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{monday} tis the gift giving season ~ another treats download
December 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But holidays are so delightful,
With apologies to Sammy Cahn and Jule Style, it’s not snowing, although with this weather anything is possible this Christmas, but it is a little gloomy outside. But who cares, because school holidays have started and since we’ve got no place to go, we are enjoying a morning of hanging about in our pyjamas with a game of monopoly planned {today’s advent calendar surprise}.
The big news of today is of course it’s Christmas week. How exciting. And the preparations are in full swing. And I couldn’t resist another little download.
Just like the reindeer noses, this time it’s Christmas baubles. I kept seeing little chocolate Christmas balls on the shelves so thought a bag topper was in order. I gave some of these out to the neighbours. My local Coles actually had chcolate Christmas baubles but I think chocolate balls, skittles, m & m’s or just about anything else would suffice.
Get the Christmas bauble bag toppers here
I’m gearing up for a fun week with the smalls ~ on the agenda is our annual Santa photo, movies and some Christmas fun. Yesterday we made our first gingerbread house. I bought a kit which was a cinch to put together and let them loose with the decorating. It is to be our Christmas centrepiece.
In other news:
- I bought some fairy lights and some green paper lanterns for my study, a Christmas gift to myself {remember my random thoughts}
- As it gets closer to Christmas, my DIY calendar gets popular. Print the pdf and decorate with children’s drawings or photos. Get it on on the website | etsy
- If you need a 2012 calendar, you can get my download here
- There’s lots of Christmas ideas over at the Creative Collective this month with guest posters every day
- And you need more Christmas ideas, check out the #74funthings hashtag on Twitter. Saturday’s list was all about Christmas crafts
{monday} I “nose” some great Christmas ideas ~ with download
December 12, 2011 By 16 Comments
So the madness of Monday is a little madder than normal with this being the final week of school.
And one mother may have lapsed on the washing front and barely had clean uniforms for everyone.
And that same mother may have been madly wrapping gifts at quarter to nine to take in for the Reverse Christmas tree.
But I have managed one quick pentulimate round of Christmas shopping this morning. We are almost there. The rest of my day will be spent making Christmas treats for tomorrow’s class parties and organising the class teacher gift.
But I can’t help feeling that my shopping won’t be complete until I’ve bought something with a day to go. Then I will feel like I have finished!
It’s 13 sleeps to go. I can’t help it, I’m excited.
So I’m getting all festive today and here’s what’s happening on my Monday.
- Christmas treats: going to attempts Nic’s milky way sleighs, maybe her candy cane freckles as a back-up and Donna Hay’s chocolate candy cane cookies
- Have you sent the jolly bloke in red your Christmas list yet. It’s not too late. Ours went into the post box on the weekend. If you are in Australia, go here for the details about writing and getting a letter back from Santa, complete with stationery downloads, go to Living Locurto or Design Editor for a printable letterhead from Santa’s desk and if you need some writing ideas, head over to oh my handmade goodness for a fill-in-the-blanks template.
- Got Moshi Monsters fans in the house, surprise them with the Moshi Twistmas single on iTunes
And I couldn’t resist. This was such a simple and effective kids’ treat that the minute I saw it I knew my smalls would be taking in reindeer noses for all their friends this Christmas.
It really is the craze sweeping the blogosphere this year, I’ve seen several other lovely bloggers do it. It really was so quick and the smalls loved it. Plus it is perfect for me, a non-crafty type who can is more at home behind the keyboard.
The original idea seems to comes from here. I used eight maltesers (one each for Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen} one jaffa for Rudolph, a bag and a topper and you’re done. On the back it has space for a To: and From:.
You can get my Reindeer noses bag topper here
Got a quick Christmas tip to share?
{monday} Christmas has exploded at our house
December 5, 2011 By 24 Comments
Our weekend advent activity, coinciding with the first weekend in December, was of course to decorate the tree and get out the decorations. Christmas has well and truly begun at Casa Lime Lane.
19 days to go.
Just thought you might want to know that.
{instagram shots ~ Santa and lights, decorating the tree and the giant Santa at the Christmsas shop}
It was lovely day actually, the smalls were quite excited ~ lots of “is it time yet, is it time yet?” and Hubby got stuck in putting up some Christmas lights and generally being a good sport about what ever crazy things we wanted to do. We made a trip to the seasonal Christmas store for a look and in search for a star for the top of the tree. We also came up away with the “Holiday Express” train which is now taking up the main part of the coffee table.
We have two trees ~ both of which light up. This is the smalls’ tree, the one they decorate and I ignore. The lights are pretty though.
Top is our main tree under which a range of gaily wrapped presents in lime, silver and blue will sit. You can see it is quite the minimalist version and each leaf lights up.
Then in other areas of the house are little vignettes of Christmas cheer. Santa’s train in the blue and silver section, the candles in the gold and red section, the lego advent calender in “toy land”.
The advent calendar got a do-over too and is now pinned to a noticeboard {I picked this one up at Officeworks}. No more falling off the wall. Brilliant.
Today Hubby is taking the day off so we can do some Christmas shopping. We have a list, checking it twice and all that. It’s frightening how organised we are this Christmas!
Getting into the Christmas spirit with punky and me and my place and yours.
{monday} that sound is the Christmas express ~ full steam ahead
November 28, 2011 By 6 Comments
I apologise for my tardiness today but I’ve been … Christmas shopping.
This morning I finishing locking in the items for the smalls’ advent calendar. Cue much excitement, on my behalf, because they still don’t know anything about it yet. Boy are they in for a surprise
On the weekend I planned out each day and wrote a list of items and activities, as well as the things I needed to buy. Our daily list includes the occasional chocolate {santas and coins ~ because what’s an advent calendar without some treat}, small gifts, books, a board game, charitable gifts, activities like Santa photos and christmas lights, some baking and making cards and gifts.
One of the advent activities will be setting up the tree ~ booked in for Saturday. We always try and wait until the start of December and Saturday will be our first day all at home together. The Santas above will be making their appearance and It will really feel like Christmas when the decorations are up and the lights are a-twinkling.
The end of November is rushing towards us like a freight train. And Christmas is the little red caboose following right behind.
I think I can, I think I can.
I’m consoling myself with the fact that along with Christmas comes a little holiday.
Just quickly:
- I started a 74 Lime Lane flickr group and if you are on flickr I would love you to join. You can share anything crafty or lovely, and if you have used any Lime Lane printables, perhaps wrapped some gifts with the deer tags, take a photo and share it here. Papier Dreams has already shared a how to make a folded paper star ornament.
- The first newsletter subscriber giveaway is happening this week. A prize package including the latest Donna Hay magazine and a yet to be released Lime Lane camera lovers calendar. Got to be in it to win it.
- A December calendar will be coming later this week and I will share my advent calendar printables. Stay tuned.
- Here’s a tip. Nic from Planning with Kids already has lots of great planning ideas. But she is also asking for some help with a little survey. Pop over, answer a few questions and in return you will get her Christmas Treats recipe book. This is going to be my go to for the smalls’ end-of-term Christmas parties!
How’s your Christmas preparations going?
Hello! I'm Kellie and here I collect inspiration ~ beautiful photos, words on creativity, lovely printables and handmade items. I love autumn, cameras, and of course, the colour lime.
