Yep, that time of the year is around the corner, and people start running all over the place because time is never enough to get things done.
When someone once told me IN OCTOBER that they wouldn't be shopping until after Christmas, I thought my hearing needed checking... Yep, this woman started shopping somewhere around December 28th each year. She got everything at an awesome price, and she even started wrapping and labeling things!!! She kept buying things during the year, but only items that were on sale. Also, if she spotted something that would be the perfect something for someone, she got it, even if it was on the 26th and the dinner aftermath was still present. I think that by the time we had this conversation, her "to do" list only had wrapping one gift and dinner unchecked... Quite extreme, huh? Yeah, that's what I thought, but that's what I've ended up doing myself - at least, most of the times.
I kind of keep my eyes open during the year, and I also buy stuff when it's the right time - much less money spent and more enjoyable times. I don't do it to this former boss extent, but this is where your crafty bone comes in handy! At least mine does, and I have a blast!
I came up with the following guys kind of in the middle of the year. I had a bunch of leftover yarn, and my neurons were vibrating, begging me to using my fingers to whip something up. It was not enough to make anything substantial, so I had to come up with something small. It was as a good skill-building exercise, but they lived in a tote for several months.
*TIP: whenever you have a bunch of leftover material that might not seem to work well together, try finding a common feature (color, in this case). The dark green does not look that good next to the aqua, but when both colors are present in all the potholders, they kind of morph and turn into a set! :)
After Christmas, I went to the super market and saw a bunch of clearance items lined up in shopping carts - pretty ordinary (and tacky) stuff, generally. Anyway, I spotted this ridiculously cute, low-price paper basket that I just had to get... Again, it lived in a tote for about a year.
I wanted a special something for a friend, but I like making things as
personal as I can. So, I got her a bunch of sugar-free chocolate.
Dilemma - you can't wrap chocolate bags and make it a formal Christmas
gift, right?
Ding! Ding! Ding! Chocolate + cute basket I almost forgot about + potholders = super cute personalized, yummy Christmas gift!! And she loved it!! We had a wonderful time, she got her her treat and she still uses her potholders/trivets and the basket. :)
So the idea is, keep your eyes open for opportunities and work towards your gifts with plenty of time in hand; it's always easier to get your Christmas stuff little by little and put everything together with time and stress-freely. Besides, there something else in it all...
I won't ever forget my cousin and how she always kept her little one's preschool masterpieces and turned them into wrapping paper... (Yep, wise mom getting rid of clutter and make it unforgettable at the same time). It became one of the things I couldn't wait to see, particularly because of the munchkin's glowing face when I commented on the wrapping and set the refurbished coffee can with home-made cookies aside, so that she could come close and tell me all the stories about the doodles... Ah! How I love those moments! :)
See? That's what multi-tasking is for! Absorbing hugs and smiles when it matters most!
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