Welcome, December!

So, the girls and I arrived home from our Thanksgiving in Michigan the night before school resumed.  We made a hectic stop at the grocery store to restock the fridge after our absence, hauled in luggage, and resumed our normal routines.  The girls returned to school.  Eli called home often and even texted photos of the magnificent snow fall that arrived in Michigan just after we departed.  I tried to juggle laundry from the trip with getting things posted in my Etsy shop in time for Christmas shopping.

And then, on our Wednesday morning commute to school, Clarissa wished November a dramatic and flowery fairwell, and welcomed the cold weather, hot chocolate, and magical holiday season of December into our lives.  Wait, what?  December?!

I have been fantasizing about making this year's advent calendar for each girl since early last summer; yet here I found myself with only one day to make them.  That left no time to sew and hand stencil 48 muslin bags.  I would have to think of something else, and right away.  I hastily gathered up supplies, including 48 trinkets/treasures/treats, the brown paper bag lunch sacks and matching card stock.  My preparations took longer than I anticipated - doesn't it always?  I even made a very late night call to Eli for help with resetting the IP address on our wireless printer!

They didn't turn out as I imagined them.  But the girls welcomed December to our lives yesterday morning, still in their jammies, with oohs and aahs over so many mysterious gifts.  Ella even complimented me on my choice of Rosewood for the number 1.  (I love that my daughter's are already identifying fonts!)  While the girls were at school, I set about hanging the bags on long strands of twine in the art room, and snapping a few photos.  I think that pretty much counts as a deadline met, don't you?    

Do you see the little card stand below?  I bought it at the Round Top Antique Weekend with my mom a couple months ago.  My dream is to someday participate in a craft fair and use the little stand to display my cards and photos.  Until then, it is the perfect place to put advent cards each day after the gifts are opened.  We can save them for next year.  Just in case I still haven't managed to sew those muslin bags.