Brumley Family Branches

Brumley Homemade Treasures 2023– through the years I have collected many things but the ones that come from your family are my favorites. I assembled the Reindeer as I continue to decorate for Christmas. I have had these reindeer for several years. My father, Merle Otto Weik and my mother Nancy Gertrude Brumley sometimes worked as a team to create projects and the reindeer was one of those projects.

My mother didn’t take up tole painting and my father didn’t take up woodworking until they were in their 60’s. She started taking painting lessons and loved it. She would come home and practice, practice, and practice. She got incredibly good and picked up the techniques quickly. My father bought a Ban saw and quickly learned how to use it for his projects. New hobbies were born!

My mother was the one who would go to all the craft fairs but hardly bought anything. She went to get her creative juices fired up and some days it was insane. She had a photogenic memory. She could look at something, feel what it was made of and snap a picture in her mind of how it was put together. It was amazing, to say the least. She would always say, “Hmm I can make that” or “I’m going home and make that”.

They also had their share of craft books she would bring home filled to the brim with ideas and patterns. She was in her element for sure and it did my heart good to see her with so much talent. My father would work his magic outside, preparing wood or cutting all the pieces of his patterns so when it was time to put things together, he would be ready to assemble.

Over the years I was given many items that they had completed and loved them. I did not get this artistic gene, but my daughter got it. They then created so many projects they would go and sell at the craft fairs to make a little extra money to buy materials to create more! They loved doing this and it was a great hobby for both.

As I said, some of the projects were his/her projects such as the Reindeer in the picture. My mother saw a picture in a craft magazine one day of these Reindeer, which was all it took for the crafting to begin. My father cut the wooden pieces and after that, she did the tole painting face features along with the other design work. They turned out so cute and I raved about them and the next Christmas I had my very own Reindeer to display in my home.

The Reindeer came in pieces and every year I set them up I would have to try and remember what piece went with each Reindeer. It got to be a joke at my house with my daughter and others to see how long it would take me to figure out the pieces to each. So, one year I just said to myself I am not going to do this anymore. So, from that day forward, I marked the pieces Dad, Mom, Child, and Baby (in indiscreet places). I don’t have any problems now and they go up in record time!

The takeaway of this is having a hobby. They encouraged me to have hobbies, it didn’t matter what but just have one, or two or three. As the years have gone by, I too have had several hobbies and on days when it is cold and snowy or raining and you cannot go outside, they become the things that keep you sane. And like my parents, I have given them to family and friends, and coworkers. You don’t have to stay with just the same ones over the years, you can learn new ones, such as blogging!

I love to crochet, so for me I have enjoyed making Christmas items for gifts to family, friends, or last-minute gift ideas. I make extra during the year so when this time of year comes along, I don’t have to stress out about finishing my projects. For me it is about the giving and not receiving, and to make it extra special it is a handmade gift! Unbelievably, people do think it is special when you say you made it. They are amazed someone took the time to make something for them. It doesn’t have to be big or fancy, just something you produced to give someone else. It can be food, or just anything handmade. There are dozens of blogs and websites where you can discover ideas and then put your spin on them to make them your own.

There will always be a person you might not have planned on but suddenly you find yourself wanting to give a little Christmas to someone – perfect for a homemade gift! I will be finishing this week on my baking and craft ideas, but I am always on the lookout for something new that I can plan for next year’s Christmas gifts.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and God Bless Us Everyone.