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Thursday, March 20 2014

March is (inter)National Craft Month and Kathy Cano-Murillo  aka Crafty Chica posed the question and wrote a wonderful blog post on "Why She Crafts". So why do I craft, the question is especially poignant for me this month. My Mom was born at the beginning of March and passed away at the end of March four years ago. The reason I craft, sew and create is because of my parents, my Mom. My first crafty memories are of sitting on the front porch in the summer with my little sewing machine sewing scraps from the material my Mom was making all of our clothes from. She would make herself a dress, me a jumper and my doll a skirt.

One of my other favorite crafty pastimes were the big sheets of newsprint my Mom would fasten up for me on the wall with a house drawn on it. I had the old Sears catalogue, scissors and a bottle of glue. What fun was that furnishing a house!

What is most remarkable is my Mom did all of this with me even though she never knew what it was like to have a mother or a home of her own. I created this Banner of Hope in memory of my Mom for Hope is ...a Place to Call Home.

My Mom was the result of an affair between a young Salvation Army officer and an older married woman he was staying with. A definite scandal in those days. Disgraced her father went into hiding after dropping my mother off at his Aunt's nursing home. Her mother did not want her. There my Mom spent the first six years of her life, her earliest memories of helping out with the residents, not happy ones. She was given a name, Bessie. From there her father picked her up but never said he was her father, she was then boarded out at different places for the next several years, much she would never talk about.

Why I craft, why I am creative is because of my Mother. She was always so proud of what I did and many of my designs would be proudly displayed in her home. She encouraged and supported my "making things".

I sew and craft because time stands still and imagination flows, the results are satisfying and most often make me smile. I went on to have two beautiful daughters and many crafty adventures with them. I love to share my ideas, my projects and techniques, teaching and see the smiles that brings. Basically I just love to make stuff and have found these most wonderful kindred spirits who do too. The most amazing of all, my Mom! With love, Debra

Posted by: Debra Quartermain AT 07:06 pm   |  Permalink   |  6 Comments  |  Email
Comments:
Posted by Marilyn on 03/21/2014 - 12:35 AM
Thank you Debra for sharing this beautiful story! I so love to hear stories from women our age about their first crafting experiences because we didn't really have craft stores in those days and had to use our imaginations. Your creations make me smile! A kindred spirit, Marilyn
Posted by Lisa on 03/21/2014 - 07:33 AM
What a beautiful message and tribute, Debra! As I read the start of your post I thought of my own Mom and of a time at age 13 that she helped me sew a quilt for my bed. Like your story, it was made from scraps of cloth she had used to make dresses for my sisters and I. Mothers are wonderful ~ and so are the creative gifts and talents that they pass on to us. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by Debra Quartermain on 03/21/2014 - 08:57 AM
Thank you Lisa, isn't wonderful to have such memories.
Posted by Debra Quartermain on 03/21/2014 - 08:59 AM
Oh Marilyn, it is so true!
Posted by Lorine on 03/28/2014 - 04:27 PM
I love the story and I love the banner. A win/win in my book.
Posted by Debra Quartermain on 03/28/2014 - 04:51 PM
Thank you Lorine, means a lot.

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Debra Quartermain Design

 Magical Mimi to Grandlittles, I love to create, decorate & celebrate. Sharing  joy and inspiration from our 200 year old home, Quartermain House B&B on the east coast of Canada.

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    Debra Quartermain Design
    Fredericton, NB
    Canada
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    Email: debraq53@gmail.com

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