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C hristmas is almost here and if you don’t believe it, check your calen dar. Only 60 shopping days left. Mer chants used to wait until December 1st to display their wares, but about ten years ago they produced the jingle bells right after Thanksgiving. I thought that was bad until this sum mer when I read this sign in a depart ment store: “ August sale . . . the per fect time to shop fo r Christmas!” They must know something I don’t know; anyway, the message is begin ning to get through to me. “ Start the jingle bells early.” I know you don’t like Christmas commercialized any more than I do, but the traditional cus tom of giving gifts is here to stay and each year (exhausted on Christmas Eve), I say, “Next year I’m going to start early.” Christmas is such a special time for Christians, but usually because we have knocked ourselves out sewing, cooking, cleaning, decorating and wrapping presents, it comes and goes without our remembering much about it. It’s just a blur o f pictures on our memory. Per haps some o f that fatigue could be re lieved by early preparation and maybe, just maybe, on Christmas Eve there would be a whole half-hour to sit with the family and enjoy the reading of Luke, Chapter Two, in front o f the fire. So, with that half-hour in mind, here are some suggestions fo r early gifts. These are the kind you make (you don’t have to have talent . . . just an idea) because the kind you make are the kind that say the merriest kind of Christmas message. 1. W ashcloth P illows Choose your favorite, colorful wash cloths. Sew two together (add fringe, or ball fringe as you sew) and leave a small opening on one side. Stuff with shredded foam rubber until plump and then sew up the opening. These pillows are darling fo r den and livingroom couches (I made them out o f velour washcloths and they look like velvet), children’s bedrooms and even for that extra pillow in the car. 2. M irror M osaics These are a little time-consuming, but simple and very elegant. Take a piece of five-ply plywood, sand and paint with one coat o f primer and one or two coats o f desired color. Antique with one o f those easy kits. Using old
was featured in a woman’s magazine but the little picture to the right o f me was taken from a greeting card, then I added a flower or two to match the big picture.
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Use brightly colored burlap and knit ting yarn. Draw a design (the simpler the better) on with chalk. Use a large embroidery hoop, quilting hoop or thumb-tack to a plain wooden frame to hold the fabric firm. The best designs are found on greeting cards and you can find all kinds o f color combinations. Using the two embroidery stitches, the work goes very fast. When finished, mount the burlap over a piece o f ply wood (you mpy want to glue it down). Make sure the wood backing is smaller than the design so you will have room to bring the burlap around in the back and glue. These can be mounted just as is or framed. People always ask how we find time fo r making things . . . the answer is in Ruth’s column this month when she says, “ I must decide what my ‘oughts’ really are.” We “ ought” to make Christ mas especially happy fo r those we love, but we also “ ought” to start early so WE can enjoy the loveliest season of the year and Luke, Chapter Two, in front o f the fire. “ MY DAYS SEEM SO HAPHAZARD . . .” Undoubtedly this is true o f all o f us at times as we cope with irregular schedules, pressing appointments and a thousand and one minor problems. But surely it is not God’s idea that we live in a constant whirl o f trauma and tension! I have a friend who accomplishes more in one typical day than many women accomplish in a week. One day as we were talking, she made a simple statement that helped me tremendous ly. She said, “ I’ve learned that I can do anything I OUGHT to do.” This statement caused me to give serious thought to my own life as I formed some personal conclusions. I concluded first of all that if my work ing hours were to be used creatively and wisely, I MUST start my day with God. Too often I have learned the hard way that no day is ever as successful as it might have been if I neglect my personal quiet time. Then — I must decide what my
by Joyce Landorf mirror, or new scraps from a mirror or glass store (I got some o f mine from the Goodwill store) break up the mir ror with a hammer. The smaller the pieces, the more crystal it looks. Use a flower or sunburst pattern and glue the pieces on with white Wilhold glue. As you can see by the picture, I have made several mosaics and hung them in our entry hall. The shelf brackets have been antiqued in the same blue as the mosaics. I’m always looking for an old colored mirror as it really high lights the centers o f these mosaics. 3. F elt -D ecorated C offee C ans Simply glue felt, velvet or other fab ric to a coffee can and then use any old bits and pieces of lace, ball fringe, rib bon and rick rack to trim. Fill with fudge or your very special Christmas cookies. 4. H urricane L amps Don’t throw away those tuna cans! Candle glow at the table is always an expression of someone caring and these darling hurricane lamps just fill the bill. Thoroughly wash the tuna oil out of the small 6 ounce can, dry and spray with flat black paint. Purchase glass hurricane tops (49^ each) at the dime store (take the can so you won’t miss on size) and a package o f small white household candles. Decorate the can with lace, velvet or rick rack fo r fancy deals or simply leave plain. Melt a little wax in the middle o f the can and stand a small candle upright. Then place the glass into the can and presto, a lovely table lamp fo r dinner. Give them in pairs as a g ift and keep in mind the person’s dining room or kitchen color scheme. 5. Y arn P ictures The big yarn picture took about two weeks to make. It looks complicated, but actually it has only two kinds of stitches; satin and chain. This design
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