Counting down with joy!

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I debated making a countdown calendar this year since, to be honest, I’m just exhausted.  But I got a few requests and have made one every year since 2012 so I just had to do it.  I know there are those that feel like counting down is too much like an advent calendar – but here’s the thing, we count down all sorts of things: birthdays, vacations, etc.  In our house we have a Halloween countdown calendar too.  It just adds excitement and anticipation to things, especially in these rainy grey fall days.  

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And the countdown begins…

Hanukkah 2020 Countdown Calendar…to inauguration day! Well actually to Hanukkah but I’m pretty excited about inauguration day too to be honest. 2020 has been a *very* long year, to say the least. But with Halloween behind us and the arrival of the dark and cold, it’s time to start thinking about the beautiful light that is Hanukkah! While my blog may be a bit neglected these days (my Instagram is more alive), my crafting continues to keep me sane. Since it has become a yearly tradition, I had to create this year’s countdown calendar for everyone who wants something to celebrate along the way. I decided it was time for a change so I found some absolutely adorable sketch-tastic Hanukkah graphics for this year’s calendar.  I’m quite excited at how it turned out.

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The return of Frozen – Counting Down to Hanukkah 2019/5780!

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Hanukkah Countdown Calendar

It’s beginning to look (and feel) a lot like winter!  We are at my folks for Thanksgiving and we woke up to nice layer of frost this morning.  Brrrrr!  And of course Frozen 2 is in the air.  My daughter has been asking on a daily basis when we are going to see the new movie!  It’s pretty funny actually since the first one came out when my son was 4.  He’s now 10 and in 5th grade while my daughter is 4 and totally obsessed with all things Frozen.  (Sidenote even the 10 year old wants to go see the movie so at least it’s something we can all agree on).  In addition to the movie request, I am getting a daily request to decorate for Hanukkah.  I mean given the darkness that is settling in, who can blame them for wanting more light? Continue reading

Gearing up for Hanukkah – a few of my favorite things

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Ugh!  Halloween is over and it appears as though Christmas has settled in to stay – it is EVERYWHERE already!  And I am not even going into it having had a nice solid dose of the Jewish holidays to sustain me since I spent Rosh Hashanah through Simchat Torah with pneumonia (and I am not talking just take a Z-pack and be okay pneumonia, we’re talking hospitalized for a couple days, out of the office for five weeks pneumonia – but don’t worry I am finally on the mend).  Anyway, Christmas is exploding already and so my natural response is to start thinking about Hanukkah.  My son and I went to JoAnn on Saturday to pick up some craft supplies and were very sad to not find a single Hanukkah thing amidst all of the Christmas stuff.  In addition, as we were checking out the checker commented on my pretty blue glitter cardstock and then proceeded to ask what color our Christmas tree was.   While I really wanted to be like WTF?! and ask why that even seemed like a sensible question, all I said was “Oh, we celebrate Hanukkah, this is the perfect color for that.”  Then she was either too scared to say anything else or was trying to wrap her head around the fact I didn’t celebrate Christmas.

OY.

Despite this experience, there is some fabulous Hanukkah stuff out there already which is the inspiration for today’s post.  It can go quickly so no time like the present to start your Hanukkah planning and shopping!resw

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Elul and Gratitude

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Gratitude Confetti

It’s the month of Elul, the end of the Jewish Year 5779. We prepare to enter 5780 and dip apples in honey for a sweet year ahead. Elul is a time of contemplation and return as we prepare to enter the high holy days. I feel guilt for my poor neglected blog, perhaps an unanswered email or two to mamaleh, a lack of intentionality in my content. But, beyond that guilt I also feel immense gratitude. If you are reading this right now, that gratitude goes to you for despite my lack of posts on the blog itself, you are still here, reading, commenting, sharing, fueling my creative outlet. Continue reading

Peace, Love and Light: Counting Down to Hanukkah 2018/5779

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SHALOM! Greetings from rainy Seattle (although this morning there is actually a hint of sun!) I am still here although lately having trouble finding time and space to craft.  We had some basement flooding and now a forced remodel in the works.  My lovely craft room was unfortunately not spared and is currently lacking the bottom third of the wall as well the floor and all the furniture 😦  Continue reading

Hanukkah Countdown With Dreidel Fun

Hanukkah is just over a week away and I have cards to address, presents to wrap, and of course crafting to do!  But that doesn’t mean we can’t do an abbreviated countdown this year.  And thanks to the length of this year’s countdown, I’ve managed to include a nice little refresher on how to play dreidel should you have forgotten (or your kids are trying to make up the rules!)

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Not Your Kid’s Hanukkah Countdown! L’Chaim!

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If you look around at all of the Advent calendars out there, there are just as many designed for adults as there are for kids. But, in the land of Hanukkah decor, it seems that most of the designers seem to think only little kids celebrate Hanukkah. So last year I decided to make my husband his very own Hanukkah Countdown for each night of Hanukkah.

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Counting Down to Hanukkah (with a new twist)

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There is a Yiddish proverb that says “Man plans and G-d laughs.”  This sort of sums up life over the last several months as our family has dealt with some unexpected health challenges and stress.  But we are hanging in there and our kids still want to countdown to Hanukkah (and some of you who haven’t given up on me have emailed and do too).  So, without further ado, this year’s Made by Mamaleh Hanukkah Countdown Calendar.

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Counting Down the Days until…Hanukkah!

Printable Hanukkah Countdown Calendar

I have been missing in action and I do apologize.  Things have been insanely busy and that has meant blogging and crafting have had to take a backseat.  But with Thanksgiving almost here, it’s time to start thinking about Hanukkah.  Some of you have emailed to ask if I’d be doing the yearly printable countdown calendar so of course I had to oblige.  Without Thanksgivukkah to spur on this year’s calendar design, I  joined the Frozen-craze still going strong in my son’s world and made this year’s calendar a bit frosty, complete with star of David snowflakes.

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