Buttons and Bobbins

My son checked out a book about crafting and different sewing projects from the library on Friday. He has been looking at the page depicting a cross-stitch project longingly.
"It says, easy as A, B, C, mom. I really want to do this one."
What could I say, except under my breath..."not as easy as A, B, C."
However, this would be a good lesson in patience. We made a trip to the craft store last night and got materials. We decided to get a small and simple kit so we would have everything at our fingertips and then get some aida cloth for practicing. The practicing began this morning and the hardest part began when we couldn't thread the needle. We needed a "needle threader." My husband was sure I probably had one in my great-grandmother's old sewing box. I began the search. No needle threader. But it got me thinking about other places to look.
What about the seat of her sewing machine?

 I peeked inside decored needle point seat. There was an old box inside.

I opened it up to find buttons, bobbins and an assortment of sewing materials. It was what I smelled though that made me feel nostalgic. I could smell her ivory soap mixed with lotion smell. I took it in as images of her filled my senses.

I have many memories of my great-grandmother. She lived a long time and we would take her on short trips every weekend when I was in middle and high school. Her and I would sit in the back seat of the car together and she would tell me stories.
But, no needle threader.
My husband, who had continued searching the layers of the sewing box was victorious! There was one threader that wasn't broken. Yay!

It makes me happy to imagine the many projects that were made with this needle threader and the many memories that are captured in these little boxes of her life.