What and Who are our Holiday Seasons' Magic Makers?

Hand drawn Midwinter art cards by Paula Kuitenbrouwer

DEFINITION:

Magic Maker — in feminist writing, this is the (usually female and motherly) family member who invisibly creates life's "magic": Celebrations, traditions, gifts, atmosphere and the feeling of being loved. 

Magic makers make family life memorable — which is precisely why the term is also used critically: this work deserves to be seen, valued and shared, rather than taken for granted.At the end of each year, Magic Makers have a lot at hand. Harvest celebrations: pumpkin shows, or apple pick visits to a farm. Halloween, Yule, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years Eve, there are so many festive days! 

On Handmade Luxury Home, we're committed to making the magic with less stress and more joy. In other words: we go maximal on minimalism. 

I drew a scorpion and my -at the time- young daughter

make splash chocolate cookies and that was enough decoration because both were handmade.

We are bubbling with ideas to share with you — ideas about atmosphere and handmade creativity that put no extra workload on magic makers. Because the essence of the festive days is that the celebration feels socially warm, inviting, and cosy. And, perhaps just as important, that the celebrations become memorable.

"Remember Christmas 1999?" — and lovely memories are recalled.

"Remember that hooded man who stood under that dark tree with a scythe?" — and everyone bursts out laughing, remembering how the father of the visiting children, out Trick or Treating, stood guard in the distance whilst entertaining the home owners, who gave extra cookies for 'Mr. Death' to pass quickly.

So the Here & Now is important — and making the Here & Now so memorable that years from now, the festive days bring fond, shared memories.

How can we do that? Over the next weeks, leading up to the end of this year, we will give you many ideas.

Our message — we can disclose that now — will come in different forms and stories. And we do aim at giving you less work. More breathing space. More joy. More hominess. And more handmade atmosphere. Because we think that handmade, close to nature, and cosiness are vital ingredients. Not bling. Not supermarket stuff. Not more and more and more of the same.

Let's hunker down on these special days and surround ourselves with contentment.

Let us focus on charity, handmade and living in the here and now.

Bookmark our 'Live Blog' and check us out regularly for ideas.

We are creative magic makers. We can do a lot with little.

Above all, we love to share it all with you.

Paula Kuitenbrouwer, fine artist

Marga van der Vet, needle artist