Wordless Wednesday: It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Christmas Gift Ideas: Red Balloon Subscription Boxes

Buying Christmas presents is a hard task. I like to actually think about the person I am buying for and wondering if they would really enjoy the gift, not just buying (or making) it because I like it, or because it is on sale, or readily available. 

The task of trying to find just the right gift for each person is always a challenge, but Red Balloons Subscription boxes might tick a few boxes for several of my family members this Christmas. 

Last week we were lucky enough to receive a Maggie Beer Barossa Box to try out. And I had to quickly hide the biscuits from my kids as they are suckers for any kind of cracker. 

We also received some verjuice and some spiced pear paste. All products have been earmarked for recipes to try this coming weekend. I've never cooked with verjuice before, but being a lover of all things Maggie Beer and The Cook and The Chef, I have a few things in mind. 

And I might just buy myself a subscription for this box so I can continue to try some more Maggie Beer products. 

RedBalloon MarketPlace was created with the aim to bring surprise and delight into the homes of people across Australia. 

Each month RedBalloon curates a premium selection of gourmet food, wine and lifestyle boxes, filled with products that the RedBalloon Team has discovered and loves. 

Whether you're looking for a gift that keeps on giving, or a treat for yourself, a subscription to RedBalloon MarketPlace is one way to ensure a box of happiness and lots of smiles every month.

You can find a full list of subscriptions available here: http://www.redballoon.com.au/subscriptions

RedBalloon Discount Code for ActuallyAmy Readers

Receive $20 off when you spend $79 or more on any RedBalloon experience!

Visit www.redballoon.com.au & enter the code REDBLOG14 at the checkout to receive your discount.

Code can only be used once per person. All purchases are subject to RedBalloon T&Cs - http://www.redballoon.com.au/help/terms-conditions

Expiry: 31/12/2014

Have you done all your Christmas shopping yet? 

Would you like to receive something like a Red Balloon Subscription box? 

Disclosure: I received a complimentary subscription box to facilitate this review, and an administration fee from Digital Parents Collective. As always, all opinions expressed are purely my own.

Advent Activities For The Whole Family

Yesterday I started and finished a new handmade Christmas Advent Calendar with the help of hubby and the kids.

It is a wooden advent tree made from a pallet we have had lying around for ages. And the bags are made from a charm pack of 'In from the Cold'. Inside each bag is 24 different advent activities.

Those activities included some of the following ideas:

1. Put up and Decorate the Christmas Tree
2. Make Christmas Cookies
3. Make paper chains to decorate the house with
4. Watch a Christmas movie
5. Make salt dough decorations
6. Make candy cane bark
7. Checkout the neighbourhood Christmas Lights
8. Make a Christmas movie message to send to friends and family
9. Go on a candy cane hunt
10. Do some Christmas colouring in
11. Make red and green playdough
12. Listen to Christmas songs
13. Make Christmas cards for friends and family
14. Make gifts for school friends
15. Make reindeer food
16. Do some Christmas crafts
17. Read Christmas books
18. Have a loungeroom slumber party and watch as many Christmas movies as we can
19. Decorate Christmas biscuits
20. Make food treats to give to friends and neighbours
21. Make a list of things that you are thankful for
22. Make new decorations for the Christmas tree
23. Make Christmas tree brownies
24. Open one Christmas gift

What kind of Advent activities do you do? 

ModernQAL Month 8: Crosswalk

It's month 8 of Modern QAL already and it's my turn to share with you how I put this block together.

This month block is Crosswalk and it was designed by Angela Pingel.

The block was pretty straight forward to put together. I used a piece of cardboard to mark out the fussy cut pieces. It worked, kinda, but I really do need to work on my fussy cutting technique...

Cut all pieces as per the picture below:

Make sure you layout all of your pieces correctly and then work in rows to piece together.

Construct your block in the following manner:

Piece each of the 8 units around the middle square by sewing strip B to either side of a fussy cut C rectangle. Press seams and sew an A strip to the outer end of each B/C/B unit. 

Sew the 3 units in Row 1 together and press the seams in one directions. 

Sew the 3 units in Row 2 and press the seams in the opposite direction of row 1.

Sew the units in row 3 together and press the seams in the opposite direction of row 2. 

With right sides together sew rows 1 and 2 together then sew row 3 to row 2. 

Trim to 12.5 x 12.5.