Holiday WIP

Thank you so much for the warm and encouraging comments you've been leaving lately about the things I've been making and sharing here! I love to hand-make things for people in my life, and I feel energized and enthusiastic knowing you enjoy seeing them! All my life, especially growing up, LaLa Pat, my Aunt, has made beautiful clothes, toys, jewelry and functional art for me, showing me that anything can be made if you just set your mind to it. My Mom and Dad also made me gifts and those are the ones I remember and cherish the most. I in turn, have made gifts most of my life, and really, buying a gift almost always pales in comparesant to making one.

I believe I have already stated my 2008 holiday mantra here, but for those who missed it, it is officially my Use-What-You-Have-Christmas. My plan, and I've stuck to it so far, is to use only what I already have to make holiday gifts with this year. I'm doing this for two reasons; One, I really could create for an entire year with what I already have in my studio closet, in the sewing room and treasured materials I've tucked away here and there. And two, we just bought a this house and we're flat broke. And I guess there's a third. I hate plastic and junk and I don't think kids or grown-up's need it. And O.K., four. Billys folks love to buy Annie a ton of stuff for her at Christmas and it leaves me off the hook. O.K. I'll stop now, I promise.

So far I've made Annie a few things, with a a set of 18"x18" pillow shams still in the works. Pictured here you will see 10 Owl Ornaments, 8 Fox Ornaments, 8 Teacup Ornaments (with hot chocolate and whipped cream inspired by Posy Gets Cozy), 10 Watercolor Bookmarks, 6 Neck "Cozies" and two sets of Cloth Napkins featuring embroidered leaves, berries and acorns. Not pictured is the huge tureen of home distilled Vanilla Extract that we won't harvest until mid-December.

Seventh Heaven

Well, the festivities around Annie's birthday are finally quieting down. After her sweet and simple birthday at home last week, we went and spent a long weekend down south at Grandma's house and she threw Annie a "smashing" Sponge Bob Square Pants party, just like Annie asked for. It was fabulous! Annie was flying high all day! Grandma is our hero! I was so glad (and relieved) that Grandma wanted to throw a Sponge Bob party, because it might have been violence to my soul to throw a TV character birthday party! When Annie saw an episode of Sponge Bob a few months back I cringed! And Annie went nuts! She thought he was the cutest, silliest and most wonderful thing in the whole world! Honestly though, I really am glad she gets so much pleasure and delight from it! I'm just very anti-commercialism. And not very silly. That's just me. I also am not drawn to animation. Or kids TV. Not Annie though! She just thinks it's hysterical! Annie draws pictures of him, acts out scenes from the cartoon, and I see her doing imaginary playing out in the backyard with him, etc.,etc., etc.

I'm guessing that the sweet home-made little girl gatherings for her birthday are over and we are now onto a new phase of trying out popular culture.I'm a little sad about that. I'm also totally along for the ride, seeing what she is drawn to and supporting her in her interests and desires. And I'll be curious to see what she wants next year!

Below was the pin-the-crabby-patty on the Sponge Bob stand-up, with Annie in her Sponge Bob nightgown. There was a Sponge Bob bounce house, birthday cake, pinata, party favors, and a constant loop of Sponge Bob on the TV. She asked for everything Sponge Bob. She got it! She even got Sponge Bob gifts! Annie was in seventh heaven!

Thanks Janet...

Annie's Aunt Janet sent her an almost life-size Barbie make-up head thing for her birthday. Ugh! Cheap make-up and a narrow ideal of feminine beauty all in one gift! Hmmmm. I was delighted to see Annie trying out a more "tribal" make-up look on herself than the packaging was suggesting. (See above photo!) I hope she can continue to find her own definition of beauty as she grows!

Maybe you're saying to yourself, "Oh don't overreact Patrice... she's just a little girl having fun!" Yes, she is a little girl, and even with limited access to media, I see she's getting the media message. If you look skinny you'll be happier! If you just buy _______ you'll feel satisfaction! Just yesterday, Annie expressed to me how she wants to look skinny. Wow!? I asked her why, and she said that she wanted to be a princess and that princesses are skinny. Ugh! She's never really seen much princess stuff at all! So, I tried to guess what it was she was after.


"Hmmm, are you wanting to feel special, and cared about?"

"Yeah!"

"Are you wanting to have fun and attention?"

"Yes!"

Then I asked her if she thought that girls that were bigger were as happy as the smaller girls, and she said


"No."


Whoa! How to proceed? I'm not sure. All I know is that I will continue to share with her what I value, and I value very highly the intrinsic...caring for my own and others feelings and needs, caring for the earth, following my heart, listening to my gut...and that's what brings me peace, happiness and beauty.