You know how it is. You get so caught up in daily life, that time just seems to fly by. And the holidays are a perfect example. I have been so busy just going to work, doing my normal day to day routine that I had completely lost track of time. Just last week I realized that Christmas is almost upon us!
Luckily I had most of my shopping done already. I had finished the carvings for my family's presents, and made the jams that I like to send them. As they live in a city, they are not as able to get the fresh fruits to make their own, and it brings back a lot of lovely memories of my mother's homemade jams.
I did manage to send out their parcels on the 7th and they have received them. Whew! It would have been terrible if they had not gotten them in time.
What with working and all the other mundane things one must do, it has been difficult to find time to work with my various favorite crafts. I got my mother's sewing machine in the mail a couple weeks ago (wooohoooo!) and was able to set it up and test my memory of how to use it. I did make some new organic catnip toys which I have listed in my Etsy shop (
see here). I am still searching for a local (Canadian) supplier of eco-friendly organic fabrics and sewing supplies so that my organic catnip toys are "completely" organic. Wish me luck!
I have not been doing any carving since finishing those for Christmas gifts. Just the way the wood feels and smells is very good for my spirit.
The other day a lady on the Canadian By-n-sell thread that I love to visit on Etsy had posted link to an adorable Christmas wrapping instructions for cat owners. I just have to share it with all of you!
Gift wrapping instructions for Cat owners
1. Clear large space on table for wrapping present.
2. Go to closet and collect bag in which present is contained, and shut door.
3. Open door and remove cat from closet.
4. Go to cupboard and retrieve rolls of wrapping paper.
5. Go back and remove cat from cupboard.
6. Go to drawer, and collect transparent sticky tape, ribbons, scissors, labels, etc...
7. Lay out presents and wrapping materials on table, to enable wrapping strategy to be formed.
8. Go back to drawer to get string, remove cat that has been in the drawer since last visit and collect string.
9. Remove present from bag.
10. Remove cat from bag.
11. Open box to check present, remove cat from box, replace present.
12. Lay out paper to determine size to cut.
13. Try to smooth out paper, realize cat is underneath and remove cat.
14. Cut the paper to size, keeping the cutting line straight.
15. Throw away first sheet as cat chased the scissors, and tore the paper.
16. Cut second sheet of paper to size - by putting cat in the bag the present came in.
17. Place present on paper.
18. Lift up edges of paper to seal in present. Wonder why edges don't reach. Realize cat is between present and paper. Remove cat.
19. Place object on paper, to hold in place while tearing transparent sticky tape.
20. Spend 20 minutes carefully trying to remove transparent sticky tape from cat with pair of nail scissors.
21. Seal paper with sticky tape, making corners as neat as possible.
22. Look for roll of ribbon. Chase cat down hall in order to retrieve ribbon.
23. Try to wrap present with ribbon in a two-directional turn.
24. Re-roll ribbon and remove paper, which is now torn due to cat's enthusiastic ribbon chase.
25. Repeat steps 13-20 until you reach last sheet of paper.
26. Decide to skip steps 13-17 in order to save time and reduce risk of losing last sheet of paper.
Retrieve old cardboard box that is the right size for sheet of paper.
27. Put present in box, and tie down with string.
28. Remove sting, open box and remove cat.
29. Put all packing materials in bag with present and head for a room with a lock.
30. Once inside locking room, lock door and start to relay out paper and materials.
31. Remove cat from box, unlock door, put cat outside door, close and relock.
32. Repeat previous step as often as is necessary (until you can hear cat from outside door)
33. Lay out last sheet of paper. (This will be difficult in the small area of the toilet, but do your best)
34. Discover cat has already torn paper. Unlock door go out and hunt through various cupboards, looking for sheet of last year's paper. Remember that you haven't got any left because cat helped with this last year as well.
35. Return to lockable room, lock door, and sit on toilet and try to make torn sheet of paper look presentable.
36. Seal box, wrap with paper and repair by very carefully sealing with sticky tape. Tie up with ribbon and decorate with bows to hide worst areas.
37. Label. Sit back and admire your handiwork, congratulate yourself on completing a difficult job.
38. Unlock door, and go to kitchen to make drink and feed cat.
39. Spend 15 minutes looking for cat until coming to obvious conclusion.
40. Unwrap present, untie box and remove cat.
41. Go to store and buy a gift bag.
