For about $5, you can get a can of spray paint. And then you can do this:
and this …
And this …
These frames were thrifted finds and a horrid gold-ish color. A quick spray and sparkles abound. Really, you can’t beat spray paint for inexpensive holiday decorating that quickly transforms any space into a winter wonderland.
A minute ago it was summer. Now Thanksgiving has passed and the leftovers happily enjoyed. All of which means we’re that much closer to December celebrations, and the season where time seems to be stuck on fast-foward. I love all the ideas Ali has been posting about Christmas projects, not trying to do everything and making lists of old traditions and new ones to start.
Doing what is joyful and that which will bring joy to others is the key to a relaxed and happy holiday season. We don’t really have to be frantic or spend more than we should, do we? Craft paper and twine makes gorgeous wrapping and can be found at the local drugstore, sparing a trip to the crowded mall. A remnant from the fabric store becomes a beautiful backdrop to a holiday table — you can sew a hem but you can also do a “tape” hem or use pinking shears for a “finished” edge. Painter’s drop clothes from the hardware store also make a great base for layering. The grocery store plus garden is my favorite source for centerpieces. It all comes together like this:
For our Thanksgiving table, I found a beautiful, texture-rich piece of fabric. I ran out of time to sew the hem and the selvage edge looked great, so I just left it alone. Roses + radishes + cranberries came together in several small arrangements for the table and sideboard. Fast, easy, inexpensive and, most of all, fun!
Note of caution: as I found out this morning, the radishes turn fast and the smell can knock you sideways. Next time, I’ll use just the cranberries or crab apples. Piles of cranberries in compotes or small vases paired with white votive candles would also make a gorgeous centerpiece.
Up next … more slow holiday tips!
Grab your camera. Go outside. Look up. Capture the moment.
I have two fabulous sisters; Beans who is two years younger and Belle who is nearly eight years younger. (yes, those are nicknames!) Growing up, Beans and I were in constant battle with Belle often the prize (as in, “she likes me better.” “No she does not, she likes me best.” “You’re mean.” “Well, you smell.” “I know, let’s teach Belle how to say “sh” … “it”.). Now Beans saves lives, keeps K in new books and treats, and proffers handy advice, “Did you know they make detangler spray so you don’t have to yank the knots out of K’s long hair?” Love that detangler!
Belle saves companies – financially that is. She’s one of those wizards that deftly uses “heretofors” and “such thats” to merge the little guys and big guys. A world traveler, she also has a wicked sense of humor. Let me show you what I mean with this post from my baby sister …
On Storm Windows, Window Units and Showerheads
(a/k/a, Tales of the Single Girl)
As anyone who knows me well can attest, I am not very handy. I mean, sure, I can screw in a light bulb and sometimes hang a picture up straight but, beyond that, we’re really going into uncharted territory.
For example, the shower. About a year and a half ago I noticed that my shower wasn’t working so well. It was almost like I was losing water pressure and the only way to get more than a drip-drop shower was to use the shower wand-thing, which one of my house guests equated to “being showered down like a circus animal.” Quick consultation with Dad suggested it was probably something in the pipes which, of course, would likely require breaking into the tile and replacing pipes and, after that, replacing the tile.
Yeah…right… I’d rather play circus animal, thank you very much.
Now setting aside the circus act, this lack of handy-ness wasn’t much of a problem until my days as a single girl in Chicago because in Chicago they have this thing called “winter.” Now, I know what you’re thinking, everyone has winter. Well, yes, but Chicago has additional complications. First up, there’s the storm window. As I best understand the technology, the idea is that during the winter you pull down these two panes of glass so you can trap the warm air in between them. Well, I can’t work em. Between the screens, the glass panes, etc. it just isn’t happening.
Now the storm window problem is further complicated by the window air conditioning unit problem. Every spring, right when it begins to get warm, those of us poor souls in Chicago w/o central air prop 60 lb+ air conditioning units in our windows with nothing to hold them in place other than a couple of pieces of wood and the window pane itself. Now in and of itself, this is a lawsuit waiting to happen, but combine that with not having a big strapping man around to help put the unit in its designated place (get your minds out of the gutter if you please), this can be quite a challenge. So, I do what any other reasonable single girl would do, I just keep the window units in place all winter long. And yes, come January, -5 degree breezes blow their way through the vents into my kitchen, but hey, it’s not like I actually cook.
Well, this year, I decided enough was enough. Upon receipt of a piece random junk mail promising to solve all of my “home maintenance and repair needs” I decided it was time to call Mr. Handyman. So, today, within 23 minutes of his arrival, Mr. Handyman not only put the window unit in storage and pulled down the storm windows, but he fixed my shower. Apparently, there wasn’t a problem with the pipes, the shower head simply needed cleaning. 23 minutes was all it took to get a warm apartment and a shower that works.
Hmmm, maybe I don’t need a big strapping man around after all.
Yeah…right…
Isn’t she just the best?! Can’t wait for the next guest post!
The holiday elves have been going full steam around these parts with many projects begun and many more being dreamed up daily. They got so busy, in fact, that they forgot to write. They get like that sometimes, a bit fickle you know. They’ve done some good work though …
:: hand-sewn yo-yos to adorn presents ::
:: little sprinkles of holiday cheer here and there ::
The frame above usually holds another photo. The elves decided to replace the photo with some cute holiday postcards for a fast, easy and cheap new look!
:: a bed of white cyclamen to dress up the garden ::
Disclaimer: The chief elf here had nothing to do with the garden. While she’s good at many home arts, she can’t garden for the life of her. Luckily, she found a garden elf through her friend Maurine, and now the garden is getting decked out for the holidays too.
Next up …
:: more yo-yos
:: pinecones spray-painted silver
:: garland for the porch railings
:: button trees
:: Victorian paper cone advent “calendar”
:: a few hand-sewn gifts
The little elf has her own list of projects underway. And then there’s the elf wish list of grand-scale craft plans that may be just a tad to big to tackle at once. But you know the elves will try!
I’m a blog collector. My collection of bookmarked favorites continues to grow as my tastes evolve and I discover the favorites of my favorites. Take a look at the “blogroll” on any blog and you’re likely to find a list of like-minded people or, at the very least, an interesting spot to visit.
While my favorites list has changed over the past two years, a few of my first loves are still on my daily travels. Ali Edwards’ blog is one. And from hers I recently discovered Molly’s Journal, which quickly became bookmarked for her thoughtful writing and gorgeous photos. It was there that I read about a “pay it forward” handmade exchange. It works like this:
I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.
Wanna play along? Just leave a comment. The first three people to leave a comment will receive a PIF handcrafted item from me. Now, I know some of the visitors to this blog don’t have a blog. Comment anyway! The way I look at it, there are many ways to pay it forward.
At this very moment, while a sink full of dishes is calling to be done, this is happening …
Exploration on a grand scale. Fascination with how things work. Giddy calls to me, “Mama, come see what I got apart.”
She is so thrilled; I am so thrilled for her. I leave the dishes to capture this moment.
As the shutter clicks, I can’t help but think about the Anna Quindlen quote I’ve seen a number of places: ” … but the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three on them sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4, and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in a hurry to get on to the next things: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.”
It’s true. The dishes don’t really matter.
That’s the number of e-mails I’ve sent in the last two years. I just happened to notice the number today as I retrieved something from the “sent” file. 19,500. That seems so big. Hard to imagine I had that much to say, that many times.
Speaking of having things to say, did you know that it’s NaBloPoMo? That’s the National Blog Posting Month challenge where bloggers post every day of November. It was inspired by the National Novel Writing Month where, you guessed it, ambitious writers pen a novel in the month of November. They go for 60,000 words. Bloggers have it easier with just a post a day; no word count to track.
I thought about it, I really did. But there was too much chance that I’d tell you what I ate for lunch every day. And that, well, that really isn’t sparkly like a holiday. So I think I’ll send some more e-mail. Happy Tuesday!
Post-holiday packing and storing is not something to take lightly …
It is a time-consuming, physical endeavor that, this year, took …
:: 50 sheets of tissue paper
:: 4 boxes
:: 1 huge plastic bin
:: countless trips around the house; up, down, up down
:: then dozens of trips up and down the deck stairs, across the deck and down to the basement. Okay, maybe not dozens but it sure felt like it.
:: an entire Sunday morning while nursing a cold
I like to think of it as warm up for Christmas, which will undoubtedly take at least twice as long! What is that you ask? “Do I ever consider not decorating?” Nope! Making things sparkly like a holiday (hey, that’s a good title for something) is in my blood.
Spent the morning in the City, first at the eye doctor’s and then with Joseph, the magician who cuts my hair. Getting from Point A to Point B required a bit of cross-city canvassing and two separate parking garages. Happily garage number two (Fifth and Mission) is across from a place I’d never seen before: ‘wichcraft. The glass front paired with spare green/black type logo immediately caught my eye and drew me in.
Smooth tables and comfy chairs filled the space in a pleasing way that left room to breath. A selection of “cool” and “warm” sandwiches greeted me. My eyes traveled over all kinds of delicious-sounding combinations, many of them vegetarian. But it was the pulled pork + jalapenos + red cabbage + mustard that called my name. I ordered to go, wishing I could have stayed awhile. Maybe had a glass of wine with my sandwich and then a homemade ice cream sandwich. Two men at the bar looked to be having the perfect lunch of pale ale and soup, all while black and white cartoons from decades ago played silently behind the counter.
I waited to open my to go bag until I arrived home. The pork was still warm, married perfectly with the fixings and the small bag of salty potato chips the ‘wichcraft folks included. Now that’s lunch!
