Making Things

In warmer months, I get to indulge my creative passions by working in the garden. In colder months, I invent projects that are fun and creative, especially gifts to give away. I will probably never stop making things, because I derive a lot of pleasure in the planning, sourcing, execution and giving of personal gifts I have labored over. People close to me hesitate slightly when they receive a gift from me. They must wonder if they should feign excitement or gratitude for a homemade gift. Still, the Christmas season is a wonderful time to make things. Here are some of my recent projects.

My neighbors Lilli and Gary host a monthly movie night. Each person in our small group brings a different course for dinner. We eat and watch a movie together. It is a fun activity resulting in good food and fun conversation about the films we watch. Lilli and Gary have a beautiful garden. Lilli often gives me plants she divides. Recently we watched a movie, Dare To Be Wild. This is based on the true story of Mary Reynolds and her quest to have a garden at the Chelsea Garden show. In one scene, the Mary Reynolds character is wearing an embroidered jacket. Lilli commented on how much she would like to have an embroidered jacket. I told her she should just make one, but Lilli replied she did not know how and did not have time. Of course, this was invitation. I surreptitiously asked Gary for Lilli’s jacket size. He insisted it was medium. I never buy women’s clothing, so translating medium to a blazer size presented problems. Ultimately, I bought two different sized jackets, hoping at least one might fit.

This jacket is made of linen. The flower border rings the entire flared hem of the jacket.

With Christmas approaching, I made our Christmas cards this year. An Instagram post gave me the idea. They were fun and easy to make, notwithstanding the glitter I still have floating around the house. For immediate neighbors, I made 6 different kinds of Rice Krispie Treats (1. white chocolate, coconut and macadamia nut, 2. white chocolate and candy cane, 3. white chocolate, cherries and pecan, 4. dark chocolate, peanut butter and Rees’s pieces, 5. dark chocolate and walnut, 6. milk chocolate and mint M&Ms) and gave them each a card.

My friends Tim and John had me over for dinner on Thanksgiving. They were joking about a humorous towel they had seen online. John said he was going to buy it, but realized it was just a kit to make the towel. He said he had no time or desire to make it. Another invitation!

Some things I make without prompting. An idea comes to me and I do not rest until I have fulfilled the idea. Last year, someone threw away boxes from Apple computer products. These were in the recycle bin in Kew Gardens. They are such well constructed boxes, I simply could not let them be thrown away. I took them home and this year made Christmas presents out of a Powerbook box and an ipad box.

I used a knife to remove the platform, that displays the product, which is a heavy duty cardboard.

We have a 3 year old neighbor in Kew Gardens, Lia. I made this box for her and lined it with brown velvet. Inside we placed a small silver heart shaped necklace.

Andrew received this box for Christmas, filled with silk pocket squares.

My final handmade gift was for my dear friend Kathleen, in Sante Fe, New Mexico. In January, I painted an Awanju on the wall of her courtyard. The design was adapted from a design the famous potter Maria Martinez had used on one of her pots. An awanju is a serpent, the guardian of water.

On the left is the pot that inspired my design, while the photo on the right shows the finished mural on Kathleen’s wall. I interpreted this same design to make a tablecloth for Kathleen’s table.

The above image is a photograph Kathleen sent of her Christmas table, with the tablecloth and coordinating napkins. The plates are part of an amazing collection of hand painted pottery.

In the meantime, I had other ways to be creative. I serve on the board of directors for the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. I hosted the December board meeting and served dinner after the meeting. It was a nice opportunity for board members to enjoy a meal and conversation with their fellow board members.

Nutcrackers in the dining room, standing at attention, waiting for the buffet to be placed on the table. Mary Berry’s chocolate fudge cake, one of the things I made for the dinner.

Some dry days enabled me to spread wood chips on the new path in the Oriental Garden. A neighbor had some trees pruned and I received the wood chips. The circle in the third photograph will be planted with tree peonies. They are on order and will be delivered in Spring.

I hope when you look back on the year, you will have more good memories than bad memories. The new year promises any number of adventures, projects, dinners, outings, and good times. I wish you and your family all the best in the New Year!