My mother nurtured this love during my childhood by "working willingly" with her hands. She sewed pretty dresses (some hand-smocked on heirloom fabrics) and blouses, fully lined garments, including skirts, vests, and coats for my sister and me to wear to school and church. Mom knitted sweaters for my brother and scarves with matching mittens for all of us to play in the snow. The walls of our home were graced by her lovely cross stitch samplers, quilted applique, and crewel embroidery. She also crocheted afghans for our family to be cozy while reading good books. I'm thankful that mom taught me not only how to sew, knit, and crochet but also all types of needlework as a little girl, including Swedish weaving, cross stitch, and sewing fabric yo yos for crafts. I loved to play with the array of colorful buttons in a big, round tin on her sewing machine. One special Christmas morning I discovered that mother had stayed up late on many evenings that winter to sew a beautiful collection of new doll clothes for me. Now, her sweet great-granddaughters play with my beloved vintage doll. Both my mother and my husband's mother left a legacy of cherished quilts that were carefully pieced and quilted by hand. As for me, I love machine quilting!
I'm a former classroom teacher with graduate studies in Reading Education. It was a joy to teach children at every grade level. Plus, I studied classical French cuisine for two years at a culinary institute! Reading, cooking, sewing, art, and music are some of the good gifts that we share with our family and friends. That's the very essence of a sweet life.
Thank you for sharing your time with me today. The launch of my own cottage industry is a new adventure and the fulfillment of a dream.
"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24