Inspiration Thursday! Handmade Christmas

Christmas was always a "big deal" in my home growing up. After all, we're celebrating the birth of baby Jesus and birthdays are a "big deal" too in our family. Mama's family used to have a "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake in their celebration tradition. And our family has our own traditions too... but that's another story for another day.

This Christmas we don't have as much money as we'd like to give what we'd like to the ones we love - and I don't think we're the only ones in this boat. It's gotten me thinking about how Christmas seems to have gotten really big and really commercial in my adulthood. Maybe it's because I'm a grown up now and actually see the sales flyers and incentives to get the newest electronic gadget?

I remember how thrilled I was the Christmas I got a My Friend Mandy doll complete with wardrobe. Mama had spent nights making a wardrobe for Mandy - something I knew because my room was over the sewing room and for many nights before Christmas I fell asleep to the whir... whir... whir... of the sewing machine. I knew Mama had worked so hard to make that Christmas special, and it's one of the best Christmas presents I remember.

So as I've been rushing around trying to finish up Christmas shopping, it's struck me that this year gifts don't have to be elaborate. The whole point is to celebrate a birthday, show some love and let people know they're special to us. And for many in my family, that means it's a handmade Christmas. I'm giving them something that's very precious to me - time. I'm spending time making things for them instead of just pressing a button and having something shipped.

I don't know if amid the flurry of wrapping paper and electronics my gifts are going to be the stand out gifts of the season, but I do know I'm giving a part of me this year. I'm not just checking off a name on a list. I'm working toward something a little more special this year. And I'm returning to the Christmas of my childhood where the best gifts are the ones made especially for me.

Vintage Wednesday: Celebrating Vintage Style

Last weekend we celebrated a very special event - my mother's 70th birthday. Because I tend to do flowers for events like this, the ladies who planned the event asked me to do the flowers. The problem with this is that I live 4 hours away and bringing 14 arrangements across the mountains presented a bit of a problem. So I came up with the idea of using potted perennial plants Mama could use in her garden later. But that didn't seem like quite enough for an event like this.

The ladies had also asked me to say a few words about my mother. Most of them have known her for 30 plus years, so to say something they hadn't heard or thought was a challenge. I came up with the idea of writing the story of her life in pieces. Each table was set with vintage and antique items that had something to do with the part of the story I was telling. For example, there was a table that told the story of her grandmother's influence on her life, another telling about her mother and yet another about her aunts. One table told the story of her brothers, and another told the story of how she met my father. Each was a little snapshot of what made her the woman she is today. And most everyone learned something they hadn't known about Mama before the party.

I am so thankful to the women who planned this party and honored to have contributed just a little piece to the celebration. Using vintage items to help tell the story was a lovely way to celebrate - vintage style.