Trunk found in the Barn

I think I may have open a can of worms! We were in the barn cleaning out an area so we could get the vice table out last week and realized there is a lot of stuff in the barn and also in the sheds! You know how it is  you live somewhere all your life and you kinda see without seeing? There are a few items from Hubby and I, we have owned it for 20 years but also a lot from my parents since they moved here in 1960. Mom said there is also items in there from owners before they purchased the place. My sister and I were snooping...ooops! I mean looking around :) and came across this trunk Mom thinks it belonged to our grandfather. Cute huh

This is how it looked when Linda and I got it out of the shed, needs a little cleaning on the outside..

 I don't know why it had these canning jars stored in there...(not because we country folk put our canning jars in every available space!) but the velvet looks in mint condition and also the hangers. I guess it was meant to stand, then the metal on the sides above the hangers fold out and it spaces the clothes out? Just a guess...

This is the other half  (oh what no canning jars, darn it!) it folds up and locks but when opened it has cute little areas to store things. I have it on the porch at the moment and plan on cleaning it up next week, but then what to do with it....anyone have any ideas? I would like to use it somehow rather than store it away again. I am one of those people that feel like if I don't have a place for it and have to store it, I really don't need it......maybe that is why in the past I have not dug  to deep in the barn or sheds! :)

Vice Table

I am so upset with myself! I forgot to take a picture of the vice table in the old barn! Well (taking up for myself) I really didn't think I was going to get help getting it out, let alone fixing it and getting it into the kitchen. Dad put the table in there when he moved here in 1960, since then (about ten years ago), the addition has fallen off its foundation (its over 100 years old). Then three years ago from the shifting the window fell out and broke, needless to say everyone said the table was not worth saving. My dads brother made it for him in 1940 and he treated the wood himself plus its made with 2x8 lumber and these huge nails. My sisters and I along with a few nieces (finally) got it out and into the yard on Thanksgiving day. It was in bad shape covered in oil, mud and gunk also with the vice on it very heavy!

This is where is has sat for 51 years, this part of the building needs to be torn down....add to the list.

We power washed it and let it dry for two days, then put it on the porch. We did not stain it just added polyurethane, three coats and let it dry for a week

Then this past Sunday Hubby was home so we called a couple family members and we got it in the Kitchen. Then today Linda and Pat (sisters) and I (with Mom telling us where and what) put these on the wall. All of the items belonged to different family members from quite a while back, (all except the picture) my daughter painted it for me a few months ago.  I love putting things up that have memories attached! One of my favorite pieces (besides the picture) is the wrench directly below the picture, (kinda looks like a bird flying) anyway it was from my grandpas Model T ford. Then there is the crock on the left it belonged to my Great Grandma. The two man saw my Mom and Dad used in the 1940's, not in the picture but over to the right is an old wooden ladder that was Dads, I could go on and on....:)