Mother's Day

I want to honor my Mom publicly here on my blog.

She is the cause of Kiser Krafts. My Mom taught me everything I know. She is the one who encouraged me to make the ideas I see in my head and to not be afraid to try something new. Also to try again a different way if it didn't go as planned the first time. She is a corner stone God gave me to help support me, to help build me up, and to love me through all times in my life. So let us start with what her main influence in my life is...

Crafting

Crafting…from Mom to daughter, who passes it on to her daughter, who shares it with Grandma. It may sound confusing, but it really is not. It is the “Craft circle” that is in my family. My Grandmama was the master of the sewing machine. And she made sure each of her eight children knew how to sew. My Mother is one of them. She was taught at a young age, so she taught her children at a young age.  My siblings and I each started with sewing on buttons at 3-4 years of age. And I started with straight seams on Mom’s machine at 4. She taught each of us how to make our own pillows for our own beds. As time went on, more projects were introduced. I made my first skirt at the age of nine. Yes, it was a simple straight seam, casing wasted, elastic skirt, but I made it. On that skirt I was taught how to do a formal hand stitched hem. Then more things were added: pillow cases, skirts, dresses, slip covers, and pattern reading. Everything guided and taught by my Mom. She always had us creating something, with all sorts of items (mediums).  The memory that stands out is the Halloween where we turned our garage into a Hunted House. Each idea with in its haunted walls came from my Mom’s creativity.  There were all sorts of costumes she made and she included a number of my family members, including Grandmama (who was the Wicked Witch at the end handing out the tricks & treats). The characters she created were so detailed and vivid: a giant spider in a huge web (me), a Mad waitress (my sister) who served a live chopped off head (my Dad), a Giant wart-filled green Troll (my uncle), the headless horsemen (a cousin), and so many others. Each one sewn, painted, make-up, and put together by my Mom and us children. It was a family event. She is an inspiration to me. The very first sock I cut up was because my Mom told me I could. I get the joy of teaching my daughter. She has started to sew huge buttons onto a shoe string. And Penny threads pony beads onto pipe cleaners. And it thrilled my heart to watch at Christmas while Penny and my Mom sat at the table and crafted. They crafted Christmas trees out of ice cream cones, frosting, and sprinkles. It made Penny’s holiday to give key family members a tree that she made herself. 

Mum-Mum teaching Penny to 'paint' on the trees leaves

    

I am so glad the “Circle” will not be broken.  And I can carry into the future the crafting my Mother taught me.

Second influence...

Mothering

I am a Mom. Praise the Lord! I am a Mom!!! To two beautiful, healthy, intelligent, and cuddly children! Penelope came first and boy, I am I glad she did! She is a happy child who was an easy baby. She starting sleeping through the night just after turning 6 weeks old. She made being a 'first time parent' a breeze.

Penelope Louise-Mae

She truly made life brighter. Penny has a personality that just draws you to her. I can see her being a leader. Penny was and is a very good girl. She is tenderhearted, compassionate, joyful, humorous, and the 'light' in this dark and dreary world. A smile from her can turn a day from troublesome to terrific! For all the horror stories I had heard of Motherhood, Penny pushed ALL those out of my mind. She made being a Mom: easy. It helped though to know, MY MOM was only a phone call away!! And I hear myself tell Penny things my Mom told me. "Wear a clean pair of underwear each day." "Make sure to wash your hands before you eat." "Stepping on your brother, is not loving your brother." "You must wear sock with tennis shoes." Each time I say a statement from my Mom, I think about her and 'thank her' silently in my head for the good advice. 
Daniel came second...and WOW! Not easy at all! He ate all the time...in a sense came out eating. He still doesn't sleep all the way through the night. He is in constant need of my attention (which I have problems giving except nothing else would get done) and seems to always need something to eat. 'Garbage Disposal' is the best way to describe it. Danny is a joy, though. He is happy and jolly. His eyes suck you in and his grin melts the coldest of hearts. My Mom told me "I hope you have five boys, Kelly, just like you." Well, I don't have five boys (Praise the Lord) but I do have one little boy who is as busy as five boys. Danny is very observant and curious. Then he gets into things he ought not to. My Mom told me I "kept her on her toes ever while sleeping." Growing up I never truly understood that statement. I do now! I feel like I should sleep with my eyes open and my ears tuned in. I am so glad my Mom demonstrated calmness when dealing with me and my siblings. It taught me how to handle my own children with a calm tone of voice. He is close to turning a year old. My how the year has flown. Danny is my exercise program and a way to enjoy exploring the world in a whole new light.
My Mom shows me so much in so many different ways. Whether, it is with work, play, or my own children, she has the wisdom to share when I ask for it. She works hard, plays harder, and loves to the core of who she is. I can only hope to be half of the Mom, women, she is. I love you Mom.