Birthday Gift

I made this pendant for my sister Susan’s birthday. I don’t think she reads my blog so the surprise will not be spoiled. I made it from part of a scan of a mortgage coupon book that was my grandparents. I scanned the cover of the coupon book and the handwriting is my grandmothers. She was taught a formal style of penmanship in school and was always proud of her handwriting.

I showed the pendant to a friend and he did not know what a coupon book was. Well, in case some of you also don’t know, I’ll explain. A long time ago, when you owed a sum of money to be paid over a period of time, you would get a little booklet with a page for each month. You’d write your check and mail it in with the coupon for that month. In this case it was for a mortgage. The booklet is from the First National Bank of Newport News and the year was 1961. The coupons show payments ranging from $225.00 to $375.00 a month. The balance at the beginning of the year was $14,000.00.

I scanned the cover of the book and made a bezel to hold the part where my grandmother wrote their names. It is encased in resin and I hope my sister treasures this bit from our family’s past.

Here’s the entire cover of the book.