More Unbelievable Treasures!!

I really did feel like I was looking in treasure chests as I went through my mother's sewing and crafting bags, boxes, etc. I remember when she ordered the fillet crochet pattern above for the Lord's Prayer. I remember thinking, what a unbelievable undertaking!

I found this first. This was the work she finished. I guess you work the pattern from the bottom up. If you click on the photo, you can see a much clearer photo of the words - the end of the Lord's Prayer. It is just beautiful.

At first, I couldn't decide what to do with it and then I decided to take it and try to finish it. I may be taking on too much with this AND the cathedral window quilt but I just couldn't let them go. It's too much work.

Here's a close-up of her work. I've done fillet crochet before but it's been a long time. I will have to practice a little scrap piece first but I know I can finish it. It's just taking the time to do it!

I saw this framed and hanging in the foyer of a church where I attended a wedding in Tennessee and it was so beautiful! My mother did phenomenal work and took on phenomenal projects!

If Not Me, Then My Mother!

For right now, if I can't post my creations on here, then I'll show off my mother's. I call them Mama's treasures. :) When I was going through her crafts and sewing things, I came across this beginning of a cathedral quilt. I had seen it before and even asked her if she'd show me how to do the cathedral quilt method. She always said she would but another day when she felt better. :(

I really would like to continue this and make it quilt size. I do have a book that shows how to do the cathedral quilt and I've read and tried it but don't understand it. Maybe just those instructions are confusing and I can find some better instructions.

Also, I really don't know how it would look to continue with the fabrics I have. I did find some vintage fabrics in her things and could take those to finish it. I have a sister that has started doing some quilting, though, and I wouldn't want to take it unless she agreed. Maybe we could share the fabric.

This is a good close-up of the vintage fabrics used. These were probably fabrics she made our clothing from when we were children. A treasure, indeed!

Paige-isms

A couple of days ago, I was keeping Paige while her mother worked and took her with me to have my driver's license renewed. You know you always have to wait so long in lines to have that done!

So we walk in the door and the security guard explained to us that we needed to take a number from this table he pointed to and then take a seat and wait for our number to be called, etc. I did as he said and we took a seat.

While we were sitting there, Paige was just jabbering and asking me why we had to take the number and why we had to sit where we were, etc. and I was trying to explain to her what we were doing and why and what was going on.

Then when I finished, she just looked up at me and said, "comprende"! ha! I asked her where did she learn that word? Was it on Dora the Explorer? And she said, "no, I just learned it!" ha!

I never fail to have a fun time with her when we're together! And she never ceases to amaze me. :)

My Mother's Things

Since I'm not being very industrious at all with creating anything, I decided to share with you how industrious my mother was and the unusual things and various things she created (or at least to me they were!). When going through her things, I found this huge paper bag and a smaller box full of chewing gum wrappers she had collected. I think others from her office where she worked saved the wrappers for her as well as she saving them. I knew that she had in the past made trivets from these wrappers and she showed me how to make these chains from the wrappers as a child, which I thought was great fun! See how my love of creating came from her?

When I found this huge paper bag and little box of wrappers with some projects started, I just couldn't throw them away. They're still at her house and if no one else wants them, I will take them.

Then when I looked in her tiny little hall closet where she kept her sheets, blankets, etc., on the floor I found a vinyl blanket zippered container with four place mats (pretty large place mats, too!) in four different colors that were finished. I took two, this green and white Spearmint gum one and a yellow Juicy Fruit one. I am keeping the Spearmint one here for Paige to use and gave her mother the Juicy Fruit one since "lellow" is Paige's favorite color.

Here is a close-up of the mat. I plan to buy some of that decoupage-type liquid that you pour over puzzles to preserve them and make them "spill-proof".

I have seen purses made in this fashion from something that looks similar but didn't know what. I'm not talking about the Capris Sun bags. These looked very similar to what my mother did. One day I was shopping and saw a young mother with a bag like that and asked her about it. She told me that it was made from candy wrappers and they usually were priced in the $200-300 range! She said she got hers at market so got a better price and that everyone stops her and asks about her bag. So I guess my mother was ahead of her time, huh?

If only I could call her up and tell her :(

Surprise Still Hopefully to Come but Delayed Again.

No photo. My mother sadly passed away on June 11. The past month has been filled with making her memorial arrangements, going through her things to sort, organize, remember, and grieve. But I keep remembering when I go through her things that SHE'S the reason I have this strong creative urge and I'm so thankful for that. She was a wonderfully smart, creative, and industrious woman. She had more patience than anyone on the planet!

I do plan to reveal a surprise but this has (and still is) taking a long time to tie up loose ends. And the way my mind works, I cannot work creatively with loose ends and clutter which is what I'm dealing with right now.

Thanks for all the support and love I feel coming from all of you! But watch out, I'll be back!!!!