Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Byron Lee Borup

I know I've been missing, but to be honest, it's been a tough month and we all needed some time to recoup.

Last Sunday, my Grandpa, Byron Lee Borup didn't wake up.  We arrived home from church to messages that he was in a coma and the family was gathering to say their goodbyes.  He had terminal cancer, but I think it still came as a bit of a shock to all of us.  He was up and joking around the day before, and then he just never woke up.  

Hearing my family express hope that he might still wake up and say goodbye and it might still be days before he passed away nearly broke my heart.  Larry and I had been through this just weeks before with Grandpa Ford and after seeing Grandpa Borup in almost identical condition, we both felt it likely that it would not be long and he would not wake up.

He slipped away around 8:30 that evening.  Although everyone was sad, we all knew that Grandpa Borup was really worried about being in a lot of pain in the end, and it was a relief that he passed away so peacefully.
He was a really amazing man that I've been lucky enough to have as a role model.

His passing was such a different experience than Grandpa Ford's.  It was so hard to see Grandpa Ford go, and since there were only the three grandchildren and their families, there was such a flurry of responsibilities afterward.  With Grandpa Borup, we were surrounded by family and support, and I almost felt guilty that I got to be there the day he passed away and my sisters didn't because there was this amazing feeling of family love that I can't even find the words to describe.

We'd spent the day going through old scrapbooks, reading old letters, and hearing stories about him, and it just was an affirmation of what I've always known: that I was lucky to know him.




I remember a few years ago, my dad telling me that his dad was the most kind, tender-hearted person he has even known.  I think that's the best complement that you could ever get, and if my son said the same thing about me someday, I would consider my life a success.

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Sycamore Street Press Letterpress Fortune Tellers

If you know me, you know how happy I am to work with some of my best friends, Eva and Kirk at Sycamore Street Press.  It's so fulfilling to have a chance to work on creative projects and thanks to all of Eva and Kirk's hard work, I get share that with so many other people.  Eva has said to me several times that if I ever wanted to take my designs and have my own stationary line, she would understand.  What I keep telling her is that designing a little bit here and there for Sycamore Street Press is my dream set-up; I only work during Creed's naps and if I had my own line, I would be too busy with paperwork and accounting and shipping things too ever have time to actually design anything.  Eva and Kirk work so hard and have created exposure for my work that I never would have obtained on my own. Plus, let's be honest, it's just fun to work with friends.

We recently collaborated on a new project that I've had swimming around in my head for months; a letterpress fortune teller! My sisters and I used to spend hours making paper fortune tellers (or cootie catchers).  Now you too can have a way to predict the future.  
I love these so much that I think everyone I know might be getting these this year as a present topper or a stocking stuffer.
Eva, just added them to her shop so you can see more pictures here.

Because sometimes you just need something incredible in your life . . .