Cottage Life - My Mother's Pink Depression Glass Vase and Flower Talk

I don't have many things that belonged to my mother. I've moved long distances so many times that I've passed along most of what I once possessed to family members. However, I have kept my mom's pink depression glass. Back in the 1930's the movie theater she frequented gave away depression glass as a gift for buying a ticket to the Saturday matinee. My mother, single at the time, lived with her brother Fred and his wife Louise.  Fred sold furniture and Louise worked at the licorice factory while mom took care of their baby and did the household chores for room, board and a few dollars.  I seem to recall that Louise and she each had 25 cents from their weekly paycheck to spend on a movie and a treat. The movie ticket cost 15 cents. After the show they'd walk across the street to the confectionary where they spent the remaining 10 cents on two scoops of ice cream. The free gift of pretty glassware was the cherry on top. 

My favorite piece of mom's very small pink depression glass collection is a waffle rib ruffled top vase. Here you see it with flowers from my garden.



It's a lovely reminder of my mom, who passed along to me the joy of flower gardening, although she focused mainly on roses, while my tastes run the gamut of flower types.

Back in July I watched a Youtube video on planting containers hosted by an expert gardener in England. She gave a tutorial on how to create interesting pots. She talked about a workshop she attended where an American gardener explained that every container needs "a thriller, a filler, and a spiller". Perhaps you've heard this before, but I had not. I used that principle when I created this arrangement that sits outside Dennis' gallery.



The dwarf sunflower is "the thriller", the zinnia, geranium and verbena are "the fillers", and "the spiller" is, I think, vinca vine (it was on sale at the nursery and didn't have a label). I had all these flowers and the vine on hand when I planted the pot shortly after seeing the presentation. I think this works best in a really large container like the one I used. I tend to keep things simple with my smaller pots, especially if the container is particularly attractive. By the way, when using a large container like the one above there's no need to fill the entire pot with soil. The bottom half of the pot is filled with packing peanuts, styrofoam, whatever I could find that was light. Wine bottle corks work, too.

Remember the flower chair I created back in July? (You can read about it here.) When I showed it to you then it looked like this.




This is the photo I took of it this afternoon.



Isn't it pretty? I had a strong feeling the Thunbergia (Black-eyed Susan Vine) would love climbing up the chicken wire. It really is going crazy. I love when that happens.






30 comments

  1. A sweet memory of your mom. I love both flower presentations. You nailed it.

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  2. I enjoyed reading the story about your mom. So sweet! That's a great rule you shared about container gardens....I can remember that rule easily! Your containers are so pretty!

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  3. The depression glass vase is perfect for your flowers and such a sweet reminder of your mom. I love Black-Eyed Susan and it's definitely happy on your chair.
    ~Adrienne~

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  4. Ooh....that chair overspilling with pretty flowers. It is gorgeous. Such a clever and imaginative idea, Nancy. Your mom's pink depression vase is so pretty. Wouldn't it be lovely if, when one visits the cinemas these days, they would gift each person with a pretty vase.....or a pretty chine teacup. =) Your flower garden must be beautiful.

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  5. Wonderful post Nancy . . .
    Loved the Pink Depression Glass story . . .
    Flowers
    Thriller, Filler Spiller . . . (I will remember that one!)
    And what fun to see "the chair" in flower glory!

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  6. That is a lovely vase, and so sweet to use something that was your mothers.

    Your pots look great! I have heard the thriller, filler, and spiller before! It works!

    I love black eyed susan vine!

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    1. I planted an orange black-eyes susan vine in the ground last year and it didn't do nearly as well as the vine planted this year in the chair's basket. I think it's a really pretty vine.

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  7. I love flowers pots and lovely vases filled with flowers!

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  8. I like the colors in your flower pot Nancy! I had less flowers this year with the drought it was a good idea. The perennial patch is doing well. I like the name "The Thriller Filler." What a great story about your mom! The glassware is beautiful.

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  9. Oh, how pretty!!! The chair, the beautiful potted arrangement, and your dear mother's vase! I loved reading the story about her. How different life was then! I long for those simpler days...I know they were harder, in many ways, but I still think they were the best. I tell you, you surely have a gift for growing beautiful things, sweet friend. I am so thankful you share your gifts with us here...I always leave here refreshed in spirit and so blessed! Sending love and hugs to you today!

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  10. Filler, Thriller, Spiller--I'll remember that! (Not that any of my current pots have that trio...)
    I have Depression ware glass too; they're from my mom and grandma. Green and blue and one pink one. Do you have any milk glass?

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    1. No, I don't have milk glass. Because of the small footprint of our home I'm limited on what I can collect. I do like milk glass, though. My mother collected it for many years, but since none of the pieces were original to her I didn't feel a strong connection to it. I think my sister-in-law has it now.

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  11. I don't know that I have ever seen pink depression glass up close and personal. It looks very pretty filled with flowers. I love the thriller, filler and spiller idea....I must use it next year!

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  12. Sweet how you have your mom's pink depression glass vase. Love the flowers in the vintage chair too. Love it all.
    xoxo
    Kris

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  13. Since my mom loved flowers so much, and almost always had a vase full of cut flowers from her yard on our dining table, I inherited and cherish some of her vases. I love them and every time I use one, it reminds me of her! I have a yellow "hobnail" and a white china vase (oh so pretty) and a really old china vase that looks like a big pitcher.. tall and thin.. and flowers look so wonderful in it. she grew all flowers she could cut and put in the house. I tend to leave mine out in the yard to admire. It's wonderful to have a few of our parents' things to bring back the memories of them. I love that chair and how everything is spilling up and out now! Hugs.. Marilyn

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  14. oh dear it sounds you live in heaven !!!
    what LOVELY collection of blooms who enchanted my soul

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  15. How nice to have your Mom's lovely collection of pink depression glass. I enjoyed the story behind it.

    Your flower chair looks great! Your 'thriller, filler & spiller' pot looks great too.

    Have a wonderful Friday and weekend ~ FlowerLady

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  16. That chair is absolutely LUSH, Nancy! And pink depression glass....that reminds me of Ruben's mom, who had an antique shoppe and sold a lot of it. There is also a great poem by Ted Kooser, "Depression Glass" that if you get a chance to read it, do.

    Happy Friday!

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  17. Nancy your postings are the best, they make my day. Your family story about your Mom is so special. My Mom worked in a five and dime in Philadelphia during the depression. She told us stories of sales reps coming in and giving away free household items to the workers so they could try them out and suggest them to the customers. She said the holidays were the best. They would decorate the store and it made them feel festive during a difficult time in our country. I love seeing your flowers and the gardening hints you give. When you feature homes that are small and people live in them everyday I really enjoy that. Thanks so much!

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    1. Thank you for leaving such a sweet comment, Betty. I wish I knew more stories about my mom in her younger years. She didn't talk much about those times.

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  18. I think you would enjoy the Garden Answer you tube videos Nancy. Check them out.

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  19. I love the story about your mom and her weekend outings. My mom shared many of the same stories. I also love the advice...a thriller, a filler and a spiller? How perfect!

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  20. Hi Nancy, I promised to come over long ago to thank you for coming to Marmelade Gypsy and visit the Cottage here! I'm so glad I picked today. (I've been traveling and didn't make it before I left!) Your planter looks great -- I love doing planters, too. I've been working on a planter chair (the poor caned seat died eons ago and the chair wasn't in good enough shape to make recaning worth it.) A little late in the season to finish, but that's life!

    I especially loved the story of your mom's favorite vase. That's so special.

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  21. Oh! The chair is absolutely lovely filled with flowers growing as they want!

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  22. I love it, Nancy. The story about your mom is very special. Thank you for sharing.
    I love how your chair looks. Well done! Who was the gardener you watched on You Tube?

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    1. Katherine Crouch. Here's the link: https://youtu.be/cLM-Rbju71Y

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  23. Amazing how ten cents could at one time buy you an icecream cone. I love icecream and it is 2.50 a cone in town. I really liked your story. I don't have any pink depression glass but it is very lovely with your garden flowers.

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  24. Hi, Nancy, so nice to catch up with your blog. I hope you had a restful (and productive) blog break!

    Thanks for the glimpses of your garden. It's so pretty. I planted some black eyed susan vine this year, too. I planted it from seed and it took a little while to get going, but now it's amazing. My variety has a bunch of different colors and it's so pretty. I love how yours is growing on the chair!

    It's lovely that you have your mother's depression glass and what a wonderful story from her life to go with it.

    I hope you are doing well. Sending big hugs.

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    1. My mother had a lot of glassware, but the pink depression glass was always the collection I favored most. So glad I have it!

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