Lost Ozark Dawn Community Heritage was founded through love and loss.
Many people hesitate to talk about their trauma, loss, or addictions, but I want to change that. Healing not happen when we hide from it. The first step is to acknowledge that you are dealing with something. Then when you begin to talk about it you realize that there are so many others out there dealing with the same things. And that is when the healing begins.
My healing journey began November 6, 2019. After rehab I felt completely lost and alone, and I didn’t know what to do. So I sat down and asked myself some questions: What do I want in this life? What can I do that will make me happy? What gives me joy and provides me with comfort?
These questions took me back to childhood and my earliest memories of the things that brought me joy and comfort. I have vivid memories of my mother and grandmother picking out fabric, cutting out patterns, and sewing their projects. My mom, Hazel, is an amazing sewist and sewed all my clothes when I was young. It was almost impossible to stand still while she pinned the garments on me. Taking off a shirt full of stick pins takes a lot of talent, if you were wondering! Standing as still as I could, getting poked during the fittings…well, let’s just say I was not a fan and did not pursue clothing construction.
One winter my grandmother and I worked together and hand-pieced a king sized green tumbling block. I still have it to this day, and it is a priceless treasure reminding me of the kindness and love of my grandmother. As I continued to reflect, I realized that the time I spent sewing with her gave me the comfort I was searching for. Being in my mom’s sewing room after rehab provided me with the comfort and direction I was desperately seeking. One day a light went off and I spoke out loud, “Sewing will be my life’s work.”
My mission is to help others heal from whatever trauma they are dealing with. There is satisfaction in working towards a goal and completing it, and there is healing and recovery working alongside others who understand the struggles you have faced. Through the strength of this community, I am healing while helping others learn how to sew. It is my hope that they, too, will be able to experience the joy and comfort I do while sewing, and also work to heal from their trauma.
Being lost can be a bad thing, but it can also be a good thing. Arkansas is where I call home. I am finding myself again by getting Lost in sewing in the Ozarks every Dawn.
Please join me at Lost Ozark Dawn, and Let’s Get Lost in Sewing!
La Dawnya
(479) 250-2566
lostozd@gmail.com