Lately, “art time” around here actually means “preschool crafts,” aka “time for glitter, stickers, and a toddler trying to cut their own hair”. While I’m trying to make more time for my own glitter-free art, I’m also trying to make time to actually celebrate the seasons and holidays with my kids. So I put lights up around the front windows and also festive window clings. You know, pictures of snowflakes and gingerbread houses (which Pixie calls “Christmas houses”) that delight a 3 year old when they’re up and delight a 1 year old when they’re gleefully ripped down and thrown all over the place. This is clearly the follow-up to Chappy’s previous master performance: steal toys from Pixie, throw them where she can’t reach because she’s in a body cast, run away cackling.
Pretty soon Pixie’s going to be walking again and I foresee Chappy learning about consequences while I pretend not to notice.
My latest craft project was born of these conflicting needs. I pulled out our Christmas decorations and there it was: the kind of ugly wreath my mother generously handed down to me a couple years ago. I keep using it and telling myself I’ll eventually make a new, better one. You know, with all my free time. I finally accepted that this was simply never happening and picked up some small shatter resistent ornaments designed for those itty bitty tabletop trees and a silver star wire garland. Then I pulled out some twist ties and went to town.
You don’t really need a tutorial for this. Take a boring wreath, wrap it in your wire garland, attach ornaments with twist ties, preferably green so they blend in. Don’t use glass ornaments if your wreath is going on a door or somewhere small animals children can reach it. When you’re happy with it, put it up. Like so:
Then get a thumbs up from your big helper, who just used the word “decorate” for the first time. Pat yourself on the back, then get a cup of coffee. You just spent 20 minutes on a project without your 1 year old breaking anything, so you know he’s due any minute now.
Good luck with that.
