The Advent Book

As you might have guessed from this post, we celebrate Advent. I love looking for a new Advent calendar each year and may, in fact, have several waiting in the wings for future use or to give to friends. But our favorite way to observe Advent is with this wonderful book:

The authors, Jack and Kathy Stockman, have created a gorgeous way to celebrate the Christmas story. Truly appropriate for the coffee-table, 'the Advent Book' contains original illustrations by Jack and features 25 doors which open to reveal a picture and segment of the Christmas story. It's told chronologically, beginning with Gabriel's revelation to Mary and ending with Jesus' birth. 'The Advent Book' has become a tradition in our house with our boys taking turns reading even and odd pages. (Amazingly, they seem to remember from year-to-year who read which pages last year and switch accordingly.)

  

 

Some screencaps from the Advent Book site

If you are interested in ordering, click through here to shop the Stockmans 'Celebrations and Traditions' site.

Hope you have a happy, healthy holiday season - and enjoy this 'most wonderful time of the year!'

Thanks for perusing; blog you again soon!  tIO x

PS: If you do buy the book and have little ones, I suggest playing the 'hidden animal hunt'. On each page, Jack has 'hidden' an animal - some easy to spot, others not so.

Waiting Patiently

Patience is something I have been advised never to pray for. (And that suggestion comes from someone who also never uses the word 'never' or ends a sentence with a preposition.) Alas, some of us are not naturally inclined toward it and therefore have to either pray for patience or acquire it through osmosis.

I prefer to 'practice' patience. Currently, I am practicing with this:

It arrived in my mailbox today. However, I am waiting until the day after Thanksgiving, aka 11 more days, to plaster it to the glass side door. Of course, I then will practice additional patience, aka 5 days after that, to begin hanging the 'ornaments'. *sighs*

Wherever did I find such a clever thing? The lovely ladies of Willow Creek Signs created it! After 'Wonderful Graffiti' - my online, go-to wall decal shop - closed earlier this year, I'd been looking for its replacement. Unsurprisingly, I ventured onto Etsy. As ever, I am glad I did.

For this 'Advent Calendar' design, they offer four styles of trees:

And for all of their wall decals, they have literally dozens of colors from which to choose! I do like choices.

Oh, look!  *checks clock*  It's Tuesday already! 10 more days...

Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!   tIO x

More designs from Willow Creek Signs:

   

Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men

                          I heard the bells on Christmas Day
                              Their old, familiar carols play,
                                   And wild and sweet
                                    The words repeat

                        Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

                      And thought how, as the day had come,
                             The belfries of all Christendom
                                      Had rolled along
                                    The unbroken song
                       Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

                            Till ringing, singing on its way,

                      The world revolved from night to day,
                                     A voice, a chime,
                                      A chant sublime
                       Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

                      Then from each black, accursed mouth
                         The cannon thundered in the South,
                                   And with the sound
                                  The carols drowned
                        Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

                          It was as if an earthquake rent
                        The hearth-stones of a continent,
                                   And made forlorn
                                The households born
                       Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

                         And in despair I bowed my head;
                       "There is no peace on earth," I said;
                                 "For hate is strong,
                                And mocks the song
                       Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

                   Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
                       "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
                                The Wrong shall fail,
                                  The Right prevail,
                     With peace on earth, good-will to men."

                           Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

                             Happy Christmas from tIO x

Five days and counting...

The anticipation is ramping-up in our house.

Carols are the random song-of-choice, and daily we hear the exclamation: it's almost here! Indeed.

Our shopping might be finished, but the chore of keeping the presents hidden remains. We don't have snoopers, which is a good thing; but it is tiring.

And I end up having weird dreams about camels traipsing through the field and into our back garden.

Today's conundrum: Will the traditional 'Christmas pajamas' arrive this year? Or will we be left with a "ships after Christmas" promise?

Future conundrum: Is the idiom 'happy is as happy does' legitimate? Is it, in fact, an idiom?


Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon! And happy Christmas, kringles!  tIO x

Pink. Peppermint. Christmas.

If it's pink, or a peppermint, or has to do with Christmas, I'm posting about it today. Hang on to your...

"HOT PINK HAT Vtg 60s Cloche' by vintageapparel


'beijo do Brasil fuchsia pink agate druzy ring' by BeijoFlor

'Tea for Two Earrings' by erinelizabeth

'Poppy Longstockings Candy STRIPE' by poppyswickedgarden

'Large Peppermint Twist Bath Puff' by rebeccajay

'Peppermint Love' giclee fine art print by karenfaulknerart

'Set of 3 Evergreen Festive Trees' by pinkbeeb0

'Vintage Plaid Men's Tie' by WhatGoesAroundShop

'Christmas Boxwood' by twoinspireyou

'Merry Christmas Banner' by TheBannerSisters


Happy Christmas, Crackers!  tIO x


PS: All of the above, or similar, were found on . 

Mid-week Music: Sara Groves "Toy Packaging"

Another Wednesday is here! And it's time for some mid-week cheer, courtesy of the lovely Sara Groves. (And it's set to flashing Christmas lights! Ooohh... But don't get too distracted by the shiny lights; these lyrics are inspired. Sara speaks words of wisdom yet again!) OK, now press play:



Christmas Lights PBL - Sara Groves ~ Toy Packaging from robogeek on Vimeo.

Best line: "Honey!"

Happy Christmas! And may your toys be easily opened. tIO x

PS:  Last year, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos echoed the "wrap rage" described in this song. This year, Amazon is offering "frustation-free packaging" on many items. Visit the previous link for the F-FP homepage on amazon.com, and do notice the offer's sub-title: "Reducing wrap rage since 2008." Clever, Mr Bezos; and thank you so very much.

Mid-week Music: Downhere "How Many Kings"

We've reached the midpoint; let's celebrate with a captivating song-for-the-season from Downhere:

Is it just me or does Marc Martel sound like Freddie Mercury? (Just one of the reasons I'm captivated.)

So, turn it up - or slip the headphones on - and hit replay. And have a wonderful mid-week day! (Falalalala-la-la-la-la!)

Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon! tIO x

Deck the Halls!

We went tree-hunting today. Huzzah! We have the best time, and the best luck, finding amazing trees at Wintergreen Tree Farm in Mantua. It's a short drive (approx 20 minutes) and their acres and acres of fraser firs make it unbeatable. Wintergreen is a no-fuss operation; parking is adequate and someone meets you at your cardoor with a saw. Then, they turn you loose into the wilds. (Perhaps it's due to the fact that we have sons but watching boot-clad, wind-chapped boys trudging through the fields is pure joy for me. And don't fret; liberal application of face cream will occur at bedtime.)

I didn't take any photos whilst there - silly me. But we quickly found five contenders, each one full and dense and with a sturdy 'topper' branch to brace the star. And we were home within the hour with this beauty:



As soon as the bale was off, our younger son hugged our "this-year tree" and our older son promptly sat-down at the piano to play some carols.

'Tis the season, lovelies! Hope you and yours enjoy this "most wonderful time of the year"!

Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon! tIO x

Banner Day! with Lupin

Hot off the blogpresses! Today's 'banner day' is courtesy of the lovely Laura Howard, a tea-drinking, cake-eating artisan who "wants to fill the world with felt loveliness," as she states on her facebook fan page. And yes, if it wasn't obvious already, I am a fan. Elsewhere, she can be found stocking her wonderful Etsy shop, Lupin; hosting her blog, Bugs and Fishes; and tweeting here: @bugsandfishes.

Laura's post from today - "How To: Advent Garland" - was too fabulous (and simple) to not share with you all. Please click-through the previous link for her tutorial.



Time to pile the boys into the Q7 and go 'supply hunting'. (I have to make it sound adventurous and possibly dangerous as they are boys. And I love it when they are excited about shopping - whatever the reason!)

Have a banner day!

PS: Some snaps from Laura's Lupin shop:

      

I may or may not have already purchased these. Perhaps last year even. And perhaps with a sweet blue adonis butterfly brooch as well. 'Tis the season! tIO x