Today a shiny coin…probably as the calendar progresses there would always be several dotted amongst the days.

This one a 20p. Oh and always minted from the year in question.

There were certain things we always got in our sack of pressies and clementines were one….watch out for others.

And yes I make sure everyone gets one still

A hand made felt star Christmas tree decoration (made by my Mum)…..just one of the lovely handmade decorations that have appeared in my advent calendar from my Mum the last few years. This one has a permanent place on the notice board above my desk (which is empty of notices and full of nice things).

Read my post from day 1 to find out how my advent calendar works this year

Even as an adult there is something fun in finding out what’s behind the door each day. In recent years it mostly been chocolates and lovely little handmade gifts from my mum. Each year she sends me a little parcel of goodies to put in the refillable calendar. How fab is that. This year though she had been a little too busy to do that.

So instead I’m going to post something each day that she has given me not just in advent calendars but more generally things I know she has passed on to me.

So day 1..

LISTS

Yes that list making habit comes right from my Mum.

I can picture the book she had where she wrote each year how long Christmas dinner took to cook, what presents we all got (and totting up of their costs to be sure to be fair)….and in summer the list of what we needed for camping trips. It was I think a triplicate receipt book with loose carbon paper in the back. Acquired from I don’t know where and put to another use.

A book of detail yet mystery from the shortening of words she chose to adopt. Her own kind of code.

My own list making ranges far and wide and is less contained in one place. But there are notebooks and lists, many of them.

It lives on the dressing table in the guest room

I just investigated the mark on the bottom and it seems its Bishop and Stonier, the pattern is Shirley Poppies. I haven’t any proper idea of its age other that 1891-1933 being when the firm was called Bishop and Stonier rather than other variants.

Soap is fine for hands but I find it too drying otherwise.

Well not anymore, because I found these:

Not only are they beautifully wrapped they are also wonderfully gentle on the skin.

At the moment I’m using the top one which is organic lavender. I can’t decide whether to use the plummy berry scented one next or the sophisticated scented rainbow.

They are handcrafted by Leaf House in Suffolk. I’m also slightly addicted to their baby lotion and rescue cream.

You can buy online or from their market stall in Bury St Edmunds.

Here’s to lovely soaps.