During a recent trip to JoAnn's I got a pang of guilt about not really decorating for the holidays. I mean our house isn't bare during various festivities, but I certainly don't decorate to the extent that I could - especially with wide-eyed, wonder-filled kids on my heels.
I usually look at all the stuff they wedge in the front of the store about 6 weeks before every holiday - and offer for 70% off - and think to myself a couple of things. First, some of it is just too plain ugly or cheap-looking to bring home. Second, I realize that if I gave just a bit of effort I could likely make many similar things at home. Or third, if I did purchase x, y or z, I am certain that my kids would destroy it; appropriately seeing the commercialism of it all and treating the purchases like toys instead of future family heirlooms.
So I pass it all by and another holiday comes and goes and I still really don't have anything to decorate the house with. I haven't gotten to a point where I can purchase things from art fairs - although that is a hope for the future. And while I pick up things here and there from thrift stores, I haven't had much luck in making my finds match - or coordinate - with the feel and look of our home.
I did get on top of the game with Halloween this year. It was easy since the kids were so into it. We did some special themed napkins, lots of pumpkin crafts and made our costumes. Christmas is likewise pretty well covered - a huge tree in the living room really goes a long way!
But Thanksgiving has me stumped. I've been up in the sewing room playing with burlap, ribbon, fall-colored fabrics...all in hopes of making at least a table runner for the dinner celebration. But I haven't gotten there yet.
And, instead of making progress on anything related to the holiday that's coming up, I was side-tracked by ravelry and a vision of a cute garland of sweaters. [At least its a perfect winter decoration, right?]
My hope is to hang this garland on our front door - in lieu of a brightly painted snowman proclaiming "Merry Christmas!" - for the winter holidays. Each sweater is knit up from left over sock yarn (also used for this project), and I hung each one by a piece of gray yarn attached to a toothpick that is nestled inside the sweater. The pattern is a generous freebie you can find here. I love that they are real raglan sleeve sweaters! It was really the cable sweater the pulled me in, but I never got around to knitting one because I was into using up more of my variegated yarns.
Maybe the solution to my dilemma, errr...assuaging my guilt, is pacing myself - napkins one year, a table runner the next, a home decoration the next and so on. Maybe then I wouldn't feel so bad about not having the perfect mantle display, or table setting?
5 comments:
Oh my! This is adorable, and I love that it isn't holiday-specific. Cute for the whole season.
They are so cute! I love them. And, i know exactly what you mean, I always feel like I can't quite keep up. I'm into your little bit at a time strategy, especially if you make something that will LAST, then you slowly build a stock over time. Of things that mean something to you...soon enough you will be smugly walking by those 70 percent off signs!
Oh - these are so lovely! Yeah - I've been similarly stumped by Thanksgiving. Seems too good of a holiday to ignore, but it's inconveniently wedged in that space after Halloween that those Commercial folks like to cram with Christmas crap. I think you're on the right track with the making of the decorations, and even more so in the acceptance and grace of allowing that to slowly accumulate instead of giving in to the pressure to have it all done now. Thanks for the reminder to do that!
I was just reassuring my sister that not having decorated was okay b/c it meant she could spend more time with her kids, fiance, and family. I know when I get into a decor. project there's usually a snag and it takes twice as long and causes impatience. Who needs that? If you keep it simple you also don't have to find a place to store everything in the off season. Have you thought about the simple beauty you could create with candles (out of the kiddos' reach, of course)? Love the sweaters Beth!
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