Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Have a Crafty Christmas

By Cora Chevalier
Assault and Beadery
Cora Crafts Mysteries
By Mollie Cox Bryan

The Holidays are a busy time for most people. So when someone takes the time to make you a gift, the gesture is extremely thoughtful.  But then again, it always is, isn't it?
If you're interested in some ideas on what to make people for the holidays this year, check out this Pinterest board. https://www.pinterest.com/molliecoxbryan/crafty-christmas-gift-ideas/

The style of the day is minimal. "Get rid of your things" seems to be the thing to do. I'm all for purging the things that don't matter to you. But I hate the idea of simply throwing stuff away to fill up landfills. Which is  why I feel that repurposing is so important. Look at your things and ask yourself what else you can do with them. Here's a a Pinterest board with some great repurposing ideas. https://www.pinterest.com/molliecoxbryan/repurposed-style/


I have some great old quilts handed down through my family. Sometimes, when one of the quilts is wrapped around me,  I imagine the hands that stitched it and I feel a sense of comfort that goes beyond the warmth of the quilt.
I also have some old cross stitch in frames. Pieces that were made for me and given to me by my aunt. These are my treasures and I won't ever get rid of them. Some less sentimental people might call it hoarding of a sort, but I just think of of as a thread to my past and to the people who loved me. For they gave something to me that they made with their own hands. Which is also giving me the gift of their time.
Is it just me? Am I the only person like this? Do you have cherished handmade items you won't throw away?
Season’s Readings continues with a month of giveaways! Leave a comment below, with your email address, for a chance to win  paperback or e-book   version of Assault and Beadery (US addresses only; winner will be chosen Friday, November 30.) 


Mollie Cox Bryan writes cozy mysteries with edge and romances with slow, sweet burn. She’s just published the third book in her new Cora Crafts Mystery Series: Macrame Murder. The first book in the series, Death Among the Doilies,  was selected as "Fresh Fiction Not to Miss" and was a  finalist for the Daphne du Maurier Award. The second book, No Charm Intended, was named a “Summer 2017 Top 10 Beach Read” by Woman's World. She also wrote the Agatha-award nominated Cumberland Creek Mysteries. Several of the books the series were short-listed for the Virginia Library People's Choice Award. She makes her home at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Shenandoah Valley, Va., where she works as a researcher and fact checker and writes in the early morning hours. Visit her and sign up for her newsletter at molliecoxbryan.com. Or follow her on Twitter @molliecoxbryan, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/molliecoxbryanauthor/, Pinterest or Instagram.  


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42 comments:

  1. jnalpathNovember 28, 2018 at 6:02 AM

    This book sounds good! thanks for the chance. Maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
    Replies
    1. Mollie Cox BryanNovember 28, 2018 at 9:14 AM

      Thank you!

  • AshleyNovember 28, 2018 at 9:36 AM

    I've read the first book in this series and everytime I go to the library I hope they have the others. No luck in them ordering them yet unfortunately. I'd love to win a copy of the newest edition. Thank you ! ashleylianeb@yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
    Replies
    1. Mollie Cox BryanNovember 28, 2018 at 6:46 PM

      That's too bad. Be sure and ask your library to order them. Usually, they will. Cheers!

  • Cuddle Up with a Cozy Mystery and a DachshundNovember 28, 2018 at 9:49 AM

    I have the sweetest little dachshund in a little basket Christmas ornament that my daughter made me when she was in middle school. It's Sculpey or some clay stuff--she made a Santa hat on the dog! I could never part with it! I love this series! barbie17(at)gmail(dot)com Thanks, Tari

    Reply
    Replies
    1. Mollie Cox BryanNovember 28, 2018 at 6:46 PM

      Thank you!

  • Grandma CootieNovember 28, 2018 at 11:59 AM

    I'm with you. I try to get rid of things i don't need or use but there are some things my daughter, mom and grandmother made that I just have to keep, including a spiral notebook of recipes in my mom's handwriting.
    sallycootie(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  • petiteNovember 28, 2018 at 12:02 PM

    I have cherished items which I will never part with that my mother made and are hanging in my house. I miss my mother but have comfort from her devotion and her artwork. My father was very artistic and I have his soapstone sculptures which are impressive. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    Reply
    Replies
    1. Mollie Cox BryanNovember 28, 2018 at 6:47 PM

      How lovely!

  • taurusNovember 28, 2018 at 4:21 PM

    I have items my Mom made that I am holding on to.

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  • Michelle F.November 28, 2018 at 5:19 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    Reply
  • Michelle F.November 28, 2018 at 5:20 PM

    Michelle F.November 28, 2018 at 5:19 PM
    I have some of those potholders made in a loom. Not too many other handmade items.
    catbooks72(at)gmail(dot)com (Here's my correct e-mail).

    Reply
  • Jana Leah BNovember 28, 2018 at 8:51 PM

    My mom kept ornaments that I made as a kid. I have them now. turtle6422 at gmail dot com

    Reply
  • Neena LuciowNovember 28, 2018 at 8:51 PM

    Even though I am not eligible to win (Canadian) I wanted to comment. I SO understand the value of keeping those special handmade items that connect me to the past. My mom was a busy farm wife, but always found time to embroider, knit and crochet. I learned those, plus developed a love of all crafts from her. After her death, I chose several of her beautiful crocheted doilies and use them in my home. One year both she and I made crocheted snowflake ornaments for our Christmas trees. My daughter now owns the ones mom made, and I hope they mean a lot to her. I also have the top from a quilt that mom and her sisters made during the Depression years.. Each block has a hand-embroidered design. The quilt suffered some damage during storage, but I plan to stabilize the embroidered pieces and create framed wall-hangings for all of us first cousins of these talented prairie women.
    gnluciow(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  • Meg C.November 28, 2018 at 11:41 PM

    There haven't been many in my family that were crafty in the way you're talking about (or if there were I don't think we have much if anything from them), but I do understand what you mean. There are definitely items from different family members (that weren't made, just passed down)and even a few that I've collected elsewhere that I have trouble seeing myself getting rid of just because. Thanks for the chance to win. [email protected]

    Reply
  • AnonymousNovember 29, 2018 at 12:05 AM

    Thank you for the giveaway, love the cover, would like to read. I have some crochet snowflake type ornaments my grandmother made me one year. they are beautiful, would never get rid of them. queenvictoria50 (@) aol (dot) com

    Reply
  • amyNovember 29, 2018 at 12:07 AM

    I have doilies and an afghan crocheted by my Nana <3
    Donah42 at aol dot com

    Reply
  • Eileen AWNovember 29, 2018 at 12:33 AM

    I do enjoy giving and getting home-made gifts. I think about all the time, energy and thought that was put into the project. Thanks for the chance. ematov (at) comcast (dot) net

    Reply
  • Kay GarrettNovember 29, 2018 at 10:11 AM

    I truly do love the gifts or heirloom treasures that are made by hand. I think people think homemade with being too poor to buy a "proper" gift. When in fact, a homemade gift is a gift made by hands with love in every stitch, bead, stick, or item in that gift. If you would take in account the time and the price of wages per hour now, a homemade gift is more expensive than any store bought gift - most of which very little thought or time went into buying. How many people walk into a store and just pick up something to have that gift that they must give? But one that is specially thought out, planned and then executed with love, hard work and skill is priceless.

    Yes, we moved last year and had to greatly downsize. We now have one huge walk-in closet about the size of a very small bedroom to put everything in. I had inherited through my Mom at her passing items made not only by her but her Mom and then her Mom's too. The one thing that definitely came with me and sits in the closet is big the wooden chest my Grandfather made and my Granny covered that holds the quilts and special hand made items made by my Great Granny, Granny, and my Mom. There's everything from aprons to the bedspread made out of small squares and then cross-stitched at every seam, to the little toys my Grandfather made for my Mom when she was a little girl like a little doll bed with the mattress stuffed with cotton from the fields. I treasure them all and many of them come out during different holidays for displays or to be used. I believe in enjoying my treasures and not keeping them locked away unseen by anyone. I have even added a few of my homemade items to the box for someone else to treasure maybe years down the road.

    Thank you for the wonderful chance to win a copy of "Assault and Beadery". I can't wait for the opportunity to read it.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

    Reply
  • SueNovember 29, 2018 at 1:16 PM

    I love hand-made items. My mother made me a beautiful set of Christmas ornament that I put up every year.
    [email protected]

    Reply
  • Linda HeroldNovember 30, 2018 at 3:12 AM

    I love handmade items. They mean a lot to me!! lindaherold999(at)gmail.com

    Reply
  • Sheryl SensNovember 30, 2018 at 11:32 AM

    I have all sorts of handmade items from my great-grandmother, great-aunt and grandmother..I'd never part with them, though my kids probably will not want them.
    nani_geplcs(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  • UnknownNovember 30, 2018 at 12:52 PM

    Thanks 4 the chance
    [email protected]

    Reply
  • Melissa BasnightNovember 30, 2018 at 1:04 PM

    I go through my clothes and items often and donate to thrift stores. I also shop often at thrift stores. I have a few handmade items that I won't part with, one is a pair of socks my cousin painted for me. She has passed so everytime I see them I think of her. Saamm7(at)msn(dot) com

    Reply
  • Melissa BasnightNovember 30, 2018 at 1:04 PM

    I go through my clothes and items often and donate to thrift stores. I also shop often at thrift stores. I have a few handmade items that I won't part with, one is a pair of socks my cousin painted for me. She has passed so everytime I see them I think of her. Saamm7(at)msn(dot) com

    Reply
  • Kara MarksNovember 30, 2018 at 3:11 PM

    I’d love to read this! [email protected]

    Reply
  • AnonymousNovember 30, 2018 at 6:15 PM

    I have some embroidered hand made linens that I just love as well as crocheted items. Thank you for the contest.
    Marilyn [email protected]

    Reply
  • JNovember 30, 2018 at 8:29 PM

    I've got some items my grandma made, both some needlepoint from when she was a girl as well as some quilts she made for my sons. Would never give them up! anajs95 at gmail dot dom

    Reply

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