Nothing says handmade Christmas like February.
Or my name embroidered in lights like this.
I thought we were finished with the presents.
I thought we were done.
She had already given me the Christmas tree made out of silver sugar lids.
She had already wrapped up a box of tiny treasures she had collected from her travels around the globe.
She had already made me laugh out loud and almost spit out my coffee and guffaw at her stories.
And then?
She made me cry with this.
2017 was the year of the book.
Have you ever had a dream and you knew it probably wouldn’t ever come true and so you tucked it away and tried to forget about it.
But you couldn’t.
And the tiniest little part of you kept hoping.
Way down inside in that place in your heart where dreams go to take naps.
And then one day you were standing in front of an elevator door and your dream was just a button push away.
That’s a lot to take in.
It’s so many blessings to count that there were days when you might have been overwhelmed.
And scared.
And nervous that no one would understand the dream or buy the book or read your heart that you wrote on every single page.
And in the middle of all that overwhelming your sister shows up with a gift that shows that she understands.
That she gets it.
That she celebrates you enough to hand-embroidered your name on a book spine.
This is the handmade present Whitney gave me this year.
She took my book and recreated it with felt and gold thread and sewing and tiny stitches. She recreated the cover with all its rips and imperfections and tiny pieces of tape.
She sewed flaps on either side of the cover to fit a book.
You just slide the book in and wrap it up and flip it over.
A handmade book cover designed to look just like So Close To Amazing.
Here’s the side by side.
Can you even?
And when I asked her how she thought of it and why she made it and how she created the idea.
She told me this.
“I knew all the other books would want to be as amazing as yours.”
When life was handing out sisters, I got the best.
I love you, Whitney.
PS If you want your own copy of So Close To Amazing, you can read reviews and order it here.
Just wanted to say: My sister and I were born in McKinney and I lived in McKinney for about 25 of my adult years, so am quite familiar with where you live. My sister told me about your blog and that you now live in McKinney. Excited to read your blog. My sister is always talking about it!
Truly, no words as I think of the labor of love she gifted to you.♡
That is absolutely the best sister ever! I love your book cover and your sister is amazing! Here's to our dreams becoming a reality! I'm so glad to have people like you to encourage me along the way. Your book, like you, is amazing! Cecilia
How thoughtful and beautiful, KariAnne...you are blessed.
It is perfect in every way!!!♥️♥️♥️
There are no words.... I am about to bust out crying ..... how precious !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Perfect!!!!
So sweet, what a treat to read this story!
KariAnne, you REALLY should put a tissue alert on these stories. My assistant keeps asking me if I'm getting sick... So sweet!
What a labor of love!
That is beyond thoughtful - and SHE is beyond amazing. What a sister you have - what a treasured hand made piece of awesome sauce. ♥♥
What a family you have. The gifts handmade by your family are works of love. No doubt about it!
If only ONE of my sisters were as sweet as yours!!! Hold her tight!!!
Kari Anne this is so sweet. You are blessed to have such a sweet and talented sister.
More than "so close to amazing..." she nailed it!! Now, will she sell versions of this in an etsy shop so my copy of the book ( and all of your future ones) won't have envy issues??? Or, could she sell the pattern of the bookcover so we can all try and make our own marvelous book covers??? :)
I think Whitney is pretty close to amazing. :) She nailed it!
I love that you love her hand-made offerings...such a special relationship and you both have "gotten" the notion of handmade for so long...
Wow! What an amazing gift! Your sister did a great job recreating your book :)
What an incredibly thoughtful and loving gift!! I can't even!! You are truly blessed!! xoxo
Amazing runs in the family. Awesome
I tell you what, your Mama and Daddy surely raised an amazing set of children. This put tears in my eyes!
Over the top heart gift!! Amazing that she knows your heart so well and that she reached right in and touched it. ❤️❤️❤️
oh, me. what a gift. thank you.
As all of the comments your followers make every day shows, you are a Blessing to a lot of people. Including me! I look forward to your post everyday. And just love So close to Amazing! Can't wait for the next one.
Oh KariAnne that is about the sweetest and adorable gift I’ve ever seen! What a sweet sister! I know one thing, God sure blessed your family with creative people! Love it! I can’t wait to receive my book! You are amazing!! 😊😊😊
Does your sister have a blog? Website? There are absolutely no words...the love just oozes out!
Once again...I am totally adoptable! Such a beautiful family that you have!
Oh my goodness!!! I can't even. You have the BEST sister EVER!!!
So...it's really a DNA thing with y'all, I see that now. The rest of us can feel better and just nod our heads and say things like "well, you know, it's genetic, the whole family is that way, at least they share photos and things with the rest of us out here..." I went back and read about the sugar lid tree, missed it before, loved that, and if it wasn't before, it is now for sure on pinterest, heh heh..):
I thought this would be Kjisa you were speaking of....I didn't know about another sis.....
It's all been said here ~ you've been given yet another sweet, thoughtful, creative, and loving gift! Whitney is awesome ~ and you (and everyone in your family) are, too! I'm just happy that I've been there "to see it all" these past few years ... so glad I found you, lady! p.s. That sugar lid tree is one of the most beautiful pieces I've EVER SEEN!
Sigh...I truly have to up the Christmas gifts I give my sister. Truly. The bar has been raised. Thanks for sharing!
You have talented siblings, the woodworker and the seamstress! And there is you!
The thought....the time.........the love. You are indeed blessed.
How beautiful, sweet, wonderful and touching ! I am sorry that everyone doesn't have a sister like yours... OR mine! (I am also blessed!) I loved the sugar lid Christmas tree too.
Aww Karianne that is such a sweet gift! You make me wish I had a sister!
How absolutely amazing is that book cover? now we all want one ! Love it! Pat
That is such a beautiful, thoughtful gift. Thank you for sharing it with us.
What a sweet gift! It inspired me to order your book!
KariAnne, what a treasure you have been blessed with in that gorgeous book cover! You and your dear sister are both amazing and how great to share such a bond! Bless you both! You are both very rare "gems"! May God continue to bless you both! Just love your posts, KariAnne!
Such a loving gift to receive, what a truly amazing sister you have. xo