April of 2011 this sweet little tablecloth sold on Etsy to a buyer named Renata.
I didn't realized when I shipped out the cloth that Renata would become one of my very
best customers and I did not know that the tablecloth would be in one of the worst hurricanes to ever hit the east coast.
.
Although the first order to Renata was the bright red and white tablecloth, looking over the list of
sold items shows mostly whites and beiges. The picture below is one of my favorites which is beautifully displayed in her home.
She has told me her favorite linens include French linens (homespun), and anything that's handmade or crocheted. When I asked her decorating style, she explained "mainly just things that draw my eye. I'm in love with the idea of cottages; they're so warm and have a homey feel - I just can't resist them. I'm intrigued by the south of France, and the rural areas of England."
I am always interested in what draws people to vintage linens. Renata told me
"My mother very frequently crocheted tablecloths, curtains, etc. when I was growing up. She also used a lot of dried flowers in vases and baskets as decorations for the house. Altogether, it molded my love for all things vintage, and in a way, it all reminds me of my childhood. The fact that everything is unique and one-of-a-kind is also a highlight, and many times, the quality is much better than the things that are made today."
This is a doily I sent her displayed next to a darling white pot filled with flowers.
Renata loves to go on vintage 'hunts' and over the course of the last few years I have always been excited to open my email and see that she found something in my shop. Orders would come every month or so.
What I did not notice was that there was a period of time late last fall that no orders came from Renata and I only recently found out why. I, like most of us in the U.S. watched as Huricane Sandy started her path up the coast in late October
Union Beach is where Renata lives
"It's extremely hard to look at the town I live in and realize that so many houses and landmarks that my family and I used to take for granted are now gone. They've either been knocked down or destroyed, and it's especially hard when it happened to other people that I know or that my children grew up with. The sight of a bulldozer is one of the most depressing ones that can be seen here. We ourselves had almost five feet of water in our house, destroying the entire first floor and causing us to lose a lot of our possessions, furniture, and even some of the linens I'd bought from you in the past."
"Our house is still under construction, only one small part is completely restored.
We didn't realize how many good people were surrounding us until Sandy hit; people we hadn't spoken to in years, or even NEVER spoken to, ended up coming and helping us more than we could have imagined. Strangers donated a Thanksgiving dinner to us because my daughter sent out a request on Facebook. Both of my daughters had friends come and help clean up, or give us clothes, or drive one of us to the store to get the essentials. I never thought I would hate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as much as I do now. ;) But although we were extremely unfortunate because we are close to both the creek in our town and the bay, we are more fortunate and lucky to have not been alone in such an situation. I don't think we'll ever be able to repay everyone for what they did for us, or that we'll ever be really able to talk about it without getting a little choked up."
The linen orders picked back up towards the end of the year but it was only a month or so ago that I knew what she had been through. I so very much wish I could have helped her and looking back I am hoping that once the packages of linens started coming, it brought joy to her.
The pictures below show some of those linens in her lovely home which is being rebuilt.
The peaceful picture below is of Renata's cottage by the sea prior to Sandy
As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I will never know the stories which come with the linens I bring home from estate auctions... but today's moments become tomorrows stories so I know sending the linens around the world will bring new stories to these old textiles. I am so glad that some of those linens made it to Union Beach and have brought comfort to a wonderful lady.
Wishing you peace and happiness Renata.
