Mothers' Day Gift

What do you give your mother for Mothers' Day?  Is it difficult to find a gift?  Make something for her instead.  Here's what I made made for my mother-in-law last year.  It contains photos of her own mother, who had passed away years ago.  The jewelry used in the project also belonged to her mother.

Create a fabric wall hanging.  Begin with any piece of fabric.  I chose a dresser scarf that already had embroidery and lace at the bottom.

I printed the photos (scanned in from originals) onto fabric.  You can either use pre-prepared printable fabric from a craft store or you can use your own fabric.  To use your own fabric, just cut your fabric to 8 1/2 x 11, cut a piece of freezer paper the same size.  Iron fabric to shiny side of freezer paper.  Then feed through printer just as you would regular paper.  Then remove freezer paper from the fabric.  Now you have printed on fabric!  You can sew it onto your background fabric.

The title at the top that reads "All my love, Mother" was copied from a letter that she had saved from her own mother that was written to her.  I simply scanned the letter and printed the signature line on fabric.  I also added pretty digital swirls on the edges, then sewed lace around the border.  The pink jewels on the far edges were earrings that her mother wore.  I embellished her mother's hat with a piece of crochet lace and another piece of her mother's jewelry.  A few more pieces of lace to decorate the smaller pictures, and more jewelry from her mother.

This wording was from her own mother's school report card from 1928.  I simply scanned it, then cropped the "pupil's name" part of the report card and printed it on fabric.  Added lace to the edges and embellished it with a brooch that belonged to her mother.

As you might imagine, this was quite a special gift!  My mother-in-law had given me a small box of her mother's jewelry and said for me to work it into any of my projects.  So, I had to do something special with it, of course....and this is what I came up with!   My husband and I had already scanned all the family photos into the computer for his parents' 50th wedding anniversary.  We wanted to be able to give all the siblings the photos in digital form. 

If you want to do this project for your own mother, you could simply tell her that you'd like to make her something - and would she give you some photos of her own mother to scan and return.  Then ask if she has any jewelry or keepsakes from her own mother - that you'd like to work them into the project.  Of course, don't tell her what the project will be.  There must be some surprise!  This lovely surprise brought tears to my mother-in-law's eyes.  And it will be a family treasure to be handed down to her own daughter.

A Happy Mothers' Day to all of you!

Linking up with these parties:

Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy

Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

Made by you Monday at Skip To My Lou

Feathered Nest Friday at http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

It's a Hodgepodge Friday http://itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com/

Frugalicious Friday http://decormamma.blogspot.com/

A Crafty Soiree http://www.katiesnestingspot.com/

Vintage Inspiration Friday http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Inspiration Friday http://www.atthepicketfence.com/

Thrifty Things Friday http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/

Simple and Sweet Fridays http://rootedinthyme.blogspot.com/

Shabbylicious Friday http://shabbyartboutique.blogspot.com/

Flaunt It Friday http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/

All Things Thursday at All Things With Purpose

Pearls and Lace Thursday at Faith Grace and Crafts

 The Dedicated House for Make it Pretty Monday

Knick of Time Tuesday at Knick of Time Interiors

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Transformed Tuesdays at PJH Designs One of a Kind

We did it Wednesday at Sew Much Ado

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Strut your stuff Saturday at Six Sisters

Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper

Share Your Cup Thursday at Jann Olson Blogspot

Pink Saturday at How Sweet The Sound