My mom, Tita Zamora, has been making stuff with her hands since I can remember.
When we were kids she used to decorate our flannel pajamas using Japanese ball-point tubes of textile paint.
She did papier-mâché, stained glass, handmade stationery, flower arrangements made of bread dough, and so much more.
Mom (R) with Sen. Pia Cayetano
From her I learned the art of gift-wrapping and the therapeutic joys of wrapping books in plastic.
She started beading about 12 years ago around the time my first son was born. After taking a hiatus, she rekindled her love for the craft after taking lessons from Portia Leuterio.
L-R: Portia Leuterio, Jullie Daza, and Tess Colayco
These days, Mom starts beading before breakfast and works on her current project the whole day.
She can finish a beaded bag within five to six days.
“It relieves stress because you’re not really thinking of anything except the beads, the needle and the design,” she says.
Recently my mom and one of her beading BFFs, Tita Bing Blardony, decided to sell over 200 finished pieces to benefit charity.
The venue was my dad’s conference room at the Fort, where the dazzling bags were perched on top of pretty boxes.
Proceeds of the sales went to the Arnold Janssen Catholic Mission Foundation Inc., which is headed by my mom’s other BFF, Tita Vicky Sales.
“The foundation benefits the poorest of the poor,” said Tita Vicky, who shares that the foundation has 53 centers in Dasmariñas, Cavite, eight in Bacoor and the National Capital Region, one in Tagaytay, and 26 in Rio Tuba, Palawan.
L-R: Yolly Reyno, Vicky Sales, Tita Zamora, Tess Colayco, Eega Narvaez, Portia Leuterio, and Jullie Yap Daza
About 60% of the bags were sold, with each buyer getting an official receipt from the foundation.
The event was such a success, Mom and Tita Bing are already planning another for next year.
L-R: Bing Blardony, Frannie Jacinto, Tita Zamora
Nicole Zamora, Charmaine Zamora, Diday Riingen, Inez Galang
Senator Pia Cayetano with Tita and Manny Zamora
Baby Cruz and Bing Blardony
L-R: Manny Zamora, Cong. Ronny Zamora, Camille Villar, Mark Villar
Senator Alan Cayetano with his mom Sandy and Senator Pia Cayetano, Cong. Ronny Zamora, Bing Blardony
Former heartthrobs Jake Montenegro and Mau Blardony
Pammy Zamora, Inez Galang, Mimi & Ronny Zamora
L-R: Tita Zamora, Noni Galang, Bing Blardony, Dolly Galang
L-R: Dennis Zamora, Koichi Ishihara
Daffy Zamora and Tisha Riingen
Inez Manapul Galang and Monette Quiogue
Leo Riingen, Tita Zamora, Dolly Galang (All photos: Daniel Tan)
Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.