Growing up, my mom always got us an Advent calendar. You know, those cardboard ones with the perforated boxes hiding a chocolate? I loved them and she even sent me (ok, the kids) some last year, all the way across the world. Except of course, no chocolates because they would have melted for sure. One year we spent way too much on a Lego advent calendar. And while I'm pretty sure we could reuse it, none of us are willing to dig back through the sea of pieces to find the Christmas ones. 

I've always had noble intentions of making my own Advent calendar with scripture verses and candy. There are so many amazing ideas on Pinterest, for cute little DIY boxes and envelopes and displays. But I knew it had to be really simple or it would again be just a fleeting idea. When I stumbled across this great one using socks and clothespins, I knew I had a winner. Right then and there I ordered a bunch of kid socks off online.

The most important part of the Advent calendar is what goes inside. Of course, the kids wanted candy, so I picked up some of that at the store. But I also wanted a good mix of Bible verses to share the Christmas story with the kids throughout the month. I looked around for a good set of verses that mixed both the Old Testament and New Testament. I loved the collection that I found at Sweeterthansweets. She uses little object lessons each day, which I thought was brilliant, but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find everything in time. So I meshed up the ideas with my own graphic magic and came up with these Advent printables.

You can print these and use them in whatever type of DIY Advent Calendar that you plan to make. Download them for free, print them back to back, and then cut along the dotted lines. Wallah! If you are not crafty at all, just print them and place them on the dinner table each night for everyone to read and enjoy!

Yesterday we celebrated our fifth Thanksgiving off of US soil. Did you know that Thanksgiving is not a thing anywhere else in the world? ;) I have got to say, this year was one of my favorites. When we first decided to travel abroad, I thought the holidays would be so difficult. They were hard at first. But it has been so good for us to create holiday traditions as a family. Now it seems like they keep getting better and better. Throughout the year, we interact with a lot of different cultures and foods, etc. At Thanksgiving, we get to pour out our culture with our friends and neighbors. 

This year we hosted 26 adults, representing three countries and even more languages. We had an amazing time stuffing ourselves and doing cheesy things like Thanksgiving charades and crossword puzzles. Luke gave a mini lecture on the first Thanksgiving and we all went around the table saying what we were thankful for. Everyone left with full tummies and full hearts.

Now the sad part, today is the part of Thanksgiving that I miss more than anything else - Black Friday shopping with my mom and sister. Though all the deals are online now, the deals were never the appeal. The appeal was waking up at 3 am, bundling up while it was still dark, and setting out on a quest that wasn't complete without good coffee and a nice lunch. If we saved a few dollars along the way - that was just the cherry on top! So, since I can't participate in the mob shopping, I will at least be part of the fun by passing along some savings to you. From today through the end of the money, take 40% off anything in our Etsy shop - Christmas cards, wedding stationary, birthday invites and more. I'll even be discounting custom design quotes, so contact me for special pricing!

Happy Shopping, wherever you find yourself this holiday season! ​

The Holiday Season is already well on its way in our neck of the woods. In India, the months of September and October are flooded with holidays. India is really diverse, with so many different people groups and religions. This makes for a lot of holidays and festivals, many lasting several days. Diwali, the festival of lights, will mark the end of this crazy season in the beginning of November, which is when we will start thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Of course, when it comes to Christmas cards, it doesn't hurt to start thinking about it now. October is my favorite month of the year, and also a perfect time for a great outdoor photo shoot with your family. And once you've got the perfect shots, you can start thinking about your perfect card.

The advantage to getting an early start, is you can also consider doing a custom, uNiqUE to YOU photo greeting card. Yes, we can design a card just for you, that compliments your photo and captures your year perfectly. And it won't be re-sold by us! Here are a few reasons why its better than the standard big-box template :

Self-Expression
You are more than trendy design fads. Express yourself with a design that is truly your own.

Superior Fonts and Graphics
Fonts that you see often become boring and cliche. We have invested heavily in professional fonts that, coupled with our hand-drawn graphics and embellishments, will keep your card fresh and unique!

Professional Photo Correction
Was the lighting off? Big zit on your nose? Our custom cards come with free photo retouching &  enhancements.

Perfectly Matched
We can color match the exact colors from your photo to use as accents in your cards design. This gives your photo card an overall look of unity and perfection.

Balanced Layout
One size does not fit all! Families start with just two of you and could grow into the double digits! With a custom card, you get a layout that is tailored to your clan, without looking too crowded or too empty.

Custom Messages and Signatures
With a personalized card, we can design any message with style and flair. We can also use your actual signatures to create that extra-special finishing touch!
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One-of-a-Kind
​You know, its kind of like wearing the same dress to the prom... A custom greeting card ensures that you won’t be sending out the same card design as a bunch of your friends!

Custom Cards start at $24.95 for a front and back design. That's a great deal, but...
Order before November 1 and you'll get it for just $19.95!! 

Check out our Photo Card page for more information, or go ahead and contact us to get started.

We've also got tons of pre-made designs in our Etsy shop that will be updated daily! So go on over and check them out, then start dreaming up your perfect photo card!