The Story of the Stockings

This is not a inspiring story, but one of the lessons to be learned when your imagination is bigger than you abilities. I enjoy crafts when I have oodles of time and nothing else to stress me and when I can give them away so I never have to look at them again. By the end of each craft, I hate and despise it and never want to see it again because I know exactly where each and every flaw is. So why is making Christmas stockings a good idea? It's not and now I have to look at them every year for who knows how long.

So let's back up a month or so ago when my crafty sister sucked me into her plan. Let's make stockings with cute little designs and danglies and bows and bedazzling and... Lesson #1: Listening to your crafty sister is never a good idea. So we gather up the JoAnns coupons and our multitude of ideas and set out. After an afternoon of indecision we left with a bunch of stuff that I had no ideas what to do with. Lesson #2: 2 indecisive girls, 2 grumpy kids, and too many ideas and options are not a good mixture. Bring on the stress and grumbling. The one good thing I did was to buy quality stockings from Kohls, so they didn't end up looking like a foot was already stuck in it like Stephanie's did. After more whining about sizes and designs, I settled on a Christmas tree and snowflakes. Now what to do with these shapes. My decision was not the best. Lesson #3: Metallic thread, fleece, and blanket stitching should never be in the same thought. After a week of blistered fingers I ended with finished shapes that were not cut even, wouldn't stay flat, and looked nothing like what was in my mind. Let's skip the 3 weeks that I hated them so much I didn't even look in the direction of their secluded corner. Finally I realized Christmas was a week away and I needed something that I could claim was a stocking. I took everything to my sister's because this whole fiasco was her idea anyway and I am not creative that I need her approval on everything. She glued it all on in her whimsical way, my way of saying not straight or in an orderly fashion, stuck a few extras on, and went crazy with the only thing that fixes anything. Lesson #4: Glitter glue makes everything look better. I had the thought to use it when we first started, but it was what my mom would do and I want to hold off a few more years before I completely have her train of thoughts. However, I gave in and glitterized the stockings.

So you are probably wondering what these Christmas disasters look it. Actually they didn't turn out too bad, thanks to Stephanie. Have a look.



So what if I want them to say Mom and Dad in a few years? I think I am out of luck, those things are stuck on good.