Revisiting/Revising Early Quilling Projects
There's something about September that makes me nostalgic... I suppose it's because this time of year signals a transition that harkens back to school days. While summer is my fave, change is in the air come autumn. And perhaps this year more than others, I need to remember that change has its merits.
You see, as much fun as the wedding was, the joy it brought was tempered a bit by the fact that earlier in the summer both my mother and mother-in-law passed away within a few weeks of one another. While neither loss was completely unexpected, the absence of special people in our lives knocks us back a peg or two.
While sorting through belongings, I found that while it's not the easiest thing in the world to do, the dismantling of a life can be bittersweet. I kept coming across things I had given to each of them over the years. I'd forgotten many of the handmade Mother's Day and birthday cards and how pleased they were to receive them. Isn't it funny that no matter our age, we still appreciate that parental pat on the head?
I remember finding these curved glass frames at Target ages ago and thinking they were the greatest thing since sliced bread... the addition of a hand-lettered quote and some of my earliest quilling - bam, a gift. This one was for a friend who moved away... she and I would often walk together at Longwood Gardens. Now I look at the suspect flower arrangements, clumps really, and wonder what I was thinking! Ah well, the sentiments were sincere.
It was the era of twee bows too, judging by the Mom card up top and this quilled topiary tree circa 2005.
I brought it home from my mother-in-law's house with the thought that I would upcycle the frame for another project, but then had the idea to see if I could remove the securely glued bow. Believe it or not, I was able to peel the entire tree and woven paper basket from the pearlized backing - yay for a slick coating - and then glue it onto a new piece sans bow.
It's more to my liking now, but seems a little empty. Like my heart.
lace tatted by my grandmother
You see, as much fun as the wedding was, the joy it brought was tempered a bit by the fact that earlier in the summer both my mother and mother-in-law passed away within a few weeks of one another. While neither loss was completely unexpected, the absence of special people in our lives knocks us back a peg or two.
While sorting through belongings, I found that while it's not the easiest thing in the world to do, the dismantling of a life can be bittersweet. I kept coming across things I had given to each of them over the years. I'd forgotten many of the handmade Mother's Day and birthday cards and how pleased they were to receive them. Isn't it funny that no matter our age, we still appreciate that parental pat on the head?
I remember finding these curved glass frames at Target ages ago and thinking they were the greatest thing since sliced bread... the addition of a hand-lettered quote and some of my earliest quilling - bam, a gift. This one was for a friend who moved away... she and I would often walk together at Longwood Gardens. Now I look at the suspect flower arrangements, clumps really, and wonder what I was thinking! Ah well, the sentiments were sincere.
It was the era of twee bows too, judging by the Mom card up top and this quilled topiary tree circa 2005.
I brought it home from my mother-in-law's house with the thought that I would upcycle the frame for another project, but then had the idea to see if I could remove the securely glued bow. Believe it or not, I was able to peel the entire tree and woven paper basket from the pearlized backing - yay for a slick coating - and then glue it onto a new piece sans bow.
It's more to my liking now, but seems a little empty. Like my heart.
