Posted by picapica on 2004-12-07 13:23:19
Post Subject: surprise Elf craftiness
This weekend I watched the movie Elf. I was completely prepared to hate it because I'm not a Will Farrel fan. But..... I loved it. Massively. And it launched a craftstorm at my house. I was making tissuepaper snowflakes and dangling them from the ceiling. I decorated the christmas tree and got back to work on an embroidry project from several years ago.
I think there was a strand i loved here or on glitter awhile ago about crafty movies - I guess I would add Elf to it. Did anyone else see it and love it? I really got into the whitewashed furniture and backdrop of the north pole and the nostogic look/references to old holiday movies like Rudolf. I also loved that very little of it was CGIed - most was done with forced perspecitve. I'm finally into the mood for this season and suddenly I want my own boiled wool/flannel elf outfit with little elf shoes. I think I've gone a little insane.
Posted by sjkmaurice on 2007-01-30 08:14:42
Post Subject:
I save them and display them every year. However, I did go crazy once at an after Christmas sale and ended up with about 10 boxes of 30 cards each. A couple years ago when my oldest was small, I wanted her to be able to be a part of decorating and enjoying the Christmas tree so I made boxes, fans and chains out of the Christmas cards. I attached ribbon to hang them. Last year, I cut out the pictures on the outside, punched a hole in them and used them as gift tags.
Posted by gingerandlulu on 2005-07-13 11:12:33
Post Subject:
did he put sand in the bottoms of the bags? that's what we did and it helps stabilize them....
or little bowls of water with floating candles (not a lot of light tho...)
the only other way i've lit an outdoor party was to use the massive amount of christmas tree lights that we have and put them all over the trees (this was for my friend's outdoor wedding) and it looked so magical!
Posted by joy on 2005-11-16 23:56:57
Post Subject:
The first thing I ever learned to sew (on a machine) was a skirt for a christmas tree. I guess the teachers rationale was that if it got goofed up then you can just thow presents on top of it and no one would know. It was great and I STILL have that tree skirt!
Best of luck to you.....
Joy
Posted by kitchensqueen on 2006-12-09 17:51:19
Post Subject:
Decorating your Christmas tree doesn't have to break the bank. And your ornament collection will have much better memories for you if you spend some time with family and friends hand-crafting them, instead of buying a boring ornament set. Here are a few easy ideas:
Tinsel photo ornaments-- print photos from your computer in wallet-sized prints. Use a 3-inch circle hole punch (or a good old fashioned compass and scissors) to punch out the photos. Punch out an equal number of pretty pictures from old Christmas cards. Glue the photo rounds to the card rounds. Finish the edge by gluing a tinsel pipecleaner around it. Punch a hole in the top with a small paper punch and thread a ribbon through.
Pinecone ornaments-- cut a length of fabric ribbon six inches long. Hot glue a small pinecone to each end of the ribbon. Use extra ribbon to tie two small bows, and hot glue the bows over the edge of the ribbon where it's glued to the pinecone, to give it a finished look.
String garlands out of bright beads, yarn pompoms, gum wrappers, colored paperclips or paper mached balls-- or good old-fashioned day-old popcorn or fresh cranberries.
Origami stars, flowers or baskets (filled with Christmas candy).
Glittered (Anything)-- pick up some cheap plastic forest or barnyard animals at the toy store, or some plastic fruit at the craft store, or some pinecones from outside, spread white glue all over it and sprinkle with glitter.
Sequined ornaments-- get some styrofoam balls (or squares, whatever shape you want), some dress pins (little push pins without the plastic heads on them) and a bag of sequins. Use the pushpin to secure the sequins onto the ball, making designs and color combinations that look nice to you.
Cookies-- gingerbread cookies with white icing look great and will hold up for a couple of weeks.
Pomander tangerines-- push whole cloves into a tangerine (lighter weight than an orange so you can hang it on a branch). Push a pushpin into the top and attach a ribbon for hanging.
Posted by lizzymahoney on 2004-11-01 22:32:22
Post Subject:
Your pipe cleaner star could trail a streamer of irridescent curled ribbon, kinda like a comet. You could pick up some of the colors of the beads.
I've gotten interested in tassel making lately. Tassels can be so much more than just fluffy string. How you bind them, how you trim them, how you hang them, can all be interesting takes on it. In fact, I'm in the ornament exchange here and made some tasseled ornaments for my part. Just finished yesterday, now i have to find a box and mail.
I was also thinking of some GITD ornaments. Don't know how well they'd glow if the only light they pick up is from twinkle lights, but I thought it might look cool when the Christmas tree's lights are out. Fimo has a GITD slightly greenish pale clay. I could make red and GITD candy canes out of twisting two long ropes together, or make a gingerbread man shape and decorate with GITD piping.
Posted by Embla on 2006-11-30 13:00:48
Post Subject:
That's a great idea! We also have a smal apartment, and a 6 months old baby, so there is no room for a Christmas-tree. I might be stealing your idea to.
Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-12-04 09:43:15
Post Subject:
What wonderful responses! In my boyfriend's town there are various gorups like the Masons (he's one of tem) but none of the churches or social groups organize anything. Thaere are a few soup kitchens, but that's it. Most people don't go into Pittsburgh or Harrisburg or State College to do anything- they just stay home. Most of them go to church, but that's it.
I'm intrigued by Seneca Falls from everything I've ever read, it sounds wonderful in so many ways.
NYC is interesting in that we are one large city, but are made up of zillions of neighborhoods and the remains of two large cities- Brooklyn and New York. Since Brooklyn and New York were in a rivalry with each other (Brooklyn would still be a city today if it wasn't for its lack of fresh water, which New York had in abundance), they both had pretty magnificent buildings and charitable organizations in place by Incorporation Day. That 19th Century civic pride, mixed with immigrants' love for a new homeland and a desire to give back to it, makes for a potent brew here at holiday time, and for the secular nature in which we celebrate, so that we have no problem with having a Christmas tree and a menorah on 5th Avenue, or incorporating Pakistani-American Moslem dancers and Chinese-American dancers into holiday celebrations that are held in front of crowds of people, many of whom are wearing yarmulkes.
Posted by amygdala on 2006-12-04 07:42:36
Post Subject:
Not all small towns are like your boyfriend's. I grew up in a very small town and we had concerts, lights, and that. Lighting the Christmas tree in the gazebo was a big deal. Plus Toys for Tots and the Salvation Army.
Just because the town isn't specifically organizing a food drive doesn't mean it isn't getting done. My elementary school classes always had our own and my temple at home (which is maybe 10 people but whatever) always does the Friendly Kitchen Christmas meals. I know that other local religious groups also volunteer around the holidays. And my mom's school does an adpot a needy child for the holidays thing. So maybe a lot of the activity is on a small scale that isn't readily observed by people outside of that specific group? Maybe people are sort of quiet and private with their giving?
I couldn't even begin to say what, if anything, the city of Philadelphia does. I'm guessing it's nothing. I think there are some public Christmas trees around.
I think something to remember is that it may be easier in some ways for a big city like NY to have stuff like skating and free hot cocoa. Because they have a larger tax base, and they also have more large corporations that are willing to put things on. Plus, there are more people to enjoy those things. If your town only has 1000 people, putting together a skating rink is kind of a big expensive project that may not get enough use to be worthwhile (plus, the insurance!). And call me cynical, but I'd bet the companies involved aren't doing those things on a purely altruistic basis - they want good feelings to be associated with their brand and sponsoring a skating rink is a good way to do that.
Posted by roxy_fondue on 2004-12-19 12:42:16
Post Subject:
i'm knee deep in the warm and fuzzy holiday spirit, and LOVIN' every minute of it (lame, lame...i know :)
my cartoon favourite is Garfield's Christmas, but I haven't seen it this year! I need my annual dosage, especially the part when the whole family lights the Christmas tree and goes "oooooh". I love the way their lips curl!
i love to sit on the floor with wrapping paper and tape and lots of gifts, and wrap them up while listening to Christmas music. i've listened predominantly to Christmas music since the middle of November. surprisingly, i'm not sick of it yet.
other holiday rituals include:
- going out just to look at Christmas lights
- drinking egg nog with nutmeg
- every night, i have this reverent moment when i first turn on the Christmas tree.
- devising and re-writing my New Years resolution list. yes, i have an entire list!!!
- Christmas morning, once again sitting on the floor (i sit on the floor a lot during the holidays), opening gifts and crumpling up wrapping paper to throw for the cats to chase.
i could go on, but my overt chipper-ness is beginning to annoy even me :)
Posted by betty2dogs on 2006-12-18 18:48:03
Post Subject:
You could stretch them in an embroidery hoop and post them on your walls, dye them, use just the center medallion to stiffen and put on a Christmas tree, lay them over a different color tablecloth... I love these sweet little things. They remind me of my grandmother. These doilies look pretty big, so you couldn't really stitch them onto a beret, but if they were small you could do that. With a good backer, you could make a net shopping bag.
Posted by lizzymahoney on 2004-11-29 17:47:57
Post Subject:
Do you have access to an oven? Then either the applesauce/cinnamon shapes or salt dough ornaments would be cool.
You can always make gingerbread girls out of felt and embellish.
IF you are at school and don't have a kitchen and supplies, tell us what you do have...
Keep watch at crafty places and big department stores for all the sales. Some of it will be finish it yourself type of ornaments like the glass balls and wooden shapes.
Foamie sheets are fairly cheap and you can make all kinds of stuff with them.
Heh, anyone remember that longish thread on OG about making pasties? Wouldn't the tasseled ones look cool on a Christmas tree? I think I'll go get some foamie and floss and sequin strings....
Posted by riotous lioness on 2006-11-28 15:02:09
Post Subject:
I think this is really wonderful. Maybe I'll steal this idea for the grad office.
Last fall I took photography, and made a 3D exhibit of self portraits for my final project. To make it stand up, I put the photos on boxes and the boxes on a dowel and the dowel in a Christmas tree stand. I couldn't get it home on the Metro, so it had to live in the grad office until I could get my husband to pick me up. One day I walked in to find someone else had strung Christmas lights around it. At that point I realized I couldn't take it home until after the holiday.
So this might be a nice continuation of that theme of odd trees to brighten a Bio Grad's holiday. Thanks!
Posted by elizabethgrace on 2006-12-21 23:33:18
Post Subject:
I haven't read everybody's posts so maybe somebody mentioned this already but here's an idea I just did with a three year old girl who loved it.
Buy a package of wooden clothespins from the supermarket or arts/crafts supply store and some paints, have the kids paint the clothespins in bright colors, then let them draw a face on a small circle paper or cardboard or something of the sort, glue it onto the clothespin at the bottom (opposite the thingies you press to open the clothespin) and there you have it, a bunny that can also be used as a bag clip or christmas tree ornament.
Sounds complicated but it isn't and the three year old had a lot of fun.
Posted by bessiemae on 2005-02-16 08:57:44
Post Subject:
I made 11 of the little stinkers for my Christmas tree, in Dec. Would have been 12, but #12 was sacrificed to the Greater Good of his Bretheren. I screwed up and had to canibalize him. Mine were baby/toddler size socks from a kit, my mom found for me. Finished size was about 4". What's more fun than a tree full of Monkeys?
I just saw at Walmart, they have the full size kits. If you em me,I can send you the directions....try on a non- Monkey pair first!
Posted by quornflour on 2006-11-01 21:58:22
Post Subject:
when I was a kid we celebrated little Christmas which involves the 12 days of Christmas (which is after Christmas not before christmas).
Little Christmas is the celebration of the arrival of the 3 kings.
I tend to like little Christmas better than Christmas.
but that doesn't mean I want a Christmas tree at work.
Posted by soapandwater on 2004-12-07 08:41:21
Post Subject:
I am! I am!
To even muster up one ounce of Christmas spirit, my best friend and I had to serenade the huge christmas tree in the middle of campus with Christmas songs. I'm still having trouble being in the Christmas spirit and buying gifts for people just bcause they've bought them for me.
Plus, I'm sort of fighting with one friend, soo... it's awkward.
In general, I don't feel like there have been enough good things to warrant Christmas spirit, so I'm trying to get back to my earliest roots of Christmas love, only to realize that those roots are steeped in getting gifts.
Big problem.
Christmas shouldn't be about that.
I'm going to try really hard to change all of that, but it's HARD.
Posted by jean on 2005-11-27 09:03:33
Post Subject:
so happy to find this thread! it's just the sort of thing i needed this morning.
we just got our christmas tree and began decorating...and friends were making fun of me for it! since i had kids, i;ve gone from hating the holidays to being crazy for it and having fun. kathy---you crack me up about the starbucks cups. i can totally relate!
and you reminded me that i need some good christmas music! last year we bought the nutcracker cd, but that's the entire extent of our christmas music collection. we hardly even have ornaments! but i figure we'll collect them over the years and next year we'll even make some, (and give them away to strangers...thanks for the idea kathy!)
i found that if i start the whole christmas thing early, and plan on making at least a few of my own gifts, that the love and giving of the season will win out against the rampant consumer. finding the right gifts for folks is really a talent and requires lots of thought, which is why i tried to start sketching out ideas last month and even bought a few gifts in early november, a first for me!
but now i'm swamped with work, so there will inevitably the stress right before christmas day...i don't know if it can be avoided. so we'll make the popcorn thingee-mabobs for the christmas tree, drink some wine, and call it christmas!
Posted by MlleEmily on 2006-11-02 02:45:53
Post Subject:
but that doesn't mean I want a Christmas tree at work.
Yeah, like I think of my holiday time as something I celebrate with family members and friends, they're not something I necessarily want to involve the randoms with whom I work. We have a Kris Kringle at my work and I'm like great, I have to go buy a useless piece of crap for someone and they have to do the same for me just so we can feel like it's Christimas In the Office!
Posted by Sewlittletime on 2006-12-14 08:28:29
Post Subject:
To jump start my holiday mood, started from scratch on the Christmas tree. New ornaments. Non-traditional colors. Invader Zim motif. Kids wacky excited by it. So frickin' homely it makes you laugh. Boy #2 who hates to sing belted out the Invader Zim carols whilst decorating: "Bow down! Bow down! Before the power of San-Ta! Be crushed! Be crushed by His Jolly Boots of Doom!" Did I mention his rousing guitar rendition of "Good King Wencewhoziwhatsit" complete with distortion and feedback? #2 will gladly go caroling with you! Of course, you'll be forced to sing his twisted renditions.
OMG!!! I Sooo NEEEED an Invader Zim X-Mas motif!! My 12 yr old son has been singing of Jolly Boots of Doom for weeks now. My 5 yr old sings "Jelly" boots of doom!!! I think I need to get my boys over to your place pronto, so they can sing twisted carols too!
Hehehehehe!!!
Care to share your Zim-tastic X-mas decor? Wow....I may have to dig into my stash and make some cross-stitch Zim and Gir ornaments!!
This year I'm actually in a good holiday mood. My 5 yr old is really excited by it all, and have been thanking me almost non-stop for the decorations, crafty fun, and annual treks to Santa and the holiday train set-ups, etc. He's been really cute about it all, so how can I be grinchy when he's thrilled to death?
Posted by boheme-anne on 2004-12-20 17:05:11
Post Subject:
Your not the only one smudgy cat, did you here about the recent amount of businesses that won't put up christmas decorations because people celebrating hanukah want there decorations up too. I personally think everyone is entitled to celebrate as loud and flamboante as they can with their decor. I would never get upset seeing a dradul (excuse spelling) next to my christmas tree. It's everyones right. I am describing myself as a christain buddist these days, it helps with the holiday meshing. I'm happy for anyone celebrating a holiday that promotes love, family togetherness, and peace right now-and I hope they have a lovely one!
Posted by bessiemae on 2006-12-14 06:50:52
Post Subject:
I've been Scroogey this year, as well. This semester, work has been a gigantic trial of adolescent foolishness the likes of "Jack Ass: The Director's Cut". Add recurrent immobilizing scourge and friends' assorted trauma and drama. Mix well.
To jump start my holiday mood, started from scratch on the Christmas tree. New ornaments. Non-traditional colors. Invader Zim motif. Kids wacky excited by it. So frickin' homely it makes you laugh. Boy #2 who hates to sing belted out the Invader Zim carols whilst decorating: "Bow down! Bow down! Before the power of San-Ta! Be crushed! Be crushed by His Jolly Boots of Doom!" Did I mention his rousing guitar rendition of "Good King Wencewhoziwhatsit" complete with distortion and feedback? #2 will gladly go caroling with you! Of course, you'll be forced to sing his twisted renditions.
Assembling swaps for Monday Mailing forcing me to be both crafty and cheerful. Who wants a sad swap? "Swaps of Obligation" sounds like something rejected from a Greek Tragedy. "Thanks. You shouldn't have. Really. I mean it."
Baking treats is soothing to the soul and makes the home smell yummy. Bored and grumpy? Make a totally non-Christmas/Christian treat from another culture or faith tradition. Christmas has become a dumping ground of sorts for all manner of Mid- Winter/Solstice observances. Candles and spices. Leg lamps. Whatever.
Sprinkling of Bad Taste is waaay more fun than Good Taste. Who would you really like to have over for Holiday Meal: John Waters or Martha Stewart?
Hang with Quornflour and have no choice but to Experience the Holiday, kinda like pink gamma rays. Resistance is Futile.
Posted by sallysunshine on 2006-10-31 15:09:41
Post Subject:
A lot of Jews really hate Chrismakkuh, for a bunch of reasons. Mostly, Jews don't believe that Jesus was the Messiah, so celebrating Christmas as the birth of Christ kind of invalidates Judaism. While Christians could celebrate Hannukah, a holiday which is completely compatible with the Christian faith, Jews cannot celebrate Christmas, unless it's completely secularized. So "Chrismakkuh" is really just a Christian holiday that coopts some aspects of a Jewish one.
Also, a lot of Jews aren't very happy about the dreidel next to the Christmas tree stuff. Hannukah is a very minor Jewish holiday, and it's been elevated in the U.S. in an attempt to seem inclusive while really maintaining a completely Christian-centric holiday calendar. If you really want to be inclusive of Jews, the thing to do is to put up decorations for a more-important or appropriate Jewish holiday, which would mean one that doesn't occur during the Christian "holiday season."
The second one is probably a lost cause, but I'm really resistant to Chrismukkah.
Posted by philokitty on 2004-12-19 18:22:50
Post Subject:
My "Meowy Christmas" CD is essential for holiday spirit, and decorating the Christmas tree is a big deal for me. It's not just decorating, it's an *aesthetic experience*. It takes me a long time to do it, and I cannot be disturbed. Every ornament and string of lights is carefully and lovingly hung by me. I often change ornaments around to achieve the *right balance.* I've got a whole feng shui thing goin' on my tree. Every year each tree is different, representing my mood and accomplishments (or lack of them) that year. Most years I am poor and must hand make my ornaments. Some years I splurge on new fangled technology and make that tree really sparkle. For the past couple of years, I have been incorporating a "found art object" approach to my tree and putting stuffed animals, cut out magazine pictures, and empty containers on my trees. No matter how I design them, they are all beloved to me, those evergreens that make my living room smell like heaven and bring life indoors for me to enjoy.
Posted by DesignerSara on 2005-04-20 11:01:04
Post Subject:
I always look for weird old little kid tshirts. I wear thrift store tshirts more often than ones I buy at the store and they are obviously much cheaper.. but neat ones can be hard to find.
About a month ago, I found a shiny bright green little Christmas tree for $2 that looks just like one I saw at Urban Outfitters for who knows how much.
Posted by zahmeece on 2005-06-06 13:28:13
Post Subject: CD crafts
I made a CD christmas tree for yard art one year. You start with 1 CD and add 2 to the bottom tieing with yarn. The next row has 3... I stopped at 7 and made a trunk thingie in the middle. I tied jingle bells on too. Very cute.
This year I'm making CD clocks for Christmas gifts. I got stick on numbers and clock mechanisms. Voila. All that's needed is a hanger. Glue doesn't work well, will have to figure that one out.
Posted by smudgy_cat on 2004-12-20 19:39:16
Post Subject:
Depending on how my wedding dress weathers the wedding, I'll either preserve it or turn it into a baby baptism outfit. Though the Christmas tree skirt sounds cool.
I was so proud of my ebay find, but it turns out that the dupioni silk is somewhat weak, and part of the fabric has split apart. I'm hoping it won't disintegrate before the wedding. I also hope people don't read some weird symbolism into that either....
It just needs to last 7 hours. That's possible, right? After the stresses of pressing, it'll hopefully handle 7 hours of wear, right?
Posted by creativecat on 2005-11-27 08:54:38
Post Subject:
I've always thought of this time of year as being a time of giving. Our church growing up had something called "The Giving Tree." The tree was filled with paper ornaments that had the gender and age of the person on the front and what they want on the back. You could take as many as you could handle and buy or make the presents and drop them off at the church unwrapped. Her current church does something similar where you fill a stocking with some fun presents and some practical things like soap and socks. You could do something similar outside of a church through many different charities. We also would either help deliver food or help separate donated food into boxes.
I think it would be really easy to combine crafting with charitable giving. It could be as simple as helping wrap presents for the needy or making stockings and other decorations. Maybe the local homeless shelter needs ornaments for a tree or help stringing lights. Some of these places have a lot of kids living there too.
We've discussed not buying presents for each other, but donating to the person's favorite charity instead.
Baking (especially cookies) always gets me in the holiday spirit. There's cookies that always remind me of the holidays (Peanut Blossoms, Gingerbread, Sugar Cookies). It's also fun to decorate them. My sister and I made R-rated and/or offensive gingerbread cookies one year.
One year, we tried to make a Yule Log, which is a traditional French holiday treat. It's a chocolate roll cake that you decorate to look like a mossy log. We also added meringue mushrooms and one chocolate truffle mushroom.
I forgot to add that I almost always make ornaments of some type every year. Sewn, crocheted, breaded, anything not-breakable is fair game. (My cats don't think it's a Christmas tree; they think it's a cat-toy tree.)
Posted by breewell on 2004-11-06 03:59:28
Post Subject:
Girl Guides! (Canadian Girl Scouts) We made so many awesome crafts (some still hang on my mom's christmas tree, and not because she's sentimantal). My favorites were minature anything! camp fires, frying pans with eggs and bacon, bed rolls... And it wasn't about it being perfect (I was just a perfectionist, even then) we were encouraged to be creative (lots of purple skies and blue trees in our group). Sometime I think I am crazy because I had an amazing girl guide experience, the right balance of crafts, sports, singing, camping and typically "male" projects (computers, carpentry) as well as a healthy dose of politics (envitonmentalism, human rights stuff etc.). I think that is why I went on to be a leader, and did all sorts of cool crafts with my girls.
Posted by bessiemae on 2005-11-27 09:55:18
Post Subject:
Christmas with the Monkey Boys is now in High Gear.
We read the Jean Shepherd "Christmas Story" and watch the dvd at least a zillion times! Like others, we also imbibe in shmaltzy clay-mation marathons of "Drummer Boy" and various Santa movies.
We cut down our Christmas tree at the tree farm behind us. There is just something so cool and family fun about bundling up, saw in hand and traipsing through mucky or snowy farm land to find the perfect imperfect tree (crooked trunks and missing branches r us!), cut it down, haul it at least a half mile, and then secure it to the top of the Craptastic minivan. We rationalize this annual excursion and expense by claiming the cash stays in our local economy and it ensures more green space and fewer developments.
About 5yrs ago, to coincide with the arrival of a Lab puppy, we stopped using the fancy glass ornaments and started making our own. Paper chains. Popcorn garland. Recycled cards. Juice can lids. Clothes pin snowflakes. Glitter dipped pinecones. Scandinavian hearts. Our only caveat is that we use nothing fragile, in case the dogs tip the tree.
We bake lots of cookies and give them away. Consume way too many. Bake doggie treats for the many pups on our street.
Eat several crates of clementines and swill egg nog.
This year, we're making fleece blankies to give to the lone homeless shelter in our rural area. Donating various coats and outerwear, as well.
Kids both have Christmas Concerts- one for Cello Boy and some freaky weird Holiday hoo-ha for the younger. We all cram into the unheated auditorium, wet boots, tired siblings, and indigestion from hurriedly inhaled dinner to watch our kid sing off- key Culturally Sensitive holiday songs no one's ever heard, complete with goofy hand gestures. Awesome good time!
I got up at 4AM to be at Mega Retailer for the 5AM opening on Black Friday. It's a tradition and I refuse to even begin my shopping until then. Keeps me in budget. 4:30 AM, in line with Gal Pal, sipping a Poor Man's Mocha Latte (instant coffee with instant hot cocoa mix) in a travel mug, 8 degrees F in predawn dark,and shuffling in the Lake Effect snow to get my Star Wars Ultimate Light Saber kit for $21, because "Santa can do anything". Armed with cell phones and military precision, we were in and out in less than 36 minutes.
One of our favorite traditions is the Christmas Eve gingerbread house. Every year we would make a gingerbread house the long afternoon of Christmas Eve. Leave the creation on the dining room table and attend the Children's Service at church. Every year, No, No Bad Dog would eat it. No, No, Bad Dog passed into "doggie heaven", but we continue the Ginger bread house tradition.
We check out the lights and the Christkindl market in Akron, and do a bit of ice skating.
We do make some of our gifts, but not all. And we try to buy from other crafters.
Posted by cherriesontop on 2004-11-07 06:16:13
Post Subject:
Girl Guides! (Canadian Girl Scouts) We made so many awesome crafts (some still hang on my mom's christmas tree, and not because she's sentimantal). My favorites were minature anything! camp fires, frying pans with eggs and bacon, bed rolls... And it wasn't about it being perfect (I was just a perfectionist, even then) we were encouraged to be creative (lots of purple skies and blue trees in our group). Sometime I think I am crazy because I had an amazing girl guide experience, the right balance of crafts, sports, singing, camping and typically "male" projects (computers, carpentry) as well as a healthy dose of politics (envitonmentalism, human rights stuff etc.). I think that is why I went on to be a leader, and did all sorts of cool crafts with my girls.
im in girl guides and its alot of fun! i actualy have a little frying pan with bacon & eggs in it and a bedroll too! hehe. i rememeber when i was 8 i made a butterfly nesting box with wood and nails,hammers,etc. i still have yet to put that up.
Posted by lizzymahoney on 2004-11-06 17:15:50
Post Subject:
I'm 47. I've moved a dozen times in my life, my parents have moved three times since I was born. I see these things so often I don't see them anymore. My mother has a cedar shingle from the house I grew up in. They were repairing a section and this shingle was left over. I found my brother's old wood burning tool and made a daisy shape and leaf on it, painted it in. I just wanted to see what a wood burning tool could do. It's hanging in the hallway outside my parents' room. I did much fancier leather tooling with it that I no longer can find.
My aunt lived on an old place on a river in Connecticut, I spent summers with her for a while as a preteen. I collected smooth rocks there and painted acrylic scenes on them. Oil, too, but those don't look as nice. My mother still has those on end tables or in end table drawers to change up.
I ornamented a tiny HO railroad brush style Christmas tree with baby seashells and that's still around thanks to my mother finding an old dome and base to keep it in. It has the teensiest starfish on top, though one arm is broken.
The first chair I ever refinished down to the wood and rush seat: every time I really look at it, mostly at holiday dinners, I see the spot where I sanded too deep and took off very old stain and patina. I was mortified. It wasn't an heirloom or a real antique, but my mother bought it at an antique (read junk) store and I had this idea I had ruined something very costly.
Things I embroidered or quilted, clothes I altered, vases I painted, Christmas wreaths I made, and that's just the stuff from when I was a kid.
We also have some paintings hanging that came from my artist/nurse cousin, a bit older than me. She doesn't even remember them, but recognizes them as hers in style and by signature. She had to be preteen we figure when she did them. Mostly impressionistic florals. But her mom had rocks I painted and things I embroidered, too. Come to think of it most of my aunts had stuff somewhere from both my cousin and me.
I would be dangerous if I ever slowed enough to focus on one thing.
Posted by smudgy_cat on 2005-07-15 12:42:35
Post Subject:
I made christmas ornaments that were paper cranes. I had them hanging on a stand on each table. Those who wanted one, took one. Those who didn't, didnt'.
I ended up with a some leftovers, but they can go on my christmas tree in future years.
Don't make anything that you couldn't see being tossed in the trash. If you are that bound to it, choose something that you are less invested in.
Posted by rmeb on 2005-03-01 16:23:18
Post Subject:
Great discussion!
It's funny that you brought this up, M, because a woman that I work with and I were just talking about this issue the other day. Our conversation was about the fact that we think the sort of old school "soap-box" kind of feminism (or activism of any kind, really) has sort of lost its luster nowadays. Unlike in the 60's & 70's, it's now pretty run of the mill to have people protesting, marching, signing petitions, etc. (full disclosure: I live in a liberal college town where at any given moment, you could probably run into about 3 different kinds of protests, but...). As a consequence, it doesn't seem to have the same effect on people or society as it onec did. She and I both thought that as the next "wave" of feminists, we need to come up with new and different ways to get people active, make our voices heard and AFFECT CHANGE. The problem is, how to do it?! Maybe your suggestion of combining a lot of the prior methods would work. We couldn't seem to come up with much, but I think those are the kinds of conversations we need to be having.
As far as your question about will we ever have a viable candidate for a high political office, I am sad to say that I do not think we will live to see a woman President. I think that the masses in our society still don't think a woman would be capable of handling the office, and as you mentioned, still expect certain "feminine" characteristics and qualities. For example, even though I personally strongly dislike Condeleeza Rice and her politics, I was still pissed to read an article about her in some magazine (probably glamour or cosmo) about how she loves to have "slumber parties" with Mary Matalin up at Camp David and loves to get dressed up to go to parties. Hello?! Is any of that relevant? Why should that affect how we feel about her as a governmental official?
Also, think about how people talk about Hillary Clinton! She was slammed for not being "first lady" enough (ie. not being content to just decorate the White House Christmas Tree, cut ribbons at ceremonies, etc.), for having her own career, speaking her mind, etc. I think that all of the things that I like about Hillary are the things that a lot of run of the mill Americans would hold against her in an election. I think that in order for us to have a viable woman presidential candidate there needs to be some serious wholesale changes in our social framework.
That's all for now, but I'm glad this thread is here. I will think more and post more soon.
-r
Posted by boheme-anne on 2006-01-08 09:05:54
Post Subject: Giving personal gifts to people you aren't personal with...
Recentely, someone I know had quite a tradgedy. I usually go out of my way to do something nice for such people but now I'm a little worried about the level of feeling I express in the gift.
She's the manager of the store I work for. We've always got along pretty well, and as more time passes we've shared some personal conversations about her children-but not a whole lot. I get the feeling like she really doesn't respect me too much because I'm, "young"-which is what she once said to my boss during my evaluation. Apparentely being 24 and having a husband and a house..ect didn't seem to make her believe that I'm up to the level of maturity she expects..I'm not sure.
Anyway, lately she had deliberately called me to thank me for an origami dove I made for her Christmas tree. I felt really surprised and good at the same time because she wouldn't have thanked me in such a way before.
For all of the not so nice things I am saying to explain this woman, I am truely devistated about what had happened to her.
Her son who works at the store during christmas break, and during summer home from college was killed in a car accident. She was on the phone with him when it happened. I heard she is not doing well.
I didn't go to the funeral because again, there has always been this sense of her not thinking I'm genuine. Like the person you give a hug to for christmas and they only pat you on the back. That sort of thing.
I went into her office last thursday and realized the art on her walls is really aweful. The whole office is depressing. And there are pictures of her son everywhere.
I decided that I wanted to paint a picture for her office. I love butterflies and they hold a very special meaning of life for me. I was going to paint a large butterfly and give her this little story/theroy that I wrote about our lives and butterflies. I really put my heart into the writing, but I'm being held back with the painting because I just don't know if she is going to think I'm nuts. I do not want to sound nasty, but even if she doesn't like it, I would hope she would realize my sincere sign that I care.
I wanted to type up what I wrote for you guys to give your thoughts on. I'll wait until someone replies first before I do it. Help?
Posted by sun bear on 2004-12-12 14:34:21
Post Subject:
regifting is perfectly acceptable as long as you don't regive the gift to the original person, leave old tags, or let it get dusty and don't clean it. Example, my friend gave me bath salts and i'm not a bath taker, i'm a shower-er. It sat in my closet for a year, then i had a roommate who loved baths, took them all the time and was constantly buying bath salts and bubbles, so i gave it to her. I think she could have used it alot more than my closet could have!
Or my sister had a gift swap with a 20 dollar limit, but someone brought a 20 year old wedding gift, a crystal christmas tree that they never displayed, it was probably 100 dollars in value, and it was the most 'stolen' gift at the swap. (or so i'm told-i wasn't there). Anyway if it makes other people happy, what's the harm?
Posted by ada on 2004-10-02 04:30:51
Post Subject:
I just remembered another thing I used to do as a kid. It involved cutting out an angel from a circle of paper - and the wings slot together to make it freestanding (we used to sit them on sticking-up bits of the christmas tree). It's a bit like the one at:
only mine didn't have a halo, and I didn't feather the wings.
Anyway, this is a good craft to do with wee kids - you can print or draw out some templates, kids can decorate them when the paper is still flat, you can cut it out & construct it.
Posted by surfer rosa on 2004-05-25 13:08:49
Post Subject: wedding crafts
After seeing a good friend nearly go crazy from all her wedding crafts, my solution was basically to have less stuff at my wedding. No favors, no programs...
We made our invites with paper from www.paper-source.com and QuarkXpress and got them printed for free by a friend at a local copy shop. Our wedding was in October, in NH, and a friend of mine came up with the idea for center pieces. We did big plates (cheap ones from Pier 1) with a white candle (Christmas Tree Shop) in a hurricane shade (www.save-on-crafts.com) in the middle, surrounded by apples. It was purty. Of course, everyone took home the plates, and my mom currently has 10 hurricane shades and no use for them! I should really take those off her hands...
Posted by amanelle on 2004-12-22 12:14:10
Post Subject:
I got mine over the weekend. I loved them all and they are now proudly hanging from my tree. My Christmas tree and most decorations are in storage so I had to buy a cheap little tree and few ornaments. My tree looks so much happier with these ornaments instead of generic glass balls and candy canes.
Posted by glccafar on 2004-08-30 19:33:16
Post Subject: Re: Secret Snowflake and Ornament Swaps
Is anyone interested in doing either of these swaps?
For newbies, the Secret Snowflake swap is one where you tastefully stalk your intended and then you send a holiday package filled with appropriate things in December. People sometimes remain anonymous, or they put clues in the package so that the recipient can guess which username sent it.
The Ornament Swap is just that....everyone in the group makes a set number of ornaments and sends them to the group leader (along with money or stamps for postage). The group leader sends out the packages of ornaments to each participant and everyone has some cool things for the Christmas tree.
I would LOVE to do the ornament swap! Just let me know. :)
Posted by smudgy_cat on 2004-08-30 19:25:59
Post Subject: Ornaments are Shipped!!!!
Updated 9-30-04:
So far we have 20 people signed up for the swap, making 3 groups of swappers. These are the people I've received emails from:
Group 1
marvy
happydaisydoo
kazoogrrl
lizzymahoney
wild snowflake
kindarana
Group 2
glccafar
deborahthecraft
earthborn
guttergrrl
athos
for_esme
cyan
Group 3
amanelle
danielepea
ad_ho
lindastar
Alterego
breewell
smudgy_cat
The due date is November 12. I've copied most of the text of the email I sent out onto page 3.
Updated Info
Anyone interested in participating in the ornament swap, please email me at amkscuba at yahoo (dot) com. Please include your name, screen name, and country info. Deadline to email me is 9-18-04. I'll form up groups and send out mailing info after the 18th.
Is anyone interested in doing either of these swaps?
For newbies, the Secret Snowflake swap is one where you tastefully stalk your intended and then you send a holiday package filled with appropriate things in December. People sometimes remain anonymous, or they put clues in the package so that the recipient can guess which username sent it.
The Ornament Swap is just that....everyone in the group makes a set number of ornaments and sends them to the group leader (along with money or stamps for postage). The group leader sends out the packages of ornaments to each participant and everyone has some cool things for the Christmas tree.
