Summer blooms in winter’s garden…
Blog
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Christmas Countdown
by Alysia
One of my favorite Christmas traditions is that of the Christmas countdown. You get a special treat every day for 24 days. How much fun is THAT?!
There wasn’t a lot out there to buy that wasn’t either cheap and unsavory, or extremely expensive, so I decided to make my own.
I’ve made several over the years and I have since left the painting to my husband. He is much better at it than I am. My first attempt involved cheap paints and a paintbrush. (It’s not the greatest looking creation but the idea had taken shape.)
To start, you buy a 24 drawer parts cabinet like this one:
This one was much easier to find online. We looked at several stores and they just didn’t have them in stock. You can even use one you happen to have on hand. You can paint these to look more traditionally like Christmas or think up a theme and go with that.
The first one that we completed would be more what I would consider “traditional”. We found the little village online and glued it on top. Then, we put on the painted fake snow you can get at just about any store that has craft supplies. My husband spray-painted it red and green and just made sure the paint he bought would be a good choice for plastic. The stickers came from a local craft store.
The other countdown, I have pictured below, was themed, “The Night Before Christmas”. It was a bit more expensive and it was harder to find things for this one.
This is the front and both sides we did for our family:
Traditional
We made the “Night Before Christmas” themed countdown for a birthday present.
Here we’ve separated them and my husband spray-painted them.
We picked up this cobblestone village road online because every picture we saw showed the characters in a castle.
We found these character toys online to decorate the top with after we glued down the cobblestone road.
This is the finished “Night Before Christmas” countdown. The numbers are just stickers we put on the front.
These drawers are good-sized and could be filled with all kinds of fun things. You just have to use your imagination and most importantly – HAVE FUN!
Alysia has also made my Christmas countdown boxes, which have been a Christmas highlight for years! Thank you so much for sharing your Christmas Countdown Alysia!!
Cover photo by Anuja Mary Tilj
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Foot Baths
(Cover image credit to Dhruv Deshmukh and article image by Rune Enstad)
The feet and hands are very receptive parts of the body. They can absorb healing elements, at times, faster than taking something internally. If a foot bath were a prescription, it could sound something like this:
Take every morning on an empty stomach. Use essential oils or herbs in hot water and soak for 5-8 minutes.
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Senses Blessing
A Blessing for the Senses
“May your body be blessed.
May you realize that your body is a faithful and beautiful friend of your soul.
And may you be peaceful and joyful and recognize that your senses are sacred thresholds.
May you realize that holiness is mindful, gazing, feeling, hearing, and touching.
May your senses gather you and bring you home.
May your senses always enable you to celebrate the universe and the mystery and possibilities in your presence here.
May the Eros of the Earth bless you.”
From Anam Cara by John O’Donohue
Photos by Sharon McCutcheon
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Today’s Shot 30
Corridors between trees.
Forest’s voices echo.
Wind whispers through grass.
Winter’s chill settles.
Great Pines and hearts yearn,
For sun’s warmth to return.
-Thela 🦊 Foxgood
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Post-It Notes 22
Strength
“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do.
Strength comes from
o v e r c o m i n g
the things you once thought you couldn’t.”
-Rikki Rogers
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Today’s Shot 29
“Wisdom is a living stream, not an icon preserved in a museum. Only when we find the spring of wisdom in our own life can it flow to future generations.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh
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Today’s Shot 28
Nostalgia and memory have flavors as well as images in our minds. Some memories taste like Pannekoeken!
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Post-It Notes 21
F. E. A. R.
Has two meanings –
Forget everything and run
OR
Face everything and rise.
The choice is yours.
– Author Unknown
Pilgrimage Studio 