That’s soooo me-ma…

[H]

I was just putting up some groceries and realized my wife hung this from the fridge! It is a homemade plastic bag holder (flower pattern) that her aunt gave us. It has been there for a while, and pretty handy, but I just realized that I actually have this in my home. If 20 year Huston would show up at my door right now he would fall down laughing at me.

So okay, give it up, what do you have that is ‘me-ma’ (that’s grandmother for the proper folks)?

EDIT: sorry about the size of the image, but it is the only way I can figure out how to attach it.

 

[Repo Man]

I still have this terrible laundry bag with my name on it that my aunt gave me before I left for college some 12 years ago. It is so lame, yet large and convienent enough that I keep it around.

My plastic bag holder is straight from Ikea! I feel so hip!

 

[Downtown]

I can't think of anything "me-ma", but in the last few years, especially since getting married, I find myself reflecting in horror after something comes out of my mouth that I've heard my mother say a hundred times. I love my mom, but she's an extremely practical and often bossy woman who really likes to get her way. And whenever she wants someone to do something they don't want to do because they think it will be boring (like going to a quilt museum) or embarrassing (like riding the school bus your senior year of high school), she'll just comment; "Get over it. It will be good for you." As in character building. And now I say that all the time to Rob. As in, he'll say "Hon, I don't want to take ballroom dance class!" Me: "Tough. It will be good for you."

 

[Jen]

Me-ma's are cool.

I have these elfen shaped slippers my Nana knitted, I have several pairs in several different amazing color combo's I wear them too! And she would make these dish scrubbies out of mesh. She passed on a few years back, I miss my Me-ma! Come Christmas time I put out her kitcshy santa claus candle holders and commemorative Holly Hobby Christmas plate from 1972 - Very me-ma ish

 

[Tranplanner]

We have a couple of knitted dish rags. My wife's memaire made us a needlepoint work to celebrate our wedding last year.

 

[nerudite]

We have crocheted dishrags too... but that's about it. Not many frilly lacy specialized things in our house that I can think of. I have a few things from when I was a kid, like a needlepoint of my handprint at the age of 4... those are kind of kitschy I guess.

 

[Cardinal]

My grandparents have all passed away. I have a few momentos - some porcelain, a couple afgans, some lace - but not much.

 

[Zoning Goddess]

Nothing from a grandparent, but I do have my great-aunt's souvenier spoon collection in a display case in my family room. Oh, and a handmade pot-holder my neice made when she was about 6.

 

[Cardinal]

Oh, and a handmade pot-holder my neice made when she was about 6.

Careful! This isn't Canada. You can still get arrested for holding pot.

 

[jmf]

Careful! This isn't Canada. You can still get arrested for holding pot.

When I was 14 or 15 my grandparents went to Jamaica and brought me back a pretty feathered "hair" clip - how do you explain to your 80 year old grandmother that you don't wear her present ......

 

[donk]

I have no "funny" things from my granparent's. My favourite items from my grandmother are the ebony rhinocerous book ends from her trip to Kenya and my Massey Harris Tractor from my grandfather who was an accountant there. No eal items from teh other side of the family.

On teh hand made side of things I am fortunate, my mother is a professional knitter and designer, so I have lots of nice sweaters, scarves and hats.(might be interested in trading items?) She also quilts so i have hand made quilts in my house as well.

 

[H]

She also quilts so i have hand made quilts in my house as well.

Yes. we also recieved a pint heart pattern wedding quilt from my wifes me-ma. But is sits INSIDE the chest.

 

[Habanero]

Yes. we also recieved a pint heart pattern wedding quilt from my wifes me-ma. But is sits INSIDE the chest.

I'm begging for a wedding ring quilt, but I doubt it will ever happen.

We don't really have anything "me-ma" around the house, I've got the pastel afgan my aunt knitted for me and James has one his grandmother knitted, but we never take them out with the dogs around- they're too delicate.

 

[SGB]

We don't really have anything "me-ma" around the house, I've got the pastel afgan my aunt knitted for me and James has one his grandmother knitted, but we never take them out with the dogs around- they're too delicate.

We have two quilt tops that my wife's maternal grandmother (Nana) made. We haven't had the quilts finished, as our cat would surely view them as new places to shed fur and sharpen claws.

Love that cat, really I do......

 

[donk]

just for my clarification, I am taking it that "me-ma" is one of those "glurgy" things that you love/use more because of the person that made it or gave it to you versus the real usefulness or design of the item?

With my minimalist lifestyle there is not much of anything extraneous around my house.

 

[H]

just for my clarification, I am taking it that "me-ma" is one of those "glurgy" things that you love/use more because of the person that made it or gave it to you versus the real usefulness or design of the item?

Kinda, ‘me-ma’ is what grandmas are referred to where I grew up in the south (and probably other areas). A ‘me-ma’ item (to me) is something that you would find at your grandmothers house, but it has somehow ended up in yours. Like a doily or quilt, or almost any handmade sewn item or a figurine or something “grandma like”…

 

[Queen B]

I have those darn worseless kitchen towels that they cut in half and the crochet the top so you can attach it. To small to use. Can't fold them neatly. I keep swearing that I am going to toss them. They just always seem to be the towel I can find which I guess is the point.
Oh how I hate them.

 

[JNA]

from my grandfather who serve in the Canadian Army during WW 1,
I have his Western Calvary Regimental Crest,
Mom has the regimental yearbooks

I also have a wooden bowl that he turned on a lathe.

 

[Otis]

We have the usual quilts and afghans inside, including a truly ugly quilt my wife's aunt made (beautifully made but with horrendous fabric). Outside we have numerous hydrangea bushes. I always associate them with blue haired old ladies' front porches.

 

[Mud Princess]

I have lots of items that fit this description. My mother-in-law is excellent with all kinds of crafts -- needlepoint and embroidery, for example -- so we have many examples of her decorative handiwork on wall hangings, christmas ornaments, dish towels, etc. She tried to teach me needlepoint but I am just worthless with that sort of thing; I can barely sew on a button, for God's sake. She also made us a quilt.

My grandparents have all passed away, but I have a knitted afghan and some interesting old jewelry from one grandmother.

None of these things really embarass me. To me, they're important keepsakes to remember people by.

 

[Chet]

I have winter time themed towels (snow men and that crap) that a froo-froo aunt gave me for christmas one year.

I also have a collection of vintage fiesta ware dishes that were a grandmothers wedding present from 1941. They are in a china cabinet and look more fabulous than me-ma.

 

[nerudite]

I also have a collection of vintage fiesta ware dishes that were a grandmothers wedding present from 1941. They are in a china cabinet and look more fabulous than me-ma.

These don't count. Fiestaware (although too trendy for a time there) is too groovy to be me-ma (sorry fabulous pottery). Otherwise, if that's what you call me-ma, then I have all sorts of junk all over my livingroom that would count for something... like antique cameras, grandma's china, an owl statue made of cut tin (or something not yet determined)... but I don't really think they are me-ma like that plastic bag doo-dad.

 

[Dan]

A ‘me-ma’ item (to me) is something that you would find at your grandmothers house, but it has somehow ended up in yours. Like a doily or quilt, or almost any handmade sewn item or a figurine or something “grandma like”…

I wonder if "me-ma" items are popular among grandparents because they really were popular accessories in the 1920s-1940s, or it it's because it's a taste that just coms with being old.

Personally, there's no "me-ma" or country kitsch anywhere in my house. Strictly Craftsman and contemporary, gang. No knitted Comet cleaner or Kleenex box covers, no doilies, no wallpaper with ducks or moo-cows on it.

 

[Zoning Goddess]

I wonder if "me-ma" items are popular among grandparents because they really were popular accessories in the 1920s-1940s, or it it's because it's a taste that just coms with being old.

Personally, there's no "me-ma" or country kitsch anywhere in my house. Strictly Craftsman and contemporary, gang. No knitted Comet cleaner or Kleenex box covers, no doilies, no wallpaper with ducks or moo-cows on it.

Wait a minute! You do have dogs made of doilies. Or is that yarn?

 

[H]

I wonder if "me-ma" items are popular among grandparents because they really were popular accessories in the 1920s-1940s, or it it's because it's a taste that just coms with being old.

If I were to guess, I would say that for that generation and time period, homemade households items symbolized a well kept and nurturing home.

i.e.: My granny hand a sign over her oven that read, “this food is made with butter and love”, and yes, she made the sign