2024 started out slow for me, but then that sleepy winter frost quickly melted away and the rest of the year threw me into a whirlwind of surprises and chaos. It feels like every year post-pandemic (which is still going on, by the way; be safe out there, kids), “chaos” has been the recurring theme in the world. That’s not to say it’s all been bad. I’m so grateful to have had plenty of moments of joy. When deciding what to do for my tree/ornament/holiday situation, leaning and embracing the chaos felt like the way to go.
It actually all started with this sweater I saw from LOEWE, worn by Mr. Bond, Daniel Craig, at this year’s Paris Fashion Week. The sweater’s crazy color combo and design are based on work from artist Richard Hawkins, who collaborated with Loewe for their men’s Autumn/Winter 24 collection. The patchwork/mishmash of everything encapsulated my mood for the moment. It’s a bit of “everything everywhere all at once,” and I started thinking about how to translate that for the holiday.
So, rather than making ornaments, I decided to make a tree this year. Nothing too big, something tabletop size.
If you or know anyone who’s been to our J3 studio, I’m sure no one will deny that it’s … a mess. lol. but a merry mess! We’re lucky to have clients who allow us to do crafty nonsense, but with that, I’ve accumulated a ton of scraps and leftover supplies. So, I dug into the bins and figured this would be a great opportunity to use up a lot of those pieces.
I cut scraps of fake fur, felt, and yarn and glued everything to a paper cone held up with a wood dowel. The one thing I did purchase was a pack of cheap costume jewelry pearl/rhinestone brochures to give the tree a little holiday “glam” (because we’re classy like that).
To finish the look, I wrapped presents using torn pages from the many fashion magazines around the office.
And that’s Happy Mundane Holidays 2024. A Merry Mess and a chaotic crafty Christmas.
I have a strong feeling 2025 will be equally chaotic, if not more, but this past year has taught me to hold on to your loved ones tightly, check in on them, and also make sure take care of yourself. Find and do the things that bring you comfort and joy. Thank you for following along with my mundane musings and shenanigans. I wish you all a safe and happy holiday!