'Tis the Season, 1

Memories of Christmas past. My mom's tole painting.

This train resides in my daughter's home. I didn't care for tole painting, but for my mom (a frustrated artist, in my opinion), it was a life-line. In her zealous manner, she took classes and conscientiously collected books and painting supplies. She spent hours copying patterns, then arranged them meticulously into a huge file by subject matter. Our house quickly filled to the brim with the final results.

Giving credit where credit is due: besides the fact that my mom made sure I had art lessons as a kid, she  set an example of do-ing/making. I know people who don't know how to make anything and I find that sad because that's a handicap from my point of view.

In addition, my mom taught me the value of patterns. When I was eight, she not only taught me knitting stitches, but also how to read a knitting pattern and later how to read crochet and sewing patterns. I haven't used a pattern in a long time, yet I recognize that it is an important skill to possess. It's a back-up--if I need it, I've got it. And now I feel better about my mom's tole painting. Thanks, Mom, your gifts were many.