We started decorating in the Holsapple/Brinkman abode. We haven't reached our full twinkle-potential, but it's starting to feel warm and festive. I like a lot of twinkle. When my mom passed away a few years ago, I had to clean out her home. In the beginning of the process, every object caused tons of emotional turmoil when I had to decide whether to keep it or donate it or throw it away. After awhile I made a firm conviction that my mom was not her old furniture, wooden bowling ball trophies, or her gargoyle collection---this conviction was easier to make since I was moving with my husband to a tiny one bedroom apartment with no storage space. I kept all her old photo albums and a few choice things, but the rest went. These Christmas ornaments stayed. She painted little Christmas scenes on them, glued some velvet ribbon down the middle, and on the back wrote "Merry Christmas 1978". They are friendly and charming, like she was. She painted them before I was born, when my brothers were toddlers. It's different for me to look at them now because I know what it is like to balance creative time with taking care of your young ones, so I can picture what it must have been like for her to be painting those while simultaneously preventing her mischievous boys from pulling down bookshelves. I love having them hanging in the house, they make it feel like she's right here in the room with us, drinking coffee.
One thing I didn't keep is this giant, stuffed rudolph head. It was one of those whimsical objects that made Christmas seem full of magical possibility. I am a bit busy this month, but I really want to make a papier mache version for our house. The more I think about it though, the more insane I feel. When I sew or draw and watch Walter I can just set down what I am doing and tend to the monkey, but with papier mache there is a hand-washing step in there that I think won't add up to good parenting. We'll see.
Here is a sneak peak of what I have been working on for a show in Chicago at Oh No! Doom which is happening December 11th! I am almost done with him so I should be able to show you the rest soon.
1 comment:
It's funny, I did the same thing with my uncles' items several years ago. What had been viewed as priceless heirlooms when we were children, upon reflection turned into just "old stuff" already kept for too many years. No hand painted keepers there. I'm glad you were able find some sweet ornies to add sparkle to your home. You will always have memories of your Mom, and especially at the holidays. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
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