Kickstart your festive season with our 100 printable Christmas coloring pages! Great for kids and adults alike. Download for free now!

"Jesus is the reason for the season." We hear that phrase everywhere, don't we? Here are 8 ways we can truly make Christmas about Jesus.

Get 25+ free projects you can make with the Cricut Joy Xtra! Its compact size and Print then Cut feature makes it a great beginner machine!

Here are 7 German Christmas traditions we've added to our own celebrations as Americans. They've DOUBLED our Christmas joy!

First of advent came and today it is the day before Christmas Eve. What happened? Every year is the same, I have so many plans for December. So little time. Next year I'll start in November... I filled my home with Christmas spirit, that First of advent, as well as I started a new job. That is what happened. The job is just temporary, a challenging project. A job that makes me feel like a real working woman. A job where I'm using so much brain power that I crash into bed in a fog of exhaustion early in the evenings. It is great! I am learning new things and I get to leave the house every day to go in to the office. It is a great feeling. I'll take my chance to do a shout out as I am working on developing an Intranet site in SharePoint. If anyone of you have experience of SharePoint and how it works, please let me know as I'm trying hard to crack how to use this complex platform and need help to do so. And what else did I do this December? I attended the Swedish Christmas market in Lausanne and sold almost all of my handmade creations to benefit the Swedish church. A day filled of Swedish tradition and culture. So lovely. I baked saffron buns that was eaten within the baking day. Many times. We love saffron buns in my family. Saffron bun recipe here. I've tried to buy gifts from the heart instead of just from a list. It takes brain work but is more satisfying. I have written rhymes on chosen gifts as we used to that when I was a kid. It makes gifting even more special. I have not written Christmas cards, and I feel really bad about that. I've collected so many beautiful Christmas cards over the years but somehow I most often fail to get them written in time. Or sent. Next year... We invited friends for dinner, once, and to make it real special Jay made seafood tacos with homemade tortillas, tomato black bean salsa, red cabbage ceviche and guacamole topped with feta cheese crumbles. It was divine! Who would have thought salmon and lobster could be great for tacos? My new favorite dish. We ate countless ginger cookies. Say now more... I have not taken my daily walks for weeks, and I really - REALLY - miss them. I have come to realize how important those walks are to me and will make an effort to find the time for them again from now on. Being kind to myself. I watched just a few Christmas movies like The Grinch, Elf and Love Actually. I still want to watch The Family Stone, The Holiday and Jack Frost. I do have a weak spot for sentimental Christmas movies that makes me cry. I had my annual Christmas cry on the Third of advent. Ironically Jay said that morning that he was surprised I hadn't had my Christmas cry yet. Maybe he jinxed it as I later that afternoon was sobbing it all out in the laundry room over a failed batch of saffron buns and feeling overwhelmed from all the expectations I put on myself this time of the year. Same ol', same ol'. I folded two boxes of laundry and then I stepped back into reality and decided it will all be alright. I haven't touched my crochet hook in weeks. All things crochet and crafts has come to a stall. It is what it is... That granny cluster blanket will be finished, one day... We've listened to so many Christmas songs, good and bad. Favorites are still Bublé, Elvis and old classics. A new found version of Silver Bells has climbed in on my top 10 Christmas Song List, sung by John Legend this time. Cheezy and super Christmassy with bells, back up singers and all. I still have gifts to wrap, Christmas candy to make. I wanted to invite people for Christmas apertif's, buy myself a Christmas sweater, craft with the kids, go for long walks, play games... I shouldn't beat myself up about it. Instead I should just do what I want to do today. Go with the flow... I'm thinking to do some of these things today: - Leave all chores to the side - Go for a long walk - Make Christmas candy with the kids - Continue to listen to Christmas music - Wrap the last couple of gifts - Play Monopoly, all family involved - Drink Glögg and eat even more ginger cookies. - Watch a Christmas movie And last but not least I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas. And say Thank You for sticking it out with me for another year, no matter how hot and cold I get with my space here. And Thank You for purchasing my patterns, leaving messages, sharing your thoughts and stories and listening to my rambles. Turn on your favorite Christmas tune and dance all the stress away (if you have any, I know I have some...). It's Christmas time, a time for cheer, love and laughter. Good food and drinks. Pyjama days and woolly socks. Chilling. No need to make it complicated. After all, the best gift is to just be together. Let's be together. Kärlek Annette FOLLOW My Rose Valley HERE:

Because learning is best when it's hands-on.

Print our Christmas Nativity religious baby Jesus themed I spy activity to use for a great holiday kids activity at home or at church.

Some dogs are more dangerous than others

Make your own set of amigurumi emotions, inspired by Pixar's movie, Inside Out. Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, Fear. Teach self-regulation to children.

Welcome to our colorful exploration of the world of red! In this blog post, we're going to delve into the diverse and dynamic universe of red color palettes. As a color that's often associated with love, energy, and strength, red has the unique ability to evoke a range of emotions and create various atmospheres in desi

Crochet Sheep Amigurumi Pattern is a free guide to help you handcraft an adorable, fluffy sheep toy.

Sometimes we’ll come up with an idea no one else has tried and give it a shot. The most successful Christmas skit we’ve ever done is one I wrote a few years ago.

Christmas Eve boxes aren’t just for kids! Let adults join the fun with their own night before Christmas box. Here are 72 DIY gift ideas to make it perfect.

Easy and inspiring Cricut Joy projects for beginners. Learn how to use the machine plus a few projects to get started.

Hello Daydreamers! In today’s article, we are going to be covering everything you need to know about the Cricut Joy before you hit that buy button. But, before we get ...

The new Cricut Joy is a mini smart cutting machine that is most ideal for personalizing small projects with the convenience of portability.

Cricut is a popular brand of crafting machines and I've been using those machines since 2013. The most affordable Cricut Machine is the Cricut Joy Machine and you can make a variety of craft projects from mini decals to large signs. Keep reading and watch the video to see Cricut Joy Craft Ideas For The Absolute Beginner.

Let's get crafting for Christmas using the Cricut! Here are a ton of easy Cricut gift ideas that are easy and fun to make using your Explore or Maker!

Yes, we’re months away from December, but what’s wrong with a bit of Christmas in July? I had so much fun with my Vintage Truck last year that I’ve been pondering over a VW bug. I…

Connection through curriculum is just as real during Christmas-tide as throughout the rest of the year. We have years of experience watching our families thrive as we enter this season with a clear vision of what we want our children to remember. Instead of being over scheduled and over stimulate

Explore 41 Christmas fellowship ideas designed to bring faith, community, and joy to your women's ministry groups this holiday season.

I love making snowflakes just for the joy of doing it. I love folding up some paper, randomly cutting and then opening it up to see my results. I don’t think one is ever too old for it, or …

Scotland has had some interesting Christmas traditions over the years. These are not necessarily popular today in Scotland, but some do still participate or remember them from their youth.

This craft step by step on how to make paper windmill that spins around, is one of my favorite fun and easy summer craft ideas for kids. Like most of my other crafts these will make a great toy windmill to take outside too, as well as to the beach. My DIY Windmill project comes

With Christmas right around the corner, its time to start thinking about your DIY Christmas decor. Check out 13 of the cutest handmade Christmas ideas!

Want to add french christmas decorations to the home this year? Look no further than these great ideas from a Brit living in France

One of the best ways to make the countdown to Christmas more magical, is to make a crochet advent calendar.

5 easy things you can do in September to make your Christmas holiday season much more relaxed and enjoyable. Enjoy Christmas in September!

***Feel like you're seeing double? Yes, this is a repost of a previous recipe. I'm reposting it for the holidays, as it's become quite popul ...

These delicious cookies will remind you of one of your favorite candy bars. They are the perfect blend of sweet coconut, semi-sweet chocolate, and sliced almonds.  They can be baked and frozen ahead of time.

If you like Almond Joy bars, you're going to love these! Soft, chewy and loaded with coconut, almonds and dark chocolate!! Mmm!

Free Printable Frozen Coloring Pages for Kids and Adults. Completely free to print, download and paint. Here is the fun you've been looking for...

We have found 20 stunning Cricut Christmas ideas to sell. If you love selling your crafts, these craft ideas are sure to provide inspiration.

If you're looking for some good Italian food to try this week, then here are Italian dishes that will satisfy your cravings!