When some people reach a certain age (a trait I have noticed in myself) they may begin to want to downsize their surroundings, to make life simpler. For some, it may mean a move to a retirement community, for others it may mean downsizing in place. Perhaps they will reduce the size of the yard, clean and shut off no longer needed rooms, and send a great deal of collected things to a donation center.

I began by finishing my decades long effort to clean out the attic. (The one that is only accessed by walking across a roof, and through a window.) There were five large cardboard boxes that had been in there a very long time. Some things I saved, some I discarded. Very little could be donated. A large box of Great Aunt’s cancelled checks was burned. (For concerned parties, Great-Great Aunt’s trunk of clothes is still in the attic.) I found class notes from high school that I may share in a later essay.

I also found my cousin’s bridesmaid dress that she had worn in my wedding, sent to me by my aunt, to make into little girl dresses for my older daughter. I never did. There wasn’t much left to it, since the dirt daubers got to it, but I saved the ruffles.

What does one do with beloved little trinkets, found in attics and closets, that one does not want to throw away, and no one else would want? I have turned them into decorating wreaths. I start with a plain grape vine wreath (bought from Goodwill) and add these little trinkets according to a theme, and then add the proper color of ribbon. An orange and black wreath for fall contains silk flowers from table decorations from husband’s 10^th year high school reunion, and a tassle from son’s graduation cap, plus a rooster pin my younger daughter gave me.

One other wreath has a Poe theme. My son gave me a ceramic medallion of Athena off an ancient cook stove found in the house, I bought the ceramic raven, and added lavender scarves and purple ribbons from my sister in law’s bridesmaid bouquets from her wedding. At the bottom I attached a small opened paper notebook that younger daughter had made in elementary school, upon which I copied a few lines of the poem.

What was I to do with the ruffles off the bridesmaid dress? For the last two years I have been making aprons for children and grandchildren. I made 10 in two years, entirely hand-stitched. The last one I made I trimmed with the pink ruffles from the dress.