Maybe it's me...

There comes a moment in your life when you see a pattern.  I'm 51 and I'm beginning to get an inkling that maybe the mess isn't the projects' fault.  It's all me.  

I've been making postcards- for Christmas- and even though they are only 4"x 6" they seem to make a big mess.  I mean, I seem to make a big mess. There's bits of fabric, stabilizer, embellishments, different colors of thread- just stuff.  I keep thinking I need to put it away, but then I get to thinking I probably won't drag it all out again.  What a bother!  I've made about 35 cards and I'm getting close to finishing up.  I need to bind the edges and then I'll be done.  I'll show you a few once I'm at that point.  

Speaking of Christmas... (Is it too early to mention Christmas?  I'm one of those dreaded people who honestly doesn't mind the Christmas carols on the loud speaker of the store even if it's not Thanksgiving yet.  I mean, it's not like there are Thanksgiving songs to play.  I've been listening to Christmas music for a while now.  I figure since I'm working on a Christmas project it would be easier if I get into the spirit.)  Our family is planning on making some new Christmas traditions, this year.  I suppose it isn't a tradition until you've done it a few times.  But I love traditions and I've been having to sacrifice quite a few of mine over the last couple of years.  You see, my husband, William, has an Etsy shop and he really gets slammed with last minute shoppers in December.  I mean slammed.  We pretty much work around the clock and so even if we had time to do the usual, who has the energy or the drive?  

I have been considering a few things.  Opening presents on January 25- catch the after Christmas sales and having extra funds from the successful business month of December. Having our big dinner that day. Still opening stockings on December 25th. Still fix a big brunch that morning.  We usually visit the tree lot the Sunday after Thanksgiving, but this year we're going to get an small artificial tree (making all of the ornaments) and then go and cut down a big live tree on the first day of winter- the 21st.  Plan out cookie baking days, fruit cake making day, postcard addressing day, a couple of quiet evenings with candle light and reading (Eva's request) - anything festive I can think of to fill December and January- ahead of time and decorate the house until it's the gaudiest thing you've ever seen. We have an extra month after all. Do you have a beloved Christmas tradition I could incorporate?  

Making December even more hectic, we're expecting a new grandson on Christmas day.  So we'll need to keep all of our plans flexible. Considering the cause, I'm fine with that!