"Advent" Calendar

For my birthday this year my dear friend Tina and I went to a Felt Advent Calendar Class. I have been wanting to get in to needle felting and this was the perfect intro. She had 2 examples to choose from as ideas, one was a Traditional Advent with baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, etc. And a Pagan version with Mother Earth and a sun baby. We chose the Pagan version, I liked the honoring of the Solstice better. Don't get me wrong, I am down with Jesus too, but thought the more earth centered calendar fit me more now. So here is the finished product:


There are 29 stars that represent the days leading up to Christmas or the Solstice, which ever we choose to do. The baby starts at the top most star and everyday we move the sun baby down one representing the sun getting lower in the sky.

Getting lower.......


And lower still.......


Until the Sun Baby comes back to Mother Earth symbolizing the light returning to the planet after Solstice.

I mostly needle felted it, used some blanket stitch embroidery around the edge and on Mother Earth. I just love her hair and also love the squirrels! The one part I wish I did differently is the lamb, she just doesn't stand out enough, maybe I'll add some gray to her.

So there it is, I love the way it came out and Neva loves moving the sun baby, I think it will be a tradition she will enjoy every year!!