Where did November go? As I write this, we have just crossed over the half-way point of the month, which means next week is Thanksgiving and after that, it's all over. As in, the downhill slide toward Christmas begins.
Every year, sometime in mid-summer (you know, when all those clever shop keepers begin their "Christmas in July" promotions) I make a vow that this is the Christmas in which I will finally have my act together. My house will be spotlessly clean, closets organized, pantry shelves will be stocked (and labeled!), Yuletide decorations will be abundant (yet tasteful). Although this seems like enough to keep anyone busy, this Pioneer Woman fantasy of mine is not complete without my annual Christmas Holiday craft.
I don't know when (or why or even how) this tradition started because my own mother is not particularly crafty. With the exception of the one lone holiday season she decided to make homemade candles as gifts and turned our family den into a candle factory. No joke. I remember she used all sorts of everyday household items as "molds" like milk cartons, and empty soup cans, stuff like that. I also remember a lot of glitter being involved and this was great fun for my sister and I who were probably about 9 or 10 at the time.
After the Big Candle Christmas (as I lovingly refer to that year) Mom gave up on being crafty around the holidays. "Too much stress," she said. That obviously didn't sink in because every year around this time I start to plan my big "craft" and while a part of me knows that starting the Big Craft in mid-November is probably too late, I still do it anyway.
In previous years, my Big Craft have included: making hand sewn Angels for the top of the Christmas tree (got this idea from a woman's magazine), jingle bell necklaces, hand made Christmas Cards (none got sent out because I couldn't finish them in time and February seemed a tad too late) and personalized gift baskets (that ended up costing me a fortune). So, while a part of me knows that the Big Craft is in some ways, doomed, I can't help myself from starting one each year.
This year the Big Craft is personalized painted cloth canvas rugs also known as floorcloths. I drool over these every time I see them in a store and vow that I will start making them myself. I mean, if Martha can do it, then why can't I?
How about you? Any big craft plans this holiday?
Just remember -- That is Martha's life work and career -- Plus she has assistants..
ReplyDeletegirlygirlhoosier52 (at) yahoo (dot) com
I actually have done this (though not as regularly as I'd like). I latch-hooked a tree skirt one year (still looks awesome), and painted a few holiday pottery-type decorations (as have my daughters)for a few follow-up years. But I haven't been consistent. Perhaps this year I need to do something new...
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Maria, I always aim to do something crafty, too, and it never gets done! This year, I need to craft a first draft of Little White Lies so I think anything holiday-related will have to wait until next year (at which point, I'll probably have another holiday deadline). I used to be the cookie baker in my family, getting out the Christmas Cookie Cookbook every year and making four or five kinds, neatly packing in tins with waxed paper, and hauling to grandma's house for everyone to devour. I haven't baked Christmas cookies in eons (wait, except those peanut butter kind you make with ready-made dough and Hershey's kisses, but those hardly count!). I'd like to get Christmas cards done, too, but I have a feeling it'll be January before I tackle them. Anyway, good luck with your rugs! Please take pictures and share when you're finished!
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