When I was working on my last post, The Book of Me – My Birth, I found the gift cards from a baby shower and lots of other cards sent to my parents when I was born. I love the style of these cards from the 50s and, although I hate to admit it, these vintage cards date me as vintage too.
I thought I’d share a few of the cards – either because they are cute or depict the style of the day – or because I thought the present day descendants of the senders would like to see them.
This first one is strictly shown for its style.
The card below is from my great aunt and uncle – Woodye Webber Kessler (my grandmother Abbie’s sister) and Orville Kessler and their girls. This card is hand made – I assume by Aunt Woodye. All of the little babies are cut out – possibly from another card. I love the little diapers on the clothes line that she cut out and glued into place. And it is all so neatly done!
This note makes me want to know more.
Effie B. Hall Smith
I don’t know who wrote the note. It is addressed to “Dear Grandchildren” – I assume this means my parents. The note refers to Grandmother Smith – my Dad’s grandmother. Did Grandmother Smith write this note about herself in the 3rd person? That’s what it sounds like to me.
She apparently made a quilt and blanket for me. I never knew my Great-grandmother Smith and I didn’t know that she made these gifts for me. I wish I could see them or know what they looked like!
I think this is the only picture I have of my Great-grandmother Smith. It looks to me like she is crocheting a big afghan or blanket in this picture. She must have been a woman who liked to keep her hands busy.
This last card is from my Mom’s brother and his wife. (Click to enlarge.)
It looks like all of the cards were once glued into a scrapbook and later torn out. I also found a scrapbook page with a few notes (written by my mom) about a baby shower given by my Grandmother Abbie and a couple of other women. Grandma Abbie was a crafty lady – I bet she did the napkins folded to look like a baby gown – or at least found the idea for them.
Baby Shower
Hostesses Doris Karell, Alma Oliver & Abbie Smith
The napkin
Cream & sugar served from small baby bottles with tops cut off nipples.
Hazel brought blanket with dummy inside to look like baby. Used mirror for face.
The scrapbook page is folded over and this is what is on the reverse.
… the details of a couple of games that were played at the baby shower. The list looks like words to unscramble. The difficult-to-read note says: Also passed around tray of different articles you take a good look then tray is removed you write down items you can remember.
There are many more cards, but I think that’s enough to share here. I enjoyed looking through all of them and imagining the ladies at the baby shower.
Love this gathering of family cards! What a great idea. My mom thankfully saved every single card from every baby shower and birthday and so happy she did. Mine are a little younger than yours but such a treasure and thanks for sharing. lisa
There are so many cute cards I thought about doing something with more of them. Thanks for stopping by Lisa!
Beautiful cards. I love vintage cards. It’s so nice your mom kept so much information about the shower.
Even though she dismantled the scrapbook, I think most of the items from the baby shower remained. Lucky for me!
Hey Kath,
The card from my folks is my mother’s handwriting. Dad’s woulda been illegible! Loved this collection.
Yes, I recognize your mom’s handwriting – always small, neat and legible! And a good letter-writer, too.
Hi. I live in Los Angeles, and I just returned from finding and cleaning (for the first time) the bronze memorial plaque of Eva “Effie” Belle (Hall) Smith, my first cousin 4X removed, who, I discovered, is buried about a 5 minute drive from where I live. Eva’s mother Nancy (1828 – 1917) was a half-sister of my 3x great grandfather Amos Gandy Jr. (1807 – 1868). Amos Sr. (1781 – 1845) married Rachel Menear (1782 – 1822) in 1803 and had Amos Jr. plus 7 other children; After Rachel died, Amos Sr. married Susan Moore (1801 – 1839) in 1823 and had Nancy plus 3 other children. I have a photo of Nancy and a photo (taken today) of Effie’s (newly cleaned) plaque, which was almost completely covered in grass and dirt. Also, according to the plaque, she was apparently born 12/18/1865… not 1866 like all other records indicate. Coincidentally, Effie is buried about 200 feet from my wife’s mother who we’ve been visiting each Sunday for the last 8 years… never knowing I also had a relative buried nearby. FYI, the Gandy immigrant is Sam Gandy (1745 – 1828), who was Nancy’s grandfather, who arrived in American in the 1770’s from England and had Amos Sr. plus 9 other children. I have photos of 2 of Sam’s children… all born in the 1700’s, plus two of Nancy’s siblings.
Aaron, how nice that you stumbled upon my blog and left such great information! I had some of those names and birth years, but not all of them. How wonderful to have those photos! Effie has been waiting 8 years for you to notice her! I’ll bet she appreciates the cleaning up you have done. 🙂 I would love to hear more. I’ll try to send you an email.