starry starry advent

Oh my, I have been busy!! As I'm sure we all are in this last month of the year! Apart from the usual daily activities, we have been busy in the garden, busy making secret gifts and busy putting up the new poly tunnel (more on that another day......but I am so excited!!!) 

In between I helped my sweet Fairy create an advent calendar that she had wanted to try since she first saw it a few months back. Yes, yes, I realise I should have done it then but you know how it is, some things just go on The List until such time as They Are Important.....like when you need them!!! 

I'm quite pleased with how this little project turned out, although I was thinking at the time what a lot of work it was! I used some light cardboard/thick paper that had come from the centre of wrapping paper rolls - there's always a good size piece thats rolled in with the last bit of wrapping paper and I can never bear to throw it away (yes, I've kept them for a whole year) 

Fairy wrote out a joke for each star and we added some healthy not quite as toxic as usual sweets for the gang to enjoy each day. If I had more time been more organised I would have liked to put surprise goodies in them, like few nuts or a dried apricot or even a few pebbles and some charades to act out or a poem to recite..... but Fairy got loads of writing practise and thats gotta be a bonus, right?  

If you are interested in making some in the next day or so, here are the instructions. You should be able to click on the pic and it will get bigger but I think the drawings are pretty self explanatory. Sorry, not only am I late but I have no time to write instructions out either! 

I think the stars would look really great with some of those nice stamps that everyone seems to be cutting out all over blog land, perhaps in a snowflake pattern....... but again, no time, no time! 

They are not very big and we thought at first that we wouldn't fit much inside but because they are actually rounded, they're surprisingly roomy! 

So, here it is - Advent calendar 2012! And as Fairy pointed out we used recycled materials last year too.... toilet rolls painted gold!! 

I'm linking this with Creative Friday over at Natural Suburbia today.
And for the first time I'm also linking with [we love green stuff] at the inspiring Naturkinder blog.

Wir haben endlich unser Advent Kalender fertig, die kleine und ich. Nach vielen schneiden, malen und schreiben haben wir sie heute auf gehängt und freuen uns schon bis morgen! Ein Zuckerl, ein Witz und viel mühe und wir haben es geschafft aber nur mit einem tag extra! Momentan ist so viel Arbeit im garten, das ich so wenig zeit habe zum basteln, aber ein Advent Kalender muss man haben, nicht war?