Last night, I made an old woman cry.

Yesterday, after work I stopped by a local craft store and picked up a miniature tree skirt, found a container that I could slip over the cement base of the miniature tree and packed about 2 inches of plastic snow in it.  I delivered the 1-ft tall last night.  I stopped by my co-workers home and called his mother to come over with the ruse that his wife needed her help.  We sit the tree up on the kitchen table, turned on the battery packs and waited for his mom to walked from next door.  Totally surprised her when she walked into the kitchen.  Her son told her the tree was from "Daddy" and he pointed out the cookie ornament to 'prove' it.

We told her that last year, I was asked by Cookie, if I would make a tree for her.  She kept saying she was very happy and didn't want anything else for Christmas.  I showed her where the battery packs were and that she would need 16 AA batteries.  I then turned to her grand-daughters and told them batteries would be a good idea for stocking stuffers.  She took photos of the tree and started sending them out to her friends.  Later, the son carried the tree to her house and sat it beside the urn containing his father's ashes, which I have been told is where it will stay.

Good deed accomplished, now to make more Christmas ornaments to continue spreading the season.

2013 Miniature Tree

Almost finished with the tree. Just have to finish the bottom, rise the tree an inch or two and wrap a skirt around to hide the battery packs and straighten the star. Has 80 miniature rice lights, swagged garland has silver feathers and spike alternating between connection points. 54 enameled charms, pearl drops and globes, AB white and Silver 'disco' ball ornaments, a cookie ornament in memory of Chuck's father "Cookie".

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

Even though I went out and bought supplies for 4 miniature trees and then decided I wanted a year off, after making two last year in less than 3 months, I was asked by a co-worker to-day (11.13.2013) and I couldn't refuse. I made the second miniature tree last year which was given to his wife. She adored it and has refused to allow it to be put up. She told me that she and her mother-in-law would lie in the dark with the tree lights aglow. I stopped back by their house last Christmas to see her what she thought and Chuck's father commented that both he and his wife couldn't believe I made the tree.

In late July of this year, Chuck's father passed away and Chuck asked me today if I would consider making a tree for his mother so she could set it beside the urn containing his father's ashes. Chuck wanted to know if I could make a smaller tree, as the 32" tree I gave his wife would be too big. I purchased a 16" tree and have fluffed the branches. The next step will be trimming some of the branches to make the tree more symmetrical. After turning down the top ‘branch' the tree is just over a foot tall.

 For lighting, I could put two outlet powered strands or five sets of battery-operated, 20 bulbs per strand. I am thinking about using only battery operated lights for this tree. I then remembered I have a bunch of Christmas charms I haven't used in four years from bracelets, key-chains and ear-rings I bought at the wholesale show back in 2009. I have 24 different designs that I will re-purpose as ornaments. The collection has presents, 5 different snow-flakes, holly, stocking, candy canes, reindeer head and wreath, snowmen and 6 different Santas. Thinking about using up to six of each although I have only 2, 3,or 4 of maybe half of the designs. I should over a hundred charms which I will use, and since the charms are silvered finished, I will be using silver-plated findings instead of my traditional gold-toned.

There will be fill-in ornaments from white pearls, and maybe some other jewelry accessories but nothing over 1.5 inches though. From another shopping trip I have some silver-plated rhinestone sprays which I will add as sparkle and maybe I can find some rhinestone chain in silver-finish I can use as garland. I will set everything aside for the next week to work on this tree, trying to get it done before heading to North Carolina on the 22nd.

The ornaments for gifts to friends and family are almost done, have about 6 left to do, plus a set of miniatures for the first miniature tree I gave to a friend. Some will be mailed around Thanksgiving, others given out while I'm in NC at Christmas, and more after my return but before the 12 Days of Christmas are up.

Joined an ornament exchange a few days again and the person I was partnered with, said she didn't like glittery or gaudy ornaments, but she did like Santas.  There's a little glitter, but not as much as I could have done.