roll number 5 is one of my favourites i think. i love the style of this one. i used a page from an old book and ink sprays and stamps from the Dylusions line by Dyan Reaveley. (i love her style!) i used glitter glue to colour in the stamped twinkle lights and a white gel pen to make them "light up".
it's St. Nicholas' Day today. it's a day in advent the kids look forward to because as legend has it St. Nicholas comes to each house where nice children live to bring them sweets and other good things. in austria we don't hang a christmas stocking that is filled at christmas but i have a theory that the christmas stocking thing actually comes from St. Nicholas's Day. traditionally, as in: the olden days, every one in the family cleans their boots on december 5th and puts them out on the front porch (or at least outside the bedroom door). St. Nicholas stops by when everyone is asleep and puts chocolate, gingerbread, sweets, fruit and nuts in the boots that belong to nice people, while those that have been naughty only get lumps of coal and twigs. when we were kids my siblings and i did clean our boots actually - or at least some years - but these days kids tend to get their sweets in little bags made of jute (because St. Nicholas is said to carry a big jute sack on his back). i remember one year my sister and i got wonderfully warm and cozy housebooties made from sheepskin that were stuffed with yummy things and sat at the end of our beds when we woke up.
some people ask a relative (or hire someone) to dress up as St. Nicholas to come and deliver the goodie bags in person but as far as i know most children are more intimidated than delighted by this. i remember when i was little my cousins' grandpa (not the one we had in common) used to dress up and he always seemed to be so very tall and he has such a deep voice - i was usually quite scared...
a hired St. Nicholas comes to kindergarten every year - T's always very excited about it and not afraid at all.
(don't imagine St. Nicholas looking like Santa Claus. St. Nicholas wears a bishop's robes and hat.)
for my kids i made these felt stockings and hung them up with the rest of the advent calender and in the afternoon we're going to have a nice tea with chocolate, cookies, nuts, oranges, candles and maybe a few christmas carols...
i got the pattern for these from this book that i just had to buy a few years ago...
this is yesterday's calender yarn knitted up. this one will look really nice in the round as well.
this is what i have so far. still looking a little wonky but it will be fine once i start the second row. after today's square is added a quarter of the calender will be done already! once i have ten in a row i will measure if it's wide enough to see if i can start the next row.
door number 6. it's ridiculous how much i adore these little doors...
it seems my blanket is getting a blue streak...
... with lovely shades of frosty greyish blue, mauve and lavender. how beautiful!
i love you all! consider yourself warmly hugged and i'll be back tomorrow...