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Monday, December 20, 2010

CRAZED CHRISTMAS CRAFTING CONTINUES...

Are you ready for Christmas? Have you done all your shopping, wrapping, baking, decorating, gift making, and begun your merry making? Or, are you like me, still in the crazed getting ready for Christmas mode? Thankfully I can cross shopping, wrapping, and decorating off my " to do" list. Baking and candy making are scheduled for Wednesday and merry making will begin on Christmas Eve and continue through the New Year Holiday. That just leaves crafting...which I am still doing! You did read panic into that last sentence did you not?(Darling Daughters fabric necklace. Won't Handy Hubby be surprised that three of his t-shirts are missing? Hee, hee, hee, nothing and I mean nothing is off limits for crafting supplies in my house. I could not get the right fabric for these as t-shirt fabric is out of season and jersey is too heavy.)This happens to me every year and swear it won't. This year I was even prepared, knowing well in advance what I was going to make and what I was going to buy. I even prepared all my projects in advance so I could work on them in stages. I forgot to build in a contingency plan of getting sick which has thrown me for a loop. So, I have slipped into crazed Christmas crafting. With two days tops to get it all done I am starting to panic and slash projects right and left. Thankfully I have several art pieces on hand that I can substitute if I need too.Handy Hubby knows the signs well of when I am in work mode. Poor guy, I was so hard at it last evening I did not realize it was dinner time until I heard him pushing buttons on the microwave, that is about the extent of his cooking skills. He looked kind of forlorn standing there waiting on a frozen entree to heat up, my backup plan for when I can't cook. I took mercy on him, pushed the stop button and offered to go and get his favorite take out instead. He lit up like a Christmas tree, hmmmm, I am going to have to check that expression to see if it is the same when I cook.(Sweet Daughter-in-law's necklace. I just learned how to make these Singed Fabric Flowers. You have got to try them but I warn you, they are addictive!!!)

After dinner I returned to the studio and must have been mumbling under my breath because he stuck his head in the door and asked me what I said. I asked, " Where are the elves?" " What?" " Where ARE the elves?" " What are you talking about?" This is where I got a little crazed, " You know elves, short little people who wear funny clothes and striped stockings, pointy hats and shoes with jingle bells on the toes. They love to make stuff and give it away. They are Santa's helpers. Where are they? You might be Santa's wallet but I AM SANTA and I WANT MY ELVES! In all the stories there are elves, in all the cartoons there are elves, I should know that they exist because I was once employed as one!"Poor guy, he can spot a meltdown a mile away and he does what he always does, he made me laugh. He took me by the shoulders and steered me down the hall, turning me in front of a full length mirror. He asked me what I saw. Looking at his grin I knew exactly what he saw...a short person wearing funny clothes, (vertical striped flannel pj bottoms with a mix matched top and clashing horizontal striped socks minus the jingle bells), someone who loves to make stuff and give it away, Santa's helper. After standing there for a minute he said, " You look like an elf to me." I laughed.We stood there and recalled the first time we met and I was indeed dressed in an elf outfit working for a PCA Photographer taking photos of children with Santa in a local Wal-Mart store. I teased him about how many times he pushed the broom up and down the aisle next to my booth, giving me a shy smile with each turn. I never imagined that a few years later we would date and few more after that marry.I returned to the studio with a renewed spirit humming to myself, " I am Santa's elf, filling Santa's shelf...Oh, I am Santa's elf..." I was stressing and robbing myself of the joy of creating and giving. So what if my fashion forward daughter and daughter-in-law only get two handmade fashion accessories instead of four like I had planned. Hey, they don't know they are getting any!(This one is just about done, a little embellishing of the flowers, applying them, and the evening out the fringe, whew!)

This ambitious elf is scaling back, reigning herself in, and setting some realistic expectations. So I surprise them with the purse and cuff bracelet for no reason at all after the holiday if I can't get them done. The thing is, I lost my focus, its not about the gifts we are giving but The Gift that has already been given, the Christ Child. It's all about keeping things in perspective isn't it?(This one is making me nervous!)

I hope there is no craziness in your Christmas preparations and that your hearts are full of the Christmas spirit bringing you peace, warmth, and happiness this holiday season.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

love the necklace!

Robin said...

What beautiful gifts these will be Sandy! Have a wonderful day.

Hugs,
Robin

Sonya Badgley said...

Your daughter and daughter-in-law will LOVE these necklaces. Beautiful job. You are going to make yourself sick again, if you're not careful! I don't have any room to talk though! I'm kind of freaked out too! Why do we do this? Maybe because we enjoy giving and we want to please everyone? And yes, we NEED to keep things in perspective. The most important gift has been given, Christ our Lord.
Praying that God will give you time to complete your gifts and the peace that can only come from Him.
Blessings and Merry Christmas,
Sonya

Vee said...

Miss Sandy~

Step back. Put that glue gun down. Now head straight for the kitchen and brew yourself a pot of chamomille tea immediately. Then sit down and relax for at least thirty minutes. Phew. I think I caught you just in the nick of time.

What beautiful craziness! Your daughter and daughter-in-law are simply going to love these. I have no illusions that I could even attempt this though you did trick me into running off and reading the singed flower tutorial.

Your hubby sounds like a dear and I really enjoyed reading about your enchanted meeting. Very sweet...the stuff of movies...

Vee said...

chamomile...listen some days I can spell...

Aaron {the girl with the boy's name} said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog and taking a look at the tea towel CitraSolv tutorial! Oh my, those flowers...I think I'm in love!
-Aaron

Vintage Market Place said...

what a cutie, we all need to be reminded the reasons for christmas and CRAFTING.
People always look at me strange when I say I am finished in November buying making wrapping sending. That way I have the whole december to enjoy the season. It is also cuz my family lives so far away I want to make sure they get their gifts under the tree in time. OCD a little I guess
Hope you get to sit and enjoy some of this holiday season and relax.
Amy

trash talk said...

Sandy,
It wouldn't be Christmas without a little crazy now would it? Hormones...girl...hormones.
And speaking of hormones, mine are on full tilt girly ones after seeing what Santa's helper has been up to. Those are fantastic.
Debbie
P.S. Give your main man a hug from me...he's a keeper!

Beth Leintz said...

Your flower decorated scarves and jewelery are gorgeous- so lush. I'm going to check out the link about making the flowers. I'm an addicted scarf knitter and fabric flowers would really add some "umph" to my scarves.

Anonymous said...

Sandy, what a sweet and funny post! Your hubby sounds like a KEEPER! But I would advise this very patient man to HIDE HIS UNDERWEAR! My goodness...a T-shirt robber lives right under his nose! LOL! What's next?! The jockeys? You just might be able to use those waistbands for something, dontcha think? ;-)
Fun and frolicking at the Babb's house! In striped PJs.
Hugs and love,
Diane

Dorthe said...

Sandy-oh my, they are gorgeus, love those necklaces,-they will be thrilled and so happy ,to recieve them--lucky girls,
I laughed reading your choice of material-what a patient man you have got :)
Dear Sandy -just wanted to wish you a happy and merry christmas, once again, dear--I hope you will soon be able to relax, and take care of yourself,--
Love and hugs, Dorthe

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