Vintage Suitcase Makeover & The Heart of Gratitude Journey Continues

My post today is going to be on "Friendship".  It's going to be short and sweet, because I'll probably get all sappy and start tearing up.  Not pretty. 

You might recognize this suitcase from a Facebook update I did at the end of January.   A friend of mine, Ahlam, asked me for some help cuting up (if this is not a word, it should be . . . I mean really now, pronounced cute-ing) a vintage suitcase she was gifting to a friend of hers.  Her friend, Tasneem, likes to paint and Ahlam had an awesome idea to turn the suitcase into a portable paint studio.  Ahlam has a lot of good ideas and is rather a kindred spirit. 

She had giant tarp, a full size easel, paints & paint brushes and a whole bunch of lovely artist related gifts.  Seriously thoughtful gifts.  Well, I can't tell you how much fun I had!  Because that's what friends do for each other, they do nice things. Right?

They look for opportunities to make their friend happy.  They share stuff with each other that they don't share with everybody.  They are kind and understanding of each others privacy outside of their friendship. They laugh at your corny jokes and they make you snort with theirs!

A friend pulls you up when you fall, and delights you when you least expect it.  A friend lets you be you and doesn't expect you to be anything but you.  A friend has your back and will go to the wall for you.  A friend treats you with  respect and does not allow anyone to hurt or disrespect you, if it is in her power.  She listens, comforts, laughs and cries with you.  

 That is what a friend is to me.  I am blessed that my Sister is my best friend.  We know what the other is thinking sometimes before they do!  My grown daughters are also my bffs. I am also blessed to have several dear and loving friends and some that I've only met online and I would go to the wall for them all!

Here's there part where I start to tear up! sniff.  I just wanted to THANK YOU ladies and you know who you are!  Thanks for hanging with me, thanks for laughing at my corniness, thanks for encouraging me and thank you for listening to me.  I think maybe listening is key.  Are you listening to her?  Is she listening to you?  Sometimes we are so busy thinking about what we are going to say, that we are not really listening.  

I am so GRATEFUL for being listened to by my Sister, my girlfriends on and offline and everyone who reads my blog (I consider you my friend, even if you don't know it)  Thanks for 'getting' me!  If you go back and look at the first photo in this post . . . that is how I want to be thought of as a friend.  That is how I want to make you feel, in person, online and with my blog . . . uplifted and inspired!
 So, I'm done. This was supposed to be short.  Love ya guys!  

One last thing.  If you haven't checked out Dana's blog post from this morning.  Go now and be ready to be moved.  It's beautiful.  She is a friend, a true.        #theheartofgratitude
CRAFT HAPPY!

NANCY

XOXOXO