Paper furniture

Carlene, born in 1925, grew up in a small farmhouse. Papa was a hard-working farmer, and they ate mostly what they grew--"organic before organic was a thing."  Mimi was an excellent cook and made clothes for herself and her five children.  When times were hardest, they even made clothes out of flour sacks. As I was searching for pictures taken during the 20s, 30s, and 40s, it struck me--how smart, frugal and resourceful they were!

Dot and Carlene learned to sew, knit, and crochet. Mimi always said, "My girls are better seamstresses than I am." 

Carlene altered dresses a "friend in town" gave her.  Town girls were better off in those days than country girls.

While in high school, Carlene worked in a dry goods store in downtown Perry and was able to buy fabrics and patterns.  Looking at these pictures, I'm amazed at the variety of clothes she made and what fashionable wardrobes were created in hers and Dot's shared bedroom.  By then, they had indoor water, a utilitarian indoor bathroom (no tile), and a hall closet shared by the whole family. 

She yearned for a room of her own.  Maybe, she thought, her daddy could make her a room in the attic. Even though that room never came to fruition, she loved designing it, cutting out furniture from construction paper. 

Times were still not easy financially, but her parents, seeing her dating years coming, painted the living room and got a sofa and a blue rug. They saved to send her off to college. (She had been valedictorian of her high school class--or would have been had the principal not rearranged #1 and #2 to give that honor to his daughter!) 

In 1944, she did an unusual thing for a farm girl--she saved enough money for her own car, a 1940 Chevy, for $1070.  (The next year she married my daddy, a Navy boy, and teased that she "married him so he could help her pay off her car.") 

The love of her life, Lloyd Harris, was a Tennessee boy.  While she was in college.  he was a radioman in the Navy, stationed in Memphis. They married (eloped) on September 16, 1945, even though she had to wait a month to move in with him in Memphis. 

Here she is at GSCW--Georgia State College For Women---with some college friends. 

Yesterday I got a text from my remarkable mama that hearkened back to her cutting out furniture from construction paper. 

I just today put my paper furniture on a room chart and making the round table with the 4 captain blue chairs and they will double for company if need be.   Excited about furnishing my new haven!!!   Will use my entire bedroom suite in BR - it’s so pretty and I am still thrilled over getting it 50 plus years ago....   

Thank you for helping me be happy!!!!!