Not long ago I went to the Summer Crafting workshop day at Doncaster race course, it was tiring but a really good day. We sat on round tables of ten people with a helper shared between a couple of tables. It was the first time I had been and I would definitely recommend it if you like card making, I'll be going back next year.
As I started chatting to my fellow crafters we discussed how our homemade items were received by others. All of us did more than card making, there were quilters, knitters and jewellery makers. We had all had different reactions to our produce, some people were delighted with their gifts and understood the time and effort that went into making them. Yet others looked at these items as second best, as something you gave them because you couldn't afford better.
These people obviously never bought craft supplies! It would often be easier to buy something ready made and cheaper as well. But we make things because we enjoy the process, we create from the heart. Our gifts are made with love and attention to detail, keepsakes to be treasured. All we want is a simple thankyou, we don't need to be fawned over, that's not why we create, but appreciation would be nice.
Good manners cost nothing, I have always made sure my children said thankyou for anything they received. It may not be a gift to your taste, but a thankyou and a smile for someone else's effort should be a matter of course not an exception.
My daughter is 19 next week and as we are starting our Christmas crafting, she said she didn't want anything buying this year. So we are making our presents for all our family this year, they will be made with care and love and it is hoped they are received the same way. I suppose there will always be those who understand homemade and those who don't. Another couple of weeks and it will be time to make our Christmas cakes, the children have always helped me, they stir in the luck. Of course now they are older and have there own lives, but my son will be having a cake as one of his presents (I like mine the Yorkshire way, no icing, but spread with butter).
It won't necessarily be cheaper but they will be thought more of hopefully. Another present for the kids will be tree decorations, every year I took them to buy a few. They were given an amount of money and allowed to pick there own. Every year their collections have grown and they always hang their own on the tree (and when my son isn't looking his sister rearranges his decorations!). Last year I made them instead and will be doing so again this year, so I have started scouring You Tube for ideas. Michael always went for birds and Jessie for fairies and they still prefer those kind of things, they might be adults now but they haven't changed that much. We'll see if the not wanting anything for Christmas lasts as well!
Well ramble over, I better start actually making things. My CFS and Menieres have been bad lately and I haven't been capable of doing much. I look around the house and see things that need doing, things that are apparently invisible to everybody else in the house! Am I the only one that sees the dust and notices the bathroom needs cleaning! So I have a choice, do a little bit of housework or craft, no choice really is it? Off to get the Christmas stamps out then.
See you all later,
Love Louise xx
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