Extended Christmas Break

Dear Reader,

With only a few more days until Christmas, I hope that your final preparations for the holiday are coming together well and that you are enjoying these last days of anticipating the celebration.  My son and I made a batch of Christmas cookies that we completed at about 7:30 in the evening, and then we both sampled one.  Not a wise move on my part to give my dear four year old a cookie so close to bedtime, but he thoroughly enjoyed it!

My husband, son, and I are certainly looking forward to Christmas.  We will be celebrating with my family on Christmas Eve and with my husband's family on Christmas Day.  We love that our small families and proximity to one another allow us to see everyone on holidays!  And after Christmas the anticipation continues.  We are looking towards the arrival of our second baby before the end of 2011!  We can't wait!

As you would imagine, I am hoping to savor this next period of time as fully as possible.  I will be writing here as time allows.  The shop will reopen sometime in the New Year.   And in the meantime, I hope and pray for healthy, happy moments with my growing family.

Merry Christmas!  Best to each of you as you begin 2012.  And thank you for reading.

Quick Shop Update

Dear Reader,

Each day seems quite full right now, and I'm certain that I am not alone in feeling this way!  I am planning to close the shop on Friday, December 16 until after the holidays.  If you have an interest in blocks for now or early in the New Year, please consider a set this week.  Also, I've added the promo code of THANKS15 to take 15% off your purchase.  Enjoy!

I am grateful for the opportunities to also have my blocks in two local shops - Minty Keen in Grand Rapids and DreamSpun in Ada.  Both places have such a lovely selection of items to round out some Christmas shopping!

Tuesday's Treasury: Gold

I had intentions of putting together a color combination treasury again this week but found so many beautiful soft gold items that this treasury resulted!

Wrapping

Dear Reader,

I'm noticing all of these advertisements for the 12 days before Christmas and realizing just how soon this holiday will arrive.  I am trying to savor and anticipate.  I could mention many moments this last week that are so worth treasuring.  To be honest, I am also trying to check things off my ongoing "to do" list.  One of my favorite "to do" list items is gift wrapping.  I am not necessarily very creative or innovative in my approach, but I do enjoy the activity of wrapping.

This year many of our gifts have been packaged using the same formula (stamped kraft bag + red tissue + stamped tag + ribbon).  I actually love the simplicity of the result and think I may find a similar way to repeat next year. 

Tuesday's Treasury: Light Blue + Cream

I am continuing in the fun of color combinations this week with a wintry treasury of light blues and creams.  Happy Tuesday!

Gingerbread Kit

Dear Reader,

I like the idea of savoring the month of December and trying to find ways each day of acknowledging that Christmas is coming.  With having a four year old, I so want to establish fun experiences, traditions, and memories for him of this season while still attempting to keep the focus on what the celebration is about.  Interestingly, my son now remembers some of the activities from last Christmastime, and together we have made a list of some things we hope to do before December 25.

Topping the list this year, my son hoped to make a gingerbread house.  My husband, son, and I have worked on one each year for the past two years, and we just used supplies that I had on hand (graham crackers, powdered sugar icing, sprinkles, etc.)  This year I thought a gingerbread kit would be a nice way to make a house.  Honesty, I also thought it would be easier.

My son and I together selected a kit from the store.  Of the available kits, he chose a gingerbread village.  I think he had it pictured as a Lego set where we would together construct the pieces and make an exact replica of the photo on the box.  While we put good effort into the kit one afternoon this past week, our end result wasn't quite the same.  I must not have a way with frosting because the buildings kept collapsing and I ran out before icing all of the roofs adequately to hold the candy embellishments.  It didn't keep my sweet boy from working very diligently on matching the candy patterns from the box's picture.

No disappointment on my son's part though.  He sampled his fair share of icing and candies in the building process, and he still has hopes of adding on more decorations.  And I have the memory of an afternoon spent with just the two of us together developing this village to enjoy in the weeks ahead.

I'm linking up with Life Made Lovely, and I hope that this is a lovely week for each of you!

Featured in a Treasury

Many thanks to The Peach Tree for including the road trip blocks in this treasury!