• Christmas tree countdown for kids
    Advent crafts - Crafts for kids - free printables

    {Free printable} Christmas tree countdown for kids

    November 19, 2020 - By 

    With only a few weeks left until December 1st you are probably busy shopping and planning. My children are already so excited about Christmas. We start our Christmas celebrations on December 1st with the arrival of our Elf on the Shelf and his brother (yes, we have two!). They bring Advent calendars and get up to silly tricks each day which always seem to amuse the kids. Advent calendars are a great way to tick off the days leading up to Christmas Day. My children love a piece of chocolate each day but my printable Christmas countdown makes a great…

  • An Advent tradition - Elfie’s Christmas Letters
    Advent crafts - Christmas - Family Life

    An Advent tradition – Elfie’s Christmas Letters

    October 14, 2020 - By 

    This house believes. Christmas is a magical time and this Christmas I will be pulling out all the stops to make sure my children have a magical Christmas. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to see family and friends, but we can still believe in the magic of this time of year. Christmas starts for us on the 1st December. We’re not allowed to even mention the word Christmas before the end of November due to my daughter’s birthday. However that doesn’t mean that I’m not busy planning behind the scenes during October and November! Christmas magic with Elfie’s…

  • Cricut made countdown {wooden block calendar}
    Advent crafts - Crafts for adults - Cricut Maker

    Cricut made countdown {wooden block calendar}

    February 25, 2020 - By 

    I love crafting for Christmas and had so much fun planning and making throughout October, November and December. I’ve shared a lot of my favourite Cricut projects with you, including the personalised wooden advent calendars we made. Today I wanted to tell you about the wooden block countdown calendar I also made. Although I made it for the children to countdown to Christmas Day, we’re now using it as a photo prop with our little Bichon Frise pup! Easy Cricut made countdown from wooden blocks I’m calling this make a wooden block countdown calendar for want of a better name.…

  • Cricut made Advent calendar
    Advent crafts - Christmas - Crafts for adults - Cricut Maker

    DIY re-useable wooden advent calendars

    January 12, 2020 - By 

    Last year my children asked for Advent calendars I just couldn’t find in the shops. They asked for a Pokemon and Minecraft Advent calendar. They’ve always enjoyed opening their Advent calendars and I didn’t want to disappoint them, especially as they still believe the Elf on the Shelf makes them for them. As we couldn’t buy the Advent calendars we wanted we decided to make our own re-useable advent calendars that could be used again. Our idea was for a simple wooden box frame with 24 little Advent bags hanging from three wooden dowels which would contain Pokemon toys for…

  • Our Mindful advent candle countdown
    Advent crafts - Crafts for adults - Cricut Maker

    Our Mindful advent candle kit

    November 15, 2019 - By 

    I love celebrating Advent. This year I wanted to try and keep it simple as it’s such a busy time of year, especially with two children at school. I’ve made the children their own advent calendars which hopefully I’ll be able to re-use year after year. Although I usually treat myself to an advent calendar this year I wanted something a little different. I find most advent calendars really wasteful, full of things I don’t really need (yes M&S Advent calendar, I’m talking about you!). I’m usually out of the door at half past 7 so I have little time…

  • What books featured in our Book Advent in 2017
    Advent crafts - book review - Family Life

    What books featured in our Book Advent in 2017

    January 4, 2019 - By 

    I was in two minds about having a Book Advent last year. Although we had  books from the previous year I just didn’t have time to wrap them all individually. However my 7 year old wanted to know why our Christmas elves hadn’t brought the books when they arrived with the Advent calendars, so I quickly got them out so she could enjoy reading them. What is a Christmas Book Advent? The idea of a Christmas Book Advent is simple. Alongside your daily chocolate treat you can also consume something a little longer lasting – a book! We love reading and…

  • Advent Candle Suncatcher tutorial
    Advent crafts - Christmas - crafts - Kids crafts - tutorial

    Advent Candle Suncatcher

    December 5, 2017 - By 

    As well as all the chocolate and books, Advent is about something much simpler, which often gets overlooked. The word Advent loosely means “coming” and is the time of waiting and preparing for the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. The first Sunday of Advent was actually Sunday 3rd December and we marked it with a lovely Advent Candle Suncatcher craft. We love making suncatchers throughout the year. I couldn’t find that we had ever made one for Advent so today we’re going to share the Advent candle suncatcher we made. Suncatchers are so simple to make, and lovely to look…

  • What's inside our Advent crate
    Advent crafts - Christmas - homestyle

    What’s inside our Advent crate

    November 24, 2017 - By 

    Advent can take a lot of planning but it’s sooo worth the effort. I spend November planning our Advent books and calendars so everything is ready for December 1st. Last year I made a little wooden Advent crate to hold everything but I have to admit it barely fitted anything, so I need to re-think how to hold everything this year. I’m so excited for this year so I’m going to share what I’ve got ready for the family: This year I have winter duvets for the kids. I picked these up in Asda in the Summer holidays as I…

  • Our 2017 Book Advent books (perfect for 5-7 year olds)
    Advent crafts - book review - parenting

    Our 2017 Book Advent books (perfect for 5-7 year olds)

    November 23, 2017 - By 

    I can’t believe it’s time to start getting ready for December 1st and our annual festive Book Advent. Do you organise a Book Advent? It’s a lovely way to bring out some of those classic Christmas books, as well as more modern classics, and cuddle up with a good book. We love to read and this time of year is even more perfect for picking up a longer book and sharing it with your child. My children are 5 and 7 but are happy to share their Book Advent books (thankfully!). The first thing I did was to get last…