Monday, January 13, 2025

Miss you Mom

It's difficult to start this post as I'm still coming to terms with my mom's death the day before Thanksgiving. She was actually living with us after a serious health event when I started this blog back at the end of 2011 and was always such a fan of my stitching; I would get emails from her almost as soon as I would make a post because she checked here several times a day, even when I told her I usually only posted one day a week. During her hospitalizations and rehab stays in 2024 I would often use her iPad to pay her bills, and every time I opened her browser it would be open to my blog. So it's hard to write this knowing that she'll never see it, but I'm trying to find my "normal" again and stitching and blogging are a part of that.

The Thursday before Thanksgiving I spent a few hours visiting my mom and I started a Jim Shore Mill Hill ornament for a friend who was supportive while I dealt with everything this past year; we both love the cardinals that visit our bird feeders so I thought this ornament was perfect for her. My husband, son and I were supposed to go to my mom's care facility the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to celebrate the holiday there, but Monday afternoon she slipped into an unresponsive state so instead I spent Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday sitting with her and stitching while families gathered in the main part of the facility. I finished the ornament Tuesday night, and the next morning she left me. All that to say that of course I couldn't give the ornament away, so I decided to stitch it again for my friend and used 18ct perforated paper instead of the 14ct that comes in the kits. I really like the smaller version created by using 18ct and will definitely be using it for more ornaments:


I did sub out two of the size 15 beads, one with a petite bead and one with a Magnifica; if there are more than about six beads in a row then the size 15s are too large for the 18ct paper. 

I also used the 18ct paper to stitch a new little ornament from Val's Stuff called The Giving Season; she is donating all of the profits from kits sold last November and December to a local pet food pantry in her area, so I bought it both because it's adorable and because it was for a good cause:


I'm going to make a beaded hanger for it, just haven't felt like pulling my beads out yet to choose colors.

I had received a Mirabilia model last August before things really got crazy here, so it was not quite halfway done when December rolled around and it was supposed to be completed by early February. It's probably good that I had it though, because stressing about meeting the deadline made me work on it even when I didn't really want to, and the stitching process started to work its magic and bring some much-needed peace to my mind and body. I finished it on December 30th and was able to ring in the New Year with no deadline pressure and working on an old WIP from about 13 years ago, Nora Corbett's Needle Fairy:


There are six Stitching Fairies in this series and so far I've completed Floss, Pincushion and Needle, with Thimble, Bead and Linen still to stitch.

Back in October I finished Nora's Arezzo, which wasn't very far along in my last post from September:


This past weekend I started the newest Mirabilia design called Merry Merry; I have this fun snowflake fabric from HLC Fabrics and I thought it would be perfect for this one:


Here she is as of last night:


There is some Kreinik #4 braid used around her collar and I really didn't like how thin it looked on my fabric. The circled area on the right side shows how it looked with one strand of the Kreinik; for the area on the left side I used one strand of DMC 890 to make the stitches then topped them with stitches of Kreinik and I like it much better:


I really need to get some things done around the house that I've been neglecting for the past couple of months, but I'm planning to work on this one when I have stitching time.

I'll end with a piece that I stitched for my mom back when she was exactly the age I am now, and a photo that I've always disliked. It was my mom's favorite photo of us but I've always thought I look horrible; now I just see how happy and healthy she looks and I love it too:


I'm really hoping for a good 2025, and wish the same for everyone.

12 comments:

  1. Oh Melanie, I am so very sorry for your loss. It'll take time for things to get to what will be the new normal, but I hope you are on your way there. I'm glad your stitching can be some small comfort, and also a way to always feel close to your mum.
    So yeah, let's see where this new year will take us!

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    1. Thank you Leonore. It will take more time, but at least I can see the beginnings of that new normal now. I did forget to mention that my mom bought me my first cross stitch kit when I was in college, so I'll always have that memory as well--she is definitely intertwined in my stitching.

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  2. So sorry to hear about you Mom's passing.
    Beautiful stitching, love Arezzo.
    Marilyn

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    1. Thank you Marilyn, it's good to "see" you. :)

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  3. Oh Melanie, it's so good to see your post! Be kind to yourself. We have a weird way of pressuring ourselves to do and to be that we would never think of doing to someone else, even in grief. Let it be what it's going to be. What a blessing stitching is. Your mom would be so pleased that your stitching is comforting you and gently bringing you back into life. Keeping you in my prayers.

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    1. Thank you so much. I'll always remember seeing your comment asking about me when things were at their absolute worst, a little ray of light letting me know that there was going to be a way forward.

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  4. My heart hurts for you because I miss my mom dearly. It just hurts to lose your mom. Hugs. So glad you're finding happiness in your stitching again.

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    1. Thank you, and I'm sorry for your loss as well; sending hugs to you.

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  5. So sorry for your loss. It sounds like you have some wonderful memories of your Mum and a lovely photo too. She will live on in your stitching too.
    Merry Merry is so pretty, the extra strand of thread makes all the difference to the Kreinik. Do you have Miss Christmas Eve stitched already? They make a lovely pairing.

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    1. Thank you Jo. I have the floss for Miss Christmas Eve kitted up but never picked a fabric; definitely want to stitch her, though, to go along with Merry Merry.

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  6. I'm so sorry to hear about your sweet Mom. I love that you said she is intertwined in your stitching, treasure your memories.
    It will be three years this year that my Momma has been gone, and I still miss her. I have some of the things I stitched her and think of her every time I see them.
    Your stitching is as beautiful as ever, the Santa with the cardinal is so perfect and lovely.
    I have done the same thing with the Kreinik thread, it looks so much better. She looks great with that fabric.
    Sending hugs and lots more stitches. ❤

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    1. Thank you so much; sending condolences for the loss of your mom. It is nice to have things that we've stitched for our loved ones, there are so many emotions stitched into and attached to them. Hugs to you.

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