For as long as we've been together, MOTH's rowing medals have just been chucked in a drawer. If he's won another one, he stumbles in from the Regatta, quickly flashes it past me & tosses it in with all the others. The only one that holds any real portent is his Gold Medal from the FISA World Master's Games, when he & his crew became the World Champions in the Men's 'C' Grade Four. As this win represented the pinnacle of his long rowing career, he actually framed it, but then never put it on display.
As the Owner of exactly ZERO medals, I reckon his deserve better treatment than languishing in the bottom drawer of the wardrobe, but the question is what to do with them? The kids suggested tossing them in the Vinnies Bin, but I had a mental picture of a whole lot of 'disadvantaged' gentleman walking through the Parklands on their way to the Whitmore Square Night Shelter all decked out in MOTH's medals! Surely I thought, Queen Martha would have a crafting idea for them, but no, a quick search on her site came up negative. So I'm going to throw it open to you guys, what would you do with all these? Knowing you all, I reckon there's going to be some very creative & interesting suggestions! Oh & one other small point, there's another 2 big cardboard boxes in the garage chock-a-block full of the same thing!
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The possibilities are endless...especially with a glue gun! Chandeliers, wind chimes, castanets...Imagine how they would glitter. And then, you can open up your very own etsy store. Good on MOTH for being a great rower.
ReplyDeleteMy suggestion would be to take them off the ribbons, and have them framed in a black frame, with the medals all in rows in order starting with the earliest progressing to the latest at the end. Admittedly, it seems it will be a large frame as there are sooo many medals. But hey I think it would look fabulous. Actually on thinking as I type this, maybe a rowing photo of him placed here there to break up those many many rows. I hope this helps :)
ReplyDeleteThey will make a fantastic art installation of some description. You could mount them in box frames like intaglios, re-using the ribbons to hang each box; or you could make one long padded display board for them. Does MOTH have a 'man cave' where he hangs out - he could hang the finished product there? David.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to MOTH for all his medals! I'm not as nice as you and would keep them in the drawer:O!! Unless, of course, he was asking to see them hung;)! I think Patricia's ideas are great!
ReplyDeleteOh I am with Patricia on this one. Ditch the ribbons and I envisage a beautiful long rectangular framed display... sort of suitable for the wall behind a bar (if MOTHman has one). Good on ya MOTH, you athlete you! A-M xx
ReplyDeleteMillie my dad used to hang all his medals along the hallway threaded onto a piece of dowel that my mum had painted white (to blend into hallway wall). Love the frame idea though, you can get those deep display box frames now!
ReplyDeletei like patricia's suggestion. take off the ribbon and frame them. you wouldn't even have to do them row by row since there are so many. a hodgepodge of them all together would look awesome. pam
ReplyDeleteI think you might google it and see what others have done to present and preserve medals.
ReplyDeleteI have a bunch of ribbons for artwork and they have not fared so well over the years.
Why do I have a vision of a bronze MOTH bust on display in your home covered in these medals? Never mind, that is a crazy idea. Somethimes my insane creative side surfaces, but I quickly stuff it back into the corners of my mind.
ReplyDeleteMy first thought make one of those fly strip curtains needed in the Aussie summers. Perhaps melt the Gold!! Actually am of no use really.... but well done MOTH xD
ReplyDeleteOh wow Millie
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever MOTH you have!! Well My idea is probably not a good one for the male viewpoint.. But I think too I would ditch the ribbons and replace them with something more neutral...hung like as chandlier or chimes as brismod suggested. Patricia's idea is great also... Good luck!! Love the mental image of those elderly gentleman proud as punch for their medals and achievements!!! xx Julie
Oh NO!! I just read Heidi's comment!! that is it for sure!!
ReplyDeleteI don't have any crafty ideas but I do have an idea. I would save them until I had Grandchildren and then when they help you around the house or do a good deed, I would give them one. And why do they all have the same ribbon except one? That poor little medal is all by itself.
ReplyDeleteMillie, given MOTHs other hobby...I thought they might make great coasters for his 'D' footy chiller thing for his hops-inspired brew?
ReplyDeleteThink how it would inspire commentary during AFL matches, as MOTH yells at the umpies, and the screen in general...
It might generate coments like
C'mon boys EVEN I have won medals..get in there etc etc
could even inspire The Boys?
Jane of Janezworld
I was unsure - use them as weights on a light or fan pull (if you have the old fashioned kind!) Then I read Jane's idea of coasters - they're probably a bit small - but you could probably set them in clear resin to the right size and they'd be preserved, useful and still visible?
ReplyDeleteLet's see...a treasure chest for the grandchildren someday? When they start to drive the grandparents crazy you can tell them to go count all the medals and no ice cream until they are done.
ReplyDeleteComing from a family of rowers with medals forever popping up here and there I have to say I like the ribbons. There is something very nostalgic about them all. I like the idea of hanging the on a dowel or better yet an oar? Maybe they can all swing like one big set of chimes under the eaves somewhere, preferably outside?
Have a cozy little guest bathroom or nook somewhere. Start banging that hammer, you just found your wall treatment!
Either way save them....think of all the hours and days you had to sit and watch those races!
Something to ponder...hope you are having a great weekend Millie.
Jeanne:)
Hi Millie,
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that Moth has all these medals, what a lot! .... he must have been really good.
They do need to be displayed in a memorial shadow box with some photos of him rowing maybe.
Good luck with organizing them.
Hugs
Carolyn
I'm with the coaster idea. Unless you make a game of tiddly winks out of them for Friday night entertainment when there's no Victoria's Secret on tv!!
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if you could get MOTH to tile the shower recess in your new bathroom with them. Imagine him basking in his reflected glory each morning and how motivated he would become to finish the project. Meredy xo
ReplyDeleteHmm it's a dilemma ... ribbons and all I would buy a metre plus high big thick old spanish glass bottle and throw the whole lot in there then use as a feature somewhere ...
ReplyDeleteOh I have another - mosaic the whole lot of medals only into a big outodoor feature - like a wall piece or even a table top ... or a cascading medal waterfall of sorts - have you got the visual on that ... best :) le