The first year this came up on my Facebook feed after we lost my Uncle Dennis, I was brought to tears. Now when it comes up, I enjoy all the sweet memories. He was the first baby born in Utah the year he arrived. We watched many fireworks displays while celebrating his birthday in the wee hours of the first day of the year.
The same year we lost my uncle, I'd converted from snail mail birthday cards to Facebook cards (featuring my photographs) because that's how my family communicates. Personally, I'd rather have paper cards, but never in my life have I received 74 old-fashioned birthday cards in a single day (or even decade, for that matter), while that's about the normal electronic wishes I receive each year. So I think I'm not complaining, just sort of missing the good old days a little bit.
One of my closest friends suggested (on Facebook) a couple of years ago that I write a little story about each of my crocheted bears. Another close friend quickly seconded the suggestion and said the bears make good birthday messengers. An idea was born. My little bears (and other critters) have been electronically wishing my friends and family happy birthdays for an entire year now. Sometimes even customized!
Last year also marked the first year I was able to send paper birthday cards to 16 of my grands. We're still in the process of getting to know each other, and they are all fascinated by my wildlife photos, so I created an animal birthday card for each of them and tried to write a humorous birthday greeting to go along with each photo. That was a challenge!!!
This year when my uncle's birthday reminder came up, I decided to raise the level of difficulty. It will be a whole new challenge for me, and hopefully fun for everyone on the receiving end of birthday wishes.
I'm going to try to incorporate a story into this year's greetings, and each month, I'll share the compilation here so readers can enjoy how I'm trying to keep my friends and family entertained all year long.
I've been planning to crochet a whole new covey of critters, and this project will force me to look beyond snowflakes, although you know snowflakes are going to find their way into the story line from time to time. I've been wanting to set a goal to finish and publish my next novel for at least three years now, and the heavy wind you just heard was the air escaping me because I'm taking on this challenge. I've always been fascinated by stop-motion. Perhaps this will be just the spark I need to perhaps try one this year... And finally, if this year-long project doesn't force me to eek out some non-frozen creativity, I don't know what will!!!
Snowbow (a rainbow-clothed polar bear) has been my favorite for many years now, and he never even had a name until today. So the adventure begins right now, and Snowbow is in need of a little attention, don't you think? He has dreams of becoming a famous cyclist one day, but first, he's going to have to pull his life together and get himself in shape! We'll see how that journey goes in the next chapter in February!
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That is great indeed. A story will be a challenge, but sure you can weave one away.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pat!!! I really am not quite sure why I thought this was a doable idea, but perhaps that feeling will subside if and when the next “chapter” formulates...
DeleteHow sweet that you invluded a story and now will try with a memory - I too love printed cards and have them up all over my refrigerator - but FB cards seem to reach people better ;-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alycia! I will never tire of printed cards, and I have saved them for many, many years. Decades! I'll bet very few people save their Facebook greetings...
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