Advent Calendars

Who doesn't love a good advent calendar?  I seem to be a bit of an advent calendar fan having made my first homemade version at the age of 16.  To be honest, I have lost count of the ones I have made ranging

Advent calendar with little notes
inside for small activities to do each day

from several embroidery ones,  a couple of sewn ones, to paper ones, a pegboard one, a mindfulness one and thoughts of the day one and even a Christmas joke one to last year one based around a wreath.   But nothing has made me prouder than the advent calendar or should I say calendars as five were made, that my daughter decided to make for her friends.  She said after the last few months she wanted to spread her love of Christmas and the Advent season with her nearest and dearest.  Gosh, my heart  ♥  swelled.

So a couple of weeks ago when Ella came to me to ask for a bit of help in her crafting I was delighted.  Delighted because she instigated it and was not cajoled, coerced, threatened that she had to make something to give to family members, as this is a time for giving, but she chose to do it and to make for people that she did not really have to make for and because she wanted to spread happiness.  That to me was Christmas joyful bliss.  Perhaps the next generation of my family too will carve out their own Christmas traditions whilst holding onto the warmth and joy they found here in the eclectic home...

The dining room table was commandeered, Ella on one side beavering away, asking for the very occasional advice and me on the other side, gleefully playing with Fimo clay ( a post to come in a day or two) whilst on a zoom call with mamma in Norway and my sister in Sweden.  We all raised a glass whilst chatting and crafting.  We may be many miles away from each other but we do the best we can, as we all are trying to do.

Isn't technology both a blessing and a curse.  Zoom calls,
FB and watts app video calls have kept us in touch
with those, we cannot physically be with,
more so than ever this year

I think Ella thought that making a paper advent calendar would be a quick make but in reality with all the thought, gathering of materials, cutting, glueing working out the logistics of where to position and how to create the doors, it took her several days, whilst holding down a full-time job and being nagged by me to help around the house and cook the occasional family meal whilst also pulling her weight to walk our new puppy.  The girl did well.  Albeit, she surprised herself at the time it all took, but that's crafting for you isn't it and anything that you care about always takes time.

First, she cut out a template of 24
windows for the advent calendar

Next, she wrote out the daily activities on a
separate card in corresponding boxes to the cutouts

She created a Christmas montage from old magazines 
and Christmas cards, stickers and anything else she fancied.  And then
the tricky part was to cut out the doors to correspond to the writing
that would be revealed behind.  We had a few hiccups along the way here. 
Namely mirroring the windows so they did not correspond to the writing,
which then had to be redone on one of the calendars.  Each calendar had different
activities depending who was to be the recipient.

Anna receiving her Advent calendar
socially distanced and outdoors of course

Anna had no idea and it was a surprise
to receive an Advent calendar from Ella

Anna at home on December 1st, having opened the first door.
A note from her mum reads:  A very kind and thoughtful
young lady has made Anna an activity advent
calendar. First task is to decorate her bedroom 🌲xx

♥  As an adult do you have an advent calendar or is it just for youngsters do you think?  ♥

Advent calendar

December 2nd

I made my first advent calendar, a large embroidered one when I was 16 and since have made many more for family and friends.  It's heartwarming that these calendars come out year after year.  Do you have an advent calendar just for children or for adults too?  When my husband and I were first together, I too cross-stitched an advent calendar for him which is hung up on the eve of December and has been for the past 26 years.

Freshly cut orange and lime slices

This year especially in the last couple of months again I have felt a bit frazzled and not really knowing how to prioritise myself without feeling guilty.  When I hit upon an idea to make an advent calendar for myself.  December is always a busy month and I wondered how I could help myself slow down a bit.  It would be a calendar just for me, be as cost-effective as possible and help me take a few minutes, not too many otherwise I was sure I would not keep up the daily task, but a few minutes of self-reflection, mindfulness (that word again, I hear you say) and positive thinking tasks.

Because I had this idea a while back when I was ready to make it last week I had everything I needed to hand.  This is what I did but of course, you can do anything you like.

I used:

Slow oven baked orange slices

wire circular wreath ring (I had a couple leftover from last year, but you could easily use a wire coat hanger)

oranges (that were beyond there juiciest and so were left in the fruit bowl)

foliage from the garden (I used ivy and rosemary only)

florist tape and wire (I already had these)

newspaper (from about a month ago, I do not often have a paper)

sewing machine and thread

mini wooden clothes pegs (bought for a project about 3 years ago that I still have not gotten round to making)

red paper and pen

sellotape

The essentials of my advent calendar

Baking the oranges

I cut the oranges thicker than normal, so each was about 7mm thick as I guessed they would shrink a bit and they did.  I placed them on a baking cooling rack on top of a baking sheet in case any juice dripped down, I did not want to have that on the floor of the oven.  Baking took about 6-7 hours on very low heat, juts under 100 degrees Celcius.  Allowed them to cool completely before I used them.


How to make a mindful positive thinking  Advent Calendar Eclectic Home Style 

The first thing I made was the Advent 'pockets'.  These were made out of newspaper and I cut two of

Newspaper Advent pockets for mindfulness calendar

each shape I needed and then sewed them on the sewing machine with a running stitch.  I left the thread long at the end, enough so I could tie the two threads together and hang the pocket with it.  I chose Christmas type pockets, which included the following shapes: stocking, mittens, candle, dove, tress, leaf, heart and star.  Some pockets were easy to leave an opening for and others I had to sew all the way around.  This is relevant when adding the mindfulness task.  I used a pen to add the numbers on each pocket.

The beginnings of the Advent calendar

I gathered all the bits and bobs and just literally covered the ring in as much green foliage as I possibly could attach and secured it all with florist tape and wire.  Where there were any gaps I filled in with just more foliage and orange slices.  The general rule when adding stand out pieces (mine being the orange slices) is to add an odd number say 3 or 5.  I totally ignored this rule and opted for 4 instead.  I'm not a natural designer obviously.

Next, I wrote out a list of various mindfulness tasks and positive thinking.  Despite having been a teacher for 25 years and working on circle time and PSHE, I found it quite hard to come up with 24 tasks that would not take too long so headed to the Internet for some help.  I found this DIY mindfulness calendar all ready to go:  Mindfulness Advent Calendar.  I used a few of their ideas these were more about positive thinking and well being and then used my own mindfulness ideas, to do with breathing, being in the moment etc.

The makings of an advent calendar

Once all the tasks were written down, I cut them up and rolled them, some I was able to place inside the mittens and stocking pocket but the others had no openings so I had to sellotape them onto the back of each non-opening pocket.  I see there was a slight flaw here, but it's just for me.  If I do this again, I would rethink this part perhaps, although it still worked and looks OK, I think.

It's beginning to take shape

I had initially thought to just tie the pockets onto the wreath and this would work well, but I happened to have mini wooden pegs and used these instead to attach.  Worked better than I could have hoped.

Mini wooden pegs used to attach the pockets

 I tried to add the pockets as randomly as I could, but this is harder than you would think, anyway, it's done and today I will unroll number 2 and have a few minutes of time just for me.  What's more, this advent calendar cost me nothing as I had everything in the house, it cost me time but that was the purpose of this.  I sat took my time and enjoyed myself creating for me and savouring every bit of it.  John came in a couple of times whilst I was making this and laughed and hugged me and enjoyed me enjoying myself.

My Positive Thinking Mindfulness Advent Calendar just for ME

♥  How do you prioritise yourself?   ♥

Thought I would re-share last years Advent candle holder made out of pepperkake, some of you may remember what happened to it, if not take a peak... Pepperkake Advent candle holder post

Advent candle holder made from pepperkake, 

for recipe see: here

Watch this space

Things are afoot here in the eclectic home. 

After two years of living in a blur and life passing me by I am slowly emerging from my cocoon.  I won't bore you with the details of the past couple of years suffice it to say all is fine and all is good.  The chicklings have flown the nest, the house is suddenly tidy and I can find whatever I want at the drop of a hat.  And the kitchen stays the way I left as I trundle up the stairs to bed to look exactly the same when I re-emerge looking myself like a scarecrow in the morning with my hair limp against my head from the inevitable rush of heat that takes over my body now and then. Yep, you've guessed it the menopause symptoms... Miracles will never cease as I enter the kitchen, never tiring of the joy of seeing the kitchen looking tidy with everything in its place.  It does mean of course that the house is quiet, not silent, but the hustle and bustle of a family of four have reduced to just me most weekdays and John returning home the odd night and here at the weekends.  How life changes. I was warned when Ella was born that the time will fly and I did not think too much about it but oh my gosh, I think I would tell the young mother, Selma, slow down and savour it just a tad more.  Don't get me wrong I enjoy every phase and this new one with the youngsters flying their own wings and working out who they are is too in its own way wonderful if somewhat bittersweet.

Enough of my ramblings...

NEWSFLASH

The December daily posts will indeed return for 2019, will you be so kind as to join and perhaps spread the word.

A few snippets to entice you to join, I look forward to seeing you on December 1st for our Christmas countdown...


There will be baking, Norwegian traditions, crafting, ramblings and so very much more...

♥Will you be joining me in December?♥

Advent

December 2nd 2018

Pepperkake Advent candles

I love the tradition of lighting a new candle each Sunday in Advent, the mad rush there's still so much to do, how will I fit it all in, oh, look there's another idea that's caught my imagination, have I time to squeeze that make in too? slow countdown to Christmas.  In an ideal world, there will be time to sit with a glass of something with loved ones and enjoy each others company but the reality is so often not that.  However, this season,  I am on a mission to slow down more.

The yearly coffee table centrepiece of the Advent candles have taken a different slant this year and I have used Elin's idea that she shared on her wonderful Norwegian baking blog and recreated my own Advent candle 'pepperkake' holder.  Hope you like it...

♥  TIP 1
Using the traditional pepperkake recipe which you can find HERE , it was relatively easy and quick to make.  The trick for me was to make sure I rolled out the rectangular base to the correct size for the plate I wanted to use, you can, of course, create a circular one if you wish, it's gingerbread house making on a very different level, no 3D sculpting and watching in disbelief as it all falls apart, oh yes, I have been that person and never again will I make a gingerbread house. Never; I'm shuddering just thinking about my epic fails on that score.

♥  TIP 2
The other trick is to use a biscuit cutter large enough to create a hole to accommodate a tealight candle.  I actually used an old tea light casing to make the circular hole.  Then once baked and as soon as they are out of the oven, I reinserted the tealight and ensured whilst the biscuit was soft that I cut away any more to guarantee a good fit.  Leave it when the biscuit has cooled and the hearts will break, this must be done when the biscuit is warm  You have been warned.

I used an egg white icing to decorate and kept it like Elin did, very plain and simple.

I used 1 egg white and squeezed the juice of a lemon and enough sifted icing sugar to create a fairly thick icing, using also a couple of blobs on the underside of each heart to 'glue' them into position on the biscuit base.

If you are into elegant decor, this will not be your style, but if rustic works for you and homemade, then this will be a winner!

Decorated pepperkake Advent candle holder

1st Sunday in Advent

Advent pepperkae candle holder

♥  Now I'm going to sit back relax and smell the pepperkake  ♥

Edit 2019:  I had a bit of a dilemma with this advent holder as I came down one morning to this...

...the cats had nibbled it in the night!!!

Advent Calendars

Advent advent everywhere... 
December 2nd

A huge thank you to everyone for coming back to read this blog after my somewhat silent few months. And double thanks to those that say I am their advent calendar, I feel quite special!  ♥

The twins in  Blåfjell a
children's tv advent calendar

When my children were small we had two advent calendars and both were Norwegian.  The first one was a mini book advent calendar about a family of mice at Christmas time, each story would take less than five minutes to read and were so dinky in size it was perfect for little ones.  They soon grew out of this but we always kept it up in the month of December long after they were too old for it.  It worked well along with advent calendar number 2 a lovely night time tradition leading up to Christmas.  The second was an advent tv show that sent out a moral message about living in harmony together and that the blue nisse people and the red nisse people should not be afraid or wary of each other and also that we should work collaboratively to look after our precious world.  We would sit snuggled up on the sofa covered in home-knitted and crocheted blankets handed down to me by my mother and spend a very together time at the end of each day in advent.  These were special moments then and looking back are still special moments now.  As the children grew older we would always begin watching but may not have always seen it through the 24 episodes as life becomes busier as the children become older don't you think?  And although we always had good intentions, after a week or so, it seemed harder to find those 15 minutes.  This year with Ella away at university and my son out each night training it will perhaps be the first year that we do not even watch one episode.  Life moves in phases, doesn't it?

My husband's advent calendar that I
embroidered for him before we were married,
it is now 25 years old!

It sure does move in phases as a new one has begun.  I have not had an advent calendar since leaving my parent's home but this year all that has changed!  I have 3 advent calendars all to myself, greedy I know.  And I'm not sure why I have not made myself an advent calendar, I make them for everyone else.  From the age of 16, I began sewing advent calendars for friends and family and even made one for my school exam in textiles, you see I have ALWAYS loved Christmas more than any other event.  I think maybe because it includes all the people around me and everyone gives and receives and takes such pleasure. (Advent calendars that I have made)  (How to sew an advent calendar) Anyhooo, onto my advent calendars.

Soil association tea advent calendar

A dear friend gave me a tea advent calendar, each day behind the door is a different tea to try out. From ginger chai to Christmas cake tea and everything in between!  In fact, I loved this idea so much I jumped online and bought one for my mother in law.  There are so many adult advent calendars out there this year, when did this become a 'thing'?

M & S beauty advent calendar

Advent calendar 2 came about quite by accident. Last year the same friend bought the Marks and Spenser advent calendar and opened it up and used all 24 items to make up hampers of beauty products for friends and stocking fillers for her girls.  I thought this a genius idea and decided this year I would do the same...only once I bought the calendar, I could not bring myself to open up the doors before December 1st and decided I would have it as my treat...

...but then another great friend of mine, also into crochet and crafts presented me with the Paintbox yarn advent calendar, a mini skein of yarn a day, how totally wonderful!  So this year I am really spoilt, not sure what I've done to deserve this but am I grateful, yes I really am.

For the knitters and crocheters among you, I give you an advent calendar, well I cannot give it to you but I can direct you online to Advent calendar for knitters and crocheters  Last year garn studio had a calendar for you to open each day and this year they are continuing with it, I loved it last year,

The Garnstudio advent calendar is such an online treat

...and just because I care about you, here is what is behind door number 1...

Pattern number 1 from Garnstudio calendar

...for the remaining doors, I 'll leave it to you to follow the above link and enjoy.

All these adult and bought calendars are all well and good but they are extravagant and not necessary.  The year before last I made a joke calendar for the children and each day there would be something there to make them giggle, we all enjoyed this one a lot and it cost nothing but time and thought.  Below is another idea I was sent by a teacher friend of mine who is very concerned about the mental well being of today's teenagers and suggested that in the month of December perhaps the advent calendar could make us stop and think for a moment and make us connect with others.  I like this a lot and will be using it this year.  I'll let you know how we got on next year...

And finally, are you still with me, this has turned out to be a mammoth post.  

I sent Ella a small care package so she could add a smidge of Norwegian red to the shared kitchen in halls and of course our usual advent calendar.   

Here are the photos she sent me on the evening of December 1st...

Ella is the queen of organising and printed
out labels for each of her advent packages!

University halls of residence bedroom complete with advent calendar

♥  Happy advent everyone, 

do you do something every day in December?

Advent

December 2nd  

Advent to me is a special time.  Two things spring to mind when I think of Advent; family & togetherness and light.  What do I mean by light?  These darker days and nights need cheering up and what better than lighting the Advent star and Advent candelabra.  In Norway and Scandinavia this has long been a tradition.  I now know that here in the UK also four advent candles are lit for each of the Sundays leading up to Christmas but I think the Scandinavians have it down to a fine art, the art of bringing light to the dark.  Every room in our home over the advent period is decorated with extra lighting, it's warming, makes you feel happier and seems to spread a little joy.  I think it's not a bad tradition to have to bring out extra lights for this time of year.  Do you bring in extra light at this time of year?

 

I am beginning to have quite an eclectic group of advent stars and love them all

Of course this time of year many have a countdown to the big day with advent calendars.  Such a huge variety to be found, from ones with religious pictures to the other extreme with some just for Lego and makeup!  Appealing to my sense of the love of yarn there are several on line advent calendars the best for me being by the Norwegian company Drops design.  Being a naughty 'child' I tried to have an early peek behind door 3 this morning and was greeted by this...

Day 3 of the Drops design advent calendar, I tried to open it on December 1st!

Here is a snap shot of the doors to the advent calendar, all red and crocheted and ready to be opened...

The crocheted doors of the Drops design
advent calendar

And look what a gem of a pattern was to be found behind the door of December 1st.  There is no time for me to make it this year, but maybe, just maybe, I will make it early next year in anticipation of next Christmas...  I am already addicted and cannot wait to open them up each day.

 

 

Behind door one on December 1st

In case you want to follow each day too, here is the link:  Drops Design Advent Calendar 

On the brilliant Norwegian blog called Hverdagsmagi.   There is another advent calendar to make a crochet snowflake a day. Go have a look. 

http://www.hverdagsmagi.com/

And I need to mention Sandra at Cherry Heart who began a sock CAL yesterday with the idea of knitting a bit each day aiming to wear a new pair of socks on Christmas Day. What a lovely idea that is. 

My children laugh at my love for Christmas, I am assuming they are laughing with me!?!?!  On returning home from work last week my husband peeked into the spare room and saw all our Christmas 'tat' ready to be displayed around the house and all I could hear him mutter was something along the lines of 'guilty pleasure'.  He does put up very well with my enthusiasm for this time of year.  I think it's seeping wonderfully well into the children too...

So yes, we have a variety of advent calendars in our home too.  Now put away for another generation the advent books for little ones, written in Norwegian, they were a joy to read each night before bed, but alas the teenagers have outgrown them.

 

The below advent calendar I made when I was 16, a little rough around the edges, we wouldn't be without it.  I find gifts throughout the year to add to it so the cost is spread out.  The little bags are traditionally Scandinavian and are readily available in all the shops there.  I note this year that in the UK both Claus Ohlson and Ikea sell them too, but they would be easy to make or buy plain party bags to the same effect.  My children love this calendar and they take it in turns each day to be allowed to open a bag.

 

A very indulgent advent calendar that the children and I just love

This smaller embroidered calendar was made for my husband when we were newly married.  Again this year I left it too late to wash and iron it to show it at its best, but life's too short right?  He does love his daily small fix of chocolate at this time of year.

I made this as a newly wed for my husband, oh so many moons ago

 

I still love this embroidered tree

 

This year we are beginning a new advent calendar and I hope this one will soon become a family tradition.  I have sewn lots of little stockings and inside each one is a hand written joke, or fun forfeit or challenge for the day.  The idea being that we all partake in it.  A simple thing to do together in this busy world we all live in. The ones that take longer to complete I have engineered to be put into the stockings that fall at the weekend.  I am excited about this calendar countdown as it involves us all in doing something together.  Fingers crossed it works out well and becomes a new family tradition.  I love evolving traditions, don't you?  What's your favourite family tradition at this time of year?

 

In no particular order  here are the 'forfeit' slips inside our advent stockings:

Sing we wish you a Merry Christmas in the style of an alley cat

Say the alphabet backwards 

 

Juggle 3 clementines 

List all the Christmas reindeers

 

Work out your elf name. First name = a cookie starting with your initial Second name = Elf as the first syllable followed by the second half of your surname 

 

Name five different names for Father Christmas 

 

Play a round of charades

 

Play a Christmas related game of I Spy

 

Hop on one leg for a minute patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time 

 

Play rock, scissors, paper, stone for who had to wash up

 

In the next 24 hours say something g lovely and meaningful to everyone in the family 

 

Tell something about yourself that we don't know

 

Where will you be at Christmas in 5 years time 

 

Watch a Christmas film

 

Go on a Christmas light walk

 

How many 3 letter plus words can you make from Merry Christmas 

 

Recite/sing the 12 days of Christmas 

 

In the next 24 hours do an act of random kindness

 

Spell jingle bells backwards

 

Talk about Christmas trees for 45 seconds with no urms or errs 

 

Pick a partner. One is A one is B. A needs to wrap up B as a Christmas present   Remember to unwrap them too! 

 

Hum a Christmas carol and everyone has to guess it

 

 

All ready for the family to have some fun with forfeits and activities

Very simple to make, an old piece of wood with glued on clothes pegs

I think it looks quite striking, what do you think?

In school today a class that I worked with were making the finishing touches to their advent calendar. Using exact measuring they each had to make a house ready to encompass a little chocolate treat. All the houses came together to create the class village. How lovely is that? 

And every evening leading up to the 24th December 'Julaften' in Norway the children and I will sit down for 15 minutes and watch a TV advent calendar series that we watch every year, all about the Blue mountain in Norway and the people who live in it and by it.  Ahh, traditions, I love them.

 

And lastly some of our extra lighting in our home at this time of year...

 

♥  Wishing you a very happy advent  full of warmth and light  ♥