Friday, May 13, 2011

My Uncle Nano

Time for another "Houston Memories Card," inspired by Sian's Captured in a Card idea and made with my May Counterfeit Kit.  This one is about my Uncle Nano:
The inside of the card reads: "Uncle Nano (Fernando Salas) was a jeweler.  My sister Cordelia and I stayed with him and my Aunt Vera one summer.  He pierced our ears at the dining room table using a piece of ice, a cork and a sharp needle.  I remember his hands shaking and the pair of ear rings he placed in my ears - small plastic daisies on gold posts."  And, yes, that's a true story!  
My Uncle Nano was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, and he married my Aunt Vera in 1933.  He was a prominent Latino businessman and civic leader in Houston.  In 1924, he co-founded an organization called La Asemblea Mexicana to help fight police brutality and Ku Klux Klan violence against Mexicans, as well as to help Mexican students in the Houston public schools.  He was also active in LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) during World War II and, in 1944, became the first Mexican American member of a Harris County Grand Jury.  He passed away on Jan. 6, 1982. 
For my heritage scrapbook page to go with my memory card, I did not do a layout about Uncle Nano but instead scrapped this wedding picture of my Aunt Vera:
Again, I went with pretty paper (from Club Scrap) and few embellishments.  The design was pretty much already decided because I had created this companion page several years ago:
I wanted the two pages go together well, and I think they did:
One of the reasons I chose to do the bridal layout was because I thought it would be quick and easy.  Also, I didn't think I had any pictures of Uncle Nano.  But, then, when researching the facts for this post  in a book called Del Pueblo by Thomas H. Krenek, I found some pictures of Uncle Nano (including the one posted above).  Oh well, Uncle Nano was a very colorful figure, and I've got lots more stories to tell about him involving hunting boar in the big thicket, teaching us how to play canasta, his encounter with the missing link and more about the jewelery business.  Thank you all so much for your kind words and feedback on my heritage/ genealogy scrapbook project.  It really is helping to keep me motivated.

17 comments:

helena said...

Your Uncle Nano sounds an amazing man - strength and care about the wider community clearly run in your family

Sian said...

This is fascinating stuff Rinda! I'm so glad that you said you had more stories to tell about Uncle nano - he sounds like a truly inspirational man.

I love how you are using these cards - anyone who opens one will find real treaure inside.

Carola Bartz said...

Such a beautiful layout - I love it. It really stands out in its simple cleanliness (can one say so?). Beautiful. And what an amazing uncle!

scrappymo! said...

You are doing a great job documenting your famiy history. Love these 2 matching layouts.

A Creative Operation said...

This is really nice, I love what you are doing with these pictures!

Julie Ann Rachelle Interior Design said...

Wow, he sounds like an amazing character and ideal role model! Beautiful layouts, you are so lucky to have those photos!!!! Fabulous! xoxo

Susanne said...

Another great installment of your memory cards - nicely done, nicely told.

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

He sounds like a very interesting person. I had my ears pierced that way as well, though they didn't take & I ended up in a department store where they did the EXACT same thing, only with a thicker needle.

laurie said...

it sounds like you come from a long line of amazing people! plus, you have a memory like an elephant. i love reading about and seeing your cards.

Alison said...

I love that you managed to get the two LOs going together so well...and with a few years between them!

Becky said...

The two layouts look really great together. Uncle Nano sounds fascinating, can't wait to hear more stories about him :)

Denise said...

I'm loving the cards with the stories inside them and Uncle Nano sounds a wonderful man.You write really well Rinda x

Andria said...

Love that photo of your Uncle Nano...what a great expression on his face! Your layouts look very nice together.

Andria said...

Love that photo of your Uncle Nano...what a great expression on his face! Your layouts look very nice together.

Margie said...

Both your layout and card turned out lovely!

Lynn said...

Sounds like Uncle Nano could have a whole scrapbook to himself! He sounds like quite a character.

Jennifer Shaw said...

So lovely! Happy to see Sian's idea catching on!