Celebrations

Today is a celebration: my mom went home one year and 3 weeks ago and today would have been her 90th birthday so it is a celebration in a sense. This past weekend was a bridal shower for one of her granddaughters in Milwaukee and I got my act together early and made up a tea towel printed with one of my mom's recipes. I've done this before when my mom was still with us but now it takes on new meaning to see her handwriting, recall her comments "Oh! I have to have that recipe!" and then to have something so practical to use:

Mom's handwritten recipe card with my recipe for a chicken dish

Along with the towel, printed via Spoonflower, I made up a pair of hot mitts because everyone needs a pair in their kitchen.

Tea towel, hot mitts with bag (folded)

I was getting ready to send them off when I thought about a gift bag, wrapping paper, wrinkled contents...and I think I can do something better. Checking to make sure I still had fabric left over, I made up a tote bag, decorating it with stitches from my latest Bernina 730 Record sewing machine. It turned out cute and was a nice alternative to a paper gift bag that others toss (of course, I have to save mine). I sent it off to my sister and added a photo of how it was to be assembled for the actual present:

See? Stuff and tie up like this...

She loved it! I was so happy that it made a hit and was like having my mom and I both at the shower, too. We'll be going to the wedding later in the spring where we will miss my mom who wouldn't have missed it for anything if she was still here with us. Yes, you can tell it's been a hard year for me without her.

Kristen with towel (she looks happy!)

March madness continues with the Viking 19 already getting interest and the Brother Select-O-Matic getting picked up on Saturday. This is so exciting! I love these machines but I can't keep them all and have had these two sitting around and just waiting for new owners. Jess called me and was sure the Viking 19 was the model he wanted even though he's a first time sewing machine owner. But since he's coming from about two hours southeast of me it's going to take some finagling to get some time off to come pick it up.

On the same day I get a call from Judy who already has a Brother Select-O-Matic but the cam shaft is frozen and neither the local tech or her own super powers can get it moving enough to function. That's alright since she can buy mine to see if she can figure out how to fix hers. Yes, that is one method I've used myself and she doesn't mind using that tactic because she knows she can still sell it if she doesn't need it in the end. How fun to think she knows exactly what she's getting! Judy also lives about 2+ hours away but it's northwest of me and won't be able to make the trip until the weekend but I'm good with that plan, too. Both of these machines are gems that don't come up for sale too often and that's a testament to how good they are: you keep the good ones!

We are celebrating today: life looks hopeful as we can look back without pain or too much regret, and can look forward to new adventures that await us. As always, there is so much sewing and so little time yet so many, many sewing machines to try! Which one are you using today?