Scary

Working on my new book, I've been up to my eyes in mittens. I've made 14 pairs in 16 days. And there are still 6 more pairs to go. The deadline is Monday. I'll probably make it, right?

In a fit of denial, I announced to Lindsay that today I was going to take a break from mittens and make a Halloween wreath for the front door.

"Let me get this straight," she said. "You're going to give yourself a break from making things, and use that time to make other things?"

Well when you put it like that it sounds scary.

I challenged myself to make the cheapest and fastest Halloween wreath possible. 

First, I spent exactly $11 at the Dollar Store, which netted me a truly sad little wreath, six sparkly frondlike thingys, some ribbon, pipe cleaners (naturally), a crow, and some swell suction-cup hooks to hang it up with. I also used scissors, wire cutters and a hot glue gun, which I already had.

I timed it, and the wreath took exactly ten minutes to assemble.

But then I went down the rabbit hole.

Because it looked a kind of incomplete to me. I decided that my Halloween crow needed a book to read while posing prettily on the front door. Which I then made from some cardboard that was in the recycle basket, and a little craft paint.

I glued a pipe cleaner to the back of the spellbook so I could wire it into position. I also sprinkled some of the glitter from the frondy-things onto the book's paint while it was still wet. I have glitter everywhere now, including up my nose, and it will never go away. Glitter is the Herpes of crafting. 

I'm pleased with myself. Even if I did use my time off from making things to make yet other things.

Happy Halloween!