Cross Stitch Brooch: An Initial.

Here's the last piece from this latest look into my mom's jewelry box. It's been fun and I think I need to rummage around in her things again at some point in the future to find more to share! So many of her pieces hold fond memories.

Mom and I share the first initial of our names. Before I married, we shared all the same initials and have the same middle name. If I'd had a girl, I would have carried that on with her.

I could have passed this down to her as my mom did to me.

Cross Stitch Brooch: Oh Christmas Tree.

More great work by Mom.

I'll be back on Friday with the last one in this series.

Cross Stitch Brooch: Full of heart.

This week I'm showing you three cross stitched brooches that my mom made.

All of the brooches this week were made from The Creative Circle kits during the 80s. My mom said they would have home parties where everyone could buy kits and learn stitches. Doesn't that sound like fun?

Eggshell Jewelry: A rose brooch.

I saved the best eggshell brooch for last. This is my favorite one and is also my mom's favorite. She wore it often and can still remember exactly which suits and dresses she wore it with. You know how when someone wears something they love they have a sparkle in their eye? Her eyes sparkled just talking about making and wearing this brooch. I love the softness and Victorian feel of it.

Even though the exhibit of eggshell jewelry is now over, the small look into my mom's jewelry box is not! Next week I have some other handmade brooches to show you.

Eggshell Jewelry: A Santa brooch.

How cute is he? I can remember my mom wearing this brooch every year at Christmas time. It's held up very well over the years. You can tell that my mom takes great care of her jewelry.

Next time I will show you my favorite eggshell brooch of all.

Eggshell Jewelry: An angel brooch.

This little angel must have had a lot of wear. She has a small hole near her face. Considering how old this piece is, and that it's made from an eggshell, that's not bad!

Two more still to come!

Eggshell Jewelry: A bird brooch.

Before Easter, someone at N's school asked me if I had any ideas for crafts to make with eggshells. I immediately thought of the pins that my mom and aunt used to make when I young. I have a clear picture in my mind of them sitting at the table working creatively. I asked my mom to bring them over so I could share them with you.

The pins were made out of eggshells with decoupaged paper. After blowing out the eggs, they were cut to size with a Dremel tool. My mom told me their favorite papers to use were gift wrap papers, but anything with a nice picture was fair game.

This sweet little bird pin is one of my favorites. I think it should stay here with me for a while!

I have three more to show you this week.

Dear Mom...

Thank you for my new stocking, also known as my favorite birthday gift. You were right; my previous stocking with the Mary Engelbreit design didn't suit me any more. I know I strongly hinted that I needed a new stocking...maybe to the point of being annoying...but I really didn't expect you make me one. I love this new one so much.

I appreciate all the hours you spent backstitching when I know that is your least favorite part of making stockings.

I can't believe you even found a stocking that had beads in the design. And I like having a stocking with "Tina" as it somehow feels even more personal.

I can't believe how cute all the details are, especially the boy's boots.

Even though it's only October, the stocking is proudly on display. I'd like to leave it up all year!

Thanks, Mom. I'll treasure it always. You made this birthday truly special.

Love you,
Tina

(You can see others she's made for family members here, here, and here.)

Tiny Flapper Bags.

One year my mom and my cousin Amy got together and made everyone these small bags for Christmas gifts. Everyone had different colors. This one is mine...

...and this one is my mom's. I don't use bugle beads very often. I like how they were used in these pieces. They took a class, but I don't know who the original designer is. They look like miniature versions of bags flappers would have carried.

Hopefully this weekend I will be going to visit my newest nephew, who was born early and is in the NICU. The night he was born was a harrowing experience, but thankfully both mom and baby are doing well.

We're also thinking about going to see G-Force. N. has been looking forward to seeing it. Before we know it, it will be Monday again.

Jerrie's bag.

There are a lot of a beads...

...on the bottom of this bag. My mom made this bag for her friend Jerrie. The beaded fringe was part of the fabric that Jerrie gave her to make the bag. I like how my mom is creative in using every bit of what she has to make bags, like when she used the sleeve of a sweater to make the closure for my sweater bag.

I think Jerrie will be very happy with the results.

A new handbag.

Last year (meaning 2007) for Christmas, the ladies in the family received a thrifted wool sweater from my mom that had already been felted, which means they were very shrunken. It was funny to see everyone holding up their small sweaters, trying to figure out why she had given them to us. She said she'd be making something for each of us from our sweaters and then quickly spirited them away, never to be seen again in their original state.

Fast forward to this past Christmas. We'd all but forgotten about the sweaters and had a good laugh when we opened our packages to find our tiny little sweaters transformed into handbags.

My sweater had beadwork on it and she did her best to make sure every beaded area on the sweater made it into the handbag.

I like how she used the sleeve as a closure.

Everyone had a different type of bag and it was fun to see how their sweaters translated into a handbag. I'll try to get some photos of them to show you in the future.

Felted.

I enjoy reading the Resurrection Fern blog. Margie makes some imaginative things -- like sweaters for snails! -- and often has beautiful photos of nature.

I told my mom about the little felted bowls and acorns Margie had made and she asked me to send her the tutorial. The next thing I knew, I had some of my very own.

Thanks, Mom!

Happy Halloween.

My mom made Halloween cards for everyone in the family. I thought I'd share ours.

Have a spooky fun day!

The red post.

Another birthday post. I know my birthday's long over, but I have to share with you the red purse my mom made for me.

With red toile on the inside. And one dollar for luck.

Adorable. It's from an Amy Butler pattern, though I do not know which one. I think it's this one.

My mom also makes cards. She's very talented.

The glitter isn't showing up as well as I'd like. It's quite sparkly.

Mark and N gave me some red, red roses.

Sweet!

Time for another ring basket.

My mom made this ring basket for a friend of hers as a retirement gift. She and I are very different; she is more free-spirited and random, while I prefer patterns and to map out the pattern I'm making. I like how her flowers in this basket are just sort of here and there, wherever she felt like putting them. I think the color combination is very nice as well.

And now, please indulge me while I have a short mommy moment. I have been scanning and uploading N.'s artwork on Artsonia and just scanned this lovely card from him. I think it says, "I love Mom" because he got tired and didn't feel like writing "Mommy." On the inside it says he loves me because I take him to McDonald's for breakfast every Saturday morning. Hmm. That's some wishful thinking right there.

Have you heard of Artsonia? It's a really wonderful site where you can upload children's artwork and share it with your friends and family. You can also purchase items with the artwork on it, such as mugs, magnets, and the like. It's a great way for schools to share their art exhibits as well. Uploading my scans was very easy; the downside is that it takes 1-2 business days for them to appear on the site. You can also visit the Museum to view different art galleries. There is some really great artwork on the site. Take a tour!

Mom's hexagonal box.

Previously, I showed you the hexagonal box I made in a class. Here's the one my mom made in the same class. I liked the colors of her box better than my own, so she gave me hers. What a sweet Mom. She put some beads and a clasp in it for me. A nice surprise.