Each September, my mom and I swap a cigar box full of goodness with each other. Sadly this is only our second year to do this. We should have started YEARS ago!
The story behind the new tradition and our first boxes can be found here. I jokingly told someone on Instagram, we have spring birthdays and this ties us over until Christmas, but that does pretty much sum it up. 
My favorite part of the September box is watching my mom open it and look at each layer and item with care. She oohs and aahs.
My second is putting it together. I love seeing how all the things I’ve been collecting go together and fit in. I like to embellish with ribbons, pins, lace and envelopes of vellum. 
I collected things all summer. Whatever doesn’t fit, gets saved for Christmas or another special occasion, or gets wrapped up nicely and put on top of the box!
I found a beautiful vintage floral runner and I used it to be the theme of her box and matched all her items to it. I folded it and placed it on top along with a spool of ribbon to match. 
When I got to my parent’s house my mom had my box sitting on the dining room table and it looked beautiful! Not just a pretty cigar box. She had covered my box in vintage papers, painted it and gave it a beautiful texture and added a hydrangea print. She lined the inside with fabric selvages. 
When I opened the box the lid was lined with a fabulous hydrangea quilt!!! Beautiful. 
She made me a garland out of vintage maps with black and white cording. It’s so great! I love old maps AND garland.
Inside was a little tin full of tiny little squares of quilt blocks! I admired hers hanging in her sewing room window and she made me my very own! So very special. These are 2 inch squares.
She made me gift tags using playing cards and glued or sewed papers on and tied ribbons. They are precious. 
There was a little tin that said “a message in a can” full of little slips of paper with words typed on them. 
I pulled them out and tried to guess the message. It was a years subscription to Artful Blogging!! Such a great gift and so very clever.
My mom is such a source of great encouragement to me. Her message in the tin also said I could be in the magazine too. (I debated about sharing this, but wanted you to know about Dian, the encourager!)
My Mom and her new typewriter. There is no stopping her! 
Pearls of Wisdom.
I received a September box full of treasures made from the hands of my mom. Everything made so special with care but the pearls of wisdom circle my thoughts around. It’s been years that I’ve considered her a friend and not just my mom. And at least that many that I considered you wise! I’m blessed on both accounts.
Thank you Mom.
Katey
Katey this was so touching, what a lucky girl to have such a beautiful relationship with your mother. What a nice way to think about each other all year as you collect items for your boxes.
Thank you Brenda. I am thankful for our friendship everyday. Katey
Reading your love for your Mom within the lines of your post is so special. Beautifully said. You are a blessing to your Mom. Thank you for sharing. Love to you both. -n
Nancy, thank you so much for reading and your comment. I know you have that special love and relationship with your sweet momma too. Love you both. Katey
What a wonderful tribute to treasures — your mother/daughter relationship & all it means to you both. – the greatest of all! A blessing, indeed. Thanks for sharing them. Your post has been a nice way to start my day.
Jerry, treasures indeed! Katey
wow! what a very neat surprise to start my day…my week. beautifully told. beautifully shown…beautifully shared. I am very thankful for you and for our relationship…blessed by the Lord. and it all started with the nurses in Hattiesburg, Ms handing me a bundle of joy! you have always been a joy and a blessing to our family, growing in love year by year. little did I know during your childhood that I was going to be so blessed by you during your adult years! God blesses and blesses and I am so thankful. I love my box of goodies, too. so many useful, thoughtful gifts that I am slow to actually use…just too precious. like you! love mom
Love the call I got this morning from my number one fan!! Thanks mom!
Many daughters and Mothers have wished to have this type of relationship, but it was not to be regardless of how much they tried . Yours is truly a God send full of the treasure of life. Praise Him!!!
Deddy, I enjoyed you being with us sharing the joy of opening our boxes. Love you. Blessed by our treasured friendship too. Katey
that Dian! so many special touches exchanged between two loving and talented gals…. miss you both xxxxx
Nina, we miss you! Looking forward to being together soon! That Dian!! Love you.
Dearest borh of you. This story has really touched me. What a lovely tradition. I relished every photograph, especially rhe collaged cigar box by Mom. I think I’ll start a similar tradition with my daughter as we have that kind of relationship. Thank you both for sharing this bond.
Thank you Constanza. I know because you create with your hands that you would love to make a box to exchange with your daughter. Bless you both especially on your travels together.
What a wonderful idea! thanks for sharing, Katey & Mom. Such sweet things.
Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed it. I’m already looking forward to next year.
Oh, Katey, how wonderful! I have seen the pleasure Dian gets from carefully collecting little treasures for you all during the year, and the joy she gets from opening the very special things you have thoughtfully and loving selected for her. I envy your relationship–how wonderful for a mother and daughter to enjoy so many of the same things, and who almost know each other’s mind! You are so fortunate to have such a loving, generous mom, and she is so blessed to have a daughter like you! And I am blessed to have two such beautiful and creative friends!
Jeri, how precious you are! Thank you for your sweet words and your friendship to me and mom. You are a treasure. Katey
This is my first comment, what a lovely post! It is a beautiful thing to have your mother as your friend, how sweet and thoughtful to share such gifts with each other!
What a nice first comment it is!! I appreciate each and every one!!! Thank you. I am grateful to have my mom as a friend! Katey
What a lovely tradition! Those treasures are just beautiful and you obviously have a wonderful relationship with your mother. How wonderful for you both!
Thank you. We do have a wonderful friendship. So blessed.