My mother-in-law, Emme, was an incredible seamstress and pattern maker. It always amazed me how she could whip up absolutely anything in her sewing room. Though much of her huge collection of patterns and fabric was donated, each of us girls took a box of fabrics that we either felt some connection to or thought we would use in some way. While my “new” sewing machine still sits there, untouched and perhaps a little less shiny then it was in April, there was some fall themed fabric originally meant for appliqué that I could use for something else. A fabric leaves bowl, perfect to hold some small pumpkins and gourds and be a little reflection of life.
The fabric is printed with scarecrows, leave, pumpkins and fall/harvest themes. I thought the leaves would be perfect to Mod Podge on an indoor planter bowl I picked up for a song on clearance at JoAnn’s. It’s simple and I like that the leaves are just partially turned to autumn color. A reminder that, like leaves, our lives are forever changing. Families change. Loved ones are lost. Loved ones are born. New loved ones are embraced into family. The leaves of family may change. Though just as the tree remains strong and able to sustain its continued renewal, so is the fabric of family woven tightly to remain resilient and steadfast, despite change and challenge.
There’s a commercial for cotton with a jingle that says “the fabric of our lives.” I realize the commercial is referring to clothing. These little cotton leaves are no longer part of a piece of forgotten fabric. They represent the fabric of my family life, transformed into a bowl that reflects fall, family, memories and life – the yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Reflect on all the good things of family and life and enjoy a wonderful Friday. Wishing my niece a very happy birthday today!
Love it Cindy!
I would have not thoughto put that fabric on a bowl, but then again I have a hard time thinking outside the box in the crafty world! Looks good as always, Cindy! Pinned!
Cindy, I love this post about how life changes with loss and addition of new family members….very eloquently written.
Such a sweet and meaningful post! I love the fabric leaves on the bowl! So pretty. Pinning now!
Cindy, you outdid yourself with this one! The fabric leaves on the bowl really adds such dimension and color to this project.
You go girl :).
xxx
Doreen, thank you so much (for everything!) Hope you are having a fantastic weekend!
Hi Cindy Hope you had a good week and relaxing planned for weekend. Course it depends on what you call relaxing. Your bowl looks really pretty with the leaves on it. What did you do with all the pumpkins, etc?
Enjoyed your post, very touching, the older I get the more I feel that way.
I have some vintage tablecloths that have some stains and holes so I cut some fruit and flowers off them to use as applique on table runners. Another one had little sections that were perfect to make pillows and used them for the ruffles on end of a table runner. I have several of them in our bedroom and bathroom. Finding the table runners to be pretty handy for something different on a dresser or a stand for our towels, toiletries in our bathroom since we don’t have a linen closet.
Great post, happy weekend
Hi JaneEllen – I’ll bet your table runners and pillow look wonderful and what a great idea to find a new use for the vintage tablecloths. I love that! I’m going to use the pumpkins and some of the other parts of the fabric on another project, which will be coming up in November. Thank you so much for your kind visit and sweet comment, I truly appreciate it! Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
“The touch, the feel . . . the fabric of our lives” is now running through my mind – in a good way! I’m so all about family and your post today really warmed my heart. And I believe your fabric leaves bowl is truly a beautiful work of art! I love to stop by and find inspiration from your posts!
Alli, thank you so much, your comment and visit is so meaningful to me. I hope you are having a lovely weekend!