 inches of water. Heat to boiling. Choose a loose-leaf cabbage head. Collard greens, kale or brussel sprouts top greens will work also. Blanch (1-2 minutes in 2 inches of boiling water) 3-4 whole cabbage leaves at a time. Blanch 12 leaves in all. Trim the thick vein from the back of the leaves with a paring knife for easier folding.

2. In a mixing bowl combine 1 pound lean ground beef, 1 cup cooked rice, 1 egg, 1 crumbled piece of bread, 2-3 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce, 2 cloves chopped garlic, chopped basil, freshly ground black pepper. Divide into 12 portions.

3. Empty the water from the stock pot. Return the pot to the stove. In a small amount of olive oil saute one chopped onion till tender. Add one 14 oz can tomato sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar.

4. Wrap each ground beef portion in a cabbage leaf. Place in the sauce. Cover and simmer on low for 1 hour. Serve and top with extra sauce from the pot.

Leftovers are even better the next day. Microwave and enjoy.

Stuffed cabbage will always remind me of this wonderful woman who was my piano teacher for the duration of my childhood and early teen years. She was, and is, a truly positive influence in my life. I am grateful to have had her as a mentor and teacher. She brought the gift of music into my life. Today she remains a good friend.

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by Roxanne -

Paper Dolls, Roller Skates & Gum Chains

Image PoppyPetunia.blogspot.com

Did you have paper dolls growing up? We went to my Grandma Rose’s house many Sundays for dinner. When we were there she always gave us pop, Wrigley gum and a new package of paper dolls – like the Betsy McCall paper dolls you see here.

My younger daughter (and older daughter too) made very creative paper dolls when she was younger. She spent hours drawing and designing their clothes, accessories and even jewelry! All of the dolls and clothing were kept in envelopes. These dolls had the ultimate GAP wardrobes. C. whatever happened to your paper dolls and their amazing wardrobes?

Photo Reference Library

Growing up we also made gum chains. I hate to think of the dental bills that were the result of chewing so much Wrigley and Bazooka bubble gum . . .

That makes me remember Chinese jump ropes, metal roller skates with a key I wore around my neck, hula hoops, sidewalk chalk, jacks and hopscotch. What ever happened to Silly Putty? It came in a plastic egg if I remember correctly.

Yes, now I’m ten years old. I think it’s easier for me to remember the ages of nine to ten because those were the years where we were still most authentically our true selves – the last time before adolescence and the culture made us self-conscious, more competitive and aware of comparisons.

Watch the movie August Rush for a sense of searching for and regaining what was lost. But what we seek is not parents we never really knew or reconnecting with our children. What we seek is our true selves.

Today I work to reconnect with my ten year old self. My true and authentic self.

I can hear the clatter of my roller skates as they move over the sidewalk cracks. Skating down my street, my skate key is on a string around my neck, bubble gum in my mouth and the wind blowing in my hair and rushing past my face . . .

May your authentic, ten-year-old self emerge during your day today!

Roxanne

You may also like Tiny Silver Spoons, Doll Houses From My Childhood and My Mother’s Sewing Machine.