A Sampler of Love

As a small child I learned to cross-stitch in grammar school. My first piece was crude, indeed. It was inspired by the movie The Parent Trap and it had the phrase Let's Get Together crossed stitched on it. It sat atop my mother's toaster for years.

Thirty five years ago I made the sampler that you see above. I was newly married and the quote on this cross-stitch was truly the way I felt. Thirty five years later it's sentiment is even more meaningful to me than it was then. When you've been married as long as I have, and been through the valleys as well as the bliss, this phrase has a real depth to it. Every stitch was lovingly sewn through the eyes of a newlywed.

This cross stitch hung on my bedroom wall in one of the first houses I lived in as a married lady. Unfortunately, the roof leaked and my handiwork hanging on the wall was stained with the dirty water that dripped down on it. Being young and not appreciating my own handiwork, I was ready to toss it in the trash. My wise mother rescued it from my ungrateful hands, having it cleaned and made into a beautiful pillow. It sat on her bed until she passed away last year, where I reclaimed it and took it home. Now it sits in my home as a reminder of my mother's wisdom. In a throw away world it's good to be reminded to appreciate the smallest of gifts, even if they're your own.

I seem to be reminded alot lately of my past and the way it has impacted not only my present, but my future as well.

Below you see my next project. I have never done counted cross-sticth before, but being inspired by my own crafty past, I am going to attempt to make this stitchery. I was at the craft store with my eldest daughter when I came across this kit. It has a Parisian influence and I think that is why I was drawn to it. Having spent a week in Paris in 2007, it will be fun to see if I can make this cross-stitch come to life and do it justice.