A Glimpse Into My Hope Chest…

What is a hope chest?  What is it's purpose?  What do you do with it and what does it look like?  Some girls aren't sure about the meaning of a hope chest, so I have decided to write on the meaning for those of you to understand it a little better.  I hope post is an encouragement to you and maybe, if you haven't already started one of your own, then you will be inspired to begin the wonderful adventure of starting a hope chest.

"A hope chest is a special box that you put items and things you might need or want for your future home when you get married.  They have been around for a very long time, and back then it was a chest made of wood that young women put linens, quilts, china, kitchen utensils, or anything they could use for their future households."

Some people might think it's a little weird for girls in "our time period" to still have hope chests, but I personally think that it's just a unique way to save things for your future home.  What’s the harm in that, right?  I don’t have an actual wooden hope chest like many young ladies do, but I do have a big box up in the attic where I keep my items.

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I’ve wanted to do a post about what I have in my hope chest for awhile now, so this afternoon I asked Andrew if he would help me get it down from the attic.  It was so much fun to sort through all of my stuff and take pictures for this post!  I started my hope chest in the summer of 2009, so I had forgotten about some things that were buried at the bottom of the big box.  I absolutely love shopping for new items to put in it and I will definitely keep shopping in the coming years as I prepare for my future life as a “Mrs.”  (Lord willing of course!) :)

Here are some of the items I have stored so far:  

I found this lovely blue set at a thrift store for only $4.00!  I couldn’t pass them up… :)

Also, over the years, I’ve been trying to complete this lovely tea set.  I don’t know what the name of it is, but I absolutely love it.  It all started out by receiving the tea cup as a birthday party favor and then, when my dad’s grandma passed away, I was given the creamer and four plates that she had in her china cabinet.  Such a special edition to my hope chest. 

I’m always on the lookout for more pieces to add to my collection!  I hope to complete the set someday.

I also have two lovely pink and white china plates for “tea time”…

I have quite an assortment of other “nick nack” items that would have looked pretty junky if I took pictures of all of them together, so this picture just gives an idea:

           

I found this white teapot at an old antique store that was closing with my mom and Katie right after I started my hope chest.  Also, just in case you haven’t noticed, I love teacups and teapots!  I have a dream of opening up my own “tea room” one day for mother’s and daughter’s…

You can never have too many aprons, right?  :)     I also have a pretty Christmas tree glass plate that my mom and I found at a thrift store, a mini spatula (perfect for cutting brownies), and a fun yellow and white tablecloth.

Over the years, I’ve collected extra hand towels, sheets, washcloths, and pillow cases from when we’ve cleaned out our closets.  My grandma gave me a few of those as well.    

Here is another very special item in my hope chest.  My sweet friend, Moriah made me this pillow many many years ago for my birthday and at the time, it matched my bedroom, but since my bedroom is different colors now, I decided to keep it safe until I have a house of my own and can use it to decorate a room or the front porch.  I am so thankful for sweet reminders of how much my friends love me.  I can’t wait to fill my house up with pretty items that mean so much to my heart like this lovely pillow!

                              

         I also have a quilt that was my own as a little girl to add to my hope chest.  It’s a size twin, but it’s still in great condition and I hope one day that I can use it for my own little girl’s room or a guest bedroom.  I love the pretty green, pink, blue, yellow, and lavender fabrics against the white.

A friend of ours crocheted this little pink blanket a few years ago and mom gave it to me since it was pink.  Another friend just recently gave me the pretty white pillow sitting in the chair too.  It’s just perfect to sit in a chair for decoration or in the middle of a bed or something.  :)

Last, but not least…I have two vases and my old jewelry box that I hope I can give to a daughter one day.
       

That's pretty much everything...for now.

For those who may have a hope chest now, what other things have you collected?