Our Christmas Project

Christmas is a time of joy, family gatherings and memory making. But for families that have lost a significant member of their family, it holds emotions of all different sorts. I'm certain that those feeling never really change, and things just become a little more ordinary with a new way of life over the years. But this year I was rushed by my own faults and started shopping late. Then I would end up tearing up in aisles and have to walk out. "oh, there's a plaid shirt marcel would love..." Then my heart was done. 

But something that helped me throughout this Christmas season was a project that I had been longing to do. 

Pinterest is such a wonderful thing for ideas for crafty creative souls, like mine longs to be. But when I found this item months ago, I just knew it had to be accomplished. 

Thankfully, my Dad was a hoarder of clothing a items - much like my own husband. So, my Mom picked the perfect shirts and purchased pillow inserts for all the women, best friend and grandchildren of our family.{Her ability to carry own, and find happiness in making others happy continues to amaze me.}

My wonderful Mother in law never hesitated in helping me with this project, even with a cold and house guests of her own. We spent an afternoon cutting, measuring, pinning and sewing together nine fantastic pillows made from Marcel's shirts. 

The first product made me cry tears of more emotions than this sentence can hold. It brought me pure joy to know that these items would posses great meaning to all who received one. 

This project made my Christmas joyful and meaningful. From the fireball wrapper tucked away in a pocket to the grease spot near his belly each shirt held a perfect meaning. A meaning of a great man, the great legend of marcel. Shinning chrome surrounded trucks, to carrying in his bible each Sunday to church. We will forever miss this family staple of a man, but I hope we can always find the joy in all he left behind for us.