Hard Craft

For the past few years some of my friends and I have taken part in a 'Secret Santa' with a difference. In its current iteration each of us has to send an identical item to the ten others and keep one for oneself. By the deadline of 31st October each of us should have a collection of identical objects from which we have to craft or create something.

We must use each item, or a significant part of each item and we are allowed to add other items too the mix if we wish. Then it's up to our imagination and copious amounts of glue, paint, sellotape, string or whatever to produce the finished article.

Finally we have to send our home-made creation to the person in our group whose name we drew from the hat on New Year's Day when we had dinner together and put last year's creations on display. Not all creations make it in one piece through the post to the recipient!

It is complete madness, of course, and not to be taken too seriously. It is also a fact that some of our group are far more creative than others. My own skills when it comes to arts and crafts are woeful, but it's the taking part that counts (at least that's what we tell ourselves.)

It's always a laugh to see what everyone comes up with and then trying to guess who made each creation and, even though we're unlikely to be together this New Year for the 'unveiling' of the different creations, it will still be fun to do.

Today's Blip shows the items I received, the raw materials from which I have to create something. I have until 12th December to complete my creation and put it in the post for the lucky recipient. Don't know where to start! Suggestions on a postcard, please...

(Changing my friends is not an option!)