Samplers, or embroidered needlework, were originally done by young girls, encouraged by their Mothers to excel at "women's work" and later, as they became more proficient, to show what refined young ladies they had become. Samplers can be as simple as the ABC's or can involve houses, birds, flowers or words of wisdom! Today, the originals have become so pricey, that there is a demand for nice, primitive reproductions. These very simple samplers are a reminder of days gone by when even the decorations on the walls were a time-consuming labor of love.