The Little Pitcher That Held a Love Story

Not long ago, I had the sweet privilege of restoring something truly special—a tiny, timeworn note that had lived most of its life tucked inside a little antique creamer pitcher.

This little 2-inch pitcher once belonged to a child’s tea set—but tucked inside was a love story that’s lasted generations. A gentle reminder that sometimes the smallest things hold the biggest memories.

The pitcher is just two inches tall. Small enough to fit in a child’s hand. The note? Rolled up and nestled inside the pitcher to keep it safe, just like the story it carried.

Faded and fragile, but full of history. This tiny note was tucked inside a miniature creamer pitcher for decades—its words nearly lost to time… until now.

My friend Jill received both the note and the pitcher from her grandmother when she was a little girl. It had always been a treasure, but over the years, the note faded and became hard to read. Jill asked if I could restore the words so they wouldn’t be lost.

Of course, I said yes. And as I worked, the story that unfolded was more touching than I ever expected. Here’s what the note said:

Jill,

When I was a tiny baby a little boy about 3 years old came to visit. His parents & my parents were friends. When I was 3½, my daddy died and we moved to Kansas. On the way we stopped in Enid to visit his grandmother. She gave me this little pitcher. She had had it for many years so I don’t know how old it is. Anyway I saw this same little boy again when I was about 9, and again in 1920.

In 1923 at Christmastime my mother & I came to Crescent from Kansas to visit. I again met this same boy, only now he was a fine man. I had heard many nice things about him through the years. In January 24, 1924 he came to Kansas & asked me to marry him. We were married January 28, 1925.I wish you could have known him. He would have loved you as he did your daddy and you would have loved him.

Can you believe that? A love story—quietly tucked inside a child-sized pitcher. The kind of story that deserves to be passed down for generations.

Brought back to life, word by word. This restored note tells a timeless love story—once nearly lost, now preserved for generations to come.

After I sent Jill the restored note, she told me something she’d forgotten: the pitcher wasn’t from her grandmother originally. It had once belonged to her grandfather’s grandmother, part of a cherished play tea set. That makes the pitcher over a century old—and the memory even more meaningful.

Jill said, “It’s so good to see the letter clearly again. Thank you for restoring this for me… What a blessing you are!”

But really, this was the blessing. These little projects remind me why I do what I do. Memory is fragile. Paper fades. But love like this? It deserves to be preserved.

So the next time you come across a tucked-away note, a keepsake on a shelf, or a small forgotten trinket—pause. There may be a story waiting to be told. Or remembered.

And if you ever need help bringing it back to life, you know where to find me.

— Misty

Maleanda Designs

Preserving Memories, One Pixel at a Time