Mum's the word

I didn't want to post about this before Christmas.
My 84 year old mother is not really into blog land, but she keeps saying she will get around to looking at my blog one of these days. It would have been just my luck if she had done so the day I posted about her Christmas present.

It - her Christmas present that is - required quite a bit of thought this year. Basically, she has everything she needs and wants - and a lot of stuff that she doesn't want or need. She has decided to have a great 'de-clutter' and we were under strict instructions not to give her anything as all she wanted was to see us. And before you suggest it - she already has the quilted tote, purse, jacket, wall hangings - even the cat has it's own quilt.

I realised that what she did want and need, was not 'stuff'; what she wanted spent on her was not money but caring, time, thought, and effort. So I got 25 large envelopes that she was to open one a day for the holiday period.
I decorated each one with a print and in each, I put something to do - a game or puzzle, some eating goodies, a riddle and a card with a saying or quote.

The cards I made from quilting samples and papers that I have printed/painted. I haven't beautifully neatened the edges - they are not meant to be kept. I thought I would show you because it was also a wonderful re-cycling of trial pieces.

It was also quite a lot of fun finding all those sayings. Some of my favorites include:
'Take my advice - I'm not using it'
and
from Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (for Downton Abbey fans amongst you), on being questioned on what it feels like to be wrong: 'I wouldn't know. I'm not familiar with the sensation.'

Or how about:
'Sometimes I pretend to be normal but it gets boring, so I go back to being me'!!

Thanks for visiting...

Hilary Florence

Please find below a list of linky parties. I may not link with all of the every week, but with some of them most weeks. Please go and have a look at some of the other wonderful quilts and quilters there.

Linky Tuesday at Free motion by  the river­­­­ @ http://www.conniekresin.com/

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @  http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca/

I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Lizzie Lenard @  http://lizzielenard-vintagesewing.blogspot.co.uk   

Finish Friday @ http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.co.uk/

Creative Goodness @ http://quiltshopgal.com/creativegoodness-weekly-linky-parties/