Advent Calendar 2023: 6 – 11
Origami Box
This is the fourth year I have participated in a Crafty Advent Calendar, where crafty people each make 24 little gifts, exchange them in late November. We then open a different little home made gift every day up to the 24th of December.
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Pear and ginger cordial
The Pear and ginger Cordial that we found on December 6 makes a lovely drink when mixed with fizzy water – I also sometimes mix a tablespoon of cordial with a pinch of salt in plain water for a re-hydrating drink after exercise!
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Golden walnut
A note inside #7 read:
“During the great depression my great-grandmother Marjorie didn’t have enough to buy decorations as all their available money needed to go towards food. Instead in 1930 she used the leftover shells from buying walnuts and painted them gold to hang on the tree. We still have one of her golden walnuts in our family which we love very much as a symbol of joy and resiliency. Merry Christmas…”
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Swedish Washing-up cloth
The Hittys and the Swedish Horses in the cupboard were wildly impressed with day 8’s hand-stencilled Swedish dish cloth – made of cellulose, it is reusable, compostable, and beautiful…it may be too beautiful to use! This crafty friend bought the undecorated sponge fabric and made her own large shapes, infilling them with commercial stencils and using fabric paint, wow, so beautiful!
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Miracoli
On the 9th of December Jane was thrilled to find a new spice mix – “Miracoli” a German favourite that is added to tomato paste to make an instant pasta sauce. Our mixture was created by a German expatriot with fond childhood memories! Jane says it’s truly delicious and addictive!
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Salt and Pepper fudge
The 10th was another delicious treat – salt and pepper fudge, and it came with a beautiful printed owl who is ready to fly right off the card and grab a chunk of it!
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Scrubby
December 11th we opened the lovely Origami box (shown in the first picture of this blog post) and found a cute, useful and beautiful dish scrubby crocheted with colourful tulle!
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Thank you crafty friends! And special thanks to our crafty Christmas Angel who has organised us again this year! Every gift is a sweet reminder of friendship, creativity and and generosity!
Quimper Hittys 
Thank you again for sharing the Advent gifts that have come your way. They are each thoughtfully and carefully, beautifully and creatively given and now shared with us. I’m intrigued by salt and pepper fudge! Becky J
It is lovely to see what people have made. Creating things by hand is getting more rare, and so more precious! The fudge was delicious with big chunks of salt, and little dusting of pepper on top!
Home made gifts really are the best. Love the golden walnut!
We love the walnut too, and so glad the person shared the origin story!
What fabulous gifts! I particularly like the golden walnut for its story.
So do I – such a simple gift, and packed with the reminders of joy and resilience – just lovely!
That dishcloth is beautiful, I wouldn’t be able to use it in case it got dirty!
That’s what we are worried about! I don’t want to put it at the bottom of the dish cloth pile either…
I think in your shoes, I’d cut it out of its background, punch a hole in the top and turn it into a decoration. Such a lovely design!
I hadn’t thought of that, but what a great idea!
what a variety of gifties! the girls are great models for all the surprises. Such a nice tradition! Fun every day.
It is fun every day! That’s the fun of it…and so very much appreciated in the darkest days!
oops I forgot to add that i just love the wonderful hats the girls are wearing!!!
Thanks! Leftover sock yarn has many uses!