I did deploy my Advent wreaths (although not with new candles) on the kitchen table…
And I took down the hydrangea.
But by now you know that I'm always a bit behind…
The entertainment cabinet, before. Not bad, in the “tidy up your messes” kind of way, but too cluttered for what I had in mind…
The idea for this way of praying for the Holy Souls came from Waltzing Matilda (do check out her saints coloring pages as well — they are just right!).
Of course — OF COURSE — I
a) could not find any but three funeral Mass cards (including one of a person none of us knows), despite spending most of my spare time shuffling funeral Mass cards from one holding spot to another, not knowing what to do with them, on the one hand, and not wanting to ditch them, on the other; and
b) took up most of November trying to figure out, in a vague, unfocused, subconscious kind of way, how I would do this.
A couple of weeks ago I did figure it out, mostly, but then couldn't think of how to make an attractive prayer place for it. It floated about for a bit, but now, just in time, here we go.
First, I needed a way to hold up the cards. Aren't these little clothespins cute? They will work fine, I determined, after spending about 40 minutes mindlessly wandering around my house to try to find something like Charlotte's wire holders.
Then, I took a long thin strip of wood (furring?) that was in the vast supply of little scraps of wood in the Chief's stash.
Bringing my grand total of cards (where ARE they all??) to six.
Then I cut it in half with some sort of little saw that I found out there, sanding the pieces well. Sort of.
Then I glue-gunned the pieces together.
Spray-painting the resulting little frame black was the work of a moment,
as was glue-gunning a black ribbon to hide the glue.
And there you go! One could also paint the clothespins and glue them on, but this way is both more precarious and more flexible, fitting right in with my style…
Squeaking by, people, squeaking by. With pictures taken practically in the dark, on this gloomy last day of November…
While the rest of the world is gearing up for Santa, and you are doing great with Advent, I'm here putting my final touches on All Souls' Day!
But hey, whenever you can manage to fulfill a creative prayerful urge is just right, even if it takes you about 30 years and your kids are mostly grown up and December is tomorrow — and aren't you so glad you have me to represent the very lowest end of the spectrum of what's do-able?
Sue says
You are so creative! I am definitely in the "better late than never" camp.
Pippajo says
I'm a better late than never-er, too. I'm still fussing because I couldn't get an Advent wreath put together on the dining room table. And now I've got all kinds of dangerous ideas, like finding some kind of Advent candle display that is Viking-approved (read: fire safe) for the front window and decorating my blog for Advent instead of Christmas. Which seems kind of frivolous and counterproductive to me, but at the same time…I can't just leave Indian corn and Autum leaves up forever, can I?By the way, I think the use of the little clothes pins was way clever!
Sarah says
We have last year's candles too. I couldn't, for the life of me, find purple tapers. And since I'd found the perfect pink taper, I wasn't about to use white with a ribbon (which, by the way, I also couldn't find. White, that is. In the particular style I had bought the pink one.)Come Easter, I'll be buying my Advent candles at Michael's. That's all I have to say about it.And I LOVE your All Souls craft. It's perfect.It's nice to know I'm not the only Catholic blogger who doesn't have a perfectly planned Advent (or Lent or Saints days . . . ) :)Best,Sarah
Leila says
Sue, don't you feel better that you're not THIS late? :)Pippajo: "don't burn the house down" nag nag nag. :)Seriously, be careful.Sarah, I did break down and by the package (2!) at the Hallmark store. Over twelve (12) American dollars! Ugh. But the votives need replacing. I'm that tight-fisted that I don't have what I need and end up paying more, go figure.Thanks for all the procrastination love!
Pippajo says
Heavens, I spelled Autumn wrong! What a dope.Never, ever, ever leave comments after enjoying a Mojito with your Nachos dinner!
Tamara says
I love, love, love that you inspire me to keep trying, even if my daughter is grown before I manage to put my good, liturgical ideas into PRACTICE! On Nov. 1, my husband and I decided we were going to write down the names of all our loved ones that have departed, and pray for them each day. We never even wrote the names down… Next year! There's always next year! On to Advent… 🙂
Sarah says
That is so beautiful! I love the idea. I have to file it away for next year (maybe if I start in October, I can get it done by November!) I appreciate your lateness, too. It means I'm not the only one … It's only the 2nd day of Advent, and I already feel behind. I know I shouldn't, but I do. Oh well! I'll just keep at it … I guess!Advent blessings to you! I really enjoy your blog =)
Tracy @Magnolia Cul- says
I figued out why I just love you(the blog you, I guess since I don't know you IRL)so much. I have this sense that you are what I want to be when I grow up. The stuff about the missing cards, the wanting to complete the idea and the squeaking by…rings deeply familiar in my soul. Oh, and it turned out just great!
Anonymous says
For the month of November we set up an area to pray for All Souls with the names of those we have known who have died. We keep the names printed on pieces of paper in an urn throughout the year, next to a crucifix, candle and pictures of Jesus. During November, we each pull out a name & pray for that individual's soul. The names, once pulled, are kept out on the table for all of us to see. Less crafty than yours, but it is very easy. Becky
Charlotte (Matilda) says
It looks fabulous! I love tiny clothespins!You know, the Holy Souls need prayers the rest of the year too, not just November. I'm pretty sure they would back me up on that! I say keep it out as long as you'd like.
Melanie B says
Alice is blogging about praying for her departed family members during Advent inspired by old Mass cards… there must be something in the air.
Mrs. Pickles says
You're so inspiring. :)I finally got my Advent wreath out, on this third day of Advent… sans candles… WHERE did I put them? They sat out on a shelf for ages gathering dust and then I suffered a fit of neatness and put them AWAY, and now I can't find them. Note to self: NEVER tidy up. I just messes up The System, such as it is.I am so, so, so glad I'm not the only one who coasts thru life at a little slower mph than others… 🙂
messy bessy says
Well, this was a marvelous post. I've always loved mystery novels, and this was just like that. Clothespins? Furring strips? Ribbon? What will it be? What could it possibly be? And lo. A sweet perfect stand that looks finished and functional. Better than Agatha Christie! The problem we have is, the cleaning off of horizontal surfaces. There's where my suspension of disbelief (for my own house, anyway) dies. Every day little malevolent house fairies put all that clutter right back on the tables, shelves, etc.
Alice says
Yesterday, the second Monday of advent, I finally achieved my goal of an advent wreath. The metal base was the only part that was frugal; it was 20% off at the Anglican Book Centre (where they also have a reasonably good selection of half-off Catholic hymnals (Choir editions)… hah-hah, but I'm holding off for now.) Candles came in a set, and T. wrapped it with cedar boughs he was forced to buy at the grocery store, using my kitchen twine and my gold jewelry/rosary making wire for the last go-round. There aren't many public-transportation-accessible craft stores here, since the Canadian version of Michael's went out of business… fabric and yarn you can get, but not much else.My next search is for a two-picture frame to hang the lovely holy cards you sent me for my baptism. They deserve better than being stuck in the back of my breviary!
M.E. says
I love your blog!! Discovered you via Jennifer at Conversion Diary (another great one), and have spent the better part of my free time in the last two days reading you. (Stayed up waaaay too late last night, by the way, thanks a lot!! :)Yes, we all get behind — are perpetually behind — such is life as a mom, especially a homeschool mom. I remember one time in my entire mothering career of almost 20 years so far, when I had nothing to do. Seriously. I only had two daughters at the time, and for about a 15 minute span one day, I was Completely. Caught. Up. No laundry to do, no housework, no shopping / cooking / running anywhere. I sat down on the floor with the girls and talked and played with them, enjoying it so much because I had no nagging feeling of "but there's this and this and that to do!!" Then I had to go make dinner or something and that was the end of that. But, I do have a suggestion for the funeral cards! For years I, too, shuffled them around from place to place feeling vaguely guilty about not knowing what to do with them, until I hit on an idea: I punched a hole in the top left corner of each and put them on a binder ring. Now I just feel vaguely guilty for having punched a hole in them, but wow do I love knowing where they are, and seeing that tidy little collection of cards. I keep them in a drawer and pull them out on occasion to pray for the folks. And yes, I, too, have a card for someone and I have no clue who it is.