Rusty Angel

LONG POST ALERT... Thanks in advance for reading it all🩵.

As I start working on Christmas order designs and mockups, I'm sitting here feeling ALL the Christmas feels. ❤️🎄

Every so often, I catch a whiff of those cinnamon pine cones I bought on a whim because I walked into Kroger and that's all I could smell. 😂 I NEVER buy them, but this year felt different. So, home they came!

My family has endured some great loss this year. And when we experience another loss, it brings up the loss of my mother and grandmothers all over again.

Three women who played a part in making me the woman I am today. Three women I can only hope to emulate in my own way. I wish I could have just one more conversation with them. Ask them questions. Hear their voices. Tell them things I probably didn't tell them enough when they were here.

I hope a little bit of each of them lives on in me. ❤️

I honestly don't even know where I'm going with this post. 🤷‍♀️ I guess I just needed to share what's on my heart today.

I'm feeling VERY Christmas already. And the older I get, the more I realize that Christmas isn't just about presents, decorations, or even the hustle and bustle of the season.

Christmas is a feeling.

It's hope. It's love. It's remembering. It's nostalgia. It's the innocence and excitement of children who believe in the magic of Christmas. It's the traditions we carry on, the smells that take us right back in time, and the memories that make us smile even when they make us a little sad.

It's also missing the people who should still be here to celebrate with us.

Maybe that's why those cinnamon pine cones hit differently this year. Maybe I'm just a little more aware of how much the little things mean. The traditions, the memories, the people who helped make us who we are.

And maybe that's a little bit of what Rusty Angel is all about, too. ❤️ So much of what I make is about creating something personal, something that means something to someone. A little reminder of a person, a memory, or a moment that we want to hold on to.

I guess Christmas has me feeling all of that a little earlier than usual this year. And honestly? I'm okay with that. 🎄❤️

Now I want to hear from YOU!

What does Christmas mean to you? Is it the traditions, the family, the memories, the excitement of the kids, remembering loved ones, or something completely different?

Tell me in the comments. Let's talk about the FEELING of Christmas, not just the stuff under the tree. ❤️🎄

DISCLOSURE: (I used AI to create this beautiful photo of my grandmother's and my mom)

Okay y’all, I need your opinions! 😂💕

I made this sweatshirt myself! The sleeves are hand-sewn and quilted by ME, and I absolutely LOVE how the colors turned out! 🩵💜

But now I’m trying to decide if I should add a little more to it or just leave it alone. 👀 So help me out!!

👇 WHICH ONE WOULD YOU DO?

🩵 A. Leave it just like it is!

💜 B. Add the same quilted colors to the chest! "MOM" in a varsity font or a heart or a quilt block.

🩷 C. Add the same quilted colors to the front pocket!

I can see it looking cute either way, but I want to know what catches YOUR eye! 😍

Vote A, B, or C in the comments! And tell me WHY you picked it! 🥰👇💕

(Background is AI. Images of me and the sweatshirt are untouched)