The Creative Itch

drilling bits of wood for this year's Christmas presents for the girls

Will I ever learn, I wonder. Sometimes, I get a flash of inspiration in my head about something, and before I know it, I have convinced myself it is a Truly Brilliant Idea. Depending on how strong the Creative Itch becomes, I will not rest until I have scratched it. It can lead me into situations that, to my poor husband, and other people who may happen to come into my path, are well, quite ridiculous. (Incidentally, the art of being a decent husband to someone suffering with a Creative Itch problem is to know the difference between when to indulge and say `Well done, darling, that's lovely' in response to finished projects, and when to gently call a halt to them by saying something like `Woman, are you insane?').

Like drilling bits of wood in the hallway whilst wearing one of my favourite skirts. In my defence, it was freezing cold and wet outside, and, as I was a mere half hour away from greeting my sewing class, I couldn't justify wasting time changing into old clothes.

Luckily, nothing went too badly wrong (if you ignore a couple of holes in the wrong places), and I managed to get the floor hoovered before people arrived. Just about. And, not without a large helping of grumpy crashing about as I cleared up and felt the effects of my entirely self-induced stress as time ran out before the possibility of the doorbell going and needing to answer it became a reality.

Today was the day I had said the girls could each invite a friend round to play. Believe it or not, I usually like doing this, as, providing I let each girl have a friend round, there are fewer arguments as they are really happy that they have their friends to play with.

But, along comes the Creative Itch and the desire to encourage them all to get stuck into making something. Let's all make Christmas crackers, I suggest. They all leap at the opportunity. And, I think they all had fun, and left the house clutching a (still soggy from too much PVA glue) cracker.

In my head, I am a cross between a Blue Peter presenter and Julie Andrews, who can handle the competing demands of half a dozen children all asking me to help them stick and tie things at once and break into song whilst doing so. The reality is that I am a idiot.  I will never learn that messy craft activities with small children normally only ever end one way, and that is, with me inwardly wanting to run from the room screaming (only to return when they have all gone home and the fairies have been and tidied up the mess) whilst trying to fake a calm tone of voice with the children I have invited to wreck my house for me.

Baking is another example. One child `helping' can be quite enjoyable. More than one child, rarely so. Now, baking on my own, with no time pressures or children passing wanting to join in is just bliss. Maybe next year I should reign in my Creative Itch, and pick my moments a bit more wisely.

Today though, I am off to bed happy - in part, because I have done several creative things. The girls' Mummy made present requests are complete; we've all got home made crackers to pull tomorrow (a first in our house), and, a final batch of mince pies have been made (and the mince meat is now all used up).

The husband is happy too. For the last week he has been obsessing about ham. He's asked just about everyone he has come across about difference between gammon and ham, and how best to cook a Christmas ham. Another first for our household.

And here it is, the reason we are only just going to bed (makes a nice change from me being the one holding up bedtime on Christmas Eve - my sewing was finished ahead of this ham).

Happy Christmas, everyone. I hope you have a great one!