Handmade Love

I love presents. I know it is horribly materialistic, but I can't help myself. Really, who doesn't love presents? Perhaps it's an American thing with our focus on all-out spend-crazy Christmases and mountains of gifts for children on their birth days. Perhaps it's just bred into me as my parents certainly lavished us kids on those two events, but I really love presents.


But, it's not just presents for the sake of presents that I love now that I am an adult, but the thought behind the gift. And nothing says thought and preparation like a handmade gift. Not to be a snobbish (though of course it is), but I'd much prefer a small imperfect handmade present than something bought at the mall and made in China.  I shudder a bit when I think about the trade deficit between our two great nations. And dig this: Apple products have become a major static symbol in China with the iPhone retailing there for about a quarter of the average Chinese household's annual income.... and they MAKE them there. Doesn't that just scream wrong?


Anyway. One of Georgia's favorite playmates was turning four this week (I remember when she was an itty-bitty baby...) and I really wanted to make her a set of dolls. One to represent her, and one to represent Georgia. The dolls in my imagination would have had velcro on their hands so they could really stick together! Well, life got in the way and it took WAY longer to make these dolls than I had hoped. Plus, I wanted to honor to the oath I made Smoochy of NO NEW CRAFT SUPPLIES in 2001! (Otherwise I would have bought different yarn for the blonde birthday girl.) Yikes! I found myself the night before the party with only one doll completed and no doll clothes I was feeling pretty low. All I managed to slap together to cloth my little creation looked something like a sack made out of Georgia's old favorite tee-shirts. I seriously considered not giving the doll to the little girl because the stitching was just that bad.

In the end, I gifted the one completed doll, knowing the birthday girl's mom feels similar to me about stuff. Though, more than once I considered going to Target and buying something made in China.  The birthday girl seemed happy about the doll. And my friend, her mom, complimented it appreciatively as a good friend would. All and all it was just fine. I especially loved the pride with which Georgia announced, "My mom MADE this for you, [birthday girl]!" That was cool.

All was well until just after returning home from the party the door bell rang. It was the postman... delivering a box of handmade birthday gifts. One was for Normy and one for Lola who's Gemini birthdays have just passed. Suddenly my little doll felt... Well, let's just say she was blown out of the water.

Way to go Aunt Cathy. I bow before your righteous skills as a seamstress. You seriously rock.