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.

 

 

 

 

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Comments

  1. Image for Rita Rita

    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!

  2. Image for Cecilia Cecilia

    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

  3. Image for Terri Terri

    There are no words.... I am about to bust out crying ..... how precious !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Perfect!!!!

  4. Image for Jolyn Jolyn

    KariAnne, you REALLY should put a tissue alert on these stories. My assistant keeps asking me if I'm getting sick... So sweet!

  5. Image for Michele (Finch Rest) Michele (Finch Rest)

    That is beyond thoughtful - and SHE is beyond amazing. What a sister you have - what a treasured hand made piece of awesome sauce. ♥♥

  6. Image for Carrie Carrie

    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??? :)

  7. Image for Becca Becca

    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...

  8. Image for Leslie Watkins Leslie Watkins

    Over the top heart gift!! Amazing that she knows your heart so well and that she reached right in and touched it. ❤️❤️❤️

  9. Image for Peggy Peggy

    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.

  10. Image for Babette Babette

    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!! 😊😊😊

  11. Image for jillian jillian

    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..):

  12. Image for Kathleen Kathleen

    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!

  13. Image for Gina Gina

    Sigh...I truly have to up the Christmas gifts I give my sister. Truly. The bar has been raised. Thanks for sharing!

  14. Image for Kathy Kathy

    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.

  15. Image for MARY-ANN (FROM CANADA!) MARY-ANN (FROM CANADA!)

    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!

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