This is such a bee-u-tee-FULL tribute ta yer amazin' mama, Tonika! (been outta da loop myself--I'll git ta postin' again but I mooved my own jab-damaged ma here an' until 'bout a week ago she wuz livin' with us too... sstill climbin' outta a huge pile of mama-related tasks but thankfully we just found a nice assisted livin' place fer 'er, much safer than here-bouts with better heat an' no stairs!--still got her incontinent ol' doggo but one step atta time!).
Lurve the image of yer ma with a ciggy in one hand crushin' veggies fer ya an' doin' all she can ta keep YOU in the best've health. The ironies of life, right? Bless'er! I kin tell she's terrific an' whar ya got yer own feistiness an' talents ;-)
Happy (Bee-lated) Mama's day er way too, m'dear--you've earned it an' soitenly deserve ta celebrate yerself! o's yer way
Aw, Daisy! Much love to you and your fam, and extra love sauce to your ma.
Thank you for your very kind and encouraging words. And I really appreciate you reading and commenting. I know it’s really hard to keep with stacks and I’m constantly on the catch up end.
Happy belated Mama’s Day to you! I know the young whipper snappers are proud and blessed to have you as their mama!
thanks muchly mah dear an' same back yer way...yer kiddos are mighty lucky too ta have you as their mama! (re substack: funny how life kin git in the way of life lol!) ❤️
I hope to cultivate the same connection with my own kids. It’s hard in America. The culture here is like: kick your kids out at 18, stick your ma in a nursing home if she can’t drive… ugh.
Your poem is exquisitely beautiful, Tonika, and I am honored to have played some small role in inspiring you to write it. I *LOVE* that you use your creativity to craft phenomenally unique, gorgeous, unforgettable gifts to celebrate your dear mother each year. Those are the gifts that are remembered and cherished forever.
Please wish your resilient, smartiepie, badass Ma a wonderful birthday and Mother’s Day, and thank her for making, nurturing, and helping to save one of my one favorite human beings ever! 💐💗🤗
I don’t think I can outdo my 12 year old self where I wrote her a whole sci-fi novel for her birthday. 😂 it was like a hundred pages! Oh how I wish I still had it now. I bet I’d roll over on the floor laughing from how terrible it was.
Oh gosh, it was the first year in the States, it was written by hand in Bulgarian in a notebook… that didn’t survive the over a dozen apartment/city moves we endured in the first two years. We basically travelled with a duffel bag.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful part of your story, Tonika. You are both so blessed to truly embody the word "Mother." So much Love to you and your Mom on this day and every day. XXO
Thanks, Ronnie! 🤗 it makes me feel so good that it resonates. Here I am, a grown woman, still enamored with my mother. It’s hard to not be poked fun at. I’m happy I put my vulnerable self out there and I get such supportive feedback. Thank you.
Beautiful ❤️ I LOVE your mum and she is everything I have tried to be as a mother myself. I never had one (apart from biological purposes) but oh how I have always wanted one just like yours. This piece brought a tear to my eye. I wish your mum a happy mother's day and a happy birthday too.
What a gorgeous, unique, detailed, and deeply heartfelt love letter to your mom. Wow. Thank you.
As a visual artist, I am intrigued by your project. Are you willing to say more (about the concept, approach, etc)? You wrote: "A few years ago, I invited people over for an art project where each attendee received a square which they copied onto a bigger square and when all the squares were put together, they revealed the image."
Thanks! Yes, of course, I can share the details. I took a photograph of my mom and I drew a squared grid on it then labeled each square on the back (from right to left since it’s flipped) A1, A2, A3… etc, for the top row, then Row B, Row C the same way. I also added an arrow so they would know which was was up. Then I took a larger piece of paper and squared that with the larger squares in proportion to the smaller image so each square of the image would correspond to an empty bigger square. Then I cut the squares up and put the smaller ones in one box, the bigger ones in another, and left an empty box for discards. I drew a grid on a large piece of cardboard with all the squares labeled so they can be glued on once completed. Then I wrote out these directions for guests:
Collective Mural
Guidelines
Choose a square from the “A” pile.
Take a square from the “B” pile.
Copy the arrow, letter and number from the back of the first square on to the back of the second square. This will determine the position and placement of your square.
Proportionately copy the image from the original square on to your square. You can be as creative as you like! Use, markers, or crayons, or pencil...whatever you find on the creative tables, is your to use!
Find the indicator letter or number on the wall and adhese your square onto it.
Drop the original square into the “C” pile so we don’t get duplicates.
Enjoy yours and others contribution to the collective mural!
If you end up doing it, please let me know how it went! I’ve done these for festivals and they really get people on the art table talking and connecting and it’s good for any generation.
Oh, thank you so much for the details! Absolutely creative, eye-catching, and meaningful project. I LOVE IT. The piece is stunning and I love knowing how much meaning is behind it. A gorgeous tribute. I appreciate your response.
Awww, thank you. You post in honor of your mom is just so meaningful and loved-filled. As a visual artist, I'm often drawn to work that is unusual and mysterious in terms of how it's made. Yours caught me attention. I so apprecaite the details of it.
Oh, something I forgot to mention: if you use some kind of filter on the image, then the details of it become less recognizable on each individual square allowing it to form a full picture only once it’s all put together.
This is such a bee-u-tee-FULL tribute ta yer amazin' mama, Tonika! (been outta da loop myself--I'll git ta postin' again but I mooved my own jab-damaged ma here an' until 'bout a week ago she wuz livin' with us too... sstill climbin' outta a huge pile of mama-related tasks but thankfully we just found a nice assisted livin' place fer 'er, much safer than here-bouts with better heat an' no stairs!--still got her incontinent ol' doggo but one step atta time!).
Lurve the image of yer ma with a ciggy in one hand crushin' veggies fer ya an' doin' all she can ta keep YOU in the best've health. The ironies of life, right? Bless'er! I kin tell she's terrific an' whar ya got yer own feistiness an' talents ;-)
Happy (Bee-lated) Mama's day er way too, m'dear--you've earned it an' soitenly deserve ta celebrate yerself! o's yer way
Aw, Daisy! Much love to you and your fam, and extra love sauce to your ma.
Thank you for your very kind and encouraging words. And I really appreciate you reading and commenting. I know it’s really hard to keep with stacks and I’m constantly on the catch up end.
Happy belated Mama’s Day to you! I know the young whipper snappers are proud and blessed to have you as their mama!
thanks muchly mah dear an' same back yer way...yer kiddos are mighty lucky too ta have you as their mama! (re substack: funny how life kin git in the way of life lol!) ❤️
Ha, well yes, but I sure do appreciate my Substack relationships.
Beautiful and very touching. If it wasn't covetous I might even envy your experience x
Gratitude, friend. 🤗
Thank you for sharing your love for your mother, beautiful❤️
Thank you for reading. 🙏
So lovely to hear about this beautiful part of your life. ❤️
Thank you! 🙏
Absolutely beautiful. I feel the love you have for your mother the same as the love I have for mine. We are both lucky in love 😍
I hope to cultivate the same connection with my own kids. It’s hard in America. The culture here is like: kick your kids out at 18, stick your ma in a nursing home if she can’t drive… ugh.
You can do it!
Awww... so beautiful, Tonika! I'm melting here.
🤗
💗🌹
Your poem is exquisitely beautiful, Tonika, and I am honored to have played some small role in inspiring you to write it. I *LOVE* that you use your creativity to craft phenomenally unique, gorgeous, unforgettable gifts to celebrate your dear mother each year. Those are the gifts that are remembered and cherished forever.
Please wish your resilient, smartiepie, badass Ma a wonderful birthday and Mother’s Day, and thank her for making, nurturing, and helping to save one of my one favorite human beings ever! 💐💗🤗
I don’t think I can outdo my 12 year old self where I wrote her a whole sci-fi novel for her birthday. 😂 it was like a hundred pages! Oh how I wish I still had it now. I bet I’d roll over on the floor laughing from how terrible it was.
Oh my goodness, what a treasure!!! You mean your mom didn't keep it?! I want to see it if you can find it!
Oh gosh, it was the first year in the States, it was written by hand in Bulgarian in a notebook… that didn’t survive the over a dozen apartment/city moves we endured in the first two years. We basically travelled with a duffel bag.
That was a beautiful poem. Your Mother is lucky to have you for a daughter, and vice versa I'm sure. Happy Mother's Day!
Thank you!
Beautiful poem!
wow Tonika! think you are a poet after all
🙏 we’re all poets. Just that some of us are really good (Ahem, our fellow apolyptomists) and some of us write whatever when we’re moved to do so.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful part of your story, Tonika. You are both so blessed to truly embody the word "Mother." So much Love to you and your Mom on this day and every day. XXO
Thank you, dear woman. And a Happy (belated) Mother’s Day to you!
Holy Moly!,Tonika, this was a "killer" post. You really aimed it straight at the heart, and brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks, Ronnie! 🤗 it makes me feel so good that it resonates. Here I am, a grown woman, still enamored with my mother. It’s hard to not be poked fun at. I’m happy I put my vulnerable self out there and I get such supportive feedback. Thank you.
Beautiful ❤️ I LOVE your mum and she is everything I have tried to be as a mother myself. I never had one (apart from biological purposes) but oh how I have always wanted one just like yours. This piece brought a tear to my eye. I wish your mum a happy mother's day and a happy birthday too.
Happy mumma’s day to the mumma of super mumma
🥰 thanks, friend.
What a gorgeous, unique, detailed, and deeply heartfelt love letter to your mom. Wow. Thank you.
As a visual artist, I am intrigued by your project. Are you willing to say more (about the concept, approach, etc)? You wrote: "A few years ago, I invited people over for an art project where each attendee received a square which they copied onto a bigger square and when all the squares were put together, they revealed the image."
Thanks! Yes, of course, I can share the details. I took a photograph of my mom and I drew a squared grid on it then labeled each square on the back (from right to left since it’s flipped) A1, A2, A3… etc, for the top row, then Row B, Row C the same way. I also added an arrow so they would know which was was up. Then I took a larger piece of paper and squared that with the larger squares in proportion to the smaller image so each square of the image would correspond to an empty bigger square. Then I cut the squares up and put the smaller ones in one box, the bigger ones in another, and left an empty box for discards. I drew a grid on a large piece of cardboard with all the squares labeled so they can be glued on once completed. Then I wrote out these directions for guests:
Collective Mural
Guidelines
Choose a square from the “A” pile.
Take a square from the “B” pile.
Copy the arrow, letter and number from the back of the first square on to the back of the second square. This will determine the position and placement of your square.
Proportionately copy the image from the original square on to your square. You can be as creative as you like! Use, markers, or crayons, or pencil...whatever you find on the creative tables, is your to use!
Find the indicator letter or number on the wall and adhese your square onto it.
Drop the original square into the “C” pile so we don’t get duplicates.
Enjoy yours and others contribution to the collective mural!
If you end up doing it, please let me know how it went! I’ve done these for festivals and they really get people on the art table talking and connecting and it’s good for any generation.
Oh, thank you so much for the details! Absolutely creative, eye-catching, and meaningful project. I LOVE IT. The piece is stunning and I love knowing how much meaning is behind it. A gorgeous tribute. I appreciate your response.
🙏 I appreciate you engaging.
Awww, thank you. You post in honor of your mom is just so meaningful and loved-filled. As a visual artist, I'm often drawn to work that is unusual and mysterious in terms of how it's made. Yours caught me attention. I so apprecaite the details of it.
Oh, something I forgot to mention: if you use some kind of filter on the image, then the details of it become less recognizable on each individual square allowing it to form a full picture only once it’s all put together.
Another helpful detail. You are The Best!