It must be December

because we have got out our Advent Tree, Santa and Rudolf! For the past few years we have had a knitted Advent Tree and each day we pin on a decoration. This is the tree awaiting its first decoration..

and these are the decorations

Rudolph and Santa

The boys of course also have a chocolate Advent Calendar each.

Do you have an Advent Calendar of any kind?

First Sunday in Advent

Ok how did it get to be Advent already - I think this year has just flown in really quickly.

Today is the first Sunday in Advent. At Church we have a candle which we light each Sunday during Advent and this year we also have some Advent boxes - one for each Sunday! The first one contained an alarm clock! How many of us dislike the alarm going off in the morning - but we know that it means that we have to get up and start  getting ready for the day. So on this first Sunday in Advent we know that we have to start getting ready for Christmas - getting ready for the birth of Jesus - not just getting in the food and the presents. The countdown has begun!

What are you doing to get ready for Christmas, to prepare for the birth of our Lord Jesus?

Fingerless Gloves

Well the carpet is down and I have almost got all the furniture back in. Also have a large pile of books which will be going to the charity shops so the bookshelves look much tidier now! Am thinking of getting a Kindle for Christmas, husband got one for his birthday - this might help the place be a little less cluttered with books - as we hate to get rid of books!

No pages done yet for my Gratitude journal - but I have been creative. I knitted a pair of fingerless gloves using Patons Linen Touch cotton. They were really quick and easy to do.

Slipped a little!

Oh dear I have slipped a bit this week with making pages for my Gratitude album and Art Every Day Month. My sister we here for a few days at the beginning of  last week. Instead of doing some creative art I did some creative baking instead and made this cake. She brought back some lovely sock wool from Germany so I have been some sock knitting every night.

I have been doing the volunteer training with Citizens Advice Bureau and really enjoying it, so that took up Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Then on Friday the womens Guild had a display in the Library. Each local Guild had a table and we displayed some info about all the national projects the Guild support. Each year the Guild raise a phenomenal amount of money.

On Friday night our church had a quiz, our team won - hurrah!

I have had a lot to be thankful for this week - family, baking, work of the Guild, work of projects, winning the quiz. Hoping to be able to make some pages this week, although we are getting a new shower in tomorrow and a new carpet in the dining room on Tuesday!

Art Every Day Month - Day 13

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Art Every Day Month - Day 12

Today I am thankful for all the people who come along to Messy Church. We hold Messy Church once a month on a Saturday morning and it is for all the family to come together to praise, do crafts and activities and share food together. Today we were looking at Hannah and Samuel and prayer. It was a good morning.

 Remember I said that I was blocking a crochet project - well here it is - although the colours look better in real life. It is a table mat and is done in a variey of cottons.

Art Every Day Month - Days 10 & 11

Yesterday Mum and I went a run in the car and visited a wool shop - I was good and only got a couple of patterns, but Mum treated herself to some nice wool for a cardigan. So today my page says I am thankful for having  a car and being able to go places.

Tonight was youth group night at the church, IGNITE. For various reasons we have not met for a while so it was good to get back and I think everyone enjoyed it. This session we are starting off looking at the book of Romans. Today my page records that I am thankful for the young people that come along to the group.