Thankful for family, friends, the farm that provided our turkey and potatoes. Such good times.
Now on to the winter holidays and the constant making that entails. So many possibilities. And a trip over the mountain, through the woods, along the river to grandma's house for Christmas.
My husband and I haven't celebrated Valentine's Day in a romantic way in years. After a few years of marriage, with many romantic anniversary and birthday celebrations (not to mention romantic random Tuesday nights), Valentine’s Day started to feel commercial and contrived. Forced.
But with children in our lives, I always relish an occasion to make something together. So as our kids have grown older, I've been scrambling to add a bit of festive fun into this ‘holiday’ for our family.
This was our first year exchanging Valentine's at school. We kept it simple - and handmade - card stock folded into thirds (with rounded corners, of course), potato stamps, a little glitter, a sweet sticker closure. We worked on them a bit at a time over the course of a few days. Just the right pace to keep the project enjoyable.
We hosted my sister-in-law for a festive dinner on Tuesday night. Our table was graced with sparkling wine and sparkling cider, candlelight arranged by our sweet six year old, and the most romantic grilled cheese ever. The combination of luscious pears, oozing brie and thinly sliced turkey is incredibly seductive. Add in the sweet dark/light rye hearts, and everyone at the table was charmed.
Every December, I fall in love with our Christmas tree. With our precious ornaments (which become more so annually as a few are broken every year) and tiny white lights on a sparse, wild tree, we are truly bringing nature and light to our dark winter days.
I have wanted a proper tree skirt for years, but could never find the serendipitous combination of one I liked and the funds to procure it. This year I considered something thrifted before discovering I could make my own with materials I already had. Ha! I love it when that happens. About eight years ago I purchased yards and yards of chocolate brown ultra suede, intending to recover a chair. Obviously that's not going to happen. So I cut a simple circle, the perfect size for our small corner, wrapped it around my tree stand and felt very merry indeed.
We are in full swing holiday mode around here and I've been loving it. In fact, there has been very little stress involved in the preparations. This is a direct result of my decision not to give as many handmade gifts. Oh, we have nearly three gallons of coffee liquer infusing in the pantry, and there will be a batch of muffins later this week, and plans for peppermint bark, but not the crazy a-crocheted-hat-for-every-person-in-my-family kind of thinking that usually consumes my December.
Yesterday, I finished a huge project that I've been working on for several months, got the boys started on a holiday painting project, wrapped all the teacher gifts, and put together 80 holiday cards. And I was in bed before 11pm! It feels miraculous. I'm about to treat myself for my productivity by getting bundled up and doing some local shopping downtown, but not before I tell you about the wrapping paper we made.
I found the instructions in Kid Made Modern, an inspiring library discovery. Simply put: paint with festive, pearly colors on bubble wrap, press an opened brown paper bag (even I forget my reusables at the grocery store sometimes!) on top, let dry. Ta da! Holiday polkadot wrapping paper. So fun! And pretty! Nearly free!
(The gifts are luscious bars of La Lavande soap purchased locally at Pomegranate Home and Garden for all the wonderful teachers in our lives.)
The annual Earth Day celebration in downtown Bend is not to be missed. Little kids dress up as animals, fish, insects, all manner of living things and parade around the block. A drum circle and a pair of belly dancers led the procession. There were a few people on super tall stilts and another two guys wearing giant Burning Man-style puppets that my youngest son found highly untrustworthy.
And, of course, there were my two tiger cubs. They are adorable, cuddly, and only slightly tame.
They make friends with their own kind easily.
The best part of these costumes - for me - were in the making. I purchased a half a yard of this furry fabric (at a 50% off sale) when we picked up the materials to make the birthday banners. Happily, I remembered it just in time. Following Amy Karol's swing swing smock pattern from Bend the Rules Sewing - used before when I made M his suit of armor - I created the tops. The ears and tails followed easily. Two evenings of relaxing on the couch with a bit of hand sewing and ta da!
Three years ago, I ordered silhouettes of my two-year-old as holiday presents for his grandparents. At that time, the two year old depicted above was just a small bump in my belly. This year, I made silhouettes of our youngest to complement the earlier version of his older brother. It was remarkably simple. This project illustrates how the time/money balance has shifted in my life. For the price of ordering one silhouette, I had collected all the supplies (including the simple frames on super sale). Then it just took a few quiet moments at my desk with a sharp x-acto knife, some tracing paper, and a steady hand. You can find detailed instructions over here at Design Sponge. Further tips from Inchmark Journal were also helpful.
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2010 has been a busy year of caring for my family and building our sense of home. There are changes and challenges in store for us in the New Year. I'm ready and waiting.
Thank you for visiting this space and sharing the creative journey with me over the past year.
This morning at the library I found the perfect book for right now: The Best Christmas Crafts Ever! I marked a number of projects that we could make right away with the supplies at hand. As soon as we got home, my oldest poured over each page before choosing our first project. It's a matchbox disguised to look like a snowy chimney; the Grinch slides down to steal Christmas from all the Who girls and boys when you pull on the green yarn. We completed two before moving on to decorating gift tags with similarly Grinch-ish-ly stickers.
Eventually, I left the studio to vacuum and put away laundry. By this point, he was drawing elaborate houses with many, many windows and carefully cutting them out. He completed at least twenty of all different shapes and sizes. I returned to the studio and found him absorbed in the task.
He said to me, "It's so refreshing to work in the studio, just making houses." We must be kindred spirits, because I agree: a whole lot of making calms me down as quick as can be.
Even though these pages have been quiet, there has been plenty of making at home recently. Check back here the week after Christmas and you'll learn that frugal holiday giving is perhaps the best. These Christmas stockings were a breeze to complete. The boys were so excited to see them finished and hung by the fireplace. I'm enjoying the playful, modern color scheme contrasted with the old fashioned pattern. As a little girl, my brothers and I all had granny square crocheted stockings. These remind me of old traditions and new loves all at the same time.
It's been ten years, and I feel as though we're just getting started. Except now the two kids aren't the young people in the long white gown and the sleek black tux. Nope, they're the blond goofballs wearing the Medieval Times crowns. We've had a whole lot of good times. There's more love, happiness, and success yet to come.
Today I'm having a hard time believing that my baby is now a boy. Two already. I would ask where did the time go, but I see changes and accomplishments everywhere I look to answer such a futile question. Time flies. Children grow. Thankfully, parents grow, too.
If you know G, then you know the capacity of his heart is boundless. He is thoughtful and compassionate; he is forgiving and gentle.
Today he is two. We celebrated with breakfast ice cream (yogurt, strawberries and silken tofu) and waffles for breakfast. This morning at 6:30 when I wished him happy birthday he asked for cake. His vocabulary may be limited, but his priorities are clear.
Oh, sweet boy, how I love you.