Just a few crafty things I did during the holidays…
My sister wrote a story for one of her granddaughters about a little gnome, and she wanted to give her one for Christmas who’d be like the gnome in the story. The online gnomes she could find didn’t fit the bill, and though she (and Tom and I) shopped in three cities at all kinds of stores, there wasn’t a girl gnome anywhere. I finally offered to create one. I found this little Fisher-Price Snap and Style Gabriela Doll and made her an outfit, including an apron and hat. Girl gnome!
All the little kids I’ve known like toys that make noise. Generally, parents do not. So it falls to kindly aunties to make sure they get them. Along with books (quiet time!) and Pier One’s jingle bell shakers, I found these pink maracas to give to Lila and Hanley. Only I bedazzled them to give them a little more magic. In doing so, the noise was a tiny bit muffled. You’re welcome, parents.
I think affirmations are a good thing–after all, look where Stuart Smalley is now!–so I created 30 family-related affirmations and put them in these little wooden boxes I painted to give to some of my family members. After all, I love these people and think they’re great; I want them to think so, too!
Speaking of crafty goodness and lovable family members, here’s an ornament Lila painted and gave to me, along with one of the cookies she baked with G (the name she calls her grandmother Lynne). She also sort of colored an angel for me. It may have been her first time using colored pencils, and my favorite part was that I, too, was coloring an angel next to her, and she’d periodically pull a pencil from the box and command, “Use this one!” I respect a bossy Aries. I think every year, I’ll coerce her into coloring another angel, so when the days of coloring are behind her (never!), she can see how her technique changed over the years. Another tradition!
And yes, Tim did keep his personal tradition alive and put up the angels on Christmas Eve, with a little help from Lindsey and Tom. Thanks, all!
You’re looking at the book titles, aren’t you? Stop it! Angels!
Go Girl Gnome!
The affirmation boxes are beautiful, Becky. What a thoughtful gift!
Aw, thanks, David. By the way, in the story, Girl Gnome is mischievous and gets the young protagonist into a spot of trouble now and again.
If only I had a gnome to blame for the misdeeds of my youth.
Huzzah for the angels thanks to Tim! It wouldn’t be Christmas without angels. And you’re a good auntie. The advantage of being the aunt or uncle over being a parent is that you get to do all the fun things.
Oh, yeah, being an aunt is the best job ever. =) I’m glad you like the angels, too–did you see yours among them?
You know I think that the angels has to be one of my favorite all time Christmas traditions … I always love to see them.
Thanks. It’s nice that they can make other people happy, too, because I do love them.