The worst time of the year

Without a doubt, the worst time of the year for me is undecorating time.  There is no other time of the year that makes me feel like time is passing by too fast than the days I spend removing all the holiday joy from my house.  Birthdays, Anniversaries and any other time-marking-events don't even come close.

The only joy I get is knowing that in 11 more months, I get to once again unwrap little treasures like this house I bought at Brimfield a couple years ago.  

The good part about this time of year is gearing up for CHA the Craft and Hobby Association Convention that occurs at the end of January/Beginning of February every year.  I just love heading out to Southern California to see my old friends and make new ones.  This year I'll be three times as busy as normal with make and takes, book signings, and demos for 4 different booths and one workshop of 100 students!  

I promise to post all the specifics later this week.  Stay tuned.

Do you have any creative ways for dealing with post holiday joyness?

A piece of cake

This is the gift I made especially for Abby this Christmas.  It is a crocheted cupcake pin cushion.  The theme for Abby's gifts this year was FASHION DESIGNER!  Yes, I got my little 7 year old a sewing machine and a 21" manequin and fabric and this sweet little pin cushion.

I couldn't resist taking a picture of it in a bell jar (one of my obsessive collections) that I bought at Sur La Table.

After much searching on the internet, I ended up making up my own pattern.  I used a ribbing technique (single crochet in the back loop only) for the cupcake paper part and then concentric circles with variations for the frosting.  The bottom has dried beans to weigh it down and then is stuffed with fiberfill.  Large headed pins look like fancy pearlized sprinkle.  SO sweet.

Did you give any creatively themed gifts this year?

I dreamt of a white Christmas!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!  How can one talk about being creative while talking about shoveling snow??  Easy, live in a pedestrian neighborhood or city and talk about where you're going to put 16" of snow!  We have a front driveway, and a tandemly shared side driveway.  Plows came as often as 4 times an hour (not complaining because they kept the street clear), plowing us in.  What to do?  Lots of advil and a FORT!  Yes that mound of snow in front of the barn doors is where we put all the snow.  It got bigger than this too.  This is only about 1/2 way through the storm.  

Sadly, just a few days later and the snow is almost fully melted thanks to some warm weather and rain.

What weather makes you feel creative?

Perfectly Made

Today I get to have breakfast with some of my dearest local friends. It is our cookie, holiday exchange, gossip, venting, relaxing, get together. I have been looking forward to this all year. I have been on the search for the perfect Christmas present since January.

I wanted to make them each something special and felt it needed to be something that was luxurious. I also wanted to give them something that said, "I pay attention to you." or "I noticed you didn't have this and I've been dying to get it for you, make it for you, or share it with you". If at all possible I wanted the gift to be something handmade or something that let them hand make something. I just have to add the bows and I'll be already to deliver the goodies.

I wonder if it's even possible for them to enjoy the gifts as much as it was for me to prepare them.

What are your creative qualifications for the perfect gift?

Happy accidents

This piece is one of the Bingo Card collages I made for Shop Local that took place last weekend. I am always searching for relevant collage material. If I'm designing a piece on babys, the sheet music will be a lullaby, about immigrants, the papers will be about other countries, and so on.

The main section of this piece is from a geography book from the 1800's. I pulled it out a while before because I liked the horse drawn sleigh picture and it wasn't until I was putting this piece together that I discovered that it was a page on Norway--a country near and dear to my friend Karin's heart. It said that Norweigans were a generous and frugal people. I found that entirely too funny. It made me go back into the book to read what they wrote about other countries. Let's just say it was not very PC.

Karin ended up getting this piece which touched me because she really took the time to look at everything and spotted the Norway reference herself. She asked if I had made the piece especially for her. I told her, while I didn't set out to make it for her, as I happened upon my happy accident of choosing this page on Norway, I did restructure my focus to make something worthy of her.

What creative accidents have you had?

The To Do List

I can't believe I found time to blog today. I have so much to do. My fingers keep getting cold while I'm working so I need to go looking for fingerless gloves to try to keep them warm.

We're having a kids party next week and I have to pick up some supplies for that. There are checks that need to be cashed. I am 2 months behind on a hair cut and I also need to sit at the car glass repair shop for two hours.

The two hours of quietly sitting might scare some people, especially during this busy holiday season but not me. I enjoy a forced respite every once in a while. I can't do the dishes, fold laundry or cook dinner because I have to remain in one place far away from it all.

For me, it means enjoying a break to crochet a special little gift for Abby and listening to a podcast of NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. This is Joy to me.

How do you creatively spend your time waiting?

Love and Lunch

Gifts that keep on giving--that's today's theme. This picture is a book I received from my mum (Hi Mum!) for my birthday. It's called Lunch Box Letters: Writing Notes of Love and Encouragement to Your Children by Carol Sperandeo and Bill Zimmerman (Firefly Books 2000). The book is filled with little notes, some with prompts, to write and insert into lunchboxes, back packs and pockets.

Next to the book is a fabulous new bookmark/pen that was gifted to me by Karin as a hostess gift for her BBQ Birthday. A truly creative gift because I keep it clipped to this book so I never have the excuse that leaving a note is too much hassle.

I'm inspired by this book to make my own little love notes for my girls, husband, family and friends. How do you leave secret love notes?