A Mother's Legacy

I'm a mother of 6 sons. Tell me where they give out awards for perseverance as a mother? I would love to apply! Actually, I do believe I will get rewarded one day -- by my heavenly Father -- for the job I have done and am continuing to do. But, in the meantime, where are all the odes to motherhood there once were in previous generations? I have over 200 vintage books and magazines from the 1800s in my collection. One of the most profound things I see there is the celebration of mothers. In fact, I have an entire book -- three inches thick -- just filled with poetry, prose and pictures celebrating motherhood. They have truly inspired me. Just this week, I completed a fabrid crazy quilt mini book (ACEO size - 2.5" x 3.5") celebrating motherhood. I wish there was a way to duplicate the effort -- but this one is truly one of a kind. I just put it up for bid on ebay today. I am really excited about how it turned out. There are 8 pages, not including the cover front and back. My ebay ad shows all the pages, but here is the front of the book. Tell me what you think!

Don't you just wish sometimes. . .

. . .You could climb into your mother or grandmother's lap and be rocked to sleep again as you were in your childhood? You know, on those particularly stressful nights when sleep just won't come and you find yourself doing things like stitching on a project? I have two sons getting married in the next two months, and there is just SO much to get done I sometimes have trouble sleeping!

There is a fabulous vintage poem about just that I wove into one of my latest art projects up for bid on Ebay -- Rock Me to Sleep -- by Mrs. Elizabeth Akers Allen. (See the entire poem below!)I am really excited about how this project turned out. I used vintage laces, fabrics and beads and incorporated a section of that wonderful poem, along with a vintage (1898) picture transferred onto soft silk. It is heavily embellished, including a spider web for good luck and is perfect for framing or hanging as it is in its 5x7 miniature size. I put hours into each hand-stitched piece I create and they are treasures I sometimes wish I could hang onto for just a bit longer! This one especially. Hope you enjoy looking at it (I included a picture here) -- and may it bring back fond memories of your own childhood times rocking with Mother or Grandmother. -- Judi

"Backward, turn backward, O Time! in your flight,

Make me a child again just for to-night!

Mother, come back from the echoless shore,

Take me again to your arms as of yore,

Kiss from my forehead the furrows of care,

Smooth the few silver threads out of my hair;

Over my slumbers your loving watch keep --

Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep!

Backward, fly backward, O swift tide of years!

I am weary of toil, I am weary of tears!

Toil without recompense, tears all in vain,

Take them and give me my childhood again!

I have grown weary of dust and decay,

Weary of flinging my soul-wealth away,

Weary of sowing for others to reap;

Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep!

Tired of the hollow, the base, the untrue,

Mother, O mother, my heart calls for you!

Many a summer the grass has grown green,

Blossomed, and faded our faces between!

Yet with strong yearning and passionate pain,

Long I to-night for your presence again!

Come from the slience so long and so deep, --

Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep!

Over my heart in days that are flown,

No love like mother love ever has shone,

No other worship abides and endures,

Faithful, unselfish, and patient like yours;

None like a mother can charm away pain

From the sorrowing soul and the world-weary brain,,

Slumber's soft calm o'er my heavy lids creep;

Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep!

Come let your brown hair just lighted with gold,

Fall on your shoulders again as of old;

Let it fall over my forehead to-night,

Shielding my eyes from the flickering light:

For oh! with its sunngy-edged shadows once more,

Happy will throng the sweet visions of yore;

Lovingly, softly its bright billows sweep--

Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep!

Mother, dear mother, the years have been long

Since last I was hushed by your lullaby song,

Since then again, -- to my soul it shall seem

Womanhood's years have been only a dream;

Clasped to your arms in a loving embrace,

With your soft light lashes just sweeping my face,

Never hereafter to wake or to weep;

Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep."

Spring Creativity

I have been thoroughly inspired watching all the new creation of Spring around me here in the country. Watching birds building their nests and calves frolicking in the pasture prompted some springtime designing of my own. I have three new pieces of fiber art up (two ACEOs or ATCs, which stand for Art Cards, Editions and Originals, or Art Trading Cards) and one 5"x7" miniature crazy quilt with the theme of "Mother Love" for bid on Ebay and several more to post next week. Take a look! -- Scroll down and see "Comfort is a Soft Kitten" and you can find it on Ebay by searching for the following item number in the Ebay search engine:
330108402711