Saving the Written Word
Hi there friends, I sat up and read your comments – It made me want to write each and every one of you and carry on a conversation. Then I realized, I have a new post to do and a giveaway to keep going. Please know I read and dreamed with each one of you. If you want to hear some sweet ideas and memories, go back and read what everyone wrote about legacy and the most favorite piece they kept. I should have started out my telling you mine – instead I’ll tell you of a missed opportunity that I dearly regret.
My grandmother was a sewer, out of necessity. She was a prolific quilter because she needed to keep covers on the bed in the cold North Carolina winters in a house that was heated by a mere wood stove and a family that was serviced by an outhouse. As a little girl I watched her at her hard earned treadle Singer Sewing machine – it flew like the speed of light as she stitched long strips of fabric from whatever she could find – flour sacks to old clothes. When she passed away she wanted me to have it but it was too painful for me to take it. People from everywhere had come to sift through her things and I was mindful that they were nowhere to be found when she was living – I found it very distasteful. I’m not sure who got it – in time I got over my grief and it was replace by a heart aching regret that I feel to this day. What I wouldn’t give to run my hands over the hand wheel of the machine she lovingly made me clothes on. A lesson learned. So that would have been my treasured legacy item, but since I don’t have it – I’ll say it was the quilt she made me that I still have :-)
If you’re not familiar with 30 Days of Giving and how to win you can read about it HERE. Today when you leave your comments, mention a handwritten or handmade item that stirred your soul in giving.
The card that’s being given away today is shown above. Just a note – this is a card that has been shown before and there is a possibility that some of the supplies that were used are currently discontinued. If they are, feel free to google around and find them on the open market.
Rubber Stamps: Anna Griffin
Craft Paper: Neenah Classic Crest 80 lb – Natural White, Gold Poster Board – Masters Touch (Hobby Lobby)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Spellbinders Triple Floral, Spellbinders 6 x 6 Matting Basics A, Spellbinders Imperial Square, Spellbinders Corners and Accents One, Recollection Pearls, May Arts Silk Ribbon, Sewology Button
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You all have left some lovely thoughts about legacy that are worth the reread. Thank you for weighing in, I was tickled to see you all reply to each other. I can’t wait to see what you write today!
So happy to be underway with the 30 Days of Giving, this has been in the plans for a long time! Stay tuned!
That reminds me of the quilt that my grandma crocheted for me when I was in my 20’s. Now, I consider it a treasure. Often when we are young we do not realize that those moments will become great memories. I wish I could go back in time and save so many wonderful gifts I got from my grandma and mom and that at that time there were just stuff. It is sad that most of the time it is too late and we are left with that ace in our hearts. But let’s talk about this gorgeous card, IT IS THAT “GORGEOUS”!!. Thank you for the chance to participate. I love, love, love your work.
Your cards are so beautiful. I look forward to them each week.
Wow Becca this is a gorgeous card. Thankyou for the chance to win it. I don’t think I could ever make something as spectacular. x
My favorite item is a well worn picture of my grandparents standing with their 50th anniversary cake. She was such a giving person and she spurs me on to this day to send cards to those I love.
Simply Lovely, as always.
Becca, I agree that we are losing the art of written communication, which is a shame. Your card is stunning and elegant. One thing I treasure is a scripture plaque my mother gave me. It is such an encouragement and makes me think about her when I look at it. Sometimes that is bitter sweet since she died years ago. I will always miss her. Thank you for your craft, generosity and causing us to stop and think about what really matters.
I can’t believe I am the first to post! I have been following you for years and your cards are the most beautiful cards in the world. I would be honored to win one and would cherish it forever.
I have a quilt my grandmother embroidered flowers from 25 states (my twin sister got the one with the other 25 states)for my high school graduation. Her other gift was always a handmade quilt for each first born great-grandchild. When our first son was born he had a genetic disease and died after 5 days. She couldn’t bear to give me the quilt (which she had used angels as her theme, chosen well before our child’s birth.) I treasure her talents and love and would have loved to have that quilt, even though it brings tears to my eyes to remember it.
Good morning……
Checking in for the day, would love one of your handmades!
Becca, I remember when this card first appeared on your blog and I fell in love with it. I was fortunate enough to get my Grandmother-in-Law’s Singer Treadle Sewing Machine. I cherish it and will never part with it as it means so much to me. Thanks for the opportunity to win this beautiful card. I am however not too sure as to where to go to find out who the lucky winners are.
Look under the tab “Features” the lucky winners are there.
another beautiful card. I know how you feel mon said I could have her sewing machine she brought. Over from Belgium when she passed away I whent to the house the sewing machine was gone. It was not put in writing. Take care. Christine (Canada)
Becca, I just found it under the Features section. Thanks
We seem to be from a group of quilters. The gift I cherish is – you guessed it – a quilt from my grandmother. The gift that made me happiest to give was a set of 4 double walled coffe mugs that I made for my mother. Between the walls were hand embroidered counted cross stitch pieces done on plastic canvas
My legacy item is also a quilt, like yours. It was handmade by my great-grandmother. It is so treasured!!
If you could only see my display cabinet!!! Oh the treasures I have found through out the years that were discarded as garbage when family had gone through my grandparents and parents homes. I treasure the small piece of tatting that my great grandmother had left in her basket, with the needles still attached and a small ball of thread. I cherish the handmade Christmas ornaments that my Grandmother and I made out of walnut shells and used wrapping paper. I have handwritten notes from both of my parents to each other that mean the world to me. To everyone else they were garbage – to me they were things my loved ones had touched and that makes them so much more special. Your cards are beautiful. I would cherish it forever if I were to win one.
My mom sewed and made all our clothes as we grew up. She was making my beautiful brocade graduation dress and finishing it up the afternoon of my graduation… which was in the early evening. Just then the power went out and was out for several hours, but she sewed a lot by hand and power was restored in time for her to finish it. I made it to my graduation with just minutes to spare, but loved that dress for years to come.
Hi Becca, I have been following you for a number of years and love your beautiful cards as well as the information you provide. Thank you for sharing and inspiring others to create. I treasure the memories of my Mom teaching me to sew and crochet. She was always working on something and in the early years it was out of necessity due to having a large family making ends meet on a sailor’s salary. In later years we often went to craft shows together and when I married, my mother-in-law would also come with us…we were a crafting trio! They are both gone now and I have so many beautiful things they created from afgans, quilts, cross-stitch pictures and ceramics and I treasure each and every one of them and the memories they hold.
Gorgeous card Becca. When my mum died six years ago I was so fortunate to get her hymn books. ( Marry up perfectly to my dad’s Bible which I spoke of yesterday.) One of these belonged to her father (my grandfather who died before I was born, and two others belonging to her brothers who died before her, as well as a couple belonging to her personally. I often pick them up, handle them, and sing some of the very old hymns from long ago. Wonderful memories. Hugs Christine xx
Becca, your card is so elegant and beautiful with a lovely sentiment at the focal point, great combination of colors! Would love to win it as a treasure!
I treasured all my cards which i received from my tiny tots when I was a kindergarten teacher before retirement! I myself made little cards for each of my pupil in my class and I just loved seeing their happy faces on receiving them !!
Oh my oh my this beauty here I already fell in love with, when I first saw it, it´s sooo beautiful.
Yes it was a lot of fun to look through all the comments from yesterday. Unfortunately I first get the updates on the mail the next day, so it was earlier today, I got this, so had to keep the site open to be able to join in in time here today.
My most treasured written things has to be one I got from my teacher in my very first years in school. I was very sicj much of the tinme back then and as such I ofcause missed a lot of days and was very worried, if I would have to take the class ocver again, but she sent me the sweetest letter and explained, that my skills were soo good, that I would never have any troubles keeping up on things, if I would just do a bit on my own at home, and luckily she was right, as I never had to do any classes over, even I missed most of it the first two years. But her believe in me and the fact, that she died 3 years later have got me to stick to this lwetter forever and I still have it this day and will never part with it, as she gave me the confidence, that I could do anything I wanted to, and her words has been a huge help to me many times later in life too.
Live the gold accents!
I love your beautiful creations! I cannot use the same Just Rite stamps you do, because they have closed their website. Can I get them from you??
Hi there Terry, I don’t sell JustRite stamps but if you search the open market, plenty of retailers still have them. Just do a google search for the name of the stamp set you’re looking for and it’s probably out there somewhere. Hope this helps!
My legacy is a handmade quilt made by my great grandmother. Given to my grandmother, who passed it to my mother who have it to me. It will go yo my daughter. I have made each of my grandchildren quilts when they were born. I hope someday they too will appreciate the love that goes into that. Love your card and would love to receive it.
A very elegant card. I love the Golden paperboard, and combined with white so solemnly. Admire your projects.
Personally created items are to be treasured always. I understand how emotional having personal items from lost loved ones can make us, having to make these kind of decisions too soon can be difficult at a time of such emotional upset. When my daughter was on life support 2 years ago, I had a recording of her singing which was very difficult to listen to at this time, through crying, but as I was longing to hear her voice while I waited on her returning to us I was torn between being tearful and drawing comfort from hearing her singing to me. She did return to us and she is trying now to get back her beautiful singing voice, but we have this
That card is so gorgeous, Becca. You are such a generous soul and I have been reading the comments – and shed a tear or two!
It’s so hard to pick out one item. The lot of cake making for family celebrations/milestones seems to have fallen to me. Wedding cakes, anniversary cakes, birthday cakes, christening cakes etc. Many of the cakes have a tale attached to them, which caused grief at the time, but with distance I can try to laugh!
For my parents’ Golden Wedding Anniversary, I was making a 12″ hexagonal rich fruit cake which was going to take 3 – 4 hours to cook. I prepared all the ingredients, lined and protected the tin ready the night before making it as I had a tight schedule. I creamed the butter, sugar and treacle during breakfast and then took the children to their respective schools. I raced home to finish making the cake and get it in the oven as I had a 10.30 dental appointment. Mission accomplished, I raced upstairs to give my teeth an extra brushing, close windows, tidy the bathrooms and bedrooms and came downstairs. I was greeted by an inch of water over the ground floor. I hadn’t left taps running and I couldn’t see what the problem was until, paddling, I realised that the outlet pipe from the dishwasher had jumped out of the standpipe. As the appliance was built in, I couldn’t easily pull it out and reposition the outlet pipe! It was a lengthy process. What I didn’t realise was that the water had also fused the electrics and so the cake was sitting in a cold oven!
Finally giving the cake to my parents was very special!!!
Hugs
Anne (UK) x
Becca,
I enjoy making homemade cards like yourself. I scoured the internet on a regular basis to see unusual cards to make. Recently I made a Tri Stair Step card, and hoping my recipient is as happy with it as I am! I love all your die cutting cards, they are spectacular! Thanks for another chance to win. Where do we find the name of the winner again?
When my Mom was about 18 years old she crocheted a table cloth for her Mom. When Gramma died the table cloth somehow got lost in the shuffle and it is no longer in the family.I don’t there was a time in the years following her death that at a family dinner I didn’t express a sad wish saying I wished that my table wasn’t covered with that crocheted cloth. The year my Mom turned 92 she made me a copy of this table cloth. Would she still be living today. Mom would be 101. This cloth now sits as a treasured spread on our quest bed.
Beautiful card, so elegant. I enjoy your daily works of art.
Your cards are unique and beatiful. I have been following you for a couple of years and I always feel a sense of joy and admiration when I see one of your cards. Thank you!
Becca, I love your cards so much. Hmmmm, something I gave away. It would have to be when I gave my Grandmothers cedar chest to my daughter. It felt good and yet it hurt at the same time. Blessings for all you do, Millie
One of my greatest treasures is a handmade – and I do mean HANDMADE- “Bearpaw” patterned quilt that my mother made for my California King sized waterbed (remember those?) more than forty years ago. Her stitches were so small and perfect that I can machine wash this big quilt without damaging it at all! We shopped together for the blue calico prints and the lovely cream colored cotton base and I know she put love into each and every stitch. The reason I chose the “Bearpaw” pattern is that we call my dear husband “Bear”! My mother has been gone now for 14 years and I miss her still each and every day. By the end of her life here on earth she had Alzheimer’s Disease and no memory of the beautiful quilts she had made over the years. I no longer use this quilt on a daily bases, being afraid to damage it, but I do bring it out at special times such as our anniversary and certain holidays. It is my greatest treasured memory of my Mom.
The legacy I hope to pass on are all the old photos that have come to me. Some of them have people I never met. But they also have my mom, or aunts n uncles and cousins in them. I hope to put them in some kind of order for those who come behind me.
Jessica
Hi Becca
This card is beautiful it made me NEED these dies
which I now have. I am just waiting for the Ovals ones
to come. (Fingers crossed for one of your lovely cards)
Love Marion x
My mum also had a old singer treddle machine which she kept upstairs in the bedroom. How it didn’t fall through the floorboards is anybodys guess as it was very heavy. Think she got rid of it when we moved house and bought a more portable one. Very humid here today. Watching the tennis at Wimbledon on the TV in front of a cool fan.
When our oldest daughter was preparing to go to college, I asked her if she wanted me to make a quilt for her dorm bed. I was a bit disappointed when she said she didn’t think she needed one. Then came the big day when we took her to college. As we were making up her dorm room bed she asked me why I hadn’t made her a quilt (go figure!) to which I responded “You told me you didn’t need one!” I was missing her so much that first week I went out and bought the most cheerful fabric I could find and made her a quilt…it was my therapy…and proceeded to mail it off to her. She was so excited and pleased with the brightness and cheerful nature of the quilt, she dubbed it her “happy quilt” because it made her happy. Many years later when she got married she was a bit sad that she couldn’t use her happy quilt anymore (since it was twin size) so I made her another quilt of the same pattern, but a larger size and colors chosen with a man in mind which I gave to her as a shower gift. She had no idea I was making either one of them…..they were both gifts that stirred my soul to give.
Your post brought tears to my eyes. My grandmother, too, was a quilter and had a treadle sewing machine. After retirement they moved from the “big” house to a small apartment over the garage behind it. My grandma had her machine in the front window and would sew and watch all the birds and activity outside the window. I also don’t know what happened to her machine, but I do have several of her quilts and they are very precious to me. I know you will enjoy yours as I have enjoyed mine and all the memories attached to it.
My brother died of cancer at the age of 33. His oldest son was not quite three years old. That son has a son that carries my brother’s name. I have put together a photo album/scrapbook on his life so my great nephew will know about who he was named after. I took copies of the pages to keep so my girls will better know of the Uncle as well.
Hi Becca, My Grandma was a very special to me. She handmade Christmas ornaments for each of her grand kids and I have a special Christmas tree that I display them on each year. This makes me feel like she is still with us. My sisters and I all make homemade cards it’s a special feeling to give from the heart. We all love your cards.
Lovely card! I like the addition of gold to your cards.
A handwritten note I received from a friend who had moved away holds a place in my heart.. she knew how much i loved Halloween and sent me a card with a lovely note enclosed. It turned out to be the last card I received from her as she had developed Alzheimers and is now in advanced stages.
It is funny the things we hold on to. I was fairly newly married when I went to visit my grandparents (30 years ago). My grandfather and I sorted through some boxes that belonged to his mother. He was still struggling to let go of her things, but he did give me some kitchen towels. They were just plain white towels, but she had crocheted a beautiful edging on them. His instructions to me were to think of her whenever I used them. They have become very worn, so I don’t use them anymore. But, they still make me think of her and of that time spent with my grandfather.
Thank you Becca for another beautiful card. I am thankful for you as an artist but mostly as a friend. Your creations inspire each time I receive a post. At times my day might not be quite a pleasant one but I see and read your creation and it puts a smile or will dry a tear. You are inspiration to so many who follow your blog. You are a beautiful woman not just on the outside but in the inside as well. I know you have a heart of gold. So I would like to tell you that I wish you good health-joy-laughter and lots of love. You are an angel of God! Raquel
Hi Becca. I so admired this card the first time around. So elegant.
I have seen the ‘picking over’ of someone’s life, a ‘free for all when people will grab & acquire anything to hand, the first time when I had just reached my ’20s. I was profoundly upset to witness it but was told I could take something ‘to remember’. I asked for what everyone else was overlooking – a cheap, plastic calendar which had stood on a window sill. Standing guard of time in my aunt’s house, it was something I had seen regulating the days on my every visit since I was big enough to remember. It had no monetary value but meant a lot. When I had children of my own I showed them the plastic calendar and it helped them learn their numbers and the concept of time. It was as if my aunt was helping them and I know she would have loved that.
Oh my goodness, Becca! After reading your post this am, I can think of several things I could have written about. They also center around my grandma! Oh, new topic today.
For some reason, I never felt very close to my mom. I felt closer to her mom, my grandma, and her sister, my godmother & aunt. My aunt asked me to be her flower girl at their wedding. I was pretty young at the time. My memory of that occasion is related to pictures more than my mind. This story is about my aunt/godmother.
Growing up, we never saw her very much. All our lives were busy. She lived in the city. We moved to the suburbs. My mom & sister were not very close. My aunt & uncle had their own music business which, of course, didn’t allow a lot of free time. So we saw them for holidays. I really can’t say why I felt so drawn to this aunt I hardly saw. Maybe it was the fascination of the dream for “what could have been”. After I got married, I made sure to set aside some time to see my aunt at least a few times per year.
When it came time for my aunt & uncles’s 50th wedding anniversary, I had a hard time thinking of a gift to give them. By that time in our lives, we have most everything we need. I finally decided to give them an empty scrapbook album. I wrote a note that basically said I would complete the album for them after their party, using their favorite pictures chosen by them.
So, since I had not made a scrapbook since high school, had not yet begun my decent into the paper crafting world, and I was now in my early fifties, I had a daunting task ahead of me. The products available were overwhelming! Most of them I did not know how to use or what they were even used for! LOL.
Needless to say, I managed to make a 12×12 album that turned out very well. I had my sisters critique it along the way to help keep me on the right path. My aunt loved it so much, she cried when I gave it to her! [Sniff, sniff.] And, I had a new hobby to keep me busy, since I now had “stuff” left over to do something with!
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful work with us, Becca, and for giving us the chance to possibly own one!
Hi Becca, It goes without saying that your cards are truly unique and a gift worth giving as well as a gift worth receiving. I learned to crochet a few years ago and finally got brave enough to tackle an afghan. I made it for myself and it turned out beautiful. Then one day I was trying to come up with a special Christmas gift for a friend of mine, and since I didn’t have time to crochet an afghan, I gave her that beautiful afghan I had made for myself. I was so touched by her reaction to receiving that gift that I guess you could call that a “soul stirring moment”.
I loved a recent sympathy card from someone who just wanted me to know something wonderful my husband had done for her, and knew I wouldn’t know about it unless she told me. very touching and thoughtful of her.
Lovely card as always. When my Mum moved house after my Dad died her button tin went missing…I loved playing with it as a child. I determined to start another one for my daughter. Still need to find a beautiful tin to put them in but it’s on it’s way xx
Another beautiful card, Becca. I just love the lacy look you have created.
I find great joy in giving, as I’m sure everyone does. But a few years back I made a piece of jewelry for a competition (which I did not win). The piece was quite elaborate and took several months to make. My older sister saw the piece one day and could not stop gushing over it. I ended up giving the necklace to her and now I have the joy of knowing she thinks of me when she wears it!
I have a dear friend that sends me cards from time to time, for no reason at all, but that she cares for me. She doesn’t make cards like we do, but just the thought of her thinking of me, wanting to make my day, makes me want to do things for her. Whether it be a card I’ve made for her or, if I make her something else…. She is a friend I’ve had for many years, we’ve had our problems, but we found each again only a few years back. We are now “family” to each other, because of circumstances!
The card is lovely. More than lovely, but let’s get to the story of your grandma. I have a feeling that more than 75% can say that people literally come out of the woodwork to collect items from someone who has passed away. People that don’t lift a finger to help, or phone to see how the person was doing or make a meal or sit and visit. It is painful to think about taking something home with you after someone you love passes away. Thankfully you have a quilt. I wish you could track down that machine.
Luckily I have been the recipient of many beautiful and thoughtful items. One that I will always treasure is a handmade doll my dad bought for me. He worked in a wire drawing steel mill (very tough job) with a man whose wife was sewing homemade dolls. My dad is one of those dad’s that never said “I love you”, didn’t hug me until I was in university and did not really give praise. It is just him, the way he was raised and he continued the family tradition with his three daughters. What made this doll special was that he asked for each of his three daughters to have one- the yarn hair color matched our hair, felt eyes also matched and they all had gingham dresses in colors that he felt were “our” colors. I received that doll over 30 years ago and I still have it. I will never, ever let it go. That treasured doll represents not only me but my dad. It is a symbol stating that he does love me and that the doll was always there to give hugs when he could not.
Your cards are a a real pleasure to look at and I do love the new site.
Just bought the Arched Elegance dies and I’m looking forward to creating some lovely cards.
Thank you, Becca, for the joy you bring.
My mother was not a crafter but she spent some time in her later years with my brother’s wife who was a crafter. One project was a straw, heart-shaped wreath that was closely covered with small fabric squares of different colors and patterns that were pushed into the straw making them almost look like flowers. At the top of the heart is a large bow made of 1/8″ wide ribbons of different colors that matched the colors in the fabric squares. It hangs on the wall of my craft room today looking as fresh and lovely as when she first gave it to me which seems like a small miracle after all these years! I imagine it connecting my creative heart to hers whenever I see it.
Hi Becca. Another beautiful card today – your creations are always stunning :-) Once again for me my most treasured handmade items I have given are memory albums I have made for my family members when they have celebrated a special Birthday. The delight on their faces when they receive them make all the love, time and effort that have gone into making them so very worthwhile :-) Hugs xxx
Becca, I love this card also. Your cards are so elegant and traditional with so much love put into them. And I enjoy reading about your life also. I had my parent’s wedding cake top that I gave to my daughter to use when she got married. I took it back home which was 25 yrs. ago and later she wanted it so I sent it to her for Christmas. Wrapped it very carefully and thru the mail it had broken – she later called to tell me, crying. The suit and dress on it was of the same fabric as their clothing. I also have my mother’s wedding dress that was handmade and wish I knew who had sewn it. Very beautiful but very delicate now. Keep your cards coming, I love them!!! Rosie Waldt
This blog this month is stirring up lots of memories! Your questions are helping me remember things I had not thought of in decades. Really stretching the brain cells here. What comes to my mind first regarding a handmade item that stirred my soul in giving, was several pairs of pajamas made by me, a sixteen year old at the time, and given to a dearly beloved maternal uncle. He was just home from the Veteran’s Hospital, where after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer, he had had surgery to remove his larynx and much of his neck/throat. It was a heart wrenching time for his loved ones knowing they would never hear his own voice again, for he came home from the hospital with a mechanical voice box. He had to breathe and try to mouth into a straw like piece attached to a box that made him sound like a robot. He knew he would be in pagamas for most of his remaining days on this earth, and wanted one pair of pajamas that actually would fit is extra tall lean body frame. Store bought pjs never ever covered his long arms and legs. He also wanted big pockets on the top so his “Voice box” would fit inside for ease of use. I made these pajamas per his request and also added pockets to the bottoms. I had not made any pajamas before, but they were simple garments to make. I just had to make them extra long. For the fabric, I choose the softest material I could find. For a couple of the pjs, I used solids with outside pockets and cuffs done in stripes. After fifty years, I still have the scraps from this heart-felt sewing project. He was so pleased. And I can still see his face with tears coming down after trying on a pair to see how they fit – a fit he had never had with his pjs before that day. He thanked me with that mechancial voice which was foreign to me, but his hug was warm and loving as I had remembered. He was still “in there” even though surgery had removed so much of what he was.
Hi Becca,Your card as always is beautiful,as you are a beautiful person inside and out.I don’t have much to pass down to my children and grandchildren so I can only pray that my love for God will leave a lasing impression on them.Until than I look forward to your post everyday.You inspire so many people with your talent,words and mostly your faith.God Bless you Becca.
I love knowing some people I give cards to keep them!
It’s a lovely relaxed and lovely moment of the day to enjoy your beautiful blog!
Just to say what a beautiful card again today .I wrote a comment yesterday but would not post it so I try again before I write a whole story again like I did yesterday to see if it is accepted .Take care Jane B.
My mom passed when I was 32 and less then a month after I had my first baby. We were in the middle of making clothes for my baby. So many of the things I treasure and remember of my mom are things that we made together before she passed so suddenly. There is not only the loss of loosing her, but also the sense that all the plans we had would never be fulfilled because she died so young and unexpectedly.
And yes, death sometimes brings out the worst in the people around you….interesting who comes out of the woodwork during that time.
Hugs.
What a beautiful card! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Another gorgeous card, Becca! It has been great to read all of these awesome comments and to spend some time remembering things past. As a teen I wrote several letters to my mom. I never thought much about. I was surprised to find that she had kept those letters, as I found them when going through her things after she passed away.
Thank you again for your beautiful giveaway. I have a top of a quilt made by my maternal grandmother. My paternal grandmother and her quilting group finished it making it into a quilt that I use each day. My paternal grandfather covered the cost of getting it finished. With so much giving, how can you not join in and give of yourself.
Good Morning Becca, your story about your grandmother’s sewing machine reminds me of the sewing machine I just brought home. I’m was closing up my mother’s house when I ran found my grandmother’s old sewing machine, my husband talked me into bringing it home and now I’m glad I did. Thanks to you.
My treasured items are hand embroidered pillow cases from my mother. She is now with in heaven with my dad and other missed loved ones. I am so grateful to have those pillow cases she so lovingly stitched. Thank you for this opportunity to reflect and remember, and thank you for the opportunity to win one of your priceless cards.
In the late 1970’s I was teaching 2nd grade in an impoverished area of El Paso, TX. One of my students made a card out of folded typing paper, drew a picture, wrote how much he loved me and then glued 12 cents down to complete the card. It reminded me of the widow’s mite. I was humbled profoundly and it is a great treasure of my heart.
My handwritten treasure is a note I found in my deceased husband’s wallet when I was clearing up his things. I won’t go into detail, as it was meant for me alone. I still have it, and have put it into safe keeping for my sons to find at my time. They will treasure it, also.
Your card today is gorgeous. I read awhile back where you said you use a gold pen. I bought one and tried, but it left a greasy mess. Is there a special brand you use? Please mention it again. Thanx
Hi Sheri:
I use Krylon Gold Pens. Once the ink is activated I press it to the edge of my paper and move down the edge of the paper so that it leaves a border. One of my most favorite tools ever.
Hi Becca. Quick question: At the end of each comment we submit there is the word “REPLY”. What’s that for? Please advise. Thanx, Sheri
Hello Sheri, I think it’s so that someone like me can answer a question for you.
xxx
Sheri, Maureen K got it right. Anyone can reply to your comment. I’ve seen others offer their condolences when someone has commented on something sorrowful and I’ve seen others answer questions. It doesn’t send an email but if the person comes back to look, they will see that someone has added something to your conversation. Hope this helps!!
Your designs are stunning. I have followed your blog daily for years and have gotten so much inspiration from your design. My treasured memories are in the form of pictures that I received when my mom passed. I have made scrapbooks for my sister and brother in the past. I make monthly cards for 30 friends and family just as a way to stay in touch. You have given me inspiration more times than I can say. I have been known to buy the dies just because you created a card with them….
This card is fabulous. I have a small plaque that my mom gave me when she moved into a nursing home. The plaque has a beautiful picture of a guardian angel protecting two small children. My Mom said she always felt that that angel watched over us kids and she wanted me to have it for my grandchildren. My mom has passed and I think of her telling me that story every time I look at the picture. I still want to call her every time something happens in the family but I am sure she knows.
I cherish my grandmother’s crocheted doilies and the tatting she put on her embroidered pillow cases. Your beautiful cards are a legacy for all of your followers to cherish.
The card is beautiful. My mother in law made us a granny square throw not long after we were married. We still, after 53 years, have it on the back of our couch.
I would honor your card also.
I really never had any close friends growing up….I do have one now. We get each other and have been best friends for over 15 years. I constantly make her cards that she just gushes over. She keeps them displayed in her kitchen and living room. It means a lot to me. Love that lady!!
Thanks for stirring up these wonderful thoughts each day!
Such a lovely card, and I love hearing the story of your grandma and her sewing. I’m sorry you don’t have her treadle machine…and so glad you have the tactile memories bound up with that special quilt. Blessings.
I recently made a special card for my lovely (inside and out) 104 year old dear friend. I treasure her, and I know she treasured the card. Again, thank you for these days of gratitude…it is a good practice…a good work.
Hi Becca,
Beautiful card as always. And what a lovely legacy your grandma left you. My gran passed in 1976 aged 86 and I still miss her so much, she taught me to play the piano, and when she died my sister took it and sold it, i was so upset, but I have her hymn book dated 1919 Imwill treasure this always, and it will pass to my eldest daughter.
God bless you Becca you always make my day.
Hugs Jan xxx
Hello Becca,
It’s truly a pretty card today. I never knew my grandparents but when I got married 49 years ago, a Great Aunt (my Grandmother’s much younger sister) gave me a tea pot, milk and sugar, and slop bowl which belonged to her mother as she knew I would cherish them. They are yellow with age, the slop bowl is the size of a cake mixing bowl. These were wedding presents to her mother in 1858, and I would not part with them for all the tea in China!!!
Maureen xx
Love all your work!! I have several crocheted items on display that I got from my Grandmother, an apron and several hot pan holders. I didn’t get to spend much time with my Grandma so these things always make me think of her!
I love your card like I always do! It’s beautiful. I had to think a minute or 2 on your questions of something I’ve given handwritten/handmade that stirred my soul. Didn’t take long to remember. Our sweet mother passed away in September, 2012 of West Nile Virus. She was 76 years young and active. It was heartbreaking to say the least. Well, being the Cricut Explore fan and owner that I am, last December I saw a Facebook post where someone had used the Cricut to cut handwriting of their grandmother’s and placed it on an ornament. I researched it, found a card with my mother’s signature (yes, I have saved those she gave me for years) scanned it, imported it into Design Space, cut it out in vinyl and put it on some clear ornaments I had glittered the inside of. I added a little tag and holly at the top of the ornament. It turned out beautifully. I made one for each of my 2 sisters and my brother. I loved giving these to them. Her signature said…”love always, Mama”.
Gorgeous card! My mom made me an afgan many years ago! It will be something I will treasure forever! Dementia robs you of remembering how to do many things, so it has been 6 years since she stopped crocheting.
I run a family day care out of my home and one of the most precious written things I own was a letter one of day care children wrote to me when he left me. You see he was 6 weeks old when I got him and he stayed with me until he was 15. Yes I know 15 is to old to be in day care, but when his mom and dad went through a nasty divorce when he was 7, they were advised by his therapist not to take him out of my home because he needed a stable and loving environment. I guess I became his second mother and I will also treasure the letter that came from his heart. Some days when things are not going like they should I get it out and it makes me feel good to know I made a difference.
Anna that is a lovely story and how happy you must feel to be a
part of his life at such a time in his life.X
I remember this gorgeous card…so beautiful! You are so very talented!!! I have a few treasures from my father that mean so much to me! One is a letter he wrote to me when I was a child. I also have blueprints that he did in high school and a few other things. My father was kind, caring and brilliant. In his final years his brain was destroyed by Alzheimers disease.
Hi, Becca,
Not only are you sharing beautiful cards but, by inviting us to share our experiences, I am reconnected to precious times in my life.
For my mom’s last Mother’s Day, I made a card that incorporated a beautiful poem about motherhood by Erma Bombeck. In the last stanza, it speaks of the mother’s passing and knowing that her legacy of mothering is that her children have been given the tools they need to journey without her. My mother had originally shared this poem with me and then it had come full circle. My sisters returned this card to me when my mom died – what it brings to my heart and soul, words cannot express.
Love and blessings,
Sandy
I have a hand drawn picture of an eagle flying meant to invoke “On eagle’s wings” which reminds me to lift others up. I do that via supportive cards. Thanks!
Becca: You’ve created a golden card of golden thoughts!
Hi Becca,
Just before I moved to Florida in 1975, the girls I worked with had a baby shower for me since I was moving to Florida and was expecting my second child. I received a couple of handmade baby afghans and one was not quite finished. Well her husband came to Florida in February for the Daytona 500 and brought the finished product. It was verigated pink, blue and white and a light weight (super for Florida) and he was a pilot and flew his own plane down. He brought it to me and it was so special. My sis and I and another friend used to bowl on Friday mornings and they had a nusery for the kids and I had that precious blanket so when Angie (my daughter) would go to sleep, she had the lightweight blanket on. I went in after bowling and it was gone. I was totally heartbroken because of the whole story I have told. I couldn’t believe someone would stoop so low as to take that blanket off my baby. That was 39 years ago but will never forget it.
I am wishing I would win this card as my birthday is next week and a couple of years ago I won a set of your stamps and it was on my birthday. LOL Maybe another great moment in my life. Thanks for listening, know this is long.
Mstgane
Ann Robbins
Hi Becca great card and love your story .l have been married 47 years and when we were first wed my husband was in the army and would write to me two or three times a week,well l still have all the letters and read them when l need a little lift ,they still make me happy hugs linda
Wow another great card, I have 29 more try’s to win a wonderful card made by you. I have my fingers crossed!!
I’m with you Becca, the written word is becoming almost extinct! I am honored to have my dad’s love letters to my mom during WWII. Just to touch them, read words of their love and longing to see each other, touches my heart. There are also 1940 greeting cards mixed in. Some of the companies are not even in business anymore, but the graphics and sentiments are treasured during this era. After my father died, I had a necklace made from his hand-writing that says “I Love You” in his script. He had beautiful handwriting and wearing it each day makes me smile. Thank you for celebrating “hand writing.”
Cindy
My treasured keepsake may sound odd to a lot of people. It’s a very old telephone pad with my husband’s writing in it. Hardly any of the numbers are current but he died 27 years ago and I couldn’t throw it out!
Hello, Becca,
I am new to your site. It is true that the written word is being left in the past for more modern technology, and that truly is a shame. My experience/keepsake has some similarities to yours. My mother sewed out of necessity for me and my siblings. That fabulous singer was used to sew hours upon hours of love for our family. But, regretfully my older sister who doesn’t sew took the machine. However, that’s ok, because really the memory wasn’t in the machine…it was and is in my heart! Momma taught me to sew, to create, to see the treasure in a pile of fabric that MUST come before a machine can be useful. THAT’S THE TREASURE!!! She could create so much out of so little! I feel the same about my card making as I do my sewing! The TREASURE from my heart is given to the receiver in the form of word and crafted paper! It’s not the tools that create, it’s me! I give a part of me each time I gift a card! To that I say, ” Thanks, Mom!” for encouraging me to create!
My most cherished item is a little box of gloves that I found after my mother passed away. She always dressed beautifully and I can remember as a little girl that when we dressed up for church or even shopping she made sure she had her gloves. After a while it just wasn’t fashionably so she put them all away wrapped in tissue in a beautiful satin box. I love looking in that box and remembering my beautiful Mother
Thank you for a great suggestion and to make us all aware of the loved ones we carry in our hearts
The cards you make are absolutely beautiful. Mixing dry embossing with die cuts so masterfully. Keep up the beautiful work!
I have always admired your beauty. Your picture shows one very pretty woman. Then, I feel like I know you through your God given talents.
Another beautiful card. I love the floral die frame. I think your idea of saving the written word is wonderful. One item that stirred my soul in giving was making a cross stitch picture for my aunt. After my mom died she became my second mom. The picture had a snowy pine tree with a tiny cardinal on it (since we are both St. Louis Cardinal fans). She has gone now to join my mom, but I know she enjoyed that picture because it had a special place in her home.
Oh Becca…I really love this gold card. It’s one of my favorites. Hope I win! My grandma was a great cook, she could open the refrig and with what she found in the refrig she would make a fantastic feast. She gave me one of her old cookbooks with her own handwritten ones taped here and there all through it. Everytime I make one of her recipes I am reminded of all the special times we spent together, all the different things she took the time to teach me to make and the wonderful meals she lovely prepared for us. She was a Godly women and HIS light always shined through her. Sending lovely throughts of my MeMa!
Oh my goodness Becca you are amazing, your cards are exceptional, I would love to receive one. I too agree that the written word needs to be protected and celebrated. I always get a thrill out of creating a card and knowing how much pleasure the recipient gets from it, I am looking forward to seeing all your creations
Oh another beautiful card. Yesterday I too read through the comments – so many heartfelt legacies. In 1983 my mother went on a vacation to South Dakota with my husband, son and I. The following year she gave us a 5 x 7 frame with some flowers she had picked while we were on vacation and some flowers from my brothers garden – she wrote a note on the back to us about where the flowers were from. I still have it after all these years and will give it to our son some day.
Wow what a Stunningly Gorgeous Card love the layering and the choice of colors. The added ribbon and pearls adds the special touch and I love the Sentiment. thanks for sharing
Hugs Anita
My grandparents were $ poor and they worked hard for everything they owned. We all lived in the house that the plantation company provided but we ate well from all the vegetables and fruits grown in the back yard and the chickens in the coop. We ate pork twice a year when the piggery owner gave us a chunk of meat in repayment for saving all the slop for his pigs. Real country living. My grandma had a single treasure that sat on the shelf…..a vase that she had brought with her when she immigrated from Japan in 1895. It always had a single flower in it and it was right next to her alter. As a child it didn’t mean anything to me but today it’s a reminder of her hard work, dedication and love of family. She left me a letter written in Japanese before she passed on reflecting on her life with us. She died at age 98.
Another lovely card – and I remember it from the earlier blog post ;)
I love to make handwritten letters and cards to family and friends. It is much more personal than a typed letter on the computer or a card from the store, and I am thankful being able to make them…
My Dad excelled at Calligraphy and was often called upon to use his skills but we usually didn’t get any of his work but fortunately he wrote out the poem High Flight and also illustrated it. I have this framed and it hangs in our passage. It reminds me of my Dad each time I pass it He did it in 1984 so it is very special now he is no longer with us
OMGosh what a stunning card, love the flowers, gold and pearls, so beautiful. I cherish this beautiful Tiffany style lamp that was my grandmother, then my mom had it and now I have it, we ALL have it sitting on a dresser that was also my grandmothers, my moms and now mine. I cherish the little things from my parents/grandparents past, hopefully by boys will realize and cherish these items as well.
Thank you Becca for this ’30 Days of Giving’, you are making me cherish and dream of the past and my love ones, look forward to how I can touch someone else live too. You are Angle, Becca!
I, too, thoroughly enjoyed reading a lot of the legacy comments yesterday. Becka, your card today is so pretty and will be cherished by someone.
MOrning Becca. Love The card today. But I just love all your cards and am always replicating them what I have. At the age of 9 I stayed with family friends for 3 mths while mum was overseas.
While I was there the lady of the house taught me how to cross stitch. In time I taught myself other needle crafts. And also taught my mother how to do them. We both did the same hardhanger place mat once. Mine was stuffed up when I did some of the cutting. Boy I was pissed of. I do still have it. (35 yrs later.) Mum completed hers beautifuly. When I move overseas 6 yrs ago she give me some of her treasured handwork. In amongst it was the placemat. This to me was a wonderful gift as she has had dementia for over 20 yrs and has not been able to do hand work for many many years.
Many thanks for stirring the heart and the memories.
They are the best treasures we have.
Annamieke from down under.
this card caught my eye the first time I saw it. I have a little list of dies under my calendar. if I see it used in a lot of cards I get it. and this is on my list.
now for something that moved me. my friend’s mom loves cards. she knows i’m kinda a hoarder. she gets so excited when I send her one. she goes around bragging that she got a special card … so I try to make sure I remember to send one on special occasions.
Hi Becca,
How sad you never got to take your Grandmothers machine, you were too young to know any different and yes it is so sad when these people come out of the woodwork once someone dies who did not surface before. Beautiful card with a great sentiment. I have my Mothers wedding ring which I shall treasure always and one day hope to give to my Daughter. No one can take your memories away and you will treasure that quilt forever.
Love & Hugs
Jacquie J xxx
Becca your missed legacy was sad but my story for something that was given was from a crafting friend. we brought my daughter and her children home from America as she had been very ill. when we arranged for a house for her, my friend came with handmade tablecloths, napkins, pillows, things she had made for the children on her machine, This lady is very unwell but she took the time to do this for my daughter, something I will never forget.
Hugs Trish.
This is a favourite card and I have ordered the Spellbinders so I can make similar cards. Just love your new page. It is a breath of fresh air and I just love receiving your emails. God bless you Becca.
I love hearing your memories. My grandmother was a knitter. I have her knitting needles, but I don’t knit anymore (I make cards). I would love to have one of your cards. They are such a joy!
Good evening Becca,
Oh I had the treat of seeing these dies used to make a card just yesterday and thought they were a lovely set us in a pretty card, you have used them and shown that they can be used to turn out a more elegant, sophisticated card with the white and gold. Reading your story about your granny Becca and the Singer treadle machine makes me remember my mums same machine as my daddy only earned a few pounds in the week and they found it hard to make ends meet with mum not able to work having been so I’ll having my twin and I. My mum was magical as she could turn her hand to anything through necessity. I lost mum in September but I have a lifetime of crafting alsorts of things at my hands becaus of her. A few years ago she wrote a wee book just for me and my children to read called Granny’s Ramblings and it takes her back to her childhood, young teenage years and beyond. I am still clearing and sorting her house but that wee booklet of her ditties I will keep Thank you Becca for giving us an insight into what makes you do what you do and shows us where you got your wonderful skills from.
Sending love and crafty hugs across the seas
Norah, (Glenochil Village, Scotland)
Hi Becca,
This card is so pretty. Unfortunately I do not have anything handmade but I have the last handwritten letter & card I kept sent by my grandmother who lived overseas. As I said in my last comment I did aquire her Singer sewing machine. This had to be imported from Malta as I live in Australia. Family overseas thought I was crazy as it cost so much to do so. In the process I also aquired my grandfathers only ever car. A 50’s Austin ute.
Not sure why nobody wanted these 2 precious items. But it gives me great joy knowing sometime soon I will be able to bring these 2 legacy items to life for my kids to enjoy. My kids always love hearing the stories I tell them of sitting in the back of the ute as a child when we went to visit on holidays.
God Bless x
Oh Becca, I hear your grief and regret – I have walked there too…
I too have memoried of my mother working at her treadle machine, and then having it converted to a motorised machine – not all treadles sould take the motor, but the model she had, made shortly after WW2 could, and needless to say, it doubled her output.
I love today’s card – so delicate and extremely pretty!
Blessings
Maxine
This is inspiring. What a great idea Becca! I treasure a quilt from my grandmother, a painting from my aunt, a Wiseman from my mother, and every single wood project my husband has made.
My mother gave me a hand painted pitcher a very long time ago that her aunt gave to her a long time ago before that! It is a blessing to have something someone in your very own family made. I will warn you when you are young you do not think about these things. As Becca said things get in the way sometime and then it is too late. you may not want it now, but you will later! Blessings for giving us a chance to win such a lovely card. Lisa
Hey Becca, love your gift for today!!! This is real quick sorry I’ve been working!!!
Just going to read your blog!!!
It’s so interesting to see what everyone’s posted!!!
Good luck everyone!!!
Loopy Lyndaxxx
The written word that I treasure is a gift from a friend that she scribed in calligraphy along with art work and had framed…it says “if you want to draw, close your eyes and sing”. It is a beautiful piece of art work and was an unexpected gift – one that I treasure!
Again Becca, you card is beautiful and one that will also be treasured by whoever receives it!
Paper Hugs,
Jan
Wow…another beauty. My most treasured item is an embroidered piece done for me by my florist of a poem my deceased husband used to quote for me. She added (embroidered) a single red rose as a reminder of the single red rose he gave me each week for the 20 years we were married. He also left a fund to be used for a rose for me each week until my death. He will be forever missed.
I treasure handmade gifts. I have held onto so many of the pieces of art that my kids made for me when they were younger, and they still bring a huge smile to my face. :)
Oh Becca such an opulent card – just beautiful.
The handmade that comes to my mind is a sympathy card I made for a childhood friend who lost her beloved husband after a long illness. If I may say so it was a lovely lavender card with hand made die cut flowers etc. on the front. Having extended my heartfelt sympathy and endeavoured to console the family I added “remember that invisible tears are the hardest to wipe away.” My friend got in touch immediately to say the whole family were in tears and it was the first time she had been able to shed a tear since Tom’s passing. She wondered how I knew she “could not cry” prior to that. Of course I didn’t know, but can you imagine how pleased I felt that their healing had begun. No more stiff upper lip, all of them grieving together.
A real blessing. Sorry for being so long winded!
From the little quilt for my dolls, the sweaters she knit I still wear, and the love for crafting she passed on, my mother’s love surrounds me. I never learned to love to knit as she did, but I learned to love digging in the dirt to make things grow – and (when my hands are clean) to make paper card that may lift others up, or make them laugh… Thanks Becca – your art is incredible and I have learned so much from you – and I keep ON learning!!!
Another beautiful card and sentiment. The comment my mother wrote in my Bible when I left for college is a constant reminder of her love for me.
Absolutely stunning card! I made my mom a keepsake box and she now has it in the nursing home. She displays it to everyone that comes and visits. It will be passed on to my daughter when the time comes.
I have the last letter I received from my Dad before he passed away ,we were stationed overseas so all his letters were precious to me he has been gone 34 years and I still read this letter ,sometimes it makes me cry but most of the time it makes me smile .The written word is so precious.
Gorgeous card Becca. Sometimes our emotions get the best of us and we regret our decisions. I have an old railroad cap of my Father’s that I kept when he passed away. I hope that one of my children might like to have it when I’m gone, but if not, that’s okay too.
My Grandmother and I used to communicate via letters as she live 100 miles away from where I lived. I always saved her letters in a shoe box and one day my granddaughter found them while rummaging through an old trunk. She brought them to me and asked who wrote them and how in the world could I read them as they were “hen scratch.” I had to laugh and explain to her that she would have had to know how grandma talked and be able to read between the lines as she had never gone to school to learn how to write but that I knew exactly what she was saying. Those letters have always been special to me.
We have an old hand-stitched sampler which was stitched in remembrance of a 10 year old child who died in 1837. The parents of the chikd were my husband’s gr gr gr gr grandparents. The sampler doesn’t say who it was stitched by, it just says by a friend. What a lovely thoughtful gift. It’s still a much treasured item in our family almost 200 years after stitching.
Julie
xx
Amazing card as usual Becca, you are still one of my favorite artists. One of the many items that I treasure the most is a New Home treadle sewing machine that my Dad had on display in his restaurant, he actually had two of them, and before he passed away he gave one both my sister and me. Eventually I’m going to turn it into a glass topped table and add it to the room that I’m about to redecorate, that way I’ll think about him every time I walk into that room.
My grandmother had a treadle machine which was passed on to my mother and like you I wish I still had it, but I treasure all the homemade clothes she made for me and my sister. She was such a talented seamstress and loved sewing for us. I did not have a store bought dress until I graduated from 8th grade. As we entered high school we were able to pick out our own fabrics and patterns and she always sewed them to perfection. Miss her so much.
My mom loved to crochet. A skill she learned from her mom. One of my treasures is an afghan that Mom designed out of small granny squares. It is in my college colors and spells out the initials of college. She crocheted 600 squares in order to make my custom designed afghan. That was a labor of love I’ll never forget.
It is simply amazing the way you can constantly come up with these beautiful works of art I love each one more every day
When my mother died my sister and I argued over mother’s possessions in a very positive way! I would want my sister to have a certain thing I thought she would appreciate but she would want me to have it for the same reason. We laughed all the way through that necessary process! We knew mama was laughing at us too. Two years later my sister died. She was single. I invited her close friends to share her possessions. At this moment I am snuggling in one of her old shirts. One of my prized possessions is the friendship and support of my mother’s and my sisters friends.
The gift that meant the most to me that I gave was a queen sized quilt I made for the mother of one of the OK bombing victims. I made it of her daughter’s clothing, photos of important documents and cards she had sent to her mother. We formed a friendship over several years and I only lost touch with her after Hurricane Katrina drove her out of her home. All in all, I made 3 quilts for her, an angel quilt that started the process and the final a quilt to drape over the chair in the memorial garden when it was dedicated…to this day, it’s the one quilt that meant the most to me. She took all the quilts with her to speak to victims groups and it went to NYC when she was asked to talk to victims families of 7/11.
I’ve been away from my paper crafting blogs for sometime. Yours is always amazing and so inspirational! Thank you so much for sharing you wonderful talent!
Been following your blog for years!! You are Queen of handmade cards and the way you step outside the box to get the finished results is AMAZING!!! Love giving cards but remember several years when a missionary came to our church and they had a 2 yr. old girl. They were headed to Alaska! I made her a 30″ Raggedy Ann doll. It was about a big as she was! Sadly she got cancer and passed away a few years ago at barely 20. Just saw her parents in Mar. of this year and they remembered that doll.
Your card is so stunning and elegant. I love everything you create and find such inspiration.
I am blessed to have the love letters written between my Grandparents back in 1919. At the time they met, my Grandparents lived in different states. They met by accident or it was fate as I like to believe. The only way for them to communicate was by mail. The postage on their letters was just a penny. Unfortunately, my Grandfather didn’t know how to write but he loved her and wanted to build a life with her. The only only way for my Grandfather to stay in touch and make plans was to ask a friend if they would write down the words that he wanted to say to my Grandmother. My Grandfather was a quiet man so I know it had to have been very difficult for him to ask someone to help him write these letters. He had to say words to his friend that were meant to be shared between him and the woman he loved but he did it anyway. It was his way of showing his love to my Grandmother. Each letter is signed “From the One Who Loves You Best and Always Will, George C. White.” My Grandparent’s love letters are a treasure but their love story is a wonderful example of how much is received when love is given away.
OMG!! I know how you feel…but although I was sorely grieving for my grandparents deaths…and then two parents deaths…I absolutely took anything/everything from their places of residence that reminded me of them no matter how big or small, and my family/in-laws family fairly picked & decided between us what we wanted according to the special memories that were attached to that particular object!
Beautiful card again today, Becca. I will have to try the angle for my ribbon, just got into the habit of going straight across. My mother cross stitched me a Christmas table cloth and finished it just before she died. I have just completed piecing a quilt for my grandson. It started out to be crib size but ended up being large enough to lay on my king size bed, it’s 96’x96! lol Just couldn’t stop piecing blocks once I started. It will be able to enjoy it for his lifetime. Going to have to have a long arm quilting machine to quilt it. My love is the legacy I will leave to my children and grandchildren. I will have a second grandchild in December.
My mother passed away 5 years ago this month and I made sure I got her embroidered table cloths and doilies. I remember my mother sitting for hours sewing those linen table cloths humming as she worked. She also patiently tried to teach me how to embroider too but I just didn’t have the knack like she did. Some of those embroidered items I have of hers are 50 years old and they are still in perfect condition even though we used them all the time. I will be passing them on to my children and grandchildren when im no longer around but I must make sure I tell them of the stories associated with them.
Hi Becca the sewing machine story is sad , but I am sure you have skills you
Inherited from your Grandma you will always have.
My Granfathers bible with the most beautiful coloured pictures in it , also dried
flowers from the Middle east they gave out at Easter with a little cross.XXX inh
Hi, It was nice to hear your voice on the video explaining your giveaway plan for July. I would love to own one of your creations.
Hi Becca: Nice to put a voice to your picture. I make cards for the “Ministry of Compassion” at my church and get so much inspiration from your beautiful cards. Thank You!
What a wonderful idea Becca! My handmade item that stirred my soul. I was on a cruise several years ago and it was put on by 3 lovely ladies who own stamp companies to this day. I met some very lovely people taking the classes and who were our table mates at night. We had a fabulous waiter, she went the extra mile every night. We decided to give her a handmade card each on the last night to thank her for the fabulous week. She was so moved and touched that we made something for her that we all had tears in our eyes. Since that cruise, every time I cruise I make cards to give to our room attendant, waiters and whoever might take care of us. They all have express how much they appreciate the thoughtfulness of a handmade thank you card.
Hi Becca! Another beautiful card! I loved your story, so heartbreaking, but sweet.
My great-grandmother used to send me sweet birthday cards when I was a little girl, and they all had a big ten dollar bill in them! Such a lot of money for such a little girl, it was like a hundred dollars to me back then. But her letters and cards, which I still have, 50 some-odd years later, gave me the idea to send letters and cards to other people, even at that young age. I have been doing it ever since, but it was my great-gramma Mimi that put the idea in my head!
I just love your cards!
Lovely card today Becca!!
My handmade item I made that stirred my soul was a card I made for a dear friend of mine. It was a pet sympathy card. I was babysitting her 12 year old chocolate lab, Cassie, when she passed away. I was heart broken for my friend. I know how much it hurts to lose a faithful furry friend as I had just lost my yellow lab, Mazie, a few months before. It made my heart and soul feel good when she got my card. She keeps it on display with a picture of Cassie.
(((hugs))) Bonnie
I just brought home my grandmas treadle machine. She made tons of handmade clothing. My mother learned to sew on it too. THey had an outhouse too and cold Mn weather. My mom sews beautiful clothing. I wish I could sew as meticulous as she can. I hope to refinish the cabinet and see if I can run the machine.
For my mothers 90th birthday I crocheted a set of Poinsettia table mats from a pattern devised by the early German settlers in America. They were hard and took a very long time but I imagined them being done by the light of an oil lamp after a hard day working on the crops and I was glad to carry on the tradition.
Hugs,
Rose
xx
For Christmas 2010, I made a scrapbook for my Mother. It was a special vintage style album of photos of my Mom and Dad…. my dad passed away almost 45 years ago now, and my mom never remarried. So wanted to showcase their love and my mom’s devotion to her first and only love. I really enjoyed making that album and loved the look on my mom’s face when she received it.
Gorgeous card! My mother is a flower maker. She’s 88 now, but still makes them with trembling hands. I have a couple of her handmade flowers. Will take them with me wherever I go.
Love all the gold blind on this card!
when my father passed away, many people sent cards but the ones that took the time to write down a memory of him or to share a story from the past were and still are my favorite keepsakes.
I remember going WOW! the first time I saw this card and I did again just now. What moved me most in giving was a letter I wrote to my dearest friend. She had hurt me to the core and we did not speak for several years. However she was the sister I never had and I missed her so badly that I had to write to her to heal the rift. It has never been the same as she moved away, but we were at peace again and still keep in touch.
Becca,
Amen, Amen, Amen! That is exactly why I make cards. Although I love my technology, especial when I am designing, don’t use to to send e-cards, and I don’t send text because I don’t like brb, lol, bff, and on, and on. I feel as if it is making use dumb…no need to learn spelling, or grammar. I love your blog, but the one thing I miss right now are videos.
My grandma made quilts for every grand and great grandchild, then she also gave a set of goose down pillows for their weddings. she loved making them and put love into every stitch
Morning Becca, A beautiful card, as always, and your bow is fabulous.
I can emphathise with your story today, my Mum had a Singer treadle machine, I learned how to sew on it, and my Mum made all my clothes on it, and I made all my clothes on it when I was younger too. To this day I can’t remember whatever happened to it, but it’s only when we think back, there are lots of regrets. So glad you had a quilt, from your Grandmother, as a special memento.
Lots of love from Patricia xx
I smiled the whole time I was reading your blog article today, it was as if you were reminiscing my childhood memories. Coming from an old fashion, old country Italian family who were grape farmers, I remember learning to sew on what was probably the very same singer treadle sewing machine that you described. My cousin and I spent hours in Grandmo’s large farmhouse kitchen where her sewing was located under a window. I learned to sew on that machine and back then we made tons of barbie doll clothes from fabric scraps that Grandmo would give us. I have that very machine sitting under a window in my breakfast room to this day. It still sews wonderfully and it brings back such fond memories every time I glance at it. I am sorry you missed the chance to get a hold of your grandmother’s. I am so glad that both of my grandmothers took the time to teach us sewing, knitting, crochet, tatting, and embrodery. I taught my daughter all of those as well, and plan to teach my grandaughters as well.
I cherish many items crocheted by my mother & her mother plus linens with tatted lace made by my mom’s older sister that looks just like the loopy floral lace in today’s card.
I love, love, love this card. I was a quilter long before I started making scrapbooks and cards but each quilt, scrapbook and card come from the heart and mean some thing special to me. I know they also mean something special to a lot of those who receive them.
I just discovered you on youtube and your cards are so elegant and beautiful. I am new to card making, crocheting is my thing. But I love all things crafty so I started card making so that I can mail my friends and family cards like my grandmother did, she never missed a birthday or a holiday I miss it, and I love it.
This is going to sound so morbid and I am sorry but my most cherished item is my mothers urn. See I never wanted to cremate her but, we could not afford to ship her where she would have wanted to buried. This is the first time anyone in my family has ever been cremated and it was very painful. But now I have her with me all the time.
Oh wow, this is gorgeous. I love it. My grandmother gave me her old Singer treadle machine and I sewed on it quite a lot. I no longer have it, but I remember it well. I do still have several of her dishes and what nots she had. Sweet memories.
It brings me great joy to cross stitch samplers for weddings, births, and anniversaries. Some have been quite large and detailed, but the most fun thing to stitch —ever—- was a simple red International Harvester tractor for my grandpa. Grandpa was a parts man for International for decades and later became a “toy farmer” collecting miniature tractors. In one of his collectors’ magazines, there was an ad for a cross stitch pattern for a Farmall. He ordered it and told me to get busy. I recall an all-nighter spent stitching to allow time to have it framed for Christmas. Grandpa was thrilled!
This one is late as I broke down bawling like a little baby thinking about mine. I had given a bunch of yarn that I was thinking was some awful colors to my adopted gramma Marilyn May who had without my knowledge taken all the yarn that I had given her and crocheted a king size afghan for me which she had given to us for Christmas. Less than a year later she passed away from breast cancer.. I still miss her so much. ???? now this afghan has a hole in it due to her loose stitching coming loose. I am having a very hard time bringing myself to repair it myself which I am able to . It is just that it brings back memories of her and the pain of her loss.
She is the one who taught me how to make my first ripple afghan which I still have and use. The colors I thought were so awful now look so lovely next to the ones she had added of her own stash. It is like Joseph’s coat of many colors.
I used to hand craft a lot of things for my mother, as she was so appreciative of anything that was hand made for her. When she was younger she quilted and did some darning by hand.
Such a stunning card and very elegant
A great blanket my grandma made and then a yo yo quilt my mother made….nothin better than any home made item
For my first Mother’s Day, my parents bought me the most beautiful card and inside my mother write me a letter telling me how proud she was of me and thanking me and my husband for their grandson. Twenty-two years later, I still have that card and it is more precious to me now that my darling mother is no longer with me.
Beautiful card, especially the stick pins. I’ve never used them in any of my cards, Now that I see how pretty they make a card, I’ll have to give them a try.
I love cursive writing. It upset me when they stopped teaching cursive writing in school. They stopped at the time my granddaughter was to start. She had about 1 month of lessons then, nothing. We kept her going at home so she would know how!
Love your work!
Gorgeous card! My most treasured item is from my mother. It is her rolling pin that she made endless pies, dumplings for chicken and dumplings ets. The rolling pin was originally an oak table leg from my grandmother’s house!
I believe I learned the joy of creating something handmade for someone else at around the age of ten. I took my first oil painting class and I remember learning to use a palette knife to create cascading mountains and a fan brush to stipple leaves on a tree. The scene was of a snowscape and a lonely barn with beautiful mountains in the background. I gave the oil painting to my mom and she had it framed. It still remains on her wall today. Thank you for granting me the opportunity to take a peek into the past!
Very pretty Becca, my memory is very fresh in my mind, my wonderful cousin died recently and at present I just cannot erase his number from my phone and I have his messages and I re read them at times, he was so special – I wish I saw more of him he was only 44 when he passed.
Your cards are priceless! I get lost in my mom’s oil paintings. It helped me in being able to part with her canvases, unused frames & pictures although I have to stretch more in this area!
Beautiful card! Great design!
I can so relate to much of what you said.
Like You, and what some of the others have said,
I too have a treasured quilt that my grandmother made for me.
I used to help her cut out the squares (this was done using
cardboard squares not some of the fancy tools there are available today) The squares on the quilt may not be perfect! But they are to me…because they were made with love, by one of the most wonderful grandmothers someone could ever have.