Saturday 6 October 2012

The countdown begins...

Hello there, I should put a little warning on this post, if you don't like to think about Christmas until December or at the earliest November then I think you should look away now! 

I've been getting excited about Christmas since about August and have been slowly stockpiling presents since then. I must admit I am usually not that organised and usually have a dream/nightmare in December where it's Christmas day and I haven't bought any presents so I have decided this year that I am going to be super organised and not have any shopping to do in December. This is a great plan in theory but no doubt I will still end up racing around like a luny on the 23rd of December trying to find something but I am trying to avoid that. I love Christmas but I hate Christmas shopping in December: crowded shops, longs queues at tills and anxiously waiting on Amazon orders to get here in time for Christmas are yuk and I promised myself I'm not doing any of that this year. Watch this space!

Anyway enough ranting. I just love Christmas and I love getting prepared so this year I was very good to myself and purchased this...
It's a Cath Kidston Christmas Organiser that I saw on Hookin with Laa Laa's blog and I knew instantly that I had to get it (well after a few days chirping away at D he told me just to buy it - I'm not a very spontaneous shopper, I don't like to waste money!). It's sooo lovely, I wonder why I never had a Christmas organiser before. It now lives beside my bed, ready and waiting for any Christmassy ideas that come in to my head. 

So anyway the main reason for this post is that I have completed a Christmassy make and I really wanted to share it before December. It's an Advent Calendar garland type thing. Basically I wanted to make an advent calendar that my little family can use every year and I wanted something different than the shop bought calendars. I got the idea from a book my husband borrowed from the library for me which suggested making 24 red felt pockets and numbering them 1-24 and hanging them up on a string and each day you would take one down to help you remember what day you are on. I thought it was a neat little idea and decided this was the project for me but I thought it needed a few tweaks and embellishments. So I made my 24 little pockets numbered 1-24 but I felt the numbers needed to be embroidered to the pocket to help them stay put and to make them look pretty and this is the finished result...
I also added a little jingle bell to the bottom for an extra Christmassy touch...
I also decided to pink the edges (is that the correct term?), what I mean is the straight cut edges looked a little boring so I used pinking shears to crimp the edges and I think it makes them look more festive. I didn't like the idea of just removing each pocket as the month progressed so I thought it would be nicer to turn them around after each day passed and have something on the back. So after a little searching on the internet I decided to put the words HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS on the back of the pockets so this will eventually be spelt out by Christmas day. I decided to separate the words with a little star button and some felt. This idea is my favourite and the fact I came up with it all by myself gave me the biggest thrill. This is by far my favourite pocket of the 24...
 This is how all the little pockets will look together...
 And this is how they will look when turned over...
I'm going to hang the little pockets on some twine with small clothes pegs and I might even wrap some fairy lights around the twine if it works. Oh my word, I am soooo excited... I don't want to wish my life away but I am really, really, REALLY looking forward to when I can get this out of it's little box...
I'm going to fill the little pockets with special advent things to do like decorate the tree will be on day 1 and other things like make gingerbread men (I have never made these before some recipe recommendations would be really useful, otherwise I'll probably just use the BBC recipe), sing christmas carols, make mulled wine. I might also pop in some little treats like gold coins and candy canes but I'm not sure what to put in for Little R as he isn't eating sweets yet... maybe some little boxes of raisins (or baby crack as my Aussie friend likes to call them) might do the trick.

I also have some news to explain my terrible blogging habits of late. I feel I must apologise for not commenting on all the wonderful blogs that I love, I do still love reading them but I just can't find the time to comment and as for actually writing a blog post well I am even worse at getting this done! And the reason... I am 24 weeks pregnant (baby is due at the end of January 2013). Working, looking after Little R (although I have to admit D is great help and lets me have little rests when they are much needed) and trying to get some craft done make it hard to keep up in the blogging world but I'm so glad other people do manage it because I do love reading everyone's crafty exploits. I think making this little advent calendar has excited me even more because I know/hope little R and his little sibling will get years of fun out of it. It's going to be a chaotic 2013 but we are up for the challenge!

Thanks as always for reading and hello and a big thank you to my new followers, I'm so delighted you want to see my little corner of bloggyland.

20 comments:

  1. Congrats!
    I Love love your advent hagy thing, so much it makes me want to make one! Just like yours!! although I don't have any little ones to be excited...but maybe I could just fill it with chocolate yummies and get excited myself?
    haha
    Becky x

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    1. Hi Becky,

      Thanks so much for your kind words. I definitely think you could fill an advent calendar with chocolate yummies for yourself... I am pretty much doing that as Little R is probably too little to really appreciate it, so I'll eat the treats for him until he's old enough!!

      Helen xx

      PS I'd love to reply to you directly but you are a no reply blogger.. this is a link with someone explaining how to change it... http://familycorner.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/no-reply-blogger.html

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  2. I love Christmas, and it is definitely not too early in my book! Your advent calendar is perfect, lovely to have family traditions which you start with your own little family....I like the idea of having ideas to do rather than the normal chocs. We put our tree up on the first, I love all the sparkle!

    Very big congratulations to you....that is lovely news...how lovely to have a new year baby!

    Lovely post...made my evening! Have a lovely Sunday!

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    1. Oh thanks for this wonderful comment, my email is up the left and I didn't get an email with this comment... so I'm late replying, but hey I'm always late these days.

      Thanks for the lovely words about the calendar. I love starting Christmas traditions. I can't wait until people start blogging about Christmas to hear what they do every year. I bet you have lovely traditions with your boys!

      And thanks for the kind words about the bump.. another new year baby and another pregnant christmas.. so excited!

      Helen xx

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  3. Oh Helen what fantastic news! Congratulations all round! Hope you're feeling OK and that everything's going really well. Countdown to Christmas and beyond!! Love your reversible Advent pocket idea and yes, the idea of hanging them from natural twine with clothes pegs sounds perfect - especially with the fairy lights as well. Go for it! Little R and baby-to-be-born will love these as they come out every year. I send you a hug - take care of yourself! E x

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    1. Hi Mrs T, thanks for your well wishes.. all is grand, just a little tired but could be much worse. It's going to be fun for LIttle R pretty soon... Christmas and beyond!

      Ahh thanks for the hug!

      Helen xx

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  4. Congratulations on your pregnancy ~ you must be over the moon. I love the look of your advent garland and look forward to seeing it hung with fairy lights at Christmas time. Hope you have a very lovely weekend :O)xx

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    1. Thanks for your lovely comment, I'm really looking forward to getting the calendar up and really looking forward to the end of Jan too!

      Helen xx

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  5. Congratulations ,aw lovely news and love your advent calender too ,christmas is certainly creeping up fast x

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    1. Oooh the darker evenings and mornings certainly mean christmas is coming! Yay!! So many things to look forward too!

      Thanks for your kind words!

      Helenxx

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  6. Ahhhh, another little bubba to fill your home with love and laughter, such great news, congrats to the three of you. Love the Advent idea, sometimes I wish I had more energy at night after work. Although I am busy crocheting a baby blanket at the moment.
    xx Sandi

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    1. Hi Sandi,

      Soooo lovely to hear from you. And thank you so much for your lovely words. We definitely are excited about the new baby.. life is going to be very very busy soon (and there was me thinking it already was busy!).

      I totally understand what you mean about having energy after work for crafting, sometimes it's hard to get motivated. Im trying to work on a baby blanket for a friend of mine but can't get motivated to do it!! Her baby is due on the 24th of Oct so I really should get my finger out!!

      Thanks so much for stopping by!

      Helen xx

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  7. Aaah! Congratulations to you!!! :-)
    What a fantastic idea for an advent calendar! Don' forgetr to show us some more photos when it's up and running.....
    Carly
    x

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    1. Hi Carly thanks for your lovely comment. I'll definitely show you the calendar in action at Christmas. I can't wait until people start posting about Christmas... so exciting. I bet you have some lovely ideas up your crafty sleeves.

      Helen xx

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  8. Gorgeous - you've inspired me! I too have been getting excited about Christmas and Christmas craft already (your influence has been prominent in this area!)! I can't wait to Nov (after uni is done) to start crafting all my stockpiled ideas.
    Tan xx

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    1. Oooh I feel chuffed to be inspiring you! Can't wait to see what you get making after uni is all done. Roll on craft nights!

      Helen xx

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  9. hi helen,
    a fantastic idea for a adventskalender.really a nice idea!!!!
    wish you a wonderful weekend,
    love regina

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  10. Hi Helen,Oh I'm getting so excited for Christmas too :) I love your advent its beautiful. Congratulations on Your wonderful news,I'm so excited for you :) take care,love Julie Xxxx

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  11. Oh my goodness.... HUGE congratulations to you and your lovely family. Such exciting news!! :-D
    I too am super excited about Christmas, I've always love it but when you have children it is all the more special isn't it? I adore your stitched Advent pockets... They are so neat and will look so festive!! Well done :-)
    Thank you for the lovely comment on my recent post! Take care of yourself lovely!

    Louise xx

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  12. Hi Helen I love your advent calendar! And congratulations on new baby. Just wondering whether you cut out the numbers and letters yourself as I am on the lookout for some for a wee project, and I'm not brilliant at cutting although I love sewing! Precut would be ideal. Your numbers and letters for that matter are so perfect and a really lovely font. Makes the whole thing look fab.

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