Is anyone named Ida anymore? It might be due for a comeback.
This card was a lucky eBay find combing two favorite elements—an unlikely Christmas greeting and a sewing theme. I suspect Mrs. Ida Arneson is a widow, since there is no man in the picture. Given the last names, she is probably part of the great Scandinavian diaspora in the US.
But help me out here—what exactly is she doing? Sewing aprons by hand? We see a pile of gingham something, what appears to be an ironing board, and a spool of thread. She must have taken sewing very seriously to have chosen this photo for her Christmas card. And doesn’t it look like she’s still in her bathrobe? It’s almost a Covid theme.
Whatever your passions, have a wonderful holiday!
what a lovely photo – she is a lot more relaxed about her Christmas sewing than I used be, so much so, I decided some years ago the rush to finish something to wear (or give) on Christmas was too much of a deadline (although strangly enough I did run up something for this year even though we were not going to be seeing anyone at all!) wishing you the best of the season and a brighter new year
She has some kind of decoration on her collar, and her hair is perfect, so she’s more dressed for the holidays than I am! Judging from the fabrics we see, bet she’s making aprons for Christmas. What a delightful card! Here’s to 2021!
So many elements here — the mahogany corner whatnot shelf. The floor lamp. The quilted vinyl card table cover. The brooch at her collar. The framed picture. What’s the shiny thing on the right side of the photo? It can’t be an appliance because the whatnot shelf and the picture are parlor-formal. She could be anywhere from Minnesota west to Washington state. Merry Christmas, Mrs. A!