In Memory of My Mom

My mom was always very frugal and crafty. I never appreciated these things about her when I was younger. The older I get the more I realized how smart and great she was at making a home. My mom died 10 years ago. It was the toughest thing I have ever been through. She took her own life when she was 47 and I was only 29 years old. When I make something I think about how proud my mom would be to see me following in her footsteps. I had to learn to do things on my own when she died. I have her sewing machine, but never thought to take advantage of letting her teach me how to use it or enjoy doing projects with her. Each year I realize I like more and more of the same things she did. I wish we could enjoy these things together, but I can only enjoy my memories and some of her frugal finds. I thought I would share a few of my treasures that were my mom's with you.

When my mom died I kept looking at this photo of her at her lake place that she changed from a yucca plant infested desert looking lot to a lush oasis. The photo shows her holding my son while my nephew is playing in her pond. This was the summer before she died. I love this photo and it makes me happy so I had my boss' wife's dad do a pastel of the photo. He was a well known artist in our area named Ben Konis. You can click on his name to view his website. He passed away several years ago. I am so glad he transformed the picture below to art work that I will cherish all of my life and pass down to my son.

Here is my prized art work! Taking a photo of it just doesn't do it justice.


Old scale.

This is an old butter churner.

This cabinet has an old sewing machine in it.

I love my rusty old milk container. I am thinking I might make a table out of it someday.

These are some old ceramic jugs she had. My friend's dad gave me tho old metal fire water pumper thing because my husband is a fireman.

This is an old crock that I use to fill in the missing seat from the chair I love which was my mom's.

I am not sure what this is, but I use it to store blankets under my table. I like it...just don't know what it is.