Sunday, December 01, 2013

Advent

A Little White House Christmas - 1 - 


So, it's not like I haven't been warned: I've read all the other bloggers' posts on how to be a good blogger. Take gorgeous pictures when natural light is at its best, have great and interesting projects with a full tutorial, post in advance so people have time to do their own version of your amazing DIY extravaganza and of course, clean your house before taking pictures!

Vous n'allez pas le croire en voyant les photos de cet article, mais en fait, j'ai lu tout plein d'articles sur ce qu'il faut faire quand on a un blog: avoir des supers projets faits maison, prêts longtemps à l'avance, prendre les photos en plein jour quand la lumière est la plus belle, avoir une maison propre et bien décorée...


Well, being the stubborn girl I am, today's post is the exact contrary of all the very good advice I read.

Evidemment, cet article est tout le contraire!


My Christmas decorating is far from done. But I made a point today to have at least one thing ready. My Advent banner.

Mes décorations de Noël sont loin d'être prêtes. Mais j'ai réussi à finir un tout petit bout de ce que j'avais en tête: une modeste bannière de l'avent.


Every single year before Christmas, I begin an Advent calendar project. And every single year, it turns out to be too complicated and too time consuming for it to ever be finished on time.

Je dois vous avouer que chaque année depuis toute petite, je commence à créer un calendrier de l'avent et chaque année, le projet est trop compliqué et trop long et donc reste toujours innachevé.


So this year I went with a very simple idea. It's not perfect: the little tags are not neatly alined or even at the same distance from each others. But the important thing is that it's the first I ever finished and for that reason alone, it deserves an award. 

Du coup, est-ce par sagesse, est-ce par paresse? Le projet de cette année était simplissime... Mais il est achevé! Rien n'y est parfait, mes étiquettes ne sont pas parfaitement alignées, ne sont pas équidistantes... Mais elles sont faites et rien que pour ça, je mérite un trophée!


The plan is to take one tag off every day and eat a chocolate off the vase on the mantel at the same time.

L'idée est d'enlever chaque soir une étiquette et de piquer en même temps une papillote dans le vase sur la cheminée. Gourmand, non? (Je croirais entendre Mercotte!)

 
Now if you're a little observant, you have noticed the mantel is very empty. I just found the time to get rid of the autumn decor today... I had absolutely no time to decide what to do with the mantel, except for the chocolate! I think I should hand back that award I just gave myself...

Si vous êtes un peu observateur, vous avez dû remarquer le vide de mon manteau de cheminée! Si j'ai eu le temps d'enlever le décor d'automne en ce premier jour de l'avent, je n'ai absolument pas eu celui de redécorer... Je crois que je peux rendre mon trophée...


If you're very observant, you have also noticed that there are only 21 tags. I won't be at the cottage on the 24th and for quite a long time now the cats and I have our own celebration on December 21st, the longest night of the year.

Si vous êtes plus observateur encore, vous n'avez compté que 21 étiquettes. Je fais ma propre petite célébration la nuit du 21 décembre, nuit la plus longue de l'année, car penser que les jours vont enfin rallonger vaut bien une petite fête, non?


Last, pictures were taken at night (don't throw tomatoes at me, please) and I have a new camera, which I need to adjust to and obviously I need to change the way I was marking pictures!!!

Enfin, les photos ont été prises de nuit (bah oui, avant la bannière n'était pas prête!) et comme j'ai un nouvel appareil photo, il faut encore que je l'apprivoise et notamment que je revois ma façon de marquer les photos!!!


So does any of you know the story behind those chocolates called "papillote"? Or should I get a little history post ready for you later in the month?

Alors, vous prendrez bien une papillote?

A bientôt,

See you soon,



Ooops! I almost forgot, I meant to share with you some of my favourite Christmas songs this month, because otherwise you won't get the full Little White House Christmas spirit!

Oh, j'ai failli oublier, je voulais partager avec vous certaines de mes chansons de Noël préférées ce mois-ci, histoire que vous compreniez ce que mes voisins doivent subir...



I'm sharing my bad pictures of a very simple project with some amazing bloggers (how I dare, I wonder...)

Christmas DIY party           Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home       http://sundayview.blogspot.fr/2013/12/inspired-sunday-30-days-of-christmas.html                  
The Dedicated House              http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.fr/2013/12/nifty-thrifty-tuesday-no190.html          My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
                
 Linky Party                A Return to Lovelines                          Lavender Garden Cottage                                         
Ivy and Elephants                     

35 comments:

  1. I love your Advent calendar! I used to do this with my kids when they were small. I should make one for myself now...:) A chocolate a day...sounds good to me! Thanks for sharing and have a blessed week!

    Vicky
    Life On Willie Mae Lane

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  2. I remember dear little papillottes around festival time, wondering what was going to be written inside!
    Your Advent banner is so sweet, and I do agree with the eating of the chocolate every day, if not twice!

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  3. I like the advent with the tags. It looks really nice.

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  4. No fret Magali, finished or not, your Advent banner is still simply pretty! What a way to welcome the season! We too have our Advent Calendar, for my sons, nothing as pretty, but very fun for the kids as well! :-)

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  5. Love your advent calendar and it really looks good. Good for you eating a chocolate everyday!! I'm almost done with decorating just a few more project and then I will be posting.
    Have a great week and eat the chocolate.......
    Mary

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  6. Very pretty! I did notice that it went to 21, but I don't know about papillotte.

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  7. I just posted my Advent Calendar which amazingly was hung late last night on November 30. Of course, I don't have all the little packages filled, but I can finish that up tomorrow.

    I love your calendar and the bowl of candy to provide a daily treat. I don't plan on removing the packages, just the treats inside.

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  8. Thanks for sharing, Magali, What a cozy post!!!

    Marina

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  9. J'adore ta guirlande de l'Avent ! Et je me demande même comment tu as trouvé le temps de la faire alors que tu dois corriger des copies, remplir les bulletins, rerererefaire les plans de ta cuisine, faire les courses et nourrir les chats... Tu es vraiment superwonderwooman !

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  10. That's an awesome way to do an advent calendar! Now you can pick which chocolate you want for the day instead of the date determining that for you!! Very clever. Would love to read a post about papillote.

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  11. Yay, Magali!!! I have nothing done for Christmas season, NOTHING. You are awesome, and your advent calendar (and mantel-who needs more than chocolate?) are charming. Thank you for the lovely post. I personally would appreciate a history post later, since I do not know the story, though if everyone else does I can quietly google it on my own…but it's more fun hearing it from you, with pictures. (I like night pictures, I think they are cozy…..)

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    1. I have many dead lines at work this week, but I'll get the background story post ready, with pictures of the chocolate (!) ready the following week! Thanks for stopping by and for taking the time to leave kind words.

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  12. I think your little calendar is sweet! And I don't know that story behind the chocolates...hmmm, you've got me curious....!
    Susan

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  13. ~Sooooooo pretty advent calendar!~
    Thank you for sharing one of your favourite Christmas songs(gave me goosebumps...).
    I don't know the story behind "papillote",would love to hear it.
    Love,Izabella.

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  14. I had to laugh at your first paragraph. The one thing I can never seem to do is get seasonal posts up on time, but then again, I haven't done much decorating and zero shopping for Christmas so I'm staying true to form. ;)

    The idea of an advent calendar is very charming, and eating a chocolate every day is reason enough to make one!

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  15. Okay, please don't become the all-expert photographer, because I don't want to be the only one left who doesn't know exactly what she's doing....or the last one who doesn't *cough* care.... :P I love your little Advent banner and the chocolate idea is brilliant! I have no idea about the papillote...would love to learn.

    And....I cried through that ENTIRE video. Thank goodness I'm in my basement and not at work this morning!!

    xoxo
    -andi

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  16. I love that piece of music and their voices are splendid! Ha! As for the camera, lighting and all the rest....don't worry about it Magali. I am living with my little phone camera these days...snapping away in whatever lighting is available.
    I know how we use the word here in Québec but I think there is a great history post coming. :)

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  17. Merci Magali pour ces belles ambiances de Noël avant l'heure, c'est superbe ! Mymi Doinet

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  18. Hi Magali,
    First of all I wanted to let you know that I received your package today and it was such a delight; especially seeing all the thought and care you had put into it. I'll give you a proper Thank You when I do my post about it...I loved everything; especially your sweet card.
    I really like your blog as well, and your obvious sense of humor. I'll look forward to seeing your progress on The Little White House. It looks so charming.
    Also, love the advent banner and I recognize that chocolate. My piece has already been devoured :)
    I'm looking forward to following you and getting to know you better.
    Blessings!!!
    Geneva

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  19. Lovely chocolats, I think we have a version of it, called smällkaramell. "caramel with a bang" or rather, a pop. Hung in the ree for the christmas foraging on the twentieth day of Knut. Amazing how everything traditional just sounds bonkers when you try to explain it =) Happy decorating!

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    1. Yes, some papillote also have a "bang" here, but they are not caramel... I found some very intersting things about the day of Knut in Sweden: thanks Google and thanks to you for triggering my interest!

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  20. What a great preparation for Xmas! You are so inspiring. Mostly in the spiritual way- you reminded me that we should have Xmas in our hearts the whole month. It is special time and we should try to take the best of it.

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  21. I love your new blog header especially of the snowy cottage! Love it!! I have no idea what you're talking about not taking the advice for being a good blogger, your pictures look great to me! And I'd love to have some of that chocolate!

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  22. Love the simple banner for Advent. Please do tell the story behind the chocolates. I celebrate winter on the 21st also.

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  23. I love the banner! It's simplistic, but so cute. They are stamped in one of my fav colors. I need a history lesson on those chocolates.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  24. I think I made an advent calendar when I was young, but now I wish I'd made one as this is so pretty Magali. Did you print them out or are they all stamps that you own ?
    I know nothing of papillote so a history lesson would be interesting !

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  25. loved this post and your advent banner rules be dammed lol excuse the dammed
    and have a wonderful holiday

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  26. I'm so behind in my blog reading that I am just catching up with this post. The advent banner is charming! And kudos for being able to eat only one chocolate a night! I'm clueless about the history of papillote, so I'd love the history lesson!

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  27. I featured your post on Inspired Sunday (tonight). :-)

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  28. Your advent banner is beautiful! I love the idea of eating a chocolate everyday! I enjoyed listening to the beautiful song too. Have a wonderful Christmas season :)

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  29. I love your little Advent Calendar. (PS... I know I am SUPER late to this party. Aren't I always. Sorry.) And I am convinced that imperfect is the new perfect. At least that is what I am telling myself. Makes my life easier and I feel better about it.

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  30. Keep being a stubborn girl swimming against popular fads and currents. Blogland needs less magazines and more real life. Actually, I'm getting rid of Pinterest this year and will try Instagram for pictures. I don't like what all that perfection is doing to most bloggers.
    Love the tag calendar, of course. ;)

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