As far as I'm concerned, the holiday season I really love starts the day after Halloween. It's full-on christmas/solstice around here now...crafts, music, decorating, gifts. Oh yes, I'm sure it's highy annoying to anyone in my life, but I don't care...I LOVE it. I think it has to do with my dear Meme, who started decorating for christmas in October. She had a full room in her house (no joke) just for storing christmas decorations, and she'd literally take EVERYTHING off her walls, counters, shelves, etc...to make way for christmas stuff, leaving no square inch in her home untouched with the holiday spirit. A little insane perhaps. But I loved it. Loooooved it.
Oh yeah, so the advent garland. In my post-Halloween excitement, I've been cranking on these. It was a blast--I thought it would get boring, or I'd run out of ideas on how to make them each different, but the opposite happened-- I wanted more stockings to use all the other ideas I had (yes, yes...we've already established my insanity). I hung it to "test it out" on my window (hence the bad lighting photo above). I used a mix of embellishments, some embroidery, some buttons, etc. And all the stockings are on cordoroy, except the flannel prints. Here are some closeups (and can I just whine about my camera? grr....Santa?? you listening??):
Now I just need to come up with what to put in the stockings each day--without getting lots of trinket-y kid junk. That's one thing for each child, for 24 days. Um, 48 little "things"? Hmnn...ideas welcome!
