Pink For Ardath

This week’s Diva Challenge is to include the color pink in a tile in honor of Laura’s grandmother, Ardath, who died of complications from breast cancer.  As I read Laura’s tribute to her grandmother it brought up memories of my own mother who also died from breast cancer.

In an homage of all who have  or have had breast cancer this tile uses the color pink for those who are fighting or have fought breast cancer and green for healing.

Tangles used: Miander, Arnia, and Fugu
Color: Prismacolor Colored Pencils

When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer her Oncologist gave her six months to live. It was 1955 – she was 37 and had four young children between the ages of 2 and 12. At that time in history a diagnosis of cancer was a death sentence.  That was before mammograms were used for screening so by the time tumors were found, the disease had taken hold and was considered terminal.  Treatment was dramatic and painful – A mastectomy that removed the breast and all of the surrounding chest muscles; a complete hysterectomy, and strong pharmaceuticals.  In spite the fact that they gave my mom six months to live, she was determined to see her children grow up…and she did.  She lived another 20 years!!!

Like Laura’s grandmother, my mom was an artist – she loved oil painting.  Just months before her death she had a one-woman art show in a local mall.  And she loved to do crafts.  At this time of the year I think about my mom a lot.  In October she would set up the card table in one corner of the living room and she would start her Christmas craft projects.  We would spend hours working on the projects together – a tradition that continued after I was married and became a mother myself.  She would have loved Zentangle.

Mom loved to sew and knit. My three brothers and I all knew that one of our Christmas presents would be a hand-knit sweater.  She taught me many great lessons in life – one of which relates to my art.  One Christmas when I got my sweater I noticed a mistake in the pattern (albeit a very small mistake) and pointed it out to her.  Her comment?  If you want it perfect buy it from a store.  This sweater has something you can’t get from a store bought sweater.  It was knit with love!  The mistakes say, ‘”I love you.”

Needless to say, I miss my mom.  She was a beautiful person who was loved by everyone who met her.  Her wisdom and love surrounds me to this day and reminds me that life is short.  I find at least three things I am grateful for each day as a reminder that I am blessed and tomorrow is another day.

Thank you for visiting my blog. There has been a problem with my blog site providing a space for a comment.  If this blog has a comment box I would be delighted if you left me a comment.  And, a huge thank all who have left comments in the past.  I really appreciate them.

Until next time,
Sending smiles,
Maureen