Copse and Spinney

Once a friend came into the bedroom of my first apartment, picked up a tiny sample size bottle of Jean Desprez Bal à Versailles, from my dresser and said matter-of-factly, “Laura, you’re the Queen of tiny beautiful things.” Whatever became of the tiny bottle, I can’t even remember. It was probably lost somewhere in the many family moves or in one of the children’s elaborate tiny worlds or countries they built from random objects on rainy days. It makes one wonder, “Are there truly tiny beautiful things in my dominion?”

In my early twenties, I taught piano lessons to grade school students. (Who sometimes, seemed to enjoy the contents of my apartment more than the music lessons.) Once, my student, Patrick, came over and looked longingly at my house shaped shadow box that was on the living room wall adjacent to the piano. It had miniature furniture in it that I had picked up on clearance in the craft department where I worked at my day job. But Patrick was obsessed with my two tiny vintage glass pink pigs! One pig was so cute and was smiling.

I decided to pick up a little rubber pink pig for Patrick, hoping that it would keep his mind off of my pig. But he just really wanted my glass piglet, and the rubber one just did not suffice. He thanked me politely, saying, this one is nice but I just really have my hopes set on one that is, well… just like … that one! As he peered into my shadowbox once again, pointing to my smiling piglet.

Kids have a way of wearing down your resolve. He worked on me and eventually, I gave in, and Patrick ended up with the antique pig that was no bigger than one inch.

Funnily enough, another student, who did not know Patrick, a little girl would sometimes stay later if her lesson was finished and she was not picked up yet. I lived with Susie. We were two girls in our twenties living in an old 1920’s house-turned-duplex. My bedroom had been the dining room of the original home. It had a gorgeous cedar hutch built into the corner of the would be dining area, that was now a bedroom. The corner hutch gave me lots space to place special things on display, such as a rustic violin made by my Grandfather, some dried flowers, and special vases my grandmother gave me, and a wooden box that had been my dad’s as a boy. On the bottom shelf was a display of little bears, that look similar to today’s Calico critters, (they may have been the first rendition). And, also some pink and blue wooden furniture for them to sit. But most beautiful of all was an antique 1:6 scale, wooden secretary desk that might fit a doll about the size of Blythe. It had real drawers that opened and shut, and cubby places for letters. It was tremendously cute and had belonged to my grandmother. My student used to play with the small critters with the pink and blue balsa furniture. But she asked me if she could have my 1:6 scale secretary desk.

Well, you know the story, I gave in. Her mom even scolded her for asking for it, but I told her it was okay. In my twenties, I did not have a strong understanding of boundaries, and felt that if someone asked for something, I was under obligation to give it to them. I wanted to live by “it is more blessed to give than receive” and that people are more important than things. This is why I took lightly, the things I owned and probably took them for granted. But I did not want to take people, especially my students, for granted. Now, that I am older, I would probably explain to the little girl that it was an heirloom from my family that I would like to keep. But it is true that one can become attached to things.

(The desk might of looked something similar to this one.)

Mimi, my grandmother, loved tiny things. I recall a tiny metal carriage no longer than two inches. It had a little pillow and mattress that were darkened with the dust of time. In the carriage was a tiny thin baby made of ivory and a tiny baby made of ebony. Each, no bigger than an inchworm in length.

Do you struggle sometimes wishing you could remember where all the tiny things have gone? Some of Mimi’s “tiny’s” are still with me; a tiny mesh metal purse from the 1920’s, no bigger than an inch and half; a furry little walrus my dad got from Alaska when I was three; it had tiny tusks! There was also a shell necklace Dad bought me for my seventh birthday, and an old world style Bible with artwork from the old masters.

What has gone missing? Tiny matchboxes in the shape of real leather bound books; miniature bottles of French perfume that my grandmother had given me.

I recall that my great grandmother had this really neat tiny bird cage perfume on her dresser, that I wanted so badly as a child. I wasn’t much different than my piano students as far as coveting goes.

I just liked things that were tiny. Even a tiny plastic dollhouse skillet with a decal of eggs and bacon was a favorite in my dollhouse; a miniature set of German pottery that is now passed down to my daughter, and is in her dollhouse. (One never grows out of dollhouses, especially when they are realistic!); a speckled blue miniature kettle and cups; a tiny beret hat made by my childhood friend. I still have it!

My mom had bought me a set of small pink and purple buttons, each with a different letter of my first name, it was waiting as a surprise for me one day when I returned from school; This goes to show that a tiny gift can go a long way into the heart of a child. I always loved putting a tiny bouquet of real flowers in any kind of miniature vase, (especially a mini milk bottle shaped vase.);a three inch treasure chest that doesn’t open- from grandmother Mimi); a wooden treasure box my dad made as a boy, he had taped it together with red tape to give it designs. A miniature crown for a Dawn Doll;

A faux ruby locket, a Christmas present from when I was five or six;

or the Little woman in the Shoe toy from the 1970’s, may not be so beautiful but definitely one of my favorites… so nostalgic!

I loved this present, because the Old lady in the Shoe had an escape route. With the push of a button she could leave in her red car!

Sometimes what is tiny is viewed as insignificant, even trivial. But consider the diamonds. They are beautiful. Even the tiny ones can carry great significance. Who are the tiny ones, or the “diamonds” in your life?

Want to delve a little deeper? Listen to the Podcast to find out why we give away tiny heirlooms.

Please share in the comments about some of your favorite tiny items, things remembered or lost, or just anything you would like to share.