LIFE AT THE COTTAGE

Saturday, February 6, 2010

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,
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

22 comments:

  1. I am so excited have found your blog it is beautiful!!
    I just joined in on your party too... I am so excited to see all the goodies!
    Many Blessings
    Patricia

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  2. Liz,
    That it the prettiest and most special stocking! It is adorable. I could look at it all day. I love the vintage trims and buttons. Just gorgeous!
    Blessings,
    Donna

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  3. What an inspired idea full of love - I love the detail and where it came from and through. Absolutely cherisable and beautiful! Thanks! (And ooooo you are sooooo making that give away enticing. Cute and neat stuff! Someone's going to be blessed by it.) See ya tomorrow, what's on tap tomorrow? I need to look and see. PS just think about how God sees the things HE put together. Like that precious baby! Wow. Jenn

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  4. Liz, your stocking is beautiful, and Lana is an angel! Love the history and the love that went into this very special stocking! ~tina

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  5. wHAT an absolutely beautiful post..loved every bit of it.

    I have had a very hard evening...I lost my entire blog for awhile and it has taken me several hours of working like crazy to get it back...then it was all messed up and a lot of things missing...oh dear !...bad time!

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  6. Liz, I LOVE the stocking you made for Lana. I'm sure when she gets older she's really going to appriciate it. Great Job!

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  7. The stocking is so very sweet!
    And what a wonderful keepsake.

    blessings.

    barbara jean

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  8. That is one BEAUTIFUL stocking!! Thank you so much for sharing the story along with it. I made my daughter's first and only Christmas stocking that I fill each year on Christmas Eve. I love the fact that she also wants the elf hanger that's always been used to hang it from even before we had a home with a fireplace and mantle.

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  9. Ohhh, this has got to be THE SWEETEST and most meaningful stocking I've EVE$R seen!! What a terrific idea and past/future heirloom for that precious little girl!!

    Big TX Hugs,
    Stephanie
    Angelic Accents

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  10. G'morning, dear one...
    I have my today's post up..will be back later to link.
    This has been a really fun meme..Thanks so much.
    xo bj

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  11. What a sweet idea! 4 generations. It makes for a lovely keepsake stocking. Lana is one lucky baby!
    WendyBee

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  12. What a sweet little stocking! I love it, it's just so precious and elegant
    Kaysi

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  13. So sweet especially the baby. Hope you have a wonderful Pink Saturday!!!! Cheers, Lia

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  14. I so appreciated and enjoyed this Pink Saturday Post. I share the same line of sewing mothers as you, except I have a DILaw who loves to craft. The stocking is a family Heirloom....Sue

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  15. You never can have enough vintage trim! Happy Pink Saturday!

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  16. O my goodness! What a gorgeous stocking and what a wonderful keepsake for you to make that can be cherished and passed down to even more future generations. Just beautiful!
    Debbie

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  17. What a beautiful and precious stocking for a beautiful little girl! An heirloom with generations of love sewn into it. Thank you so much for sharing its loveliness and the story with us here at Pink Saturday. Have a lovely weekend.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  18. She is such a precious looking baby- so perfectly beautiful!

    And I do love the delicate stocking!

    In Shoes We Trust,
    Maggie Mae
    "Do these shoes match this purse?"

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  19. How adorable! I'm expecting my first grandbaby and am so excited! Marcia

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  20. Seeing that baby girl put a Big smile on my face.... so precious and adorable.. The stocking is pretty and how special having something on it from all generations of moms. When she gets older, I'm sure she is going to appreciate this so much.

    Enjoy your Wonderful Pink Day*

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  21. Oh my goodness, your grand daughter is so beautiful...all babies are, but she is most beautiful. You did wonderfully on that stocking, I do crazy quilt stockings for my family and I have to tell you it is beautiful and so meaningful, what a treasure Lana has.

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Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to comment.