I love heirloom seeds for several reasons, but one simple reason that I love the Christmas Lima Bean so much is because it is so pretty to look at. They are big seeds, and I love the mauve and burgundy patterns as well as the small, pale vein-like lines than run up and down the seed coat. They are really fun to draw and paint.
Here is a great description of the seeds and beans from Shiloh Farms in PA:
See my previous Christmas Lima Bean paintings here:
I found the frame before I made the drawing. I stop fairly regularly at a nearby thrift shop to look for a few specific items that I have been collecting. On one stop I happened to walk by the section with frames and saw this one on the shelf. It caught my eye because of the shape and the warm tone of the wood. It felt so nostalgic. The frame originally showcased this message in cross-stitch:
"Of all the joys and blessings
In a long and happy life
There's none more precious than the love
Between a man and wife
Happy 25th Anniversary"
I picked up the frame to look at it closer and turned it over in my hands. The cross-stitch fabric was wrapped around a piece of cardboard and taped in place with yellowed and brittle scotch tape and then that packet was nestled into the opening of the frame.
The edges of the frame around the opening are really rough and uneven. The varnish application is also uneven on the back side.
I love that this must've been an entirely handmade gift for someone special. Was it made by a kid for their parents? Was it made by one of the spouses or was it a joint effort by one cross-stitcher and one amateur woodworker? What became of the people it was made for?
I love that the frame has awkward edges and corners and a misshapen opening in the front. It's perfectly imperfect. It has a story that I will likely never know, but I wanted it to be mine anyway. My plan was to re-purpose the frame to display a drawing of a Christmas Lima Bean.
I don't know what to do with the cross-stitch. The message doesn't speak to me personally. I love my husband, but I think we both agree that this isn't our style or a message that accurately represents us or our feelings about marriage. And even though it makes no sense, there's a part of me that feels like I shouldn't throw it away even though the original owner obviously no longer needed it. It must've meant something to the person who turned it over though, because they chose to send it out into the world instead of into the landfill. If the cross-stitch means something to you, reach out and let me know. You can have it.
The drawing of the Christmas Lima Bean was made with graphite and colored pencil on toned paper. It is 8 x 10" and also has slightly uneven edges.
The vintage frame cuts out a lot of the corners. Since the drawing is a standard size it still fits nicely into a
conventional frame.
