Lets talk about Christmas!

'Is she crazy?' I hear you say?? Quite possibly.

But in my defense, I am talking about Advent calendars. These things take time, thought, preparation. After all, it is April..soon it will be July.....then in a bit it will be October....then Christmas! 

So if your wanting to have an awesome Advent Calendar, now is probably a good time to start! My friend Dana from Tootypegs came to me recently looking for small things to fill her daughters calendar which reminded me of the sticky note stuck on my computer that reads 'blog advent calendar!'

So lets begin! 

As always the Internet is the greatest source of inspiration and ideas, so I have been entertaining myself at 2am while my body thinks it doesn't need any sleep, looking for ideas to share with you!

So, there's a few ways you can go. Firstly you can make your own, now those of you that have craft-fobia, please don't freak out! I will show you some pictures of super simple to not quite so simple and some links to tutorials. 

Or of course you can buy one and fill it, there's a lovely wooden one brought out by kaisercraft that I saw in spotlight recently, ready for you to paint and/or decorate how ever you fancy. I am sure there are plenty more out there, but if your wanting something hand made, I plan on making some bunting style calendars that I think would just look spectacular hanging in a house in the lead up to Christmas (also good if you have a few children to hide treats for!), also I have had this idea that kept me awake even longer, a very special JaxFancy Advent box. 

Imagine each day peeking in the advent box, looking for the right number package, opening the beautifully wrapped bundle, over the whole month you would unwrap a new piece of a JaxFancy playscape...perhaps a farmer one day, a duck next, then a cow? who knows! Ah! that would be so much fun! Golly, I am very excited about that one....but anyway lets look at some other ideas to inspire you.

Simply peg cute baby socks on a ribbon and fill! 

These are toilet paper rolls squished and glued on one end, paint them and add numbers and hang! 

Simply colored envelopes strung up with pegs

Getting a little fancier now, a shadow box filled with brightly colored packages.

Simple Bunting

A paper chain tree, write an activity or treasure hiding place in each loop taking one off each day. 

Small gift boxes glued to a frame, you can adhere the boxes straight onto the wall too for a striking decoration!

Now, this one really tickles my fancy! Paper stars hung from a pine branch

If you still need some more Christmassy goodness how about a few links to tutorials??

Printable numbered Christmas Boxes

Little Santa Sacks

Small ornament templates

Scroll down a little to see the tree etc

Matchboxes!

Christmas Bingo

Advent Calendar Pattern, available to purchase

Well I think that should give us something to think about! So remember when your deciding what type of calender you would like to keep in mind the type of things you want to have in your calendar.

So what to put IN the calendar? Chocolates, activity notes, tree ornaments....
I will think about it at 2 am when I can't sleep.... and now have a new note on my computer....blog advent calendar fillings!

Have you made your own calendar before? Leave us a comment and share your ideas! 

Jacq 

:)

Summer Days

January is a month that I think about all year, I kid you not, I really do mean ALL year. When I am sitting at basketball freezing my bum off, I think about January. When I am juggling all the things working mums do day after day,  its January I look forward to. In the weeks leading up to Christmas when life becomes a blur of parties, supper plates and dress up days, its nearly January I say!

The Summer Garden

Four weeks of sun, swimming (I am sure my family is part fish), going places, still being in my dressing gown at 11am, no where to be by any particular time and relaxing. Relaxing....?

 A 2nd hand pool which has been the most wonderful entertainer!

So now that January is approaching rapidly why does my brain turn to cleaning and de-cluttering?? CLEANING?!?! Since when has cleaning is been in the January plan??

The Christmas Tree , now

Sometimes we really are our own worst enemy. (cleaning in January....sheesh!)

So as it happens when the New Year is coming, I am questioning life and its craziness. There's a lot of energy spent in this world trying to organise our lives and all the stuff that comes with it. If you google it, you will get a fright....we must all be in the same boat...

I think it's time to take a good look at the work/fun balance in my life (its way out of whack) and simplify this house to make *that* part of the work easier to manage, leaving me some time for fun. 

 Then maybe I won't need to think about cleaning next January.

Sounds like a plan.

That still leaves me with the 'cleaning this January' problem.

.........Lets call it simplifying instead, and I'll promise myself to do something relaxing everyday in January.....well I will try anyway?  :) 

How is your work/fun balance? Do you examine your own life because its New Years? Any thing you want to change??

On a lighter note I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, all kept safe and with family you love. We got a lovely surprise with my brother and his love announcing their engagement. I really couldn't be any happier for them both, I know how much their lives with be enriched 

and their love multiply when they say those words  'I do'. 

Well Done Luke and Colly xoxo

Well its 11am, time to get dressed :D 

Sunny Days to you

Jacq :)

.

Twas' the week before Christmas.....

Golly, children grow so quickly don't they?? Another whole year has passed?!! AGAIN! 

This week I have said farewell to another great bunch of kinder children, wishing them well on their journey through primary school. 

Last night I attended my sons grade 6 graduation. (Yes that means HIGH SCHOOL next year! ARGH!) So as he farewells primary school, I feel a wee bit sentimental (*sniff sniff*) and remember we really do need to enjoy the age they are at now, because everyday they get a little older. I can bet next year he wont be dressing up as Baby Jesus like he did this morning, so I will enjoy this day with him before he gets ones more day older........

Proof that he dressed up as Baby Jesus.....(thats him on the floor in a blanket!) 

This is how fast it goes......

 

First Day of Prep 2005 (with a broken arm!)

to

Grade 6, 2011

in a heartbeat

~

Griffin, I love this journey we have taken together so far, and I look forward to facing the challenges and feeling the joys that are in your future. 

Keep dreaming big, I would love to eat at Restaurant ah la Griffo one day (maybe everyday??) in the future. 

And lastly, thanks for being my son xoxox

~

Jacq :)

That Christmas Rush!?!

Where oh where have we been??

No matter how hard I try, that Christmas Rush ends up making me feel *frazzled* !! 

I always try and put a positive spin on these types of problems...so....lets...try....!

I am lucky to be able to be involved in such a wonderful community, and be blessed with many social engagements.....

I am lucky to have a sucessful small business and have orders enough to keep my fingers sewing.....

I am lucky to have 3 wonderful children, who are happy and busy and involved in sporting clubs and school....

I am lucky to have a day job that allows me to be creative and hang out with kids all day....

And that my friends, is where we have been! 

And this is where you can find us tomorrow! 

Jacq :)

Up she goes!

Ok, well today was the day they had all been waiting for........ putting up THE tree day!

You know us mums, we just want a nice photo for when the memories are hard to recall. 

Well, this is the best I could get!

 

These aren't to bad lol

 

 

 

Is your tree up yet??

Jacq :)

Our Advent Calender

Just a quick post today as I have *so so so so* many things to do before this market on Saturday!

I wanted to share our home made Advent Calender with you!

 

Its one of those things that can be as simple or as complicated as you feel like. This year we have gone for simple! In all those weeny parcels are a sweet treat, and all are numbered 1 - 24 (actually there are three parcels with the same number so my kids all get one each) and each day they sift through and look for the days number.  There are a few small surprises in there, some Christmas earrings and erasers etc. In previous years we have included little notes telling them what activity we will be doing that night, like setting up the tree, driving to look at Christmas lights, baking Gingerbread Men.. you get the idea! 

Even the tree can be simple, this year ours is just some pine and fuchia branches in a vase! But you could get all sorts of creative, I have thought a big glass vase full of Christmas lights with all the little presents around the bottom would look great!

The smaller the pile of presents gets, the nearer we are until the day :) I think it would be safe to say our advent calender is a highlight of my children's Christmas!

Happy Christmas Days!!

Jacq :)