Mother’s Day Challenge 2012 – Winners!

by You!

You never fail to overwhelm me with your stories, memories and creative ideas.  As I sat here this morning, going over the stories again and sorting out graphics, all of my children are nearby  – as they are all here this weekend for our youngest son’s graduation from Florida State – they look over occasionally to see what has me laughing out loud or brought tears to my eyes.  I realize the best gift for me is having my children nearby…and the most valuable lesson learned  (for me) is  – wear and use whatever they give you.
These stories are wonderful.  Thank you all for taking the time to share them with us.

hugz
rob

by Daryll

My 38 year old daughter was going through my china cabinet (which I was giving to her) deciding what she like to keep and came across the plastic cup with the insert that she had decorated for me for Mothers’ Day 1981. She hadn’t remembered it until she saw it. Part of her message was, “I Love you Mother and Dad.” Apparently I had to share Mothers’ Day with my husband. lol

by Nancy J
The most unusual mother’s day gift that I can remember is this.  One year my family gave me and the children a year membership to our local zoo.  We lived only about a half mile away from the zoo and it was such a peaceful place that I enjoyed visiting often.  After receiving the membership I found I was taking the kids there weekly.  There were safe places they could explore and I could take my hand stitching and sit on a bench and get it finished!  How peaceful to sit under the trees with peacocks walking by or in the butterfly house and to get a little of my handwork done.  I also found it to be very inspirational and it was a year of great creativity.  It was a gift I loved all year long.

by Carol

Years ago when I was fairly new at embroidery I decided to do an umbrella for my mother.  I found a very delicate pink one and carefully took it apart.  I undid the threads on the metal staves all the way up so I could lay it as flat as I could to do a design on each panel.  There are 8 panels on most umbrellas so I had to find 8 designs.  My parents had 2 calico cats so I put a calico cat on one panel in memory of them.  My mother used to play and sing with her guitar so I found a guitar with a musical note.  They had several travel trailers and then a motorhome they traveled south in for the winter and I used the thread colors of their last motorhome for the pattern I found.  My mother tied fishing flies when I was a little girl and I remember watching her do that, and I finally found a nice fishing fly for another panel.  She liked penguins and loons and I put one on another 2 panels.  She was from a small town in central Wisconsin called Wild Rose and I found a pattern of that flower.  Then the last one I decided to be silly and I embroidered her name on it, only backwards!!  She has used it many times and has gotten compliments on it.  I think it is the most special thing I have done because it tells a story of someone special to me.

Karen Williamson

For Mother’s Day one year my wonderful husband and daughter made me a thread rack and installed it on my wall in my sewing room.  It is much larger and so much nicer than all the commercial ones.  What a wonderful pair I have.

and

For my Mother-In-Law for I made a memory quilt.  It is twin bed size and I put pictures of all of her family and her wedding picture, her kids from when they were small to present and grands and great grands on it also.  It looked so nice and brought her memories of her lost loved ones out for her.  Today she is in a nursing home with the same quilt on her bed there even though she doesn’t know anyone anymore it is one of her treasures.

Linda K Murphy

A spa day at home given by your loved ones… Pedicure, Manicure, Facial, Hair styling or a gift certificate for her favorite Hair Salon. Each member of the family could do one of the things or all of them. It would be special because they’d be giving of their time and love for you.

By Elizabeth

My mother in law who has everything, was once a florist & every time we visited her. I would buy flowers. One year I said to my husband “too bad that bulbs had to over winter in the ground in order to bloom”. So that same year I went out & bought, several pkgs. which my sister-in-law (with whom she lives) and I planted.
Some were crocus , which bloom really early in Canada,we planted them in her lawn. She looked out her window & saw us. Her comment at the time was”I hope those girls realize that when the lawn needs to be mowed they are going to get it”.
Unfortunately she died before they bloomed, but somehow I know she can look down from heaven and see them. Every time I visit my sister in law I am reminded of the day and the comment.
There were tulips in the batch of flowers also. They bloom right around Mothers Day, so she would get the pleasure of them growing. Then I made a totebag with an embroidery design of flowers on it and put the wrappers in it. I also did the same for my mother who likes to bake. I made a casserole cover for her, with a pocket inside to hold a magic bag, so it could be used for desert also by keeping it cold. Both of them could use the projects.& I had fun sewing. Quite often I wrap wedding gifts in tote bags also, that way they have something useful, or to use as a reminder of their wedding day with the time & date on it, maybe an outline of bride & groom. Try to think of something that is important to the individual and then embroider, an item to go with the personality. This year my mother who likes snowman and quilting is going to get 12-15, 12″ squares with snowman embroidery on each. I had fun doing them & she will have fun making them into a quilt. That way we both get to fullfil our hobbies

by Pat O.

One year my Mom sent me a gift.  She was beyond the sewing stage in life (having sewn too many clothing pieces for us out of necessity) and did not enjoy hand embroidery.  What she took up as a hobby was stitching on plastic canvas.
I never knew what she would make next, but one day a package arrived at my door with her return address on it.  I brought it into the house but had to put it down quickly–it was VERY heavy.
When I opened it, I found Mom’s latest project– a “Welcome”
door stop made from the plastic canvas.  The trouble was, she didn’t think to mail it flat, but had also mailed the brick that goes inside the door stop!

I still use that door stop and get a good laugh from the history each time I walk by it.

Pat

Hi the most memorable gift I got for Mother’s Day was the year my son moved out. He moved in with his girlfriend and they were both students so not a lot of money. they told me not to plan to cook for Mother’s Day. I asked there where we were going and they would not answer. I asked them if they had made reservations because it is a busy evening. Again no answer. I had worked a night shift the night before so had just woke up when they arrived. They came with a complete home cooked meal. they brought the dishes and everything. They then took the dirty dishes home to wash. They had went on the Internet to find out how to make Chicken Cordon Bleu as they knew that was a favourite of mine.
Pat

Susan

Ok this takes the term  ” home made ” to it’s most basic form. My mother was a blood donor among many other things- seamstress, quilt maker, hand embroiderer, etc. She died at the age of 61 seven weeks after having her gall bladder removed. She never left the hospital . And she received over 60 units of blood in an effort to save her life . So every Mother’s Day my son and I donate blood together in memory of my mother, giving a gift that we have made that may hopefully save someone else’s life.

Sherry

The first Mother’s day after my son was born, we went to my Mother’s for the day.  My son will be 38 in June.  My grandmother was was very ill at the time living with my Mom.  After lunch, I was sitting with her and she was holding my son’s little hand.  She told me how much she loved me and then took her wide gold wedding band off and handed it to me.  She said she wanted me to have it and had decided Mother’s day was a fine time to give it to me.  I sat with her tears rolling down my cheeks and begged her to put it back on her finger.  She would have none of it.  I put it on that day so it would not be lost before I got home.  She was a very short, tiny woman, but the ring fit perfectly.  She passed away a few weeks later.  I have never worn it because it is a wide band that is paper thin and I have always been afraid it might break if I bumped it.  I do get it out from time to time and remember the love I had for the sweet gracious woman that gave me the best gift I have ever received on Mother’s day.

Cassie

My husband and I have been married more than 40 years but were not able to have children so missed out on Mother’s Day/Father’s Day activities over the year. Last year we had the opportunity to change that.

Our friend Beth is a single mom with eight-year-old quadruplets – three boys and a girl. Last year, they “asked” me to help them with their Mother’s Day present. This is how the conversation went (remember, they were all seven at the time):

Case (the “leader”): We usually make breakfast in bed for mom for Mother’s Day, but, since Grandma went to California, we don’t have anyone to help us.
Me: We could help you.
Luke: Oh, good! That’s what we wanted.
Case: You’ll have to come really early because she gets up at early. What about flowers? Will you give her flowers?
Me: Well, she’s not my mother, so I’m not going to give her flowers. But I could pick up some flowers for you to give her.
Luke: Oh, good! That’s what we wanted.
Barrett: Make waffles! You make the best waffles!
Case: Yeah! We LOVE your waffles!
Me: Now, remember, this is for your Mom. Does SHE like waffles?
Luke: Oh, uh, yeah. She’ll really like them. She always likes your cooking.
Barrett: And coffee. Be sure and make coffee for her. And bacon. Lots and lots of bacon.
I had been “had” by the most beguiling, guileless manipulators ever and loved every moment of it!
Beth’s daughter Laila is a wonderful artist so I digitized one of her first grade art pieces and made a pillow for Mom’s special breakfast. It’s embroidered on a batik that gives a look similar to the watercolors that Laila used for her artwork.

We had the kids help cook breakfast that morning. Beth pretended to be “surprised”, although they made multiple trips to her bedroom to give her updates on their progress. It was a morning we’ll never forget!

Nancy W

The special gift I gave to both my mother and my husband’s mother was a lap quilt with squares with all the children and grandkids picture in the squares. The squares in between had embroidery saying on them I also had the dates of each birth and marriage in the borders. Both mother adored the quilts and kept them close to them till they died.

Robin W.

This was not a handmade gift but it always will have special memories.  When my kids were young, I was divorced and getting by.  The kids saved some money and wanted to do something for me for mothers day.  They said “Mom I know you like flowers for mothers day.  What is your favorite color?”  I told them it was purple or pink.  They went to the dollar store and came home to give me the most precious gift that I will never forget.  They said”Mom, you are going to love this it is your favorite color. and it says “Mom” on it” when I opened the box I found this:

it was a pretty memorial wreath!  it was pink flowers and it said “Mom” on it!

LOL !  I set it up on my dresser for a long time till it became dusty.  now we just recirculate the picture every year on mothers day.

Gotta love em!

Sue Scott

I have 2 daughters so I have 2 separate stories.

When my children started school I got bored. And just like Mary’s little lamb I followed them to school one day. I started volunteering. Over the years I got the nickname Mrs. Tweety because I always had a Tweety bird on me. I still do.  Smile That year I always wore a Tweety bird ink pen around my neck. If my memory  is correct that is also the year I thought my dishwater blonde hair would look better as platinum blonde. My oldest had Home Living in middle school. So for Mothers Day what else would my creative daughter do but make a rag doll of her mother. It was so true to life that it had a Tweety bird ink pen necklace and right up to my dark roots on my blonde hair. I’ll never forget my darling saying “Look Mom it even has dark roots like you do.” LOL The very next day my hair went back to my natural color. The doll now sits in a plastic case on a shelf in my living room “dark roots and all.”

When my youngest was 12 she was jealous that  her older sister had a paying job at a local catering service. She asked if she could work there too. So off to work she went. I have always made my children put 1/2 of their money in the bank, even if they only had a few bucks. So when Mothers day came around she asked her Dad (she knew I would say no) if she could keep this check to spend. He whom this child has wrapped around her little finger said of course you can. Boy when I found out I was very upset but there was nothing I could do she had already spent the money. Than came Mothers day and here comes my very proud 12 year old carrying a very small package in her hand for me.  Inside it was a heart shaped diamond ring for her very humbled mother. That was 10 years ago and I still proudly wear my ring.

Mary W

One year my daughter was into snowflakes made by folding paper and snipping, she snipped interfacing and put it on felt , stuffed it and I was given a snowflake -pin cushion I still use- 40 years later. lopsided ,crooked and unique- when asked  the 7 year old said- no 2 flakes are the same- yours is unique.

Deb Russo

One special Mother’s Day a few years ago my sisters and my mom went to visit our Aunt, (mom’s sister) who we had not seen in several years. Our girl cousin was also there. So I made all of us “mothers” matching bouquets from an artificial rose bouquet.  Simple to do.   what you need:  bouquet of flowers (real or artificial), floral tape, floral wires, waterproof clear tape (scotch tape),  ribbon with wires, floral pins, or large safety pins.  I am going to give a “you tube” link for an easy how to make a rose corsage with matching boutonniere.

http://youtu.be/WmxC7bGkEro

p.s. one year, I made Mother’s Day bookmarks, from a design I got from DesignsbySick.  So you could combine embroidery designs: such as: bookmarks, gift tags, and match the colors of the embroidery designs to go with your bouquet.  It is time to: “reuse, recycle, re-purpose” !

Susie Kasper

Several years ago, before I owned an embroidery machine, I traced
around my grandchildren’s feet.  Then I made a pillowcase and
transferred the outline to the pillowcase.  I hand embroidered the
outline of the feet.  I gave these to each of my daughter-in-laws that
year for Mother’s Day.

Carol  J.

When my son was 8 years old he decided he wanted to get me a Mother’s Day Gift without any help from anyone.

He sat down and made a booklet of IOU’s.  They are all different sizes, made out of different colors of construction paper and stapled together.  I still have them to this day, 22 years later.

They read as follows:

IOU a hug and a kiss
IOU anything
IOU anything
IOU a shopping spree
IOU anything under $10.00
IOU anything
IOU $100 from Dad
IOU anything

Undoubtedly, I cashed in on these IOU’s many times through the years, however, I made sure that the booklet he made stayed intact.

Mary B

I’ve long had a fantasy when, on Mother’s Day, my three adult children arrive and claim all my unwanted furniture, knickknacks, extra dishes, books, linens, their third-grade papers, framed pictures, yarn collection and house plants.  It would be a really special Mother’s Day if one of them took the cigar store wooden Indian out of my front hall.  I dream on.

by Martine

My special mother’s day present.
Years ago my elder daughter, almost 6 at the time, came home from school on a Friday afternoon with a classmate, both with a present wrapped in newspaper, both looking rather upset.
The friend said: “She could not think of anything but pincushions, mom already has gotten 4 from my brothers and sister and this is the ugliest one of all. I think I’ll trash it.”
I hastened to say her mom would love it anyway. After some (rather loud) whispering my daughter came up with a solution to the problem, the friend opened her package and out came a toadstool. A  red piece of cloth with white felt circles glued to it had been  filled with crumpled newspaper, the ends of the cloth put into the cardboard tube of a toilet roll  that had been painted white. It was indeed both ugly and useless.
So  Saturday morning I had two girls cutting a circle from the red cloth, hand stitching felt circles on it, stitching a white cotton back to it on a sewing machine with some help,  turning and filling it, wrapping bias tape around a napkin ring and sewing it together with rather irregular stitches. It took all morning but the girls were very proud of the results. And that was the nicest present I got!

by Zenita

I lost my mother in 2002 she was the one who taught me how to sew at the age of 5. So every year in her memory I make mother ‘s day pillow king size pillows just for her. Sometimes I make quilts too. Anything to put a smile their face.

by Eileen

Two years ago my mother got it into her heart to share with her 10 children how she wanted her funeral arrangements to go.  She wanted my brother, Mike to construct her urn, as she had decided upon cremation.  She did not want her final resting “home” to be “hard”  and asked for “a soft bed”.  Finally, she wanted her 10 children to sing at her funeral.  My brother made her urn out of a 200+ year old cedar stump he found on my sister, Diane’s ranch.  I made her a soft satin “bed” embroidered with all 10 of her kids’ names/birthdates as well as Mom and Dad’s Anniversary date and Mom’s date of birth.  On Mother’s Day, five of my ten siblings were able to gather together and celebrate this special woman’s special day.  We cooked her favorite meal, sang her favorite songs, and watch the sunset.  That night, she out-glowed the sunset!  Not only were 5 of her 10 children gathered together with her but, the other 5 who were unable to be there called to wish her Happy Mother’s Day!  That night, our beautiful Mother died.  With her 10 children singing “Just A Closer Walk With Thee” at her funeral, we were able to fulfill all her final wishes.  Rest in God’s arms my beautiful mother, Geraldine.

by Debby in Illinois

The Christmas before my mom was born in February, 1925, her then-four-year-old sister had a piece to memorize for the Christmas program at church. It was about a doll named Matilda Sue. When my mother was born, and until the day my mother died, her sister called her Tillie – after the doll in the poem.

One of the last Mother’s Day gifts I gave my mom was a framed copy of the poem with a small doll attached to the mat. She thought I was the most creative person ever…. I still miss that kind of encouragement – only a mom can do that for you.

Debby in Illinois

by Aprille Sweatt

I always enjoyed buying gifts for my mama, but she always seemed to appreciate the notes that I wrote to her more than the gifts. One year, I bought a large clear glass bowl and had it engraved for Mama. I spent several days writing down many of the wonderful, special memories that Mama had created for me and the rest of our family. I told of several things that had not seemed so important to her at the time that meant the world to me as a child. I also wrote about funny mishaps and fun parties that Mama gave. I even included some of the sad times and how Mama always made me feel better and taught me how to deal with tough times. I skipped spaces between each entry. Once I finished recording all of my “Life With Mama” memories, I cut each entry into separate slips of paper. I folded each slip of paper in nearly equal sizes and piled them in the glass bowl. Mama told me several times over the years how much she enjoyed her gift of memories. She had thought about reading a separate memory each day, but she said that she lost hours of sleep that first night going through all of the slips of paper. She said that she could hardly wait to discover what the next folded paper revealed. Once she had read ALL of the entries, she returned them to the bowl and re-read them often. I am SO GLAD that I let her KNOW how much I appreciated ALL that she did for me and our family and how much I love her while she was still with us. I wish we could have filled many MORE bowls with memories!

Pat Harris

One mother’s day, I made my mother and mother in law both dress with all the grandchildren’s hand prints stitched on them. My mother was so proud of hers even though she had hand prints all over her back side.