What to My Wondering Eyes Should Appear?

Several years ago, knowing how much she loves acorns and all things sewing-related, I made a little pincushion for my Sister in Law, based on an article I saw in Martha Stewart Living. It was similar to this (tutorial here):

but wasn't made of felted wool, it was just a little piece of green cloth stitched and stuffed and glued in place. It turned out oh-so-sweet, and I have been wanting to get my hands on some more acorn caps ever since.

So when I opened my birthday gift from her a few days ago, I was excited to see acorns!

Suddenly, the ability to make up a whole bunch of little acorn emerys was upon me!

But wait... (please forgive me, the lighting was quite dim that evening) what is THAT, in the middle of the box??? Could it be? Did she make for me my very own acorn pinkeep? (she is quite good at making pinkeeps, you know)...

I lifted it from the box, thinking how clever she was to pack an acorn pinkeep among acorns, when I very belatedly realized that something felt wrong... she didn't MAKE the pinkeep for me... NO! It is a real-live, genuinely OLD as the hills acorn emery!


Be still my beating heart... I know this sounds silly to so many of you (ahem... *Matt*Gregg*), but to own a piece of sewing history feels positively decadent...

Imagining the woman who made it many, many, MANY years ago, and all of the years put to use, retaining its original acorn cap, and not-being-thrown-away by someone who thought it was Junk!

And she Actually apologized for using not-old pins... tsk, tsk. My dear Sister, I will Cherish this gift for all the remaining years of my life!