Sunday 2 December 2007

Advent Calendars and Christening Presents

We now have 7 advent calendars in this house!

Slightly excessive maybe but lots of fun!

This is the first homemade one that we have had for about 4 or 5 years. I'll show you another photo of it later in the month when more of the pictures are on.

It is from this book by Nancy Halvorsen and the children love to pick the different nativity pictues out of the little bag to hang up and trade for a chocolate!
Then I made this one from a Nancy Halvorsen panel (I think). Much quicker but not quite as lovely.This one took two Christmases to make - it wasn't hard but the stitching on the pockets just took too much time when I was already very busy! Again this one has chocolates and I hide a little "forfeit" in each pocket like "Sing Jingle Bells". The children take it in turns to do one of the three handmade calendars each day.
This is my calendar from last year (from Phoenix Trading)


I really love the whole image of the dresser and the pictures behind the doors are so lovely.


Then this is my mini one for this Christmas (again from Phoenix Trading) - the only problem is the doors are really tricky to open! I share these two with LSH!
Then we have the Playmobil one that a friend gave us . This is only it's second outing but the bit where you hang the boxes on is too fiddly so we have just got them in a basket to pick out.
Finally (!!!) this is the one the children and I made today (okay, so it's a bit late)
We used 24 matchboxes and covered them with plain green paper then decoupaged some Victorian Christmas pictures on. We have stuck the same type of pictures in each drawer and I have added some Christmas "promises" after seeing the idea on various different blogs. The plan is that we will aim to do a "Christmassy-type-thingy" each day - I hope I can keep it going!!!


We went to the Christening today so now I can show you the things I made.

This is the doll that my friend/former colleague ordered as a present
(she doesn't really have red hair it's just sopping wet blonde! I didn't have time to dry it before my friend left work yesterday so she took her home and sat her on the radiator!)
This is the detail from the bottom of her dress
The same friend had also ordered one for another friend's baby.

And this is the photo album/scrapbook that we gave
The little girl being christened was the one that I made the clothes-quilt for so I was able to use some of the gingham from her curtain as the background fabric. I hope they like it.

I have made the very brave decision to change my profile photo from the one of me aged about 8 to one taken today. Let's see how long that lasts!!! (It's much easier to hide behind a cute childhood pic than let you see the real me but I do always try to keep my blog as "real" as possible so this is just one step further - hope it doesn't put you all off!!)

26 comments:

Michaela said...

My mum once told me that she'd never had an Advent Calendar, so I bought one from Harrods for her, thinking it would be fantastic. It was a beautiful Nativity picture on the front and I could hardly wait to hear what pretty pictures were inside. Day one was an angel sitting on a potty. Day two, angel giving a 2-fingered salute. Day three, angel doing a moony. I can't remember what the rest was like, but just as bad by all accounts. Never bought anything from Harrods ever again!

Anonymous said...

Oh - all those advent calenders!! SOOOO much fun!!! You just reminded me that I forgot to start mine with my kiddies - oooopss!! They will get a few treats today to catch up!!!

weirdbunny said...

Look at you Lucy ! So hard to think of you as a grown up in my mind, you'll always be the girl with the plaits. You cartainly have a lot of advent calenders.

My kids are only interested in Simpsons calanders with chocolate in the back !

est said...

all yr advent calendars are so lovely!!! sure yr kids going to have alot of fun! :)

Mrs Moog said...

Very very nice profile photo Mrs L - I'm just a bit late in saying so!! Looks like you'll have to try harder to put us off!

A truly scrumptious post today. I love all of your advent calendars and especially like the idea of the forfeits. That gives me the perfect excuse to make another one for next year :)

Michaela's posh calendar story cracked me up! Shame on you Harrods!

Jodie said...

Hiya lucy - you will have to do much much worse than that profile photo to me off - you are an angel, an angel with a LOT of advent calendars

dutchcomfort said...

Oh that looks like so much fun! I specially like the count down hearts!

Lucykate Crafts... said...

we have that playmobil one too, it's causing a great deal of amusement every morning!, they've also got a chocolate one each sent by grandma, but my youngest is finding it really hard to understand why he can only have one chocolate out of it a day. lovely dolls, they both have very sweet faces : )

trash said...

Right then! That's it! I'm off!!

A new updated photo? Well really! All this tme spent looking at that sweet creature with the plaits and it was fraudulent!?

No. It is no good. I'm sorry but this has been readership under false pretences. I shall report this grievous infraction to the blogger police and then you will really be for the high jump my girl!



(btw - lovely dolls and very sweet advent calendars)


(word ver. = just dang ole minute. I bin wronged!)

Jane said...

Love the advent calenders, never made one before. Love the new picture of you

Gina said...

So many wonderful things Lucy... love all the advent calendars, especially with things to do in them. I could do with one of those with all the jobs I need to do until Christmas! The album you made is gorgeous but most of all I've fallen in love with the angel with the red spotty dress! You are so clever... and the grown up picture is great!

Gina xx

Thimbleanna said...

I love your new photo Lucy! And gosh -- look at all those advent calendars -- you've been very busy over the years. How fun to have all that with the children -- and they don't have to fight over who gets to choose the day's treat with only one calendar!

Anonymous said...

wow so many calendars!!

They boys were sent Playmobil's ones by some friends and are over the moon!

And I have a chocolate one!!!

Patti said...

SEVEN advent calendars. I hope you have a spreadsheet or some sort of tracker to help you keep the peace once the kids decide to "forget" whose turn is next. Those mornings can turn nasty. Hope you had a good time at Ikea. Love the new fotie.

exvxhuxt ???? huh ? I ask you.

Annie said...

What a lot of advent calendars!!! I LOVE the matchbox one. Your christening prezzies are lovely. Looking forward to seeing the woman behind the girl.

Mrs Moog said...

I've just come back for another look and crikey woman that red dolly is gorgeous and I love what you've done with the book too. I needed to tell you that. Bye.
xx

Annie B said...

gorgeous dolls - what lucky recipients, bet they love them. Your advent calender habit is great too, my poor kids just have a cheapo chocolate one, luckily just one of them likes chocolate, the other just likes to look at the pictures. But I REALLY must make one for next year. I should probably start now...

Jodie said...

I love all of your advent calandars, I only have 1 which looks pretty sad compared to your wonderful display.
I love the dolls, they look just gorgeous!!
The new profile pic is great. It's fantastic to put a face to the name/blog!!

Jodie

Monkee Maker said...

If you don't watch out, pretty soon you'll be having to open a whole advent calendar each day!!

Fab goodies, Mrs, and a very sophis. profile piccie.

Anonymous said...

That is so funny! We have three and I can't quite work it out when to open each door.

Unknown said...

How many advent calenders???? I have been very very lazy this year, and my poor children have one - that Grace made at school. I've promised next year I'll be far more efficient!!!
I like the new grown up pic, but can you please grow some more plaits? I miss them.
Love the dolls - especially their feet - my feet are huge too!!!

Mrs Moog said...

Hey Mrs Locket!
Gonna show us your wonky dress? Just asking!
Mrs Moogsmum x
Hon.Secretary Save the Monkees Campaign
p.s. well you said you wanted comments....

Lissa Jane said...

I think I'd like the advent calendar michaela had, so bad taste I would just have to put it out to see peoples reaction.. I haven't put much christmas up this year, not really up to it, but we do have our tree up and the bastard cat has been having a fantastic time relocating baubles..

Merry christmas to you Lucy!

Lissa

Leanne said...

Great post once again. I love those advent calendars. I am wondering if the Nancy Halvorsen book is still available. My children are 21 & 18 and if they are with me a the supermarket and see one they always ask for one for old time sakes. The dolls are just sooo cute any little girl will love them.

dottycookie said...

Oh, you beat us - we only have 6 ;-)

We're doing the Christmas promise thing too, but some are cheating a bit - school play? Counts as one in this house, especially since its on a day when I'm working (boo). I tried to track down that Nancy Halverson one to make for this year, but couldn't get it - it is very pretty. Love all yours!

MJ said...

I thought all your Advent Calendars looked like so much fun! I just posted my Nancy Halvorsen calendar on my blog &, as the kids are already fighting over it, I'll be making one for their hope chests! Happy holidays!