Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Lost. And behind.

I lost my Christmas Spirit on Sunday. Pouf. Just like that. I'm really sad about it. And mad as to the reasons why. But mostly just sad. I usually love Christmas. I can't bring myself to wrap presents or bake Christmas cakes. I have bags and bags of gifts and baking ingredients lying around the house and it's starting to look a like like an episode of Hoarders. I took the new Christmas tree down (and back to the shop to get my money back), and I can't even look at Instagram. Because have you seen how many Christmas photos there are on Instagram? Lots. I will not be commenting on your Christmas posts on your blogs. I won't even be reading them. Sorry.

I'm hoping the Christmas Spirit comes back because I'm tired of being sad and I generally avoid being around people who are all bah humbuggy and grinchy about the season, and more particularly, the celebration that happens around Christ's birth.

Around this time of the year I'm ready to tell you about this year's Christmas dress or Christmas skirt, and what I'm thinking of making. But the thought of making such a thing makes me sad so I won't mention it again.

However I am off to Sydney later this week for a few days, and I promised myself a month ago that I wouldn't go to any dress fabric store unless I could sew three things from my stash. Except I fell behind with everything - the Great Sewing Room Clean-up, the November Finishing Project, and sewing three things from my stash.

But wait! I did finish one more thing for the November Finishing Project! I found it when cleaning up.

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All I had to do was sew bias binding into one armhole. Stupid. I could have been wearing this for a year already. It's made with an embroidered cotton from Spotlight and yes, it's Simplicity 2938 again.

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Given I will have no chance of sewing three items by Friday, I thought I would at least cut three items out, ready to sew next week when I'll hopefully have more time. Well, I won't be wasting any time baking 8 Christmas cakes as planned, will I? I picked three pieces from the stash.

Offender #1:

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Peach cotton lawn, for a wearable toile for a top that is NOT Simplicity 2938.

Offender #2:

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Cotton sateen bought at Paron Fabrics in New York last year. This will be a skirt. It will need to be lined but I will cut the lining out another time.

Offender #3:

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Printed cotton duck from Spotlight. Skirt. Unlined. Thank goodness.

If I can cut these out tonight while NOT listening to Christmas CDs, it will have been a good night.

In the meantime if someone could reinstate the Christmas Spirit back into my life, or even "find Santa" as the Mister keeps saying, I would be eternally grateful.

21 comments:

  1. Yeah, Christmas, whoopdeedo. Don't worry about lack of enthusiasm - Christmas is not exactly endangered... I do like those elephants and giraffes though!!

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  2. Oh Michelle, obviously I don't know what happened but it makes me sad that it did.
    And as someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas at all I completely understand how saturated every part of the internet is with it right now. I hope you get your love of the holiday back but in the meantime feel free to visit me, I promise there will be nothing red/white/green or tinsely. x

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  3. I hope Sydney recharges you, I am sorry you have lost your Christmas spirit, Christmas is a magically time. Good luck with your cutting out.

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  4. I'm sorry you have lost your Christmas spirit, I hope it comes back when you are least expecting it.

    I am looking forward to some sewing time this week (hitch reminds me I must wash my fabric!). How do you know whether a skirt needs a lining? I must read up on this a bit more! I am going to try to hunt out that Simplicity pattern too. It really is a good one.

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  5. Oh no that's so sad.... gosh I wish I could click my fingers and magic your Christmas spirit back in a flash! Maybe when it does, you could put in an extra special wish to Santa?

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  6. Hope you're ok - maybe a spot of making will make things feel more cheerful?

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  7. I'm sorry to read this post Michelle. I know how much you do usually enjoy it. I can relate though. Each year I want/try to embrace the festivities of Christmas and by early December most years I'm so completely over it I feel miserable. Usually around mid-December I find some spirit to get me through. I hope yours returns to you.

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  8. Thinking of you....sew and find peace my friend

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  9. well, only because you asked if there's a trick... for me, putting vince guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas on and jumping around absolutely always does the trick. something about the lyric-free-sometimes-not-even-christmas music gets me happy every time. i listened to that album seven times in a row after a particularly long workday.

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  10. oh i'm there too! last night on my home from late shopping (not holiday stuff) i passed oodles of houses with lights on and it hit me that i've lost it too! no joy :( probably because, as usual, i've overloaded my wish todo list. will i ever learn? ha!!! i hope it sneaks back in time for my boys' sake!
    btw, i love your "offenders"! they'll be great!

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  11. Hi. I've been there as well - feeling the loss of the spirit at Christmas. I like some of the remedies proposed above and just wanted to add - thanks. I read so many 'gratitude posts' (and have written my share as well) that it is refreshing sometimes to acknowledge the sad, the spiritless and the needing to sew them skirts up just 'cause you said you would. Hang in there. One step is all that is required and the world will spin around and the spirit will return. Hugs.

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  12. A big hug and warm wishes , I hope you find your mojo! Surround yourself by the one's you love and let them give you some warmth and caring and then maybe Christmas will wrap you up in its joy!

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  13. Sorry to read that your Christmas spirit is gone and it's making you sad. I don't have any advice really. Christmas hasn't really started here yet - we tend to be very last minute about it all. I think it's OK to let Christmas float by sometimes.

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  14. I'm sorry your Christmas Spirit went away Michelle, I hope it comes back soon.

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  15. If your lost Christmas mojo is due to someone else's behaviour then why give them the bonus of your loss? They don't deserve it. Claim it back!

    If it's because of something you have done (although it doesn't sound like it) it might be time to forgive yourself.

    Christmas has been a challenge over here for the last few years but this year with life more in control the mojo is going strong. Hoping your mojo comes back in time for you to enjoy Christmas in your usual fashion.

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  16. Oh bummer. Hugs, and hoping that the spirit finds you again - and even if it doesn't, you will still have a damn fine time with that yummy fabric.

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  17. Oh, CRAP. I hope said CRAP takes a freakin' hike and allows some peace and perspective and that you feel able to CHOOSE whether you want to come over festive or let this one float on by...

    Bloody crap.

    xxx

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  18. Big hug- mine comes and goes during December, and is always delayed as we have the girl's b'day on the 6th, so then start to get into it. But last year I was pretty darn depressed and didn't decorate until the week before. Kid didn't care and no one else knew! I'll walk to the beat of my own drum, and so should you!

    And I agree, pox on anyone nasty and enjoy the Sydney trip and holidays in spite of them!

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  19. Ahhh don't push it. If the spirit comes it comes, and if it doesn't well that was just the way 2012 was. This is one of the strangest times of year and one that for me is always filled with so much ambivalence. I do hope, spirit or not, that you find some happiness.
    On a different note... after seeing you spruik Simplicity 2938 for so many years now I finally went and bought it at Spotty yesterday. I wonder how long it will take me to trace and cut out a garment... I'm a good bet to out do your one year to finish a project time frame.
    Take care dear bloggy friend.

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  20. Bollocks to the bah humbuggery that stole Christmas. Hope Sydney is a great restorative.

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  21. First, the second fabric you showed...fantastically fun! Second, take it slow and don't put so much pressure on yourself. So you don't sew a specific amount of projects or bake a certain thing. Christmas is about showing love for others, not presents or gifts. Relax and remember what's important to you.

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