Handmade Gifts & Birthdays

Birthdays are celebrated in my family usually in some form or fashion. I love giving something that is handmade, unusual, and/or unique. Sometimes if I am unable to make the gift myself I will turn to someone who is crafty and purchase a handmade or handcrafted item. There is something about a handmade gift that is special...I think that it is the time, the effort, and extra thought. There are times when handmade gift are not called for...it all depends on the person...I have learned this first hand. I made my dad a UT Deco Mesh Wreath for Father's Day and he did not like it...he thought I was playing a joke on him, so he left the wreath at my house! I had to deliver the gift and place it on the front door. Everyone else loved my creation, but he don't appreciate it because he doesn't see the point to decorating the front door. Oh well...this was a lesson learned for me! But for my granny a handmade gift "Deco Mesh Wreath" was exactly what I wanted to do for her since I knew she would love it!

Here are the directions on how to make a Deco Mesh Wreath yourself...these aren't technical terms, but they should help you figure out how to make the wreath at home if you have never made one before.

Deco Mesh Wreath

Supplies:

• Work wreath with branches
• Deco Mesh (assorted colors and sizes of ribbon width)
• Embellishment(s)

Directions:

1. Unroll about 3 feet of your art deco mesh. 
2. Scrunch up the end of the mesh into a small bundle in your hand and place it against the top of wreath. Use the branches on the work wreath to secure the bundle by twisting to secure it in place.
3. Grab and scrunch another section of mesh and place this bundle against your wreath about and use the second set of branches to secure the next bunch of mesh.
4. Scrunch, bundle and tie mesh to the wreath until you have worked all the way around the wreath. Keep using the work wreath branches to secure to deco mesh in place.
5. It is best to start on the outside of the wreath and work your way to the inside. If you see some bare places, go around the wreath again, adding bundles between your first layer of bundles.
6. Cut the mesh from the roll very close to your last tied bundle.
7. Fluff up the puffy sections of mesh between the bundles to give your wreath a full look.
8. Embellish as desired.

 

 

Back to why I made the wreath...This weekend my Granny Trixie celebrated her 81st birthday. Some call her Tippy, mostly the great grandkids, but to me she will always be my Granny Trixie. We had a small celebration of life for her on the farm at my parents’ house. A total of 18 were in attendance out of a possible 24 people. A few cousins and their families were unable to make the journey because of distance, but we were blessed by all those in attendance. I hope everyone can make it next year for her 82nd birthday. She was super excited to see everyone and her expressions were priceless.

Here is a photo of Granny Trixie and I & the gift I made for her for her birthday. I love my Granny and I am very thankful for her! I am the youngest of 7 grandchildren and I will always be her baby girl even though she now has 5 great grandchildren. She calls me Lara Jane, even though my name is Lara Christen. My middle name is after her...Edith Christeen. She has been there through some of the rough moments in my life and some of the greatest times of joy. If I ever need advice and council that is sound, honest, and very truthful I can always count on Granny Trixie. Sometimes she gives the advice and council without even being asked. I guess that is a grandmother's instinct. I might get a little history and fluff with in the mix too, but that's OK. A lot of characteristics from my granny make up the "Savage Girl" in addition to many traits and characteristics from others.

I applaud granny for her patience on all those Saturday mornings I visited her on the Savage farm in Vernon. She helped my mama begin my culinary training in the kitchen when she would let me "help" make biscuits and wash dishes when I was big enough to standup in a chair.   

Tonight at church I was reminded that older generations are to help train-up our younger generations and share their wisdom and expertise to help teach others. I have always been accepting of advice and teachings from others especially my elders. This lesson made me think of my granny since she is the matriarch of the family. To me my granny has always been a good example in training-up those that are younger. She is an example of Titus 2 in teaching the younger generations in the family concerning what is good, to love their husbands and children, be self-controlled, to be kind, to be a keeper of the home, and not to show evil toward God's word. She taught everyone in the family in some form or fashion, but that doesn't mean that everyone always listened to what she had to say every time. I'm not perfect, my family members at not perfect, and neither is my granny, but then again no one is! Everyone makes mistakes along the way, and she has always been woman enough to own up to her mistakes and I believe she passed that down to everyone else too. She is loving, accepting, and forgiving of others faults and mistakes even when we might have displeased her with one of our decisions. I believe these are gifts of godly women that everyone should implement.

I am going to leave you with one question...just answer it to yourself for you will be the one who has to give an account for your life, not me..."What are you doing in your life to help teach others like is outlined for us in Titus 2?".