Everything but the kitchen sink...

Hello friends, I have a doozie of a Christmas card for your viewing pleasure today. First, I got started with the Jingle Belles prompt "A caroling we will go." Meaning: use music or a song somehow in your card. So, I came up with this little gem:

There is actually a method to this madness of a card. This is my *special* card for my uncle Gene. Uncle Gene is one of six children, my mom's older brother. He is sensitive, sentimental, and truly cherishes everything that has any kind of meaning. A couple of years ago, I made him a card and it was a big hit. Last year, it didn't get done in time, so this year, he's getting a good one!

This card has a ton of meaning. Each little piece of it has significance. My grandmother, my mom's mother, passed away several years ago, but because of her, it's why we have all the wonderful traditions we still carry on today during Christmastime.

The base of the card is red cardstock layered with Silent Night sheet music. On Christmas Eve every year, we would gather together, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, and sisters, and sing Silent Night together before opening any gifts. It was usually off key and wonderful, which always sent my Grandmother into a pool of tears. Thankfully, she kept Kleenex tissues strategically stuffed under her sleeve. So, I added crumpled Kleenex to the bottom of the tree. Once the crying was over and laughing began, it was time for the presents! Grandmommy always wrapped her gifts in tissue paper or newsprint and tied them up with yarn. To remember that, this tree is made of all the things she used to wrap our gifts with. Sometimes, Grandmommy even made all of our gifts- and they were always crochet. Crochet stuffed animals, toboggans, scarfs, and one year... slippers. Have you ever tried on crochet slippers and walked on hardwood or linoleum? It's not pretty and a few of us almost broke our necks. So, the bottom of the tree is adorned with some beloved crochet. Finally, we come to the tinsel. The tacky, messy silver stuff that clogs vacuums and immediately makes any room "vintage." I had to add this because Grandmommy's tree- no matter how big or small it was, it always had a load of tinsel on it. Uncle Gene always came over and helped her decorate the tree when she got older, and he never left off the tinsel. In fact, he probably saved the darn stuff from years past and just re-used it.

So, you see, this tree made with everything but the kitchen sink actually has meaning and symbolism. I know my uncle Gene will love it... especially since it's "Grandmommy's Christmas Tree."