Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Craftiness

I had intended for this to be a weekly or even biweekly blog but things haven't exactly gone according to plan. It probably doesn't help that I started it the week before Thanksgiving. This is obviously one of the busiest times of the year!

This year I came up with the bright idea to give my nieces, brothers & sisters-in-law handmade gifts for Christmas. I would've made my nephews gifts as well but I knew they'd appreciate gift cards more :) My brothers & I haven't exchanged gifts in years but this year I just felt like sending them something. I really enjoyed making all of their gifts but I think I bit off more than I could chew!

On top of making all the gifts, my friend Holly & I have a business called Mad Kat Chryations. We specialize in infants & children's apparel, i.e. hair bows, headbands, tutus, tulle wreaths, etc. We participated in a few craft fairs in late November & early this month as well. I have to admit at this point, I'm all crafted out!

Even though it's time for me to take a break for a bit, crafting is a huge part of my life. I am an avid knitter and scrapbooker. I love knitting and I've been slowly teaching myself how to crochet. Although I personally don't know that many people who knit or crochet, I think both of these crafts have begun to gain popularity again in recent years. I absolutely love knitting. It is quite relaxing and it is an awesome feeling to look at a finished product and know that I created it. Knitting also helps me feel connected to my mother who passed away almost 13 years ago. She taught me how to knit when I was a teenager. For me, knitting is cathartic. I feel the same way about scrapbooking.

I began scrapbooking when Madelynn and Mason were in the NICU. It was a way for me to work through the many emotions I was feeling at the time. I didn't get very far during those months; however, as I spent as much time as I could at the hospital. I really became engrossed with it after Madelynn passed away. Creating the twins scrapbooks was a way for me to memorialize Madelynn. It also allowed me to create something that was a physical representation of the bond between Madelynn and Mason. Madelynn's scrapbook and the first half of Mason's scrapbook which chronicles his first year of life are almost identical. I guess I needed some tangible proof that they were twins. I have continued making scrapbooks for each year of Mason's life. I love capturing and preserving the memories and Mason loves looking at all the scrapbooks as well. He loves Madelynn's book the most!

I know this post probably seems a bit out of place with the seriousness of my last two posts. As my blog is titled A Day in the Life of a Redhead though, I thought it would be a good idea to share a bit more about who I am which also includes my hobbies. Once I figure out how to adjust my layout and such I'll post a few pics of some of my finished products :)

1 comment:

  1. Cheri you really have inspired me, I have secretly wanted to knit and crochet for years, but for some odd reason I have held off, not anymore! Thank you for sharing and being so open.

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