They Are Finished

It begins early in October, the year before...My mother and I brainstorm and finally select a theme for our ornaments for the next year. Last year, we selected Gingerbread Men. I find a pattern, out of the many books I already have, find wood (I have been known to rummage through trash piles and then run home, carrying an armful of wood!) Nathan, after sufficient begging...and some mom-baked goodies, runs the wood through the planer. I make a template, trace ornament after ornament, and then proceed to my work table in the garage and painstakingly, in what usually is 110+ weather (and that is outside in the shade, not in our closed up baking garage!)use my scroll saw to cut them out, and then sand them with my belt sander. Next comes sealing, tracing the pattern (many were done while I was waiting in the food surplus line), then painting, clear coating, and this is what happens! I have made ornaments every year since we have been married, though I only started painting wood ones...well, I really don't know...more than 15 years ago, though. I don't know how many more years I will do it (tole/decorative painting is now rather out of style!), but these are in the gift bags, ready for mailing, etc. So glad I am done. My goal, finish before Halloween...and I did it! As an explanation, I started with the standard book suggested colors (not pictured). I have a red/white/blue patriotic tree (lots of things over the years from my 4th of July birthday), so I try to make mine patriotic in some way (except for the year I painted Mary and Baby Jesus). Then, Kayty and Nathan wanted their own special ones. So, I painted hers hot pink and black, with a skull button on the gingergirl's dress, and I painted his North Pointe Prep purple, black and grey, with NP on her dress! So fun!