This picture could easily be confused with a regular Friday night of social gathering at a local restaurant. Look closer and you’ll notice a glue gun on the table and scissors and felt in our hands. What I see in this picture is community, collaborative work, a common cause, family, but mostly love. I see a group of people who when asked at the last minute to help with a special project said yes without hesitation.

Last Friday we worked into the night to make red rosettes out of felt for guests who would attend my husband’s grandmother’s memorial the next day.  I can say for a fact that not everyone pictured here would usually be found crafting on a Friday night, but a common idea, desire, or love can bring us together so quickly. In a short time we had 80 rosettes to bring a tiny dash of grandma’s favorite color to everyone who would celebrate her the next day. In times of great loss moments of closeness like this one are memories that will hopefully not easily escape us.

I highly recommend crafting in restaurants but more than that I recommend crafting in restaurants with those you love.

Rosette Recipe
1. Gather some red and green felt, hot glue, glue gun, safety pins, hair clips, and some relatives or friends.
2. Ask your husband to cut out circles from the red felt. A container of Clorox wipes makes a great circle template.
3. Ask your artist brother-in-law to cut out leaves from the green felt. He should cut them out freehand because you don’t want to give an artist a template.
4. Cut each circle into a spiral.
5. Ask your sister-in-law to roll the spirals, secure them with hot glue, and then add a leaf with more hot glue.
6. Ask your mother-in-law to help with cutting more leaves. We need more leaves.
7. You should fill in wherever needed.
8. Everyone should laugh and talk as much as possible.
8. Drink beer. It makes crafting more fun.

Note: Above relatives can be substituted as desired.