Imagine...Inspire....

This might be a long rambling post or it might be quite short.  I have a heart full of feeling, but not sure I have words...so, I will just begin.

Weeks ago, maybe even years ago, I realized that I am not a big fan of Christmas...at least not the frenzied festivity filled version.

I don't know why we have to squish all the love and peace to the world and joy and brotherhood and gift giving into the few short weeks from Thanksgiving until December 25th.

Maybe it is just my age or this season in my life.  Maybe I am just turning into a Grinch.  I used to enjoy searching for the right gift, wrapping it up pretty and presenting it to the one person it was meant for especially.  I used to love bringing out the Christmas carols.  I have an amazing collection of Christmas creches and I know how to decorate a Christmas tree that I want to just sit in front of for hours.   Now, I don't want to be bothered with getting them out and putting them away....sigh.

All of that was already going through my head, when a most horrible thing happened on December 21 to my sweet friend Rachel, and her family.  Lives lost....Christmas forever changed...

But, it is in this tragedy, that the miracle of Christmas begins to blossom...
LOVE.  Not for a season or a holiday, but for a lifetime.

So,  I am beginning again to imagine the Love of Christmas and I am beginning to see it lasting all year long.  I won't be waiting to try to get it all done in December.  I will be peacefully spreading it out from now until then.  I am inspired.

If I have the perfect gift, card, song, letter, word for you in my heart or hands, I am going to give it to you and we will share joy.  I am going to look for ways to share joy each and every month...maybe I will be celebrating the 25th of each month!  What can we call this celebration????

God didn't come to love us for a season.  He's in it for the everafter!

So, Happy New Year and here's to celebrating the Miracle of Love all year long!
Here's to bringing light to dark places all year long.
Here's to joy everlasting.

And peace.

Christmas Show & Sale

Here's the thing.  I love making my Whimsical Woolies.

I NEED to create to be happy,

 but I REALLY don't like standing in a 'booth' trying to sell my things.  I'm not sure, exactly, why that is, but it is.  Really.

I could sell your stuff like a pro.  I could convince a reluctant buyer that they do, in fact, want to buy whatever you are making and selling.  I can smile and schmooze and chat....about YOUR stuff.
 
My stuff?  Not so much.

I set up a tiny booth.  Cute, but much tinier than anyone else's at the show.

  I stand behind my space and create.  Eyes on the work.  If someone stops and lingers I look up and smile.  If they pick something up, my heart beats a little faster...maybe they like it.  Oh, no.  They put it back down.

I tell you what.  This has made my arts and crafts shopping different.  I chat with the seller when I can.  Compliment their work when I like it...even if I can't afford it.

Then a friend comes to shop...and buys!  "How much will that be?" they ask.  And almost all of me wants to say, "Oh, just take it and enjoy."  Christmas Show and Give Away!  But, I did make these really cute sales receipts!  They were fun.

I was so humbled by the fact that friends did buy for themselves and to give as gifts to make others happy.  Happy...that is why I do this.  To bring joy and happiness.
That is why I create.  It brings me joy and happiness.

Wonder if I will ever find joy and happiness in shows and sales?

One thing I did do was help a facebook friend, Marla Taviano, raise money for a project in Cambodia.  I had purchased some bracelets from her girls and then I resold them.  The money will go right back to them.  I also created a special piece of art featuring one of the bracelets.  I sold it and all the money will go to them.   That part did bring me joy and happiness.

So, I had a good show and sale by my accounts.  I would guess I sold as much as anyone else there.   One of the other sellers even told me that because I was selling so much I was pricing things too low.  See?  That's what I just can't get....if I want them to sell, I want most people to be able to afford them.

A few of the artists do this full time and I am extremely grateful that I don't HAVE to sell to survive.  That would take all of the fun out of it for me I am afraid.

OK.  Enough ramblings of a crazy crafter creator creature.

Anyone else suffer from this particular kind of crazy?

Wanna see some more of what I had for sale?

And if you are still here, I leave you with one of my favorite new painted canvas with felt creations.