Dear Mom,
I decided to sort through some of my sewing stuff. Well, it didn’t start that way: originally, I decided to pare down all my beading stuff, and store it in smaller containers because, well, I don’t really do much with beads that could be called ‘beading’ and I wanted tyo be able to see what I had on hand at a glance so I don’t go out and buy more. That led to the discovery of all the sequins in different containers – and I didn’t purchase those sequins. They came to me via you. I also uncovered the box of Styrofoam egg shapes that I was going to decorate for Easter some day. And with the egg shapes was a wreath form which reminded me that I recently purchased a heart-shaped wreath form with the idea of hanging a Valentine wreath outside after the Christmas decorations were down.
I went in search of ribbons and discovered what a mess my little sewing corner is. I have some of yours and some of mine, all knick-knacks and supplies hoarded over the years. Yes, you hoarded things long before I did, and I brought some of your hoard home with me after Dad died.
I spent a rough couple of days getting up and down, staring near-sighted at sequins, beads, and messes of ribbons, lace, and – this will crack you up – my assortment of screws, nails, pins, push-pins, thumbtacks, hasps, and the little tins I use to store those items in.
At the end of the day, I don’t think I made much progress, but I did darn a pair of socks that have been waiting on my sewing machine. I threw a lot of stuff into the “thrift store donation” box. I made the decision to toss the bits of ric rac ribbon you saved (really, Mom? four inches of silver ric rac and six inches of gold and two inches of red?). Oh, and I decided to donate about ten packages of unopened bias tape. I’ll never use it.
I hauled out the red-yellow-green plastic drawer set I bought years ago for Chrystal to store her toys in. I was using it to store fabric in, and mending jobs, but I really hated it and it took up so much room. I taped a “FREE” sign on it and set it out on the edge of the lawn, by the stop sign. It was gone within the hour. The fabric is tossed in a corner on the floor for tonight, but I have a plan on how to store it.
Finally, I got out my (new) hot glue gun, the basket of old laces, and the last of the silk flowers. I wrapped the heart-shaped wreath form, glued, and wired it to hang. Simple, and now that Christmas has been officially retired for the season (on Epiphany, not the day after like Dad always insisted we do), the wreath is a timely asset to the front door. I think you’d love it.
That’s enough for today –
Love always.
Jaci Dawn 
So much like my experience with my mom’s things. In maturity, she had moved away from crafts and sewing, into painting – so there was quite a bit of that; which I hoarded until, fourteen years later, it has dried up. I still have some of the jars – just in case. She also liked to knit. I have some yarn.
Whenever I use up any of her supplies; like thread and yarn, I feel Momclose by, APPROVING my efforts …. because she was never one to make a shrine of THINGS. She would have wanted her stuff to be used, and if it became a burden, to be thrown away.
The things I inherited from my mother are not things.
I laughed. I can remember the ric rac ribbon and other little things, such as all the lace, buttons, beads, sequins, etc. Like someone else I know, she was very crafty, using ric rac and other items for trimming all sorts of things.
Like many of you readers’ mothers, our Mom made her own Christmas cards, decorated Easter eggs, and doll dresses. (all this before crafting became a “thing”). Then us kids got older and it was too difficult to corral three kids and their friends. And as us kids grew, so did the cost of raising us, so Mom went to work. There went the time for the crafting. (and we grew out of the stage of being entertained with it as well) Life was fun!
(actually, life still is fun. It’s just different fun.)
Fun times