Wednesday, December 2, 2009

she’s crafty

Anyone else a Beastie Boys fan?  I figured at least my 3 little brothers would appreciate the reference!

I don’t think I have ever been considered a crafty person.  I love art, and in high school was very into it and was considering majoring in art in college, but as far as crafty projects go, I’m just not that girl.  With that said, ever since I’ve been married and had an apartment or house to decorate, I’ve had the urge to create things for our home.  Many times I suppress that urge because I can’t come up with exactly what I want to do or don’t feel like spending the time to do it.

Seven years ago when it was Christmastime during my first pregnancy, I started thinking about advent calendars.  Growing up, my family always had an advent calendar.  Every morning we looked forward to taking something out of the pocket and pinning it up on the calendar.  I wanted this same tradition for my children, but wanted the perfect calendar.  I looked online and couldn’t find what I wanted, so I figured that meant I’d have to make it.  Years passed, and I still hadn’t made a calendar.  Then, four years ago, I had one of my younger sisters for Christmas, and since she had recently had her first baby, I thought the perfect thing to give her would be an advent calendar.  She is also very big into traditions, so I knew this would be right up her alley.  After a TON of work designing and cutting and sewing and ironing and embroidering and unpicking, this is what I came up with:

my advent calendar

It’s not a great picture, but you get the idea.  There are tiny wooden ornaments in each pocket that you hang on each of the buttons on the tree every day.  On the 25th, you put the star on top for the star that appeared to signify Christ’s birth, hence the scriptural reference “a new star did appear” from the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 1:21).  A magnet is sewn into the calendar that attaches the star.  I think it turned out pretty well, but a lot of things went wrong with it along the way, so it took FOREVER.  That’s why I still haven’t made one for myself.  I’m trying to figure out a simpler way to make my calendar that I will still be happy with!

Last Christmas I got a little crafty as well.  We had Patrick’s sister Megan for Christmas, so I decided to make her family a house-warming gift for the house that they would be purchasing this year. 

6Bs

They are wooden plaques with the 6 Be’s from a great talk given by the former president of our Church, Gordon B. Hinckley.  I think that project wore me out, cuz I haven’t done anything crafty since then!

What are the odds that I finish our advent calendar before my children aren’t children anymore?

7 comments:

Marliese said...

I love those plaques! How the heck did you pull those off? (not that I don't believe in you, you artiste, you..but they are just too fun)

When do you have my name for Xmas next??

merathon said...

Mar-- got the wood plaques at Michael's, painted some of them and mod-podged scrapbook paper on others. i printed the words out in different fonts, then mod-podged those on too. i got some little cardboard embellishments that i stuck on in different places. it's definitely something you could do, cuz i've seen your craftiness!

Maren said...

...she's just my type.

Very talented. I think your neices and nephews will be so surrounded by wonderful Christmas craftiness that when they grow up they'll want to spread the love and make beautiful crafty advent calendars for your girls and their children. So you're off the hook.

Erin said...

you should create more often Mer! you are great at it.

Dana said...

I was just thinking about getting an Advent calendar for our house and then I thought that by the time I got it we would be through most of the 25 days.

jessie said...

Great job!!! I love both crafts. :) And I totally get what you're saying.. I made really cute fall and Christmas quilted table runners for my mom, MIL, and sister a few years ago and STILL haven't gotten around to sewing mine! (But I have the fabric. Does that count?)

Corrine said...

Ihave been wanting to do an advent calendar forever...maybe this year!!your things turned out cute