Someone I know, love, and trust shared this item on Facebook yesterday, so of course I did that one-click spendy thing on Amazon.
2. Since Amazon is also someone I know, love, and trust (within reason), and they had a suggestion for me, I nabbed these bad boys too.
I guess this means we'll be having gingerbeard instead of gingerbread. tee-hee!
3. In getting ready for the Advent-ure, (I sure am punny today) I did an online search for a high-quality child-safe Advent wreath. I'm looking for something similar in quality to this Shabbat set.
Facebook friend, Angela bought two Shabbat sets from Barnes & Noble. She's re-painting her candles and re-purposing them for Advent.
I'm impressed, yet overwhelmed with that route. So I turned to Etsy Handmade instead.
ADHToys is making me a set like this, but it will include "lit" and "unlit" candles. Easy on my temporal budget, while financially supporting a crafter's home business, winning all around.
Message her! She'll probably do one for you too. If you ask nicely.
4. Speaking of Etsy Handmade things, I sent my precious nephew, Isaac, a homemade flannel blanket from Etsy seller, Project Orange.
When I messaged her that it was a gift, she wrapped it, tied it with ribbon, and added a printed note from me, all at no extra charge. I love these Etsy folks!
5. I'm trying to do more Christmas/St. Nicholas shopping at Etsy and independent stores.
Kelly at This Ain't the Lyceum got me started on this kick. She has lots of great ideas in her Catholic and Handmade Christmas gift guide: ties in liturgical colors, handmade boxes for his homebrew, handmade saint medals, and more.
I know a girl who will love these Doctor Who inspired earrings,
and a couple of girls who desperately need red riding hoods.
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| This is not my photo or my kids. They belong to Etsy seller, OriginalsbyLaurenToo. |
Heck, I'm even finding stuff for my #indignant17yo. What teen boy doesn't want a lego mini-fig keychain in their stocking?
How cool would these Lord of the Rings inspired travel posters look in the boys' room? Or in Patrick's office? Or in our bedroom?
6. Enough of the Windows shopping! (Last pun, I promise.)
Soon it will be time to set up my collaborative Jesse tree and try to find the Advent at Ephesus cd that I bought last year. It's probably at the bottom of a Christmas tub. sigh.
**I am really on top of things this year.
I already ordered and received real beeswax Advent candles from Toadily Handmade Beeswax Candles. Ripped this idea off Mary at Better Than Eden. Of course, she is hand-rolling her own candles. *cough*over-acheiver*cough* I'm just phoning it in with the pre-rolled kind.
7. I am planning to do a(nother) post about our favorite Christmas/Advent books. Kendra at Catholic All Year posted her Five Favorite Read-Alouds for Advent, and I was surprised to see that the Thornton Family's picks for this season are all different! Every year, I find more and more Christmas stories to treasure.
This year, I got The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski from the library. It pays to request Christmas books in November. Patrick read it to Jill, and he was spellbound. He immediately started looking to see if it had been made into a movie, and was disappointed to see that it has.
**Just by typing that, I have ensured that a major appliance will break down in the fourth week of Advent, or someone will vomit as soon as we begin our post-Christmas roadtrip to St. Louis.
Feel free to leave me a little present/comment below. You could share your favorite Etsy shop/item, your favorite Christmas/Advent book or cd, or your favorite cookie recipe. Or just say, "Hey!"
Happy Thanksgiving if I don't see you on What We're Reading Wednesday! I mean, I'll be here, but will you?
