Thank You, Teacher

We've all had that one teacher who touched our hearts - who recognized our unique qualities and helped us bring them to light. My daughter's second grade teacher was one of these people in Julia's world. Jules grew under Mrs. L.A,'s guidance, coming out of her quiet shell to display a confidence and fortitude that only her family had yet seen. Many of the insecurities and anxieties common to earlier school life began to abate and our caring and sensitive girl seemed to blossom!   

Just before the end of the 2013-2014 school year, Mrs. L.A. announced that she would be leaving classroom teaching to pursue a mentorship role with the regional school board. This was both disappointing and exciting news - sad that she would no longer be a day-to-day presence in our school but excellent for all of the teachers, schools, and students who would benefit from her as a mentor involved with program development.

Determined to show our appreciation for the role she had played in Julia's educational, social, and emotional development, I began work on an embroidery picture for Julia to give to Mrs. L.A. as she embarked upon the next adventure of her teaching career.

I chose fabrics that held sentimental value in Julia's world - one that I used in her bedroom decor when she was a baby and another I used in her first cloth doll.

I re-purposed an old frame to fit the dimensions, and affixed the applique using HeatnBond.

I used pencil to lightly write on the A.A. Milne quotation I had chosen for the embroidery.

Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart - A.A. Milne 

Next, I embroidered the script using a narrowly spaced back stitch in a mossy green floss. I added some chain-stitched petals in blue and peach, filled with a deep violet satin stitch to fashion a decorative flower. The center is composed of clustered  french knots in a fuchsia floss. I embroidered the year using a chain stitch in the same blue and peach from the flower.  

Then finished the project with the frame for mounting and safekeeping. Please excuse the glare.

Julia helped me with the colors and the design and served as support and motivation as I hustled to complete the project in the short time frame allotted by the late confirmation of Mrs.L.A.'s appointment with the Board. We used a piece of scrapbook paper to finish the back of the frame with a handwritten note from Jul thanking Mrs. L.A. for being "the best."

A big fan of all things handmade, Julia was super pleased to present Mrs. L.A. with this gift on the last day of school!