Sunflower Altered Canvas

Whenever I see a sunflower, I think of my oldest daughter's birth.  To say it was a difficult birth is an understatement.  But the fact that she had to stay in the NICU for ten days was more traumatic than the actual birth.  I am fortunate that I had a tribe of women that stood by me and helped me through those difficult days.  I was not allowed to drive and my husband went back to work so that he could be home once the baby came home.  Ladies rallied around me to make sure I had rides to and from the hospital to nurse and hold my baby.  

CoolMomCreations 2019

But one friend insisted on me leaving her a key to my house one day so that she could clean for me.  I am a very independent person and was mortified that I needed help cleaning.  But I gave in and let her help.  When I arrived home she'd left homemade chicken noodle soup on the stove and a single sunflower in a vase on the counter.  With the flower was a note reminding me to look to the Son for strength just as the sunflower looks to the sun.

This small gesture was so large to me.  I have carried that thought with me and my daughter will turn 25 yrs old this fall.  

I created this altered canvas using Tim Holtz Distress inks, Unity stamps and a sentiment that was given in a challenge.  The original sentiment was "She is an sunflower.  Strong, Bold and True to Herself.  Not as beautiful as a rose but also not as fragile."  I changed the "not as beautiful" to "not as fragrant" because I think sunflowers are more beautiful than a rose.  But they are stronger, they don't bruise or break as easily.