Fourteen Days of Love - Day 6 - Oh...You're so Crafty!

We all know there is no shortage of
 creativity out in the blogosphere.  So, there
should be quite a show of special crafts dedicated to LOVE
for this Valentine's party!

I come from a long line of crafty women—no,

not that kind—the good kind!!!   ; )

My grandmother was a seamstress, who passed that skill on to

her daughter—my mother—who passed it on to me.

 It's a craft that has proven to be quite useful for all of us,

especially during the years of rearing children and making our homes

our families' havens.

I have a daughter who now also has a daughter—my granddaughter, Lana.

My daughter, Asheley, set out to find a very 

unique Christmas stocking for her daughter's very first Christmas.

(I know you must be thinking I have my holidays mixed up, but I don't.

Since the current holiday is all about love, I thought I'd share a very special

craft project that I feel totally represents that topic.  So just

hang in there!)

Asheley looked for weeks for that special stocking,

but found nothing she felt was special enough.

So, Grammy—that would be me—put the old (but not that old!)

thinking cap on and came up with this solution.

I felt that if I could pull together everything I needed,
from bits and pieces gathered from the four generations who came before her,
I could craft a very unique Christmas stocking for my first grandchild.

Each of the items you see in the photo above represents something that
belonged to either my grandmother, my mother, my daughter, or me.

My grandmother had already moved on to heaven,

years before Lana was born.

And the only thing my mom could find that had belonged to Grandma—something

appropriate for this project, anyway—was a pink cotton nightgown,

stored away in her keepsake trunk, along with some vintage buttons.

My mom donated a variety of lace pieces
and several cards of tiny vintage buttons that were
just perfect for a baby's stocking.

From my collection of vintage fabrics
and notions, I was able to select a fabric for the stocking itself and several
battenburg lace doilies to use as embellishment.

Asheley has not yet taken up the craft of sewing. So, it was even more challenging
 to determine what her contribution to this project would be.

But, as she and I sorted through her keepsakes, I spied two items that
were exactly what was needed to finish off this one-of-a-kind gift.

There was a garter from Asheley's wedding—there had been two,
one to throw and one to keep—and a piece of sequined trim that
we had used on a costume we'd made for her senior prom.

The theme for her prom had been Phantom of the Opera and that pretty 

trim had been used on an elaborate mask we had

created to go with her gown and cape.

Now, with all the necessary elements assembled,

I was ready to embark on the journey to create that

 "special" Christmas stocking.

The pink cotton from Grandma's gown was used for the lining

and the inside ruffle at the top of the stocking. 

The outer ruffle, at the top, was created from a piece

of my mother's lace.

There could not have been a more appropriate trim—to unite

the ruffles at the top and the stocking fabric itself—than

 Asheley's bridal garter.

Look back at the image above.  See how the solitary

 rhinestone heart plays up the tiny hearts in the lace?

Hearts are synonymous with Valentine's, right?  And you thought

 I was confused about the holiday!   ; )

There was just enough of the sequined trim to

 create a heart in the center of the stocking

 and accent the toe and heel as well.

Isn't that pink heart button

from my grandmother's collection precious?!

One of my battenburg lace doilies was heart-shaped,

so it became the focal point at the center of the stocking.  It made a terrific

 background for the sequined heart and pink heart button.

The other doily was cut apart and used as

decoration on the toe and heel.

I selected several other vintage buttons—from the assortment 

gathered from my grandmother, my mother, and me—and used

those as the final decorative touches.

And the bits and pieces of

four generations culminated in this.

The three generations of mothers still living, 

who have seen this sweet little Christmas stocking in person,

are well pleased with the end product.

And I believe Grandma is smiling down from heaven,

 knowing that she was able to contribute something special

to one of her great-great-grandchildren.

But Grandma's most beautiful contribution 

was not the material things needed to create a Christmas stocking.  It was her link in the chain

of mothers' love that has been passed down through the generations!

Now on to the giveaway goodies:

Crafting is so much more that just assembling bits and pieces.  It's

 an expression of who we are.

So…

today, I'm adding an assortment of fabric, buttons and trim to

this week's giveaway—some vintage, some new. 

Hopefully, the winner will be able to create 

her own very special keepsake for a loved one.

And...

did I create a little suspense about yesterday's giveaway?

I certainly hope so!!!

I know you're just dying to know what it is.

So, without further delay...

here is the adorable set of mini bowls

that will be added to the giveaway, for yesterday's topic—Seeing Red.

Sharing at

Tiffany's Making the World Cuter Mondays, Kaysi's Motivate Me Monday,

Diana's Just Something I Whipped Up Monday, and Summer's Market Yourself Monday.

Beverly's Pink Saturday.

Reminder:  Please be sure to publish your

Valentine's post, before you link to the party. And

don't forget to mention the Brambleberry Cottage

in your post.

Remember to leave a comment to be entered in this
week's drawing for the giveaway!

1. Patricias Heart Banner 2. Jenn Raley 3. http://sweetnothingsbj.blogspot.com/2010/02/hugs-and-kisses-to-you.html

4. http://beansiebabbles.blogspot.com/2010/02/day-six-of-fourteen.html 5. Ann Creek 6. http://donna-sugarspicesouthernlife.blogspot.com/

7. barbara jean 8. Marilyn

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