A Mother Until The End

"I miss her so much and I'd love to see her and hug her once more. I can not do that though, so this will be the next best thing."

This week I had the bitter sweet privilege of creating pieces that transcend life itself.

My first tear fell when I had the honour of being asked. The second when I laid my hands on the fabric her mother hand-dyed so many years before. By the time I began creating the necklaces which Christina said would ensure "a little piece of (mum) is still with me wherever I go", I was raw with emotion.

Christina told me "mum loved being creative, and she was so proud of the fabric she dyed", and that "when she became ill, she gave them to me and told me to make something special with them".  

I've had the privilege of creating pieces for Christina before, and when her mum underwent her last chemo treatment last year, Christina asked me to make her mum an earthy piece with butterflies and dragonflies which had always had a special meaning to her. 

Sadly Christina's mum passed away some months later.

Having previously made pieces for Christina and her mum, and after sharing in some of Christina's pain over her mum's illness, I felt honoured and very connected to the task of combining a little piece of both of them in these necklaces. It seemed to beautifully unite so many stages of motherhood - from the glorious beginnings to the inevitable and sometimes trying end.

These creations had me reflecting on my own mum, the complicated and fabulous creature that she is, and my own role as mum to my boys.

These creations have been a poignant reminder of what we should all be thinking about this coming Mother's Day. My mum is an irreplaceable extension of me - she hurts when I hurt, and laughs when I laugh. Like so many mothers, she would sacrifice anything and everything for me. In becoming a mum, she chose to put me before herself, from that day until her last - not because I expect this of her, but because she is incapable of anything less.

Like my mum, Christina describes hers as "an incredibly strong person, always thinking of her children first".

This Mother's Day, try to escape the commercial fluff, and take the time to think about your mum and what she means to you. I know Christina will be thinking of hers, and I hope these necklaces help her feel a little closer to her mum.

Thank you Christina for trusting in me to create something of such beautiful significance. I hope I've done justice to your mum's fabrics and your heart.

Much love, 

Tess x