The Test of time

I recently took a trip to my local second hand shop. While perusing the shelves chock full of brass candlesticks, tarnished silver tea services and other discarded bric-a-brac, I saw it. It was a pretty picture frame, lovingly embellished with ribbon, jewels and flowers. I looked at it like someone would look at a puppy at the pound. Someone once loved it, but now it's here, hoping that someone will take it home and love it again.

Okay ~ stop with the sad violin music!

Now I understand that once a gift is given, it becomes the sole property of the recipient to do with as they see fit. I also understand that from time to time we all have to discard some of our little "treasures", or our houses would burst at the seams.

On my way home, I thought about the many handmade gifts that I have given. How many things that I spent time creating for others have had the same fate? Will the gifts I make stand up to the test of time?

One thing that I have never found at a yard sale, second hand shop, or trash pile is a completed scrapbook. As a matter of fact, I find that most people who have been given scrapbooks usually display them on a coffee table, or have them close by to show off or enjoy looking through from time to time.

Now that doesn't mean that the only gift I will ever give will be a scrapbook. But I will think twice about the gifts that I make.