Category: Art of Gratitude

Making Holiday Traditions with Crafty Hands

by Laurie Marshall of Junque Renthunque.

I’ll admit it.  I’m not the perfect mom when it comes to creating holiday traditions. I like the idea of holiday traditions, but I also like the idea of folding clean clothes right after they come out of the dryer, and spending an autumn weekend to put my garden to bed, and inviting people over for casual dinner parties every now and then. But along with those lovely ideas, holiday traditions tend to get overlooked in my busy house, and I’ve (mostly) come to terms with that.

I think the best way to create traditions is to find something you enjoy doing, and just do it over and over. That’s a tradition, right? One thing that my mother did when my siblings and I were young that I’ve managed to adopt myself is making or purchasing annual Christmas tree ornaments for each of her children. This year, now that my oldest has moved into her own place and has her own tree, I’ll be pulling her ornaments out of our boxes for her to take home with her, just like my mom did for me.

In the early days of having kids, mom put her Crafty Hands to work and made ornaments out of felt and craft foam balls and tiny bits of trim. I’m kind of amazed that they have lasted, but I’m so glad they did. There’s the one-eyed soldier, the Santa who looks as though he got a little tipsy on peppermint mocha, and the elf who has managed to stay pristine. Those elves… they’re sneaky.

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When I was celebrating my first holidays as a mom, I – like my mother before me – lived on the cheap in a mobile home. Oh boy,was I thankful for my Crafty-Hands genes. We made a lot of paper ornaments and garlands out of Cheerios and Froot-Loops strung on yarn. These little beauties were made from a simple kit I purchased at a craft store. The teddy bear and angel were for my daughters and the train represented the family.

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As our family was able to spend a little more money during the holidays – both as a child and as an adult – we purchased ornaments instead of making them. My mom was obviously proud of me when I joined the band-exemplified by two years of flute-playing ornaments (my band career was a short-lived endeavor, bumped by drama club in junior high).

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I’m not sure that my store-bought ornaments all represent something about their recipients, but these Angry Birds do. And,my son was pretty stoked about them a couple of years ago…and that’s what matters most, right?

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But even as the years passed, my mom and I both kept fiddling with ribbon and wire and making ornaments whenever we could.She beribboned these sweet baskets in the late 1970s. I created fabric and beaded acorns when I discovered these huge acorn caps under a tree in my neighborhood. They’re the only two I made and I gave them to mom that year.

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Sadly, my mom passed away four years ago. As my sister and I divided up her craft supplies (No small task! There was a kiln involved, y’all!!)we went through decorations in the old boxes and big blue suitcase where she kept Christmas, and picked out the ones that we gave her or she chose for us. I can’t decorate for the holidays without remembering the love – for family and for creating beautiful things – that mom passed down to each of her kids. Holiday traditions aren’t just about keeping up with the Joneses… in my house, they’re about passing down the Happy Holiday Crafty-Hands!!

imageLaurie is a writer and junque-hunter living in Springdale, Arkansas with her husband, son and three goofy cats. She raises kids and chickens and makes messes in her craft room. She loves to create good food, pretty gardens, and happy kids. But when that doesn’t happen as planned she simply reads about them on Pinterest. You can follow Laurie at See Laurie Write and Junque Rethunque.

ARWB to Celebrate #GivingTuesday on December 3

Do you have a favorite non-profit organization that is doing wonderful things in your community? We want to hear about it! 

#givingtuesday

We are coming upon the busiest shopping weekend of the year, so just as Black Friday promotes holiday shopping the day after Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday encourages online sales, #GivingTuesday, on Tuesday, December 3,  will help spotlight charitable giving.  

We ask that ARWB members write a blog post on their blogs about their favorite organization/s and then we will have a Linky on the Arkansas Women Bloggers site  on #GivingTuesday where you can share the love with your Arkansas sistah’s. 

This is a nationwide event, but we are teaming up with the Arkansas Nonprofit Alliance (ANA), which represents over 360 nonprofit organizations throughout the state, to get the word out. For more information about the Arkansas Nonprofit Alliance or #GivingTuesday, visit www.ArkansasNonprofits.org

I can not wait to read your posts.
 
Let’s kick off the holiday season by giving back. 
The Park Wife

Love of Arkansas {Finding Gratitude}

Written by Brittany Little, Miss November 2013

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Do you ever travel outside the region and people inquire where you are from? I have a great amount of pride when I tell everyone I am from Arkansas. I try to explain how beautiful of a state it is and how great the people are, but you really just have to see it to believe it. Arkansas is one of those states that surprises people. It is so beautiful in all four seasons.

Have you noticed lately how many people have Arkansas pride? We have always had Hog pride, but now it is just as trendy to put the great state of Arkansas on a shirt with a big heart. I have even found myself owning two necklaces with the state being center attention.

We have diamonds, technology, industry, enterprise, and entrepreneur spirit like no other. Arkansas has rivers, mountains, lakes, waterfalls, caves, and a ton of wildlife. Also, we have state parks and world-renowned museums that are magical.

I remember when I was little, I would tell my dad how much I loved the beach, and how I thought we should just live there. My dad knew I loved the beach, but he always responded that I would miss those hills and mountains in Arkansas. Now I know what he means each time I come home from a trip, there really is no place like home in Arkansas.

What is your favorite thing about Arkansas?

P.S. I love Arkansas-based companies, which is why I am hosting a Petit Jean Meats (of Morrilton, AR) Peppered Ham giveaway on my blog. Please check it out and enter the giveaway!

 

The Art of Gratitude

Brittany Little, Miss November 2013
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So many times, we sit around and think of the things we wish we had or were in life. We wish we had the perfect job, a big house, a nice new car, perfect children, or even were a bit prettier.

It is amazing how the simple act of stating that you are thankful for something can change your outlook and even your day. You begin to see things differently. You begin to act differently. You begin to be happier each day. You see how many more things are blessings to you.

Instead of being bogged down at work, maybe you are thankful that you have such a great job and get to learn so many new things each day. You are thankful for that car you have that gets you to that job each day. You are thankful for that house that might be small, but full of a lot of love.

What if God only gave you tomorrow what you gave him thanks for today? What would you end up with?

I urge you to sit down and write a list of twenty things you are thankful for. It won’t take long, I promise! You could even blog about it and share with us your post in the comments.