Von's Mom

Let me introduce my youngest son, Von, 11 years old in the picture, he is now 39. He's in his Cub Scout uniform adorned in badges, pins, neck scarf and epaulets that he earned. The Eagle cake with 'Happy 1977' I made for a scouting event and he is excited, not only about the event, about eating the cake.

Von was a boy who has always been full of enthusiasm, creativity and fun. He was a joy and made life interesting. He and his friends would scavenge the house for any 'goood' things to eat; cookies, cake, candy, grapes, bananas, chips, pop. They would make sandwiches and stuff (boys don't pack) everything into their backpacks, jump on their bikes and head out into the world for an afternoon of exploring and fun.

He would come home happy, dirty, sweaty and hungry. At dinner we would hear stories of where they had gone and what they had discovered. After dinner he would bathe and head for bed where he would put on his record of Bing Crosby singing "I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas." I know! It was the middle of July but that was the music he loved to fall asleep to. I would tiptoe into his room to turn off the record player because most of the time he would be asleep before the second verse.

Von loved Speed Racer, Hong Kong Fooey, J.P. Patches (Seattle children's show), the Adams Family, to name a few. He had a Hong Kong Fooey lunch pail. He was an inveterate drawer and would create masterpieces and pin them to his bedroom wall. He was very big on Star Wars! When I eventually removed the wallpaper I was amazed the walls were still standing there were so many holes from pictures and posters. He was unknowingly honing his craft.

Von would use all of the empty tubes from toilet paper and paper towels, scotch tape, electrical tape, masking tape, medical tape, gauze, plastic bottles and lids, glue, tons of paper, colored pens and pencils and anything else he could see a use for when creating a project. With three sisters and two brothers it was common to hear "VVVOOOOONNNNNN!!" when things were missing or depleted, nothing was safe.

Von would raid my sewing drawer for supplies he needed. He used my paints, brushes, stylus, palette knives, drawing tablets, graphite paper and once used a $25 sable brush to apply glue to some construction paper, letting the glue dry in the brush. He removed the linoleum liners from all the bathroom storage shelves because the underside looked like leather, perfect for a Roman Centurion's uniform, sigh! (with gold chain, embossed buttons, purple satin material and red polyester with gold rick rack from my sewing drawer)

Von spilled glue on his bedroom carpet and covered it with a small rug so it wouldn't be seen. I discovered it when I vacuumed his room and couldn't move the rug - surprise!! There was India ink, paint, glue, tape and colored pen marks throughout his room, no amount of scrubbing, shampooing or bleaching would remove them.

The ideas were unending and the creative gift flowed endlessly.....I'm so glad and so blessed!

He now has a graphic design business and the ideas are still flowing. Check out his design site at Vonster.com

Love you Von!

Mom