Dereham Library has been closed for building work - but it has re-opened so we went in to change books. It was remarkably noisy, somewhere behind the wall we could hear power drills "This is Very Noisy for a LIBRARY!!" shouted another woman. I grabbed three books from the Christmas Craft display which caught my eye. All very different, with some clever ideas [for 2023 - I don't have time now to produce anything!]
Clear instructions, good templates *****
Two thirds of the projects have 24 pockets/pouches/pyramids/whatever but there are a load more intriguing 'countdown' items - A 'Calendar Girl' with a chalkboard for writing 'how many sleeps till Christmas, two number cubes, and a [slightly less interesting] calendar to count down the weeks [only four pages] Debbie includes two "Twelve Days of Christmas" projects - which is odd, as they are supposed to follow the Big Day, not be in the run-up...But her white towelling snowman has twelve bright pockets [ and she suggests if you made them half the size then you could fit 24 on his tum] And her 12 cones are a very clever idea. Here's her video [be warned - it lasts 20 minutes!]
I like her Christmas Cottages bunting - and am contemplating making a row of houses in Bethlehem, with a stable for the last one...[middle picture on left hand side of book cover] Not altogether convinced by the dog biscuit calendar for pets though!
So there you have three Christmas Craft Book Reviews. Apologies that it is too late for this year but file the ideas away till next autumn.
Do you have an Advent Calendar? Home made or bought?
Does your contain chocolates [or make-up, seeds, jam or tea-bags...the choice of gifts gets more random each year]
Hi! I'm intrigued by book 2!
ReplyDeleteI've got 3 Advent calendars. 1- my homemade forest, 2- my copy of Enid Blyton's 1950 Christmas story Advent calendar and a calendar from The panic room in Gravesend. We went there last January and they had them reduced to £5 and they had a puzzle to solve every day with a choc. The choc is probably rank by now but I thought the puzzle element would be fun! Not actually started it yet though!x
Kxx
The chocolates may still be OK. You could drop them in hot milk to make a luscious drink. Book two has good craft ideas, you'd definitely like it. There's even a musical instrument - a Santa Sistrum you could jingle in class!
DeleteI do so get my ambitions mixed up with my capabilities at this time of year and unfortunately get very little done in the way of crafting apart from my contributions to Operations Christmas Stocking 🧦 (not so much stockings as hats this year). Managed some nice little hand sewn Christmas Trees and on Sunday I went to a craft fair and someone was selling handmade reusable makeup removers. Might try some of them?
ReplyDeleteI've seen those make-up remover pads too. Were people buying them? They certainly would not be difficult to make.
DeleteWe have a 'wooden house' Advent Calendar with twenty four little doors, my husband made it in 2016 for our Grandson's first Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThis year my Advent Calendar from husband is a Cheese one, as I'm a Cheese addict! It's a tad on the large side though and takes up a lot of room in the fridge, especially when space is needed for lots of other goodies!
Fortunately, we have a spare fridge freezer out in the garage, which was switched on two days ago. We knew we'd need it yesterday as the kitchen fridge freezer is at bursting point, and the big chest freezer, also in the garage has a big box of tins of paint on top of it to ensure that the lid stays closed! We went food shopping yesterday and now the spare fridge freezer is about a third full.
I said I wasn't going to overdo the food this year, but I've failed........again!
I had a lovely time at the shops yesterday though, my food bank trolley had more 'treat' foods in than it usually does. It was nice buying things that are not strictly necessary to feed a family, but very nice to have at Christmas.
I went to a nearby Iceland Food Warehouse and got tins/containers of biscuits, sweeties, salmon, hot dog sausages, Spam, chicken in white sauce, chilli, fruit salad, etc and, as we're 'oldies' took full advantage of the Iceland Tuesday discount for over sixties, which took 10% off the bill!
I have also discovered a place with a 'good condition toys' collection box, so our Grandson will be sorting out some of his toys for that this weekend! X
I'm planning a trip to our new Iceland Foodhall next Tuesday, and will wave my bus pass to get 10% off. I think you are very kind, buying 'treats' for the foodbank. Tinned tomatoes and dried pasta are useful - but those special things will be very welcomed at Christmas
DeleteI bought the 'treats' for the foodbank, and have encouraged friends to do the same, as it must be demoralising having to use food banks at all, and I hate to think of anyone having nothing a bit 'special' at Christmas!
ReplyDeleteIt is the season of good will to all men after all!!!
Amen to that! At our Tuesday Club, people were asked to contribute simple chocolate advent calendars as a treat for the families
DeleteI don't think DH ever had an Advent calendar and I bought him one this year with some very yummy quality chocolate behind each door. He is enjoying it, and what amuses me is the knowledge that if I had bought him a box of 24 loose wrapped pieces of chocolate, they would have been gone in 2 or 3 days!
ReplyDeleteI hope he appreciates the joy of 'deferred gratification'
DeleteThose books of Christmas crafts have some good ideas! I love making such things, but, the majority of my family members don't appreciate receiving such items (or, maybe they are just tired of getting them from me!) and I certainly can't stuff my home with anymore craft things I've made!
ReplyDeleteAs for Advent calendars, they are not something I've ever had.
It is difficult if you like Crafting but have no final destination for what you make. The average house only has so many beds needing quilts!
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