I am joining Wen from Apple Apricot for another Simply Neutrals Tuesday.

I created this little canvas pouch a few years back. But, I did not put the finishing touches in until this week. It took a few years to figure out what I was going to tuck into the pocket. I prepared the canvas by painting it, adding vintage sheet music and then a fabric collage of a Christmas image on that. On the bottom of the canvas I added a pocket and tucked craft shred, bottle brush trees, and silver snowflakes. Vintage seam binding acts as hangers for the canvas and a dusting of mica chips for added sparkle.

I also wanted to share a rare photo of my three kiddies at the recent memorial service for my ex- FIL who passed away in September from cancer. I am so thankful to have had a lovely conversation over the phone with him September 2 and a visit to his home September 17th. He passed on the 18th. Ironically, that is the day I buried my own father in 2006. I still had remained on contact sending birthday and Christmas cards (as they did with me) and it hit me that this man really was a second father figure for so much of my life as I had known him since I was 15.

It reminds me how very short and precious life is and that we all take so much for granted!