My grandparents were adventurous spirits. Their best times were spent in the high country of the Pacific Northwest. Shown here, my grandmother Mary Pearson, stands in the majestic Cascades of Washington. At 20 years old, she was wise and passionate. She absorbed the stillness and cool mountain air, photographed by her newlywed husband (my grandfather) […]
This is where my love of vintage truly began! My grandparents, Mummu and Vaari, inspired me in countless ways. They were full Finnish and they were the “it” couple. Vaari was born in 1915. Mummu was born in 1917. People used to say Mummu was as beautiful as Marilyn Monroe, a beautiful blonde bombshell. This adorable […]
My Mom, circa 1975, just hanging out and reading Josephus. My Mom Leona Jean Graff Randell Wells has always been one to do her own thing. This shot was taken in our living room in Anchorage, Alaska. She’s probably 28, has 3 kids and is reading Josephus. Most likely, she’s taking a break from painting […]
When I was going through old photos of my grandparents, I discovered this picture of my grandma. I don’t remember my grandma ever playing guitar, but I do remember her playing piano and singing, especially yodeling! My Grandma Rose was the strongest woman I’ve ever known. I wrote this about her for her eulogy: “I learned […]
Meet my grandmother, Ada Sawyer Cooper. She graduated from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, in 1922, with a degree in what was the precursor to Fashion Design. . She bought me my first sewing machine. She taught me how to draft patterns. She told me always trust your eye, never a ruler, because there’s not one single […]
My beautiful mother turned 86 this month, so I knew I had to share this glam photo of her, in Hawaii in the early 1970s. She had traveled to the islands to meet up with my dad, who was deployed in Vietnam. As she says, he needed some R&R. . This photo captures the era […]
This was my parent’s engagement photo, circa 1976 in Southern Illinois. I love this shot because it is a natural pose in a natural setting. It’s not overdone or forced, like some photography today. No photoshop, no frills, just natural beauty. . Plus, it captures both of them so perfectly and they look so happy […]
This photo was in an old suitcase in my parents house. Both of my parents and many of their family members are gone. As I cleared out my parents’ home, I was able to save this striking photograph. . This picture was taken around 1920 in Scotland. My great grandfather Murdoch MacMillan is pictured cutting […]
If my house was on fire, and I could only rescue one object, this is what I would take. It is a portrait of my great-great-grandmother, Palma Fantasia. It is the only item that still survives my family’s passage from Italy through Ellis island in 1907. This is what my great-grandmother brought to remember her […]
This photo is of my parents feeding my sister at her christening in 1994. The first time I saw it I almost died laughing. It’s the perfect combination of cute and funny. . Fun fact, I come from an Armenian family and it used to be really common to have a lot of people gather […]
Recent Comments