First, let me begin with a little story. Last year, while we visited Australia, my dear Sister-in-Law Emma decided to sew up a couple of quick kangaroo stuffies for my boys. I was impressed, as were the boys. In fact, it sparked this little comment from Thomas…

“Mum. Will you please make something for me so I have something to remember you by?”

Of course this initially made me consider my own mortality and then defensively declare that I take lots of photographs and make him photo books dammit! (OK, I didn’t really say dammit, but I felt like it).

But it did start me thinking about a few things I could potentially make with these craft-challenged hands of mine… you know, so I won’t be forgotten.

A couple of months later I came across a site that sells fun digital cross stitch patterns and, drawing on memories from the cross stitch phase of my late teens and early twenties, I made these…

Cute, huh?  After much deliberation, I gave the superheroes to Thomas and Star Wars to Samuel (his new obsession).

They were pretty quick and easy to make and the most expensive part was getting them framed. (Seriously, why is framing so expensive?!) The best part is that the boys loved them and were incredibly impressed that I made them all by myself. I’m pretty sure they were more impressed by Auntie Emma’s stuffies but at least it’s something to remember me by… if only I’d remembered to sign them. Oh well, next time.