With Mother’s Day approaching this week, I’ve been thinking about my talented mother who was the first person who encourage me to create. My mother loved to sew, embroider, and craft. My brothers and I were the lucky recipients of her talents. Growing up, she made suits for my brothers and lots of dresses for me. Mom and I spent a lot of time going to the craft store, craft shows, and making fun craft together, some of my favorite times with my mom.
We lost my mother to Alzheimer’s10 years ago. I was still raising my daughter, definitely feeling part of the “sandwich generation.” The memories that brought me the most comfort were the times my mom and I crafted together and the times she crafted with my daughter. My mother was my biggest supporter with my creative business long before I launched it. As Alzheimer’s set in, my mother asked my husband to order Debbie Macomber’s book, “Knit Together,” so she could gift it to me. The book talks about Debbie’s creative journey as a writer and encourages you to create. My mother didn’t have the words to share at that time but gave me the book as her message to create and share my talents as much as possible.
My mom and I are part of a long legacy of creative women. Both my grandmothers and my mother were farm wives who created out of necessity and fun. My maternal grandmother taught me my first crochet stitches and made fun craft projects with me. She was a tough farm wife who didn’t mince words. We knew she loved us, but love came in the form of handmade gifts – yummy snickerdoodle cookies, quilts, and afghans and more. Her 10 grandkids got a handmade quilt or afghan. She passed away before she finished her last blanket for my cousin, Brian, the youngest grandchild. I found her blocks a few years later and finished the blanket, surprising my cousin. In her 80’s my grandmother was still crocheting perfect stitches.
My paternal grandmother was a wonderful baker. She lived with us, and our home was filled with homemade bread, pies, and cakes. I don’t recall my grandmother quilting. So, I was surprised when in my early 20’s we discovered a quilt she had made in the 30’s. The quilt was stored in my great aunt’s house and was found when the house was sold after her death. The new owners knew our family and wanted to make sure we got the quilt that Minnie, my grandmother, had made. The quilt had a curled masking tape piece where she had written her name and the year it was made – 1932. Seeing her handwriting brought back wonderful memories of her handmade aprons she always wore, swinging on the porch swing, and baking with her.
My grandmother’s quilt taught me a valuable lesson. When we make something, we gift a part of us in each project. Many of us don’t set out to leave a creative legacy, but that’s what we essentially do. I can’t help but think of my grandmother when I pull out my crocheted blanket or see my other grandmother’s quilt. I feel love and comfort from my mother when I look at the beautiful cross stitch wedding sampler she made for my wedding.
Now I get to celebrate another creative legacy, my daughter’s creations. My daughter is a phenomenal artist who draws, paints, makes ceramics, animates with 3-D software, and now makes 3-D print creations of her own. I love how current technology inspires her work and the amazing works of art she creates. I love it even more when I am the lucky recipient of her masterpieces.
Being part of a legacy of creative women in my family is a two-fold gift. I am blessed to have been inspired by and create wonderful things with all these women and to have heirlooms that celebrate them. I encourage you to think about the women in your family this week and celebrate what gifts they have shared as well as the gifts you have shared with others.
Pictured above: The quilt blocks my mother lovingly cross-stitched for me! One of the wonderful things she made me!