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Crafting memories

Finding stuff you haven't seen for a while sure can evoke old memories. This just happened to me over the weekend while cleaning out drawers (Operation Getting Organized 2018 is underway) when I came across a pendant that I've had since childhood. My family used to travel around to arts & crafts shows when I was a kid. My Mom made/sold plaques and my great-grandfather, who we called Dad Berry, made/sold walking canes. We'd go to quaint towns in Ark like Heber Springs and Eureka Springs to hock our fare. It was super fun as a kid to work at the booth and also go around to the other vendors to seek out handcrafted stuff to add to my wishlist. My favorites were the candle and jewelry makers. Anyway, it was love at first sight when I spotted this necklace. I wanted it so badly, like that 3-year old in Target who wants a toy (sans the crying). Sadly, I had no money and that was that.

Fast forward a few months to what probably was my 10th b-day when my brothers gave me my gift. Yes, the three of them had pooled their cash and bought it for me. I was so surprised and happy (and some might say spoiled)! But growing up the youngest of 4 in the 70s before parents overly supervised children wasn't always easy (haha). Pillow fights were dangerous, my arm couldn't handle the slugbug game for too long and dog food was not delicious. But as the saying goes, I'm tougher for it all today.

So on this anniversary of my brother Chris's passing (01/07/86), here's to all the arts/crafts folks who continue to make memories for us to share and especially to all the awesome big brothers out there. They sure can surprise us sometimes.

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