When I was thirteen, we moved across the country, and my mom declared that Christmas that we would be doing Homemade Christmas. Let’s stop and think about being thirteen. It’s a tough age. Now think about how cruel kids are and read what my mother declared again…”Homemade Christmas.” I. was. mortified.
It was the year Cabbage Patch dolls hit the shelves full force.
Oh.
Man.
I.
Wanted.
One.
Instead, I got to make rag dolls for my friends.
Life can be so whacked!
So…hours later…I”m sure it was really DAYS later…I delivered the wrapped dolls to my two best friends.
I remember actually wanting to just drop and run, but I obeyed my mother.
My friends obviously obeyed their mother because they were very generous with “thank you.”
I’m not going to lie.
I was not at all about any of this.
When I was getting ready to marry, I reached out to one of these girls, and we reconnected.
Somewhere in all the “catch up,” she said, “Remember the doll you made me?”
“Ugh! Yes!” I was ready to apologize.
“I loved that doll so much. I couldn’t believe you thought enough of me to make me something. I still have her. She sits on my bed.”
I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t thought of my gift in those terms.
It’s now thirty years later (give or take a few months), and my family continues the tradition of Homemade Christmas.
It’s a time of celebration.
I look back at holidays, and I have such incredible memories of giving nieces and nephews “Puddle Jumpers”–something they had never seen before Aunt Julee invented them. ;)
Homemade blankets, embellished towels, plastic bag holders, candy cane reindeers, Christmas ornaments, and more.
I was spoiled because I didn’t understand the beauty of the gift I was giving.
My children “get it”.
They make State Fair entries and just keep ongoing.
The Divine Miss M recently asked me, “Are we the only people who have an iron?”
In confusion, I asked, “No? Why?”
“Because my friends know what one is, but they don’t have one.”
We then had to talk about how an iron *could* be used to press clothing; however, we use ours exclusively for *crafting*.
We have a Rowenta Focus Iron, and we LOVE it!
Rowenta understands the holiday season is here, and time is precious.
Every holiday preparation task takes time, and whether it’s shopping, wrapping, sewing, or ironing, it all needs to get done.
They have generously put together some tips for ways to maximize time this year.
1. Hot idea.
Instead of hiring a babysitter so you can battle the mall parking lot, spend time with your family, and make holiday gifts together.
The Rowenta Design Studio –www.designstudio.rowentausa.com—offers free online tutorials for stylish and unique DIY gifts such as a recycled T-shirt necklace, patchwork coasters, or an iron-on applique pillow.
2. Wrap it up.
Purchase large rolls of solid-color or striped wrapping paper, which can work for any holiday, birthdays, or other occasions throughout the year.
If you run out of paper, improvise with comics pages, maps, or aluminum foil.
3. Sew smart.
Everyone wants to look their best during the holidays, but with all the rushing around, fabric rips and snags are bound to happen.
For last-minute sewing repairs, save time threading the needle by dipping the thread end in nail polish.
It should dry in seconds, and then you can quickly thread away.
4. Flat-out time-saver.
Get yourself a quality steam station to take care of your garments.
A great, high-powered steam station helps you finish holiday chores in a fraction of the time while still achieving professional-quality results – right in your own home.
With the ability for vertical steam, it can even be used for hanging garments such as drapes, so you save even more time by not having to take them down to have them pressed.
Althea Harper, fashion designer and “Project Runway” finalist, prefers the unrivaled steam performance of a Rowenta Steam Station because it offers:
o An extra-large 33-ounce water tank for up to 90 minutes of continuous ironing, which can mean continuous high-powered steam at the touch of a button and vertical steam for removing wrinkles from hanging garments or drapes;
o A stainless steel soleplate for a high-performance glide with high scratch resistance;
o A stable, compact base that fits on most ironing boards;
o Extra-long cords, so you don’t have to stop to unplug and replug to iron in another area.