Jennifer Oakland »

1.27.13 the red sweater

This red sweater sucks to photograph.  I always joke that it would be the perfect hunting “red.”  You could also be spotted from a search plane if you ever went missing in the woods.  I am sure the yarn color is out of production- it is SOOO bright and impossible not to blow out completely in a photograph. But I love it. I mean REALLY love it.  It has a story- it was mine when I was little.  My mother was the butt of many family jeers through the years because she had boxes of baby clothes of mine hidden in the corner of our basement.  WHY keep those?  Since they are fortunate enough to still live in the beautiful home on the majestic five acre wooded property that I grew up on, there was never the need to do a purge prior a move.  In the basement there are vintage toys and books, a cradle that my grandfather built for my mother’s babydolls, a walnet kids’ size rocking chair, and some cool 60s retro furniture that I have my eye on for when we move into our new home next year… there is so much cool stuff that I can’t wait for Finley to experience.  When I was pregnant, mom got out the boxes and we went through the boxes, pulling out each item and mom telling a story about it- who had given it to me/her and when.  It was really a bonding time for us.  Among the many treasures carefully boxed and stored are these three adorable wool sweater vests that were handmade by my mother’s friends.  Two red ones and a pink and white one with little pearl buttons.  I love them and Finley wears them all the time.  People constantly ask me where they are from and I love sharing that I also wore them when I was little.  Even Finley knows- she says “mama’s sweater.”