Motivation to do: gift wrapping

There comes a point in December when you start to visit, party and see the people you want to celebrate the season with, but who you won't actually spend 'the day' with. This often causes the wrapping of gifts in time to head out of the door...which leaves a deposit of rolled paper, scissors, tape and a pile of strung labels...they take up room man, and for a while you have to sort of move around them. And then there's nothing else you can do. Drag out the gifts and just get on with it. Get another large tick on the list, tidy away the papers and blah and enjoy the sight of your life savings wrapped like jewels and under the tree for as long as possible! That's what I've been doing. No blogging, housework chores, phone chats or lounging about. Thursday, after lunch, I wrapped. And today, from lunch time again, I wrapped. I wrapped until my hips ached. Oh yes, you read that correctly...I sat on the sofa and used the whole coffee table...and the leaning forward and down made my hips ache. I didn't know that of course, until I sprang up to answer the phone very nearly passed out from the effort!


I really had no idea that it would take so long; even though it catches me out every year - like writing the cards...why is that? The reward, apart from the obvious one, which I acknowledge of course, is the family reaction. Mr Dunnit came home; I bemoaned the lack of tidiness, getting other stuff done, etc etc, and he put it very simply: 'so what' he said, ' it looks amazingly Christmassy'. I'll take that.
Have a lovely, getting ready weekend!

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What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 132

There is a reason for the shakey photography.  And for the gifts on my workdesk.  This photo and post are scheduled.  Right now it's Tuesday afternoon.  Tonight I'm out with my crafting galfriends for our Christmas meal and Secret Santa.  So I've finally broken into some Christmas paper and done some wrapping.  And I realised that if I don't schedule this.....I have to get up really early on Wednesday morning..and I don't intend to; you will I'm sure understand.  I'm tonight's designated driver, but nevertheless, it will be a late night.  And I've planned a lie in.  What's the betting I'll be wide awake at 5.30am! 
You can see a set of nesting box lids...which match the nesting boxes upon which they stand..you can't tell that I've actually done something to the boxes, but I have.  I'm doing a Neil.  If they are ever finished, I'll explain.   
Meanwhile, I'm off to the meeting of The Coven (as the Enthusiastic Educator's husband refers to us.  He thinks he's joking; only we know whether he is or not.) That's why the photo is a bit shakey - I'm hungry! Show us what you're doing this close to Christmas, if you've time.  Upload a pic of your work surface to your blog and then link here.  We'll visit.  Slowly!

Motivation to do: Decorate

This tree image is from the John Lewis range.

Back in the day, before the decorations went up, a mini spring clean would take place chez Dunnit. And furniture would have to be moved. Yes indeed, the arrival of the Christmas decorations was a matter of some work and lots of excitement.  I don't know why, but in her 18 wonderful years, Miss Dunnit has never taken any interest in decorating the tree, or helping with the other bits either, come to that.  I don't understand it.  Perhaps it's because year after year she sees me doing it and has decided that it's just another chore that the girl gets to do.  I know it's not and shouldn't be, but it kinda is.  Mr Dunnit is marvellous with the shopping, choosing, trimming to fit it in the stand and rigging up the lighting for the tree, but would rather leave it naked than get involved in its decoration.  Indeed, some years - take last year for example, when we were up to our eyeballs in the misery of illness and closing a business, it was he who reminded me that we needed a tree.  He clearly sees the need.  And the year we went to Australia on Christmas night so didn't bother with a tree, both of them felt cheated.  I don't get it.  So secure in the realisation that Christmas Day is now a week on Sunday (which sounds very, very close) we bought a tree this weekend.  I have made a huge effort in the cleaning department today, and thrown the vaccuum across the carpet where it will stand.  There was enough winter sun to make me wince at the state of the windows....but luckily, not enough winter sun to make me actually clean them.  As I type though, it is bereft of ornament. Mr Dunnit wants to arrange the sockets and extensions before we put it in position...and he isn't home yet....and as she left for college this morning, Miss Dunnit said to wait till she got home before starting on the tree.  It's a Christmas miracle.  Now all I have to do is bite my tongue and stop myself moving bits around to fill gaps and better suit my idea of a well decorated tree.  Easier surely, than having to do it all myself?

Motivation to do: the cards

I know I've said this before, but here's a little tiny bit of my domestic life - it's vaguely relevant:  Mr Dunnit and I wake up at the same time - he's already awake, but for me, it's that damn radio.  I always, always lie in bed and let him get on with his day for a good half hour.  Doesn't matter if we awaken at 5.30 or 8.30 - that's how it is.  We don't speak, but just before he goes downstairs, we manage a kiss and a 'good morning'.  I listen to him fill the kettle and start his day.  I muse upon the way my day will turn.  I have to have some definite goals. 'Working' at home can very quickly slide into doing nothing.  This is why I prefer a routine.  Because genuinely doing nothing would make me feel even more guilty! Here's the relevant part:   Yesterday, whilst trying to preserve the warm spot vacated by himself, it occurred to me that there's more to making the Christmas cards than erm, making them.  I don't know why or how, but I had not factored in the writing and posting part.  It's not, to be honest, amongst my favourite Christmas jobs.  I get tongue tied about whether the card is from all of us or just me or just him, depending on the recipient.  I get bothered by children's names and get guilt over having not seen or communicated with some recipients since last sending a Christmas card.  And for a special this year, we have cards to send from our business, which gave me another attack of the vapours - is it 'de riguer' to send handmade? Maybe I should just buy some after all.  Oh lawks.    

Mr Dunnit always sprints upstairs to say goodbye.  We have a brief discussion about work things that I may need to do and he always feigns an interest in my plans for the day.  Yesterday, I ran off a list of chores and added Christmas things that need doing...including the cards.  (It makes me feel a great deal better about myself if I sound really busy when asked what I'm doing by the bread winner). Mr Dunnit as usual, lends his wisdom and left brain logic to my angst over the card situation. He said ' you've made them now haven't you?' and when I confirmed that, he said 'well, just write in them and send them, that's a job done then.'  Indeed it is Mr Dunnit.  And I suppose no one will take the trouble to ring and moan about crappy handmade cards will they.  They haven't before.  So yesterday I spent the afternoon writing, enveloping, addressing, licking.  It wasn't exciting and man, it took much longer than I'd anticipated.  At least today I have a satisfying 'done' pile.  And a strike through on the list.  Now that IS a job done.  Wrapping next?  No.  I'll just consult my list.

Have a lovely weekend. 

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 131

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the season, please hold the family of Sarah Lawrence in your hearts.  Sarah died suddenly, last Friday.  You will know her from WOYWW; and appearances on TV and at major craft events for Crafty Notions - she was the fun, bursting with ideas and enthusiasm for mixed media person that we all want to be.  I didn't know her personally, but that doesn't make any difference.  I do know that the world in which we all blog, craft and share is a poorer one without her. 

 Detritus is what's on my work desk this Wednesday.  No glass mat and nothing that reflects what I'm intending to make next.  All the useful stuff is still packed in my tote after Sunday's crop and my desk has become a wrapping area and general dumping ground.  Soon rectify that though.  Got things to make so I can cross them off lists!  

Sure had you going with this last week. G3 is in fact the blog nick name of Lunch Lady Jan's younger son.  So I've decorated them with some references to his interests and hope he can find somewhere to prop them in his room. After all, he may need reminding who he is.  Politically, some of you were a bit off the mark..it's actually G20 these days!




Link here to guide us to your blogs and show us what this week has you working on: 

So, I'm making the list...

I thought you may like to know that this Monday, today, only the first in December and the 'oh-my-word-it's-closer-than-I-thought' day for kerjillions of us, is the 'big list' day for me.

This year's present list...turned up pages mean they're ready....

• I need a list of Christmas cards to be written...subdivided into a list of those to be posted and those to be hand delivered.
• I therefore need at list on my workdesk of the number of cards I still have to make!
• I need a list of the presents left to be brought.  Not many, but you don't wanna be forgetting one because it wasn't on your mind at the right time!
• I need a list of the 'bits and pieces' left to buy - you know, batteries, the odd stocking filler and such.
• I need a list to be made as I wrap gifts - I put them all under the tree (because I love the look of my matching wrappings and ribbons before they get jumbled up with others that don't match!).  But I need to be sure that on the right day, we take the right presents.  It may be obvious that if you're going to your Mum's you need to take hers, but there's loads of other people who will be there that you won't see otherwise...and if there's a list, I don't have to be the one to make sure that the right presents are loaded...one less job.  Cunning!
• I need a list of essentials that we'll need over the holiday.  But not the essentials of everyday or other holidays.  Tonic water, bottled lemon slices, cherries are good examples.  Not a weekly grocery list essential, but definitely a Christmas list essential!
• I need a list of the customers that our new Company has enjoyed this year, there are more, quite important cards to be made.
• I probably need a list of last posting dates.
• I need a food shopping list.  It starts off at this time, a horrendously long and frightening affair, but I wrestle with it over the next 13 days or so and as things get crossed off, so it stops looking like a dinosaur sitting in my path!
• I have a list of presents I'd like for myself, as I do for Mr D and Miss D.  I keep them on my phone and top them up whenever either of them mention anything, at any time of the year.  This efficiency is then utterly ignored because I forget to refer to it when shopping.  I'm such a luddite.  I still need lists on paper!

I don't need a list of lists. Really, I'm attempting organisation in a way that works for me.  And as I'm a stationery junkie and have had thirty adult years to fill the junkie cravings, I've got appropriate notebooks for these lists.  And some.  And truly, that's one of the great pleasures of my Christmas preparations - I get to press into action some lovely, often decorated, some lined, some plain blank pages. It's a bit like journalling for the journalling challenged. And you're allowed to doodle.  Stationery, ideas, a bit of art, all in the name of organisation. Bliss. 

A bit ragged already

I've been going around the WOYWW posts for this week (and I'm still doing that).  It cannot go without a comment -  especially as it is now December.  I've sensed a lot of mild panic about this month.  And a good dose of organisation, shopping, planning.  I'd say that in equal measure, we're really getting on with it!  I also surmise from my very non-scientific reading material that working or not, it is the household's women who plan, shop and deliver Christmas.  

It's all about choices and allocating your time.  If you wanna do JYC or December Daily, ring-fence the time you need..after all, you've done a lot for everyone else all day.  If you wanna do Tim's tags, do 'em.  Or......leave them - maybe until the Christmas break starts.....the twelve days of Christmas actually start on Christmas Day you know.

Whatever you do, be gentle with yourselves this month...collapsing in an exhausted stressed heap on Christmas Eve isn't part of the plan!  As usual, I've only decorated the blog so far. (Thank you LeeLou, for making it possible).  It'll be at least another week before I get the house decorated...and the tree - a bit longer I suspect. 

And because blogging is very much a part of the time I ring fence, you can 'look forward' to  more posts here, after all if I advocate being relaxed and allocating yourself time to do stuff you like, I have to set the example, huh! So far, the only thing that's ragged is the ribbon on this little card! 

Check back....I haven't prepared for Sunday's crop yet.