Day 359 of 365

Tied up

I bought this embroidery kit many months ago thinking that I could do it while taking care of my mother in the nursing home. I knew from the very beginning what I would make and it was meant to inspire the fight against cancer. Today it is just a reminder that she is gone and that fight ended.

I put this on a shelf in May with the intention of letting it go.

I'm one week away from accomplishing this personal challenge and if I'm honest many days since my mother's death have been a struggle. She was larger than life. I miss her laugh more than I thought possible. She was supposed to be here at the end of this journey. We were supposed to sip tea, eat cookies and giggle about all of the adventures I had throughout the year.

For my 359th experience I'm making the embroidery wall art.

Inspired by the last birthday gift that mom gave to me I'm hoping it isn't too difficult to create.

The kit has everything: floss, canvas, needles, washable marking pen and an adorable pair of scissors.

I guess the universe felt that I was getting too serious about this experience because the package that my kit came in was ridiculous to open. I gouged my fingers into the cemented seams and couldn't help but feel the irony of the scissors sealed just out of reach. It was only plastic and cardboard but since I'm in a hotel room today I am 100% without any cutting or slicing implements... aside from the scissors I could not get to.

The packaging did not survive the cardboard and plastic slaughter. I don't know what the manufacturer intended but there was tape on everything.

Among all of the other contents the kit had a card with very basic instructions on stitching. How hard can it be? It's like sewing a cub scout badge, right? I've done hundreds of those... twice.

Not anything like it at all.

I started my stitches loose and it was smart because I had to remove them quite a few times. I feel like this was meant to be a relaxing project.

I couldn't get the box open!

Once I drew my plan on the canvas I mounted it to the rings and went stitch crazy.

It never got relaxing and I spent much of my time deciding that I was only ever going to make one embroidery wall hanging.

Day 359

Love & Light