Butterfly Birthday Card

Yesterday was my Mum's birthday ... I won't reveal her advanced age ... and she insisted on the fact that she didn't want any 'presents' but rather our 'presence'.  As someone who has always loved craft and sewing, I knew she would appreciate the love that goes into a handmade gift, so I set about stitching her a birthday card.  

This butterfly was one of a set of six gorgeous butterfly designs in the March 2014 issue of the Cross Stitch Card Magazine and, as I sometimes do, adjusted the colour shade selection to suit what was available in my stash and to have fun by experimenting with varying colours. However, I was really happy with the blended shades for this design as I think the soft teal and blue work well against the contrasting purple outlining and matching cardstock.  

With the design 10cm square (3-3/4 in.), 53 high x 53 wide and stitched on 14 count white aida, took approximately 3 to 4 hours to complete over the space of a couple of days.  My only regret is that I was running out of time to finish the card before collecting my Mum to bring her home to our place for a home cooked birthday dinner and as such would have liked to add embellishment with a few beads here and there to give a certain sparkle.  I think it would have given a pretty finish.  As with all my cards a white paper insert was attached to write a special message.  

I'm happy to report that Mum loved the card, a small posy of my home-grown miniature roses and the birthday dinner and mentioned on more than one occasion that she had had a lovely day.  I guess that's all that really matters, isn't it?

Ros

'Love is like a butterfly.  It goes where it pleases and it pleases wherever it goes' - Author unknown.

Ladybird Fever

As well as my stitching and family commitments I am also a volunteer with the Pyjama Foundation - an organisation which recruits and trains volunteers to work with children in the foster care system for an hourly session on a weekly basis.  The aim is to not only assist with their reading and academic work but to mentor and build a trusting and friendly relationship as another adult in their fragile little lives.  As you can appreciate all Readers (or 'Pyjama Angels' as we are called) undergo a stringent interview process and criminal check as well as intensive training before being matched with a suitable child.  

The little girl I have been working with now for three years - let's call her 'J' for confidentiality and privacy reasons - came into her current foster home when 18 months old after placement with four other primary carers since birth.  So it is of no surprise that she had physcological, bonding and control issues when I first began working with her at the tender age of two and there were certainly times when it would have been easy to walk away when she became quite demanding in some of the sessions.  But I saw potential in 'J' and decided to go back to basics with her by doing fun things such as blowing bubbles and walking around the garden smelling and touching flowers and herbs that her foster Mum grew.  Fast forward three years and the transformation in 'J' in amazing which I can only attribute to stability and security in her home life, an awesome foster Mum and self-satisfaction in her own achievements.  She has even visited our home on a few occasions to help bake muffins, scones or decorate cupcakes and plant seedlings in the garden and the connection that has developed with my family is heartening.

A couple of weeks ago 'J' celebrated her 5th birthday and one of her favourite things - for some reason - is ladybirds and this extends to pyjamas, doona cover, cushions, bedroom wall frieze, moneybox and other little trinkets in her bedroom.   So, as well as a little gift, I cross stitched a ladybird card for her and added 5 handmade bows which was a simple little project and took no time at all to make.  The design was taken from a book which will form the subject of a future post as it has some fantastic ideas for young and/or beginner stitchers.

Clear double-sided tape was used to mount the design and bows on to folded A5 red cardstock and a white paper insert inside the card made it easy to write and read the birthday message.  'J' and her foster Mum thought the card was beautiful and it went on the entertainment unit along with all her other greeting cards.  

For the record mine was her sixth ladybird card.

Ros

'Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow: Don't walk behind me, I may not lead: Walk beside me, and be my friend.' - Albert Camus