Cutting and pasting my way to Christmas...

A little more than a month ago, I came up with the idea of making a wall calendar for my mother-in-law for Christmas. She lives with E’s sister in Florida and suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, and an Alzheimer’s-like illness. E has made a few trips to see her since we’ve been here, but the children and I haven’t seen her in almost two years, a reality that weighs heavily on our hearts.

Making a wall calendar featuring photos of our family seemed the perfect way to help her stay connected to us as well as the months and the seasons. Since moving to Belgium, I’ve embraced paper crafts and amassed a large collection of tools, paper, cardstock, and art supplies. I loved the idea of putting my budding scrapbooking and stamping skills to good use in a new format.

Originally, I planned to use some family snapshots taken during the year as well as studio photographs and school pictures for each page. Happily, our recent photo shoot with Di provided far superior materials to work with.

Yesterday morning E loaded the photo cartridge and paper into the printer and we began printing off photos to use in the calendar layouts. As each photo dried, I looked for just the right colors of cardstock and the best patterned papers to work into the layouts. I considered which stamped images could be used to enhance the pages, and began experimenting with different designs.

I worked all afternoon, took a break for dinner, and then worked another hour or two in the evening. I finished seven pages. Only seven pages, and let me tell you, I’m not a scrapbooker who likes a lot of embellishments. I favor simple designs. Still, making final choices on colors, cutting and positioning the paper, and stamping the images takes time. I haven’t even begun work on decorating the actual calendar pages yet. I had no idea it would take so long, but at the same time, I’m really pleased with the results.

In the years before she became ill, my mother-in-law gave me many handmade gifts. The very first time I joined the family for Christmas (before E and I were married), she crocheted me a hat, scarf, and purse. During our marriage, she crocheted an enormous afghan for our bed as well as lace doilies and runners for my antique chests. She cross-stitched numerous samplers for my walls and once hand-embroidered a tablecloth and matching napkins. She made throw pillows for our bed and a window seat cushion and curtains for the baby nursery. When my son was born, she knit him mittens, booties, and a little cap for his fuzzy blond head.

Last night as my back ached from standing and leaning over a table all day, I remembered all those gifts and all the work she put into every stitch. I don’t have her talent or patience for needlecrafts, but I hope she feels the love going into each page of this calendar and that it makes her smile all year long.

Are any of you making Christmas gifts?

November 12, 2006

Copyright 2006 Veronica McCabe Deschambault. All rights reserved. www.v-grrrl.com.

Comments

[Shirl Grrrl]

I'll be making over 120 Christmas cards, teacher's gifts and probably a few other things for friends and family. I reckon I should get started! Your m-i-l will LOVE your gift!

[Shirley]

Your gift sounds very, very lovely. I know it will bring your MIL great joy. Making a gift such as that always gives the giver as much happiness as the recipient ... even with the aches, pains, late nights, or whatever that oftens come from making such a heartfelt gift. I am planning two homemade gifts this year. One is a bed-sized afghan for my son in Rastafarian colors (it's the age). I haven't crocheted in years, so I am sure that will be go a bit slowly at first, but afghans can go quickly and crocheting is pretty relaxing. Finding the right colors in the yarn at a price that I am willing to pay might be a challenge. My other homemade gift is a greeting card box. I have made a number of these over the years. I use square hat boxes, when I can find them because they are the perfect size. I had salvaged several of them (and a whole hat collection) from a house we rented years ago, but I just used the last one of those I had last year. I will have to find a new one or a similar box with a lid. I cover the box with a tasteful contact paper (usually a small print). Then I make dividers with tabs out of cardstock and write neatly on the tabs or sometimes print out labels. I love assembling the cards I put in the box. I like to put at least one card in each category. Sometimes I pick up boxes of assorted cards throughout the year--ones I deem good enough. Sometimes I luck out and get the premium greeting cards at a huge discount. This situation sometimes happens when pharmacies have changed over from one card line to another. They make their greeting cards 50% to 75% off just to clear their racks for the new line. Those deals are the best and most fun! I love looking through all the cards, selecting ones that are unique (beautiful, funny, whatever), but ones I think the recipient would enjoy giving. I also like to include some great note cards in the very back of the card box that are blank just for writing notes to a friend. So I plan to give a card box to one of my dear girlfriends who lives several states away (a get together requires a plane trip). No matter how much we communicate via email and electronic greeting cards, I still treasure the greeting card or note card that comes in the mailbox and I know my friend feels the same.

[Shirl Grrrl]

Shirley,
What a lovely idea! I've thought of making the boxes but just haven't done so yet. Now, you need to take the plunge and start making your own greeting cards! I swear, once you make a few of your own, you'll never buy one again! :D

[Shirley]

Shirl Girl--I was typing my post while you posted (I am too long-winded!). I don't know about making my own cards ... when I read your post about MAKING 120 Christmas cards, I was in awe. I assume you are stamping ... may I ask if with that many cards, even though they are personalized and extra special, do you use a bit of an assembly line approach? No matter what approach you use, that number is incredibly impressive. BTW, the card box would be easy enough in itself, but then you'd feel compelled to fill it with your beautiful cards!

Can't wait to see the other homemade gifts being made.

[Ash]

I'll be making some knitted hats for my boys - they're quick and easy!

[Debbie]

I always bake and usually have crafts for the kids.

One year I took a glass jar (I copied this idea from someone else) and with a paint pen wrote Merry Christmas and then on the back who it was from. Then fill the jar with colored mini lights. The people that I have given these too still mention them every year. They love getting them out and plugging them in as a Christmas decoration.

Please post a photo of the calendar. I would love to see it. It sounds like a great idea.

[Mignon]

We took the easy way out with the calendars last year and did them on Snapfish. Given my craftiness-impairment, even that was an enormous task. (Debbie, that sort of thing is PERFECT for me!) V, I applaud and admire your undertaking.

I love the descriptions of the gifts you've received from your mother-in-law. My grandma is a quilter and we have no less than 5 full-sized hand-sewn quilts which we use and love. Handmade stuff rocks in so many ways.

[Jenny]

What a fabulous idea!

I'm really tempted to steal it...of course that means I'd have to actually start printing out all the pictures on my memory card. Not a pretty picture.

[Char]

Last year I designed a 5-year gardening journal for my mom. I put an aerial photograph of their farm on the front cover and then each page of the journal was 5 boxes (one for each year) for writing for each day of the year. She loved it! I don't know what I'll do to top that this year.

[Mary]

I've thought about making gifts, especially since we are trying to cut back the Christmas budget. I don't like baking because so many people do that and I haven't found the right thing that is inexpensive and unique. I guess I'm asking alot from a homemade gift, aren't I?

Will you post some sort of pics of what you are making?

[Lynn]

I am also making my cards - with supplies I bought from Shirl Grrrl!! My little one and I got started this weekend and I was surprised at how much we got done! She's loving the work and is so proud of everything she's done! It's our first endeavor into this type of work and it's very simple - but we're having fun!

[Shirl Grrrl]

Shirley, I do stamp them. I usually have 5-6 designs or so and yes, I use a sort of assembly line approach. Sometimes it's the same design but I swap out the colors. There is no way I could make the same card 120 times, so it helps having a variety.
Lynn, so glad that you and E are having a great time making your cards. What a neat experience for ya'll to share.

[TB]

Although I always treasure handmade gifts above all others, I have no talent in this area whatsoever.

I did make our wedding invitations and plan to make baby announcements, but that's the extent of my foray into the handmade arts.

I know she will love the gift and appreciate all the time and effort you are putting into it.