Monday 14 December 2009

Getting in The Mood




I'm not sure if this really qualifies as an Advent Calendar.  You can already see every date, the pretties are in situ all the time and, worst of all, there's no chocolate involved.   But it comes out every year and holds some precious memories.   My late sister Jacqui gave me the idea and spurred me on by providing the backboard.   Well I say "spurred me on", it was more of an imperious royal command.   The deal was that she would make one too, so I felt compelled not to let the side down.  I fossicked about until I found all the necessary pleasing gewgaws, glued on the red cord, printed off some numbers from a font that looked suitably festive, wheedled out some teeny mother-of-pearl buttons and pearl-headed pins and proudly hung the finished article on a hook in a prominent position.   She would see it as soon as she came in the room.   She kindly cooed and loved it, but added, "Oh I didn't ever get round to doing mine ....".   Sisters, eh?!




Nearly time to bake some big cookies.










Our eyes were a bit bigger than our tummies, when it came to chosing our Christmas tree from the farm by the windmill in the village this year.   Someone else was eyeing it up and I was a bit scared they would buy it before we'd really made our minds up.   But we love the shape and with a little judicious rearrangement of the furniture, and if you breathe in and stand sideways when you go out of the patio door, it's really not at all in the way!

Like the Advent Calendar, lots of our tree decorations have sentimental attachments and will probably be pressed into service year on year until they fall apart.   Our Christmas tree will never be one of those one-colour, minimalist lovelies, with just a few sophisticated silver baubles and crystal drops!



Some of you will know what a misery I was about a recent 'craft fair' experience - well I had my faith restored on Saturday.   I had been asked to take a basket of Christmassy things to display for sale in a lakeside cafe nearby.   I made some fabric decorations, garlands, that kind of thing and put in some felt bangles and those "not cheap" lavender bags.   In between setting out my hamper and eating my yummy rustic sandwich, just about everything had been bought in a mad flurry!   There were lots of lovely compliments, which was both humbling and gratifying.  And truly surprising!

Hope you'll have a great week!

7 comments:

Gina said...

Love the advent calendar idea. Great tree and well done on the sales!

Things Hand Made said...

I love your advent calender. I am glad you had your faith restored with your sales. A lot of it is in finding the right place to sell stuff.

Anonymous said...

What on earth is fossicking and gewgaws?! The mind boggles but I get the gist. Thanks for Saturday, Chrissie - I am considerably poorer for the experience and yet so much richer in other ways!
Anne

Julia said...

Well done you with your sales! Isnt it lovely when something like that happens!!

I think your advent calendar is beautiful and most unusual, and lucky you finding such a beaut of a tree too!

Love Julia xxx

LOVE STITCHING RED said...

Love your advent
Love your story
Love your cookie cutters
Love your tree
Love your reindeer
Love your watering can
Love that you are happy
Love that faith has been restored
Love that you sold all your goodies in your Christmas basket
Have a lovely week Chrissie xx

whoatemycrayons said...

Spectacular tree. Puts our little pathetic one to shame. I also love the not quite so advent-advent calendar. May have to tweak the idea for the little 'crayons' - maybe make something each day to hang up.

Chrissie said...

Thank you all for taking the time to comment - you're great. And get well soon Carolyn!

Anne - fossicking seems to be what the Aussies do when they're scratching around in Cooberpedie looking for opals, or that's what my neice told me anyway!