Advent Calendar Revisited

 

 

 

 

Hello interwebs.

 

 

 

 

If you were tuned in last year for my Jesse Tree Advent Calendar posts, then you can probs just disregard this whole post.

If you weren't, or if you're of the beautiful few that have asked me for details,

it's your lucky day... ahem.

 

 

 

 

I love love love Advent and Christmas. a lot.

And I love Advent calendars, but last year I wanted one that was more biblically "reason for the season" based.

So I made this one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are 24 ornaments so it doesn't aactually run the liturgical season of Advent which changes every year. Rather, it begins on the 1st of December and ends on Christmas Eve (like most Advent calendars).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the individual ornaments and scriptural references.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day One: Creation

Genesis 1:1-31; 2:1-4

 

Day Two: Adam and Eve

Genesis 2:7-9 and 18-24

Day Three: The Fall of Man

Genesis 3:1-7 and 23-24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Four: Noah

Genesis 6:5-8, 13-22; 7:17, 23, 24; 8:1, 6-22

 

Day Five: Abraham

Genesis 12:1-3

 

Day Six: Isaac

Genesis 22:1-14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Seven: Jacob

Genesis 25:1-34; 28:10-15

 

Day Eight: Joseph

Genesis 37:23-28; 45:3-15

 

Day Nine: Moses

Exodus 3:1-15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Ten: Samuel

1 Samuel 3:1-18

 

Day Eleven: Jesse

1 Samuel 16:1-13

 

Day Twelve: David

1 Samuel 17:12-51

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 13: Solomon

1 Kings 3:5-14, 16-28

 

Day 14: Joseph

Matthew 1:18-25

 

Day 15: Mary

Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38

 

Day 16: John the Baptist

Mark 1:1-8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 17: Jesus is Wisdom

Sirach 24:2; Wisdom 8:1

 

Day 18: Jesus is Lord

Exodus 3:2; 20:1

 

Day 19: Jesus is Flower of Jesse

Isaiah 11:1-3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 20: Jesus is Key of David

Isaiah 22:22

 

Day 21: Jesus is Radiant Dawn

Psalm 19:6-7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 22: Jesus is King of the Gentiles

Psalm 2:7-8; Ephesians 2:14-20

 

Day 23: Jesus is Emmanuel

Isaiah 7:14; 33:22

 

Day 24: Jesus is Light of the World

John 1:1-14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each ornament has the name/theme of that day embroidered on the back.

 

And then I attached ribbon loops to the tops of each for hanging.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I embroidered the numbers on squares and then made those into pockets at the bottom of the banner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I sewed a channel in the top and fed a dowel through.

I also drilled holes in each side of the dowel to string a ribbon through for mounting on the wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want even more details?

For the original posts:

 

Click here for Part One (Days 1-12)

Click here for Part Two (Days 13-24)

Click here for Part Three (Making the banner and the finished product)

 

Are any you making an Advent calendar? Or have you already made one?

I would love to see pics!
I you want to share, email them to me at handmadebymeg@gmail.com
and we'll have an Advent calendar sharefest here on the ole blog.

Storytime

I think maybe it my famous blog friend, Jodi, that described the months before Christmas as

"the time when crafting blogs fall silent"

Amen, sister.

 

Things have been so so so busy here.

I've been creating like crazy!

And I'm psyched to share all of my stuff with you all,

but alas...

They're gifts!

Don't open til Christmas morning!!!

So things will definitely be quiet here on the blog front

as most all of my free time will be spent sewing, gluing, wrapping, and whatnot

(darn).

:)

 

 

So no craft sharing today.

Instead, I wanted to share a couple stories (for whoever will listen)

that truly had me humbled this week and last.

 

Story One:

Before Mass on Sunday, Chris and I were trying to decide if we would take one or two Angel Tree Tags this year. For those of you who may not know, many many churches do an "Angel Tree" this time of year. The tree is filled with ornaments, and each ornament represents a child (or adult) who is in need. You purchase a gift for that person. Simple. Great.

 

Our angel tree benefits a ministry called the East End Cooperative Ministry. I love this ministry. They help kids. They help adults. They give shelter to the homeless. They feed the hungry. They give winter coats to those in need. They share dress clothes, resume writing and interview courses, and rides to men and women who have fallen on hard times and need a job. Awesome. Really awesome.

 

Anywho, Chris and I get an ornament every year, and I was really hoping to purchase for two this year, but with everything else going on it was going to be a stretch. So after Mass we're standing in line to get an ornament and I see one for a 12 year old boy who asked for a winter coat (probably because he doesn't have one). So I pick it up, and just as I'm about to pat myself on the back for being so "selfless" (yeah right), I see another for a 10 year old boy who asked for... wait for it... a book.

They tell these kids that the can ask for WHATEVER THEY WANT!

And he wants a book!

And a couple hours earlier, I was struggling to come up with things to put on my son's Christmas list

because he wants for nothing.

Okay, God... very clear, thank you. We're getting two.

 

Humbled.

 

Story Two:

My junior high youth group is a really great collection of kids.

Don't get me wrong, they're a bunch of prepubescent crazies, but I love them.

We had a particularly great Bible Study last night.

Pat on the back, Meg!

 

but no wait!

(and this is a real conversation I had with one of my volunteers afterward)

 

Volunteer: Meg, there's a chance that I'll be out for a few weeks in December.

Meg: Is everything okay?

Volunteer: Oh yeah, I'm just having some tests done.

Meg: Yikes. Anything I can pray for in particular?

Volunteer: Well I'm just fine, but I'm being tested to give my kidney to someone.

Meg: What? That's nuts. A family member?

Volunteer: No. I actually don't know her, but she's dying of kidney failure, and I have two so...

Meg: How did you even hear about this?

Volunteer: There was a bulletin announcement, and I felt like it was for me, so they tested my blood and I'm a perfect match!

(and the conversation continued)

 

I mean, really, God? A bulletin anouncement.

 I'm the youth minister. I'm over here singing "Call Me Maybe" and I think I'm the one doing ministry??? This guy is donating a major organ to a total stranger!

Via bulletin anouncement!

 

Double humbled.

 

If you made it this far, congratulations.

I don't usually share overly personal blog posts,

but this was a such a kick in the pants kind of week, that I just had to share.

Because lets be honest. I need a lot of work.

 



Crocheted Mickey Mouse [Pattern Review]

So I promised some of you that I would have this up yesterday, but then I fell down some stairs (I wish I was kidding), slightly injured my tailbone,

and the thought of sitting at my desk literally made me throw up in my mouth.

I know. You don't care, so here's the actual post:

I got a request for a crocheted Mickey Mouse a week or so ago,

and thought it would be fun, so what the hey.

Only problem was, I've been waaaaay too busy with saint dolls to sit down and work out the pattern myself.

Luckily for me, I found this gem.

I mean, come on... the tail!

This Etsy shop has a TON of crochet patterns for all of your favorite characters

(I'm basically coveting this Paddington Bear),

and if they're half as nice as this one for Mickey,

I would highly recommend them.

This guy turned out great, thanks to some really clear instructions and simple crochet stitches.

While it's perhaps not for the crochet beginner,

it's not as difficult as it looks,

and if you can follow a simple pattern,

know your single, double, half double, and single decreases,

you are good. to. go.

The pattern maker hails from Hong Kong, but the directions were in perfect English

and although I wasn't able to use the exact yarn and hook size she uses,

it still came out great.

This was due largely to the fact that she uses measurements by stitch count and not just centimeters.

Therefore, I'm fairly certain that you can adjust this pattern to any size by changing the weight of the yarn and using the appropriately sized hook.

Body Parts. Creepy.

Anywho, here are some pics of how it all came together.

Facial Parts. Also kind of creepy.

Now he's coming together.

Almost finished.

*I was in no way compensated for this review. I paid for it fair and square, so you can be sure of my unbiased opinion, and it is just that... an opinion. I simply found this pattern, tried it, liked it, and and now recommending it. :)

See ya next time, folks!