To be loved is to be known. And a young woman named Lauren Elizabeth Burkardt is well known by her mom, Linda Van Valkenburgh. Knowing that her daughter has been a passionate bibliophile since she was little, Van Valkenburgh created a detailed bookshelf quilt featuring 125 of the many books Burkardt has read throughout her life.
“Mom gave me a treasure beyond words this year,” Burkardt wrote in the caption of a viral TikTok video, showing the amazing gift she got for Christmas 2022. Van Valkenburgh titled her work My Daughter’s Heart, and added an inscription that reads, “My Lauren, ever since you were a tiny being, you knew what you loved. Never lose that compass point.”
In a follow up video, Burkardt reveals that her mom worked on the quilt for three years. In addition to the books, the quilt features touching elements in the form of picture frames with photographs of her with her grandpa, given he was the one who would take her for books all the time, as well as a picture of her at her sister’s wedding. There is also a picture of her grandfather’s favorite bird, and even Burkardt’s cats appear in the composition, seemingly climbing onto the bookshelf.
In this quilted bookshelf, titles for children’s books, like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, coexist with novels, like The Bell Jar, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Pride and Prejudice. It’s as though the quilted books are chronicling her growth both as a reader and as a person. “Books I love, books that shaped me, books that stuck with me, books she read to me, books that my grandfather treasured, and the last book he ever gave me. She stitched them all together, so that I could keep them forever. This is my heart on display,” Burkardt wrote.
Even more touching is one of the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it details, but one that meant the world to Burkardt. “My mom even included my dream of being an author on the shelves,” she shares, showing her dream book, titled Rates of a Pillar, added to the quilt as a #1 New York Times bestseller. “I wish you all this much love. I love you mom.”
A loving mom named Linda Van Valkenburgh created a bookshelf quilt featuring 125 of the books her daughter, Lauren Elizabeth Burkardt, has read throughout her life.
@renelizabeth Mom gave me a treasure beyond words this year ❤️ @Linda VanValkenburgh #christmas #gift #quilt #quiltersoftiktok #fyp #foryoupage #christmas2022 ♬ Home – Edith Whiskers
“She stitched them all together, so that I could keep them forever. This is my heart on display.”
@renelizabeth Part Two: My heart on display ❤️ Thank you, Mom @lindavanvalkenbur8 #Christmas #Gift #Quilt #QuiltersOfTikTok #fyp #foryoupage #BookTok #QuiltTok #ChristmasGift #Christmas2022 #Library #Books #Reader ♬ Here Comes the Sun – Relaxing Instrumental Music
Burkardt also shared a video of her mom reacting to the nice comments about her quilt and her love for her daughter.
@renelizabeth Replying to @chaos.bi These comments keep making us cry ❤️ Mom wants to say thank you for all the love!! ❤️ @lindavanvalkenbur8 #Quilt #QuiltersOfTikTok #QuiltTok #Books #BookTok #fyp #foryoupage #foryou #Christmas #Gift ♬ Up – Movie Theme – Giampaolo Pasquile
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