Damn you, Christmas! 1*

[blamebrampton]

So, I spent last November to May with minimal work, and Mr B has not been working for the last 18 months. This has been less than financially optimal, I calculated how much money we were down over the period: it was a Very Distressing Sum. Happily I charge such an egregious amount for my services that we've been able to keep going without too much stress, but I have been Making Economies.

And, being a crafty type, I thought to myself: why spend a fortune on gifts when I can make them!?

Which is why, a week from Christmas, I have a huge pile of gifts to finish making and a massive blister from hot glue on my thumb. Cold water really does work, though: three hours of alternating water and ice packs last night shrank the size of the blister by about 60%.

I am SEWING the rest of the gifts. Maybe a spot of knitting.

And if you are not in Australia or New Zealand and are yet one of the few people I have been organised enough to get a card to (a ridiculously small number, sorry!), let us pretend we are Italian and Christmas goes through until 12th night, at which point La Belfana will arrive and clean our houses!


* It's ever so likely there'll be a 2 …

Comments

[fragrantwoods.livejournal.com]

I love the idea of crafted gifts, but the reality...I did scrapbooks one year for two grandmothers. I thought I would tear my hair out/lose my mind/injury myself with fancy scissors/glue my fingers together.

Bless Esty, my go-to for handmade, personalized gifts. Although it's not free, I figure I come out even in what I would have spent in materials and aspirin.

I'm all about celebrating the spirit of the Russian Orthodox Christmas, for the extra days. The Italian version sounds lovely, too!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Scrapbooking is easily the evilest craft, so fiddly! And yes, Etsy is fab! But I have so much fabric and yarn I need to make into things, so I don't mind the plugging away at it, just need to buy some industrial-strength gloves!

Late Christmases are the best ideas. We do live in multicultural countries, after all!