Creative Happy Tuesdays: My Pamana from Mama Lola

I used to hang out in my Mama Lola's room whenever she sewed. She had an old Singer sewing machine in her room. Eventually she taught me how to use it. She also helped me sometimes in my sewing homework. I never learned how to make clothes though or knit. Those were the two things my grandma loved to do. 

One thing I was fond of in her room was her sewing kit. I loved opening it and I would look through the contents. Of course, I always got scolded whenever I did that. What attracted me to it was the colorful pearl pins. I always told my Mama Lola to just give it to me when she got tired of it. 

She did leave it for me when she passed away. She had gone back to Bicol and lived there for a few years. She only came back to Manila when she got sick and was hospitalized. I unfortunately got the call from the hospital when she passed. I was just about to go to school then. I went to school without telling my parents that I already knew. I did not know how to deal with the news. I was on auto-pilot in school that day. 

It's been 33 years since my Mama Lola died. It was her birthday the other day and I completely forgot about it. I only remembered when a huge brown butterfly circled around me while I was watering plants. My Mama Lola loved the color brown. She always told the story that she stared someone down when she saw a lady wearing blue staring at her across a room. She soon realized it was her. She wasn't used to wearing blue and thought it was someone else staring at her. Maybe Mama Lola was color blind. 

I still have the sewing kit. I haven't really used it and kept the original contents in it. I opened it when I took the photo earlier and found some materials I used when I was in high school. I always kept the sewing kit close to me. The only time I didn't have it with me was when I lived in Singapore. It's now here in my craft room and I think I'll go through it soon.

I miss you Mama Lola. Thanks for finally finding me in my new home. 

#BeKind #StaySafe