Ten writers for children. All with something to say.

12/8/09

Christy Kringle’s Christmas Workshop


This little elf is busy! Each year I enjoy transforming odds and ends into gifts. Yesterday my husband came home to find candle stubs melting in a pot on the stove. Nearby I was peeling labels off pet food cans. After raising his eyebrows he remarked, “I’ve learned that at this time of year it’s better to keep my head low and not ask questions.”






Since moving to California I’ve harvested our trees to make gifts. You think this red and green is for Christmas? Think again! This concoction transports me to Scotland, thus the plaid. I developed a taste for marmalade my sophomore year while living with the Middleton family in Edinburgh.

These are just a couple of the many projects I’m cooking up. I'm never happier than when I'm making gifts.

6 comments:

Stephanie said...

Those are awesome:) I just bake cookies to give away...

Edie Hemingway said...

Orange marmalade sounds like a wonderful gift! I usually bake bread--which, by the way, would taste wonderful with some marmalade spread on top.

Lauren said...

I love marmalade and have never thought to try making it myself! Is it hard? Christy, I have read the East West House several times and what you write is a gift-- it seems everything you create is a gift! Thank you.

Christy said...

Marmalade is time consuming, but since we have an abundance of fruit, and I recycle jars, the price is just right! I hate letting anything go to waste. I did a Google search for recipes for 3-fruit marmalade and just picked one. I usually end up having to add a little extra pectin to make sure it jells.

Thanks, Lauren--glad you like E-W. I decided that the two gifts I'm showing in my post are kind of east-westy.

David LaRochelle said...

I could almost smell the candles, as well as the citrus fruit. Mmmmmm!

My holiday creating consists of making my own Christmas cards. I carve a linoleum block, print about 70 cards, and then hand paint them with watercolors. I just finished painting the last ones last night.

Now it's time to start writing them out!

Christy said...

David, Can you post one of your cards? They sound beautiful! Wish we could have a party with Stephanie's cookies, Edie's bread, and everyone else's wonderful creations.