It is what it is.

 I have been sewing like a mad woman finishing up gifts for "holiday packages", I swear.   After Brian's Perthes diagnosis, we all just kind of shut down and just laid around together watching movies and reading books trying to keep it as normal as possible at home ; all crafts just stopped. We had to go through a mourning process of sorts. Neither Brody nor I had a desire to look towards Christmas . We were anything but "giving or joyful", when this terrible life altering  and painful thing was happening to our child. Our poor sweet boy. Instead I would go off and cry feeling mother's guilt and  bad for him and our family and what all of this would mean for the next 2-3 years and Brody would just get angry. We really were starting to get twinges of bitterness.  Okay, alot of bitterness.

Our bitterness has melted away and an overwhelming feeling of gratitiude has taken it's place.  We are privilidged to live in the community that we do and have the friends that we do.  We are thankful  for the kindness that has been shown to us & to Brian during all of this.  We are not accustomed to asking people for help, so when people just started doing nice things and volunteering their time to us, we were blown away.  Thank you so much to all of you for your kind words and gestures it really has meant the world to us and to remind us that we are not alone. We are loved. Our families have been a great support.  Old ties have been rekindled . We will get through this, because it is what it is and that's what you do.  Things are good.

Okay on to the crafty part of this blog. I was reading through some of my favorite blogs, trying to find some pretty last minute gifts to make .  I came across  Wendy at Dozi Design  and this tutorial screamed  "MAKE THESE RIGHT NOW!!!!" She had made hers out of a heavy weight paper. 

I decided I was going to use suede from an old skirt that I picked up at a yard sale, as it would require little to no sewing. As I started to make these, I got the idea to soak some very thin felt in Linit Starch and iron them to a crisp finish.  I then followed the tutorial cutting out my spirals and started rolling them as it instructed.  I added some green felt leaves, onto which I will hand sew some little details and add a pin backing that my folks had sent.   This will defiantely be a project for many future events.  Thanks you so much Wendy.

I wish you all warm hearts, full bellies and feelings of love and kindness during this holiday season and in to the new year. 

Take Care.