from trash to treasure

okay, it never really was trash, but it only got used maybe once a year during homecoming week on 80's day.  this beauty was my great grandma phyllis beck's pant suit.  she passed away when i was a year and a half.  i have one picture with her when we were newborns wearing this same outfit.  I never knew her, although i've heard so many things about her, i wish i did.  from what i hear she was such a classy and fancy lady.  

the last time i was visiting home a few months ago i was straightening up the play room at my moms and was picking up the dress-up box that avery had rummaged through. i saw this pant suit and the vision came to me.  when i first asked my mom if i could have it and make it a dress, her first response was no, that was grandma beck's, you cant cut it up and change it.  a few seconds passed and she changed her mind.  and i am so happy she did.  she said she would much rather have one of her daughters use it for real, instead of just for dress up and play once a year. i packed it up and brought it to brasil with me and had a talented lady in our stake fix it up for me.  ten dollars later (yeah, that's all!) and i have myself a fancy new dress.  i'm quite in love with it.   it has an real old fashioned flair to it but the color, the fit, the sleeves are perfect and just what i imagined it looking like 5 months ago.

here's a 4 generation picture when meag and i were tiny and my mom was a baby with my grandma garrard and great grandma beck

trae can't believe i'm acutally putting this picture on here, but it's the only way to see the transformation.  those sleeves seriously could have fit my leg through them.  i had already unstitched the pant legs so i pinned it back together for pictures sake and ended up with a super blurry result.  i figure its probably better that way.

here's the final result, obviously.  the elastic waistband isn't in the most flattering position so i belted the dress today and loved it.

i'm already hoping i beat my sisters to the dress up box when i go home in a few weeks to see what other kinds of treasures i've overlooked.  i love that i now have this little memory of my great grandma even though i never got to know her, and super cute new dress.