My grandmother is in the hospital right now. My mom is at her house cleaning and worrying I am sure, I spoke with her this morning. My mom took my grandma to the hospital yesterday due to my grandma finally admitting that she had some pretty serious back pain (turns out that she has three compressed vertebrae in her back), prior to her admitting just how bad it was she had assured my mom that she had endured this type of pain before, when she was pounding fence posts out in the field many, many, many, years back! One thing about all the women in my family (on my mom's side) is that we are all
stubborn, but as someone told me recently, we do tend to get things done. Anyways, my grandmother is the one individual that I would have to say has influenced me the most when it comes to having a female role model. I have admired her for so many reasons and I have so many fond memories of her and stories that I've appreciated having heard that have been shared and passed along the way...she is quite simply, amazing.
I wanted to send her a little something to let her know that I am thinking of her now but was stumped as to what would be appropriate now that she is in the hospital and bed-ridden and not feeling the best, and I finally had the thought to make and send a bookmark! She loves to read (as do I) and it would be something that she would use daily and appreciate I am sure.
To create the bookmark I just used scraps from my latest layout that I did using
Marks Paper Company patterned papers, I added a bit of
cardstock, some fibers, a button and some stamping and I had my completed project.
I can't wait for her to get it...she loves all the little things that I make and it makes me so happy to share my creations with people that truly appreciate them!
Supplies:
Bazzill cardstock (
kraft), Marks Paper Company patterned paper scraps, button, Creative Imaginations Parts & Parcels twine, Basic Grey fiber trims, Creative Imaginations Narratives border stamps, Hero Arts Phrases stamps, ink,
Versamark ink, embossing powder, heat gun, scissors, corner rounder punch, standard hole punch, sewing machine
Cut
cardstock to measure 2 1/4 inches x 6 3/4 inches, use your corner rounder punch on all four corners. Cut a strip of your
County Fair pp to measure 1 1/2 inches x 6 3/4 inches and adhere to the middle of your
cardstock. In the middle of that, adhere a strip of
Your Sunday Best pp measuring 1 inch x 6 3/4 inches and machine stitch along both sides of the pp. Using the
Narratives Journaling Stamps (border stamp), stamp a border along both sides of your exposed
cardstock. Using a phrase stamp from the
Hero Arts Clear Design: All Occasion Messages stamp set, stamp along the center of the
Your Sunday Best pp with
Versamark Ink and emboss with Copper Embossing Powder. Using your scissors, cut out a flower from the
Wildflowers pp and adhere this to the front of your bookmark and attach a button (that you inserted twine into) near the stem of the flowers. Last, punch a hole into the top of your bookmark and thread some twine and some of the Basic Grey fibers through the hole and you have yourself a pretty snazzy bookmark!
When I was looking for what book I wanted to photograph my bookmark with (yes, I am goofy like that!) I decided on one of my copies of
A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter (my mom has collected copies of these books for me since I was little). This particular book was given to me when I was seven years old by one of my mom's good friends Lucia. Lucia and my mom met one another while working at a restaurant
waitressing and had formed a friendship that still lasts to this day. When my mom talks about her she tears up...it is that kind of friendship...the kind where you share what's in the deepest part of your soul and know that it is safe. Lucia now lives in New Mexico and my mom and her do not often get to see one another but they still stay in touch. She never has had any children of her own, perhaps that is why she has always been so good to me and has had a special place for me in her heart. Here is the inscription of what she wrote in my book so many years ago:
What a gift! And the story of the book itself, carries it on to mean so much more. I'm going to re-read it now as an adult and see what it offers me at this stage in life.
Here is a photo that I found of my mom and Lucia standing outside of the
restaurant that they worked at many years ago. So much has changed since that time...
So anyways, this morning while thinking about my grandmother and how I admire her so, I was led to recalling a special relationship that I had forgotten between my mother and a friend...and the importance again of tending to those special relationships and celebrating what it is that is real and special. I am so lucky to have so many truly beautiful people in my life!
And to leave you with just another something little that is fun...I got my first
Marks Paper Company Newsletter in my mailbox this morning and it is fabulous! Be sure to
sign up to get them for them yourself, lots of fun stuff is included within and loads of inspiration for crafty projects as well!
