An Upholstery Time Capsule. A Unique Gift.......enjoy!

[Steve at Silverstone Fabrics]

With the economy as tight as it is, I was challenged by my family to come up with a unique,meaningful and inexpensive gift idea and here it is.

My ex wife's mother, my ex wife (I am blessed that I still have a good relationship with these 2 women), myself and my 3 adult children will fill a standard 9"x12" manila envelope.

Inside the envelope there will be a questionnaire that all of the participants will fill out (in private). Questions will include: What are your earliest memories? Best moments of your elementary days and the the best moments of each one of your decades. Each participant will be challenged to write 10 "predictions". Then the "biggie"  .........if you are not here to read your questionnaire to the group, what do you want for for your descendants to know about who you were and what were your philosophies of life........what made "you" you?

Here are the restrictions.........you can include whatever will fit into your 9x12 envelope (including "guest" questionnaires ....I am going to include my brother and his wife). If it is important to you and will fit, then it is OK with me.

Once the envelopes are filled and turned into me, I am going to build a skirted Parson's chair (or I may reupholster a family antique chair.....or I might go to the thrift store and recycle a chair.)

Once I decide on the chair, I will make the fabric selection and I plan on having "December 25, 2031" embroidered (in a very tasteful size and font) on the fabric that will become my In Back

I will upholster the chair and when I get to the Out Back, I will place the envelopes in the hollow area and close them up.........for the next twenty years.

That's right.....these envelopes will be closed up for the next 20 years. On December 25 2031, we will gather at the site of the chair and will open the envelopes.......hopefully all of us will be there to enjoy the surprise of the contents.

We want this chair to be with each participant for 4 years (5 participants x 4 years = 20 years), we plan on drawing names tomorrow to determine the order of possession).

My middle daughter came up with the embroidered date on the In Back.....she said that would encourage guests to ask, "Why does that chair have Christmas 2031 on it? At this point she gets to tell them about our families gift to each other.

My entire family (and ex family) is  excited about our "Upholstery Time Capsule".

I hope this will be something you will consider too. I plan on documenting this project on Youtube, I will share if with you after the chair is complete.

From the mountains of western North Carolina....Merry Christmas.

Steve Terry

[Mike]

AtsTHAt's a really cool idea I hope you all get to open it

I'd be 71

[kodydog]

Fun gift for the whole family. Just wish I heard about it 3 weeks ago. Oh well it'll give me plenty of time for next year. Maybe have the chair all ready in the garage and close it up Christmas day. For me it would be 14 envelops. I'm thinking wing chair in a neutral fabric. The thing will not be recovered for 20 years. Any stains or dirt stay until it gets reopened in 2032. It'll have lots of character by then and draw names out of a hat to see who gets to keep it in the end. Cool.

[bobbin]

What a really cool idea.  There is nothing more fun than discovering something that's been "buried" for many years.  I hope you manage to tuck a few pictures from today into that envelope, too.

[Darren Henry]

Tres cool . [that's French for awesome dude!]. I like Bobbins reminder to include lots of photos. I'd suggest the old fashioned kind printed out on paper instead of a power point demo or flash drive.Who knows what the technology of the day will be.Which leads to maybe including a description of what we use and what our "normal day" is. Most young people starting university have never stuck their finger into a hole in a disc and turned it dial a phone number. few of their profs have lifted the receiver and turned a crank to get the switchboard operator's assistance in connecting a call.Etc...

:'( Gawd, I feel so old  :'(