Preparing for Advent - The Making of the Advent Wreath

I have once again taken an extended bloggers break, I have just felt that my mind has been focused on the up-and-coming birth of our baby in January but I really wish to blog regularly, hopefully daily, throughout the Advent/Christmas Season in preparation for the most wonderful birth of all - Christ - the Light of the World.

Three years ago, my last baby was born in the Advent season - on the eve of The Immaculate Conception, then we had the baptism on Gaudete Sunday which was the beautiful feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe that year. It was the best year we ever had for Advent preparation and God willing, I feel this will be the same - I seem to be able to unify my focus and inner preparation for this precious new life, with all that this season holds.

I've just visited Helen's Immaculate Castle and been delighted over her new posting on her Advent preparation, giving links, outlining her Advent plan and giving many links to her own previous Advent posts and many other ladies who have brightened the season with their beautiful preparations, it is a must visit at this time.

This post of mine is focusing on the making of our Advent Wreath.

In previous years we have used a store-bought wreath but I feel greatly impelled to make a 'family heirloom wreath' - rich and opulant, giving great cheer to the heart and captivating the children's imagination during their preparation for the coming of "The Light of the World."

The children and I have spent the last few days collecting pine cones and visiting craft and hardware stores. Here in Australia, Spotlight has supplied most of our craft goodies and Bunnings has given us some of our hardward goods. A Catholic gift shop is where we bought our advent candles and so we are ready and eager to build!

Dh is kindly cutting the MDF board with the jigsaw. The lazy susan usually on our dining room table was the perfect template for the size of it.

Here it is - what a good job daddy has done!

Next the foam ring was cut in 4 places to fit the 50cm thick candles and then the board, foam and the small pinecones (I am using small and medium sized pinecones for the wreath.) and a candle holder (which was lying around the house unused) were all taken outside and sprayed with gold paint. When this had dried, the foam ring was glued to the board.

Here are the lovely, little pinecones, shining gold - such naturally perfect, advent images.

The next post should be the completed wreath!