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capture: 30 merry days e-book

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Downloadable E-book available here for purchase: Capture: 30 merry days

logo 30 merry days

Ever since I started to walk, I have been a Christmas junkie. Each year, begging my nearest and dearest to put up the tree just a little earlier, so ‘that most wonderful time of the year’ can linger longer. I am addicted to collecting Christmas traditions. Like ornaments from every part of the world and also adding constantly to my Christmas Golden Book collection. Also finding Christmas records from op shops, so throughout December I can dig out my record player and reminisce.

When I was ten years old I hid behind the curtain in our living room on Christmas Eve, longing to discover Father Christmas. I found something that I wasn’t expecting; my Mum and Dad laughing and presenting, I snuck back to my room deciding I really didn’t want to know truth anyway!

Each year as I grow older, I try to pretend that Father Christmas still hides. The reality is though, my list and stresses grow just a little longer and the gloss of Christmas fades. I love this season but have a growing hatred of its consumerism. That is where the idea for this little e-book began. ‘Capture: 30 merry days’. It is a creative guide to Christmas kindness, encouraging home made- ness instead of crazy consumption.

Want to join the journey? All you need is some courage and a huge amount of crazy joy. If your projects fail, don’t worry it’s all a part of the fun. You can see my projects aren’t perfect but my family and friends adored them last year. I think a little bit of effort goes a huge way.

It is available on the 14th of December for 24 hours at a special price of $4.95 and then it goes to $9.95 from now till Christmas.

Here is a teaser of the book:

capture 30 days teaser

The best way to enjoy this publication is on an Ipad or tablet. What you need to do, is add this item to your shopping cart when it is available. Then you will receive an email and a receipt from me. On that email is a link that enables you to download this e-book. Once downloaded here is the best way to enjoy it.

1) Open the publication on your iPad in Ibooks. Or on your android in your ebook reader.

2) Watch out for all the underlined yellow sections. Every section that is underlined is a hyperlink to another website or recipe.

3) The menu page has an easy bookmark function, every recipe/ instruction can go straight from the menu page through to that page. Click on the day number and it will flick you straight through to the page/ recipe you are looking for.

Lastly, do this Christmas junkie one favour.

Post a photo on Facebook or Instagram of what you have made from the book and tag me or email me a photo.

This would make me so happy.

Enjoy and Merry 30 days of creating

All my Christmas love

Amanda

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coconut weakness

coconut weakness

This recipe has 3 ingredients and a pinch of salt!

3 simple little items, that you probably have in your cupboard.

When they are put together, with a simple recipe, you can make this brilliant christmas gift.

I have called this truffle, ‘coconut weakness’

These little balls of goodness packaged together in a little box, with a ribbon, such a great Christmas present.

The recipe for these are found on day 17 of my new e-book due for release in two days.

30 merry days

Capture: 30 merry days ‘a creative guide to christmas kindness’.

On thursday 14 of November as it clicks past midnight and into the new day here in Perth, for 24 hours all my e-books will be on sale for $4.95 and my original printed capture book will be on sale for $9.95 also plus postage. If you are in Perth I can do local pick up.

 

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Sugar Free Muesli Printable

Muesli

After the birth of my first born son Maximus, re-discovering my pre-mummy figure has been a battle.

For a few months this last year, I went sugar free. There are many figure conscious people who struggle at Christmas time.

This jar of Muesli will be a hit I promise. It is so good. This is going to be one of my home made presents this year.

30 merry days

The recipe for my Muesli this year is found in my e-book that is about to go on sale here on this website this week. The e-book is full of 30 ideas to help you have a simple and stress free Christmas this year. Little ideas and lots of links to websites and resources to help you go home made, thought full and creative this Christmas.

Here is the printable for those making some home made gifts for Christmas this year.

sugar free

sugar free muesli

Capture 30 merry days, a guide to christmas kindness is available for download in one weeks time.

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my mistletoes

20131108-075319.jpgLast Christmas I released a Christmas E-book full of homemade ideas.

Capture: 30 merry days ‘a creative guide to christmas kindness’

We all get a little stuck when it comes to affordable and unique Christmas presents for the people in our worlds.

I hope to shed some light on the meaning of Christmas and in a creative, fun way, give you ideas and ways you can be more creative and kind this Christmas.

Each day of the new book has a different recipe, instructions or directions on how to make a home made gift for someone this Christmas.

The tag says

‘For your mistletoes…’

In preparation for the launch of the book, here is the printable for free:

for your mistletoes


opi+nailp


mistletoes

 

Enjoy making creative Christmas presents this year and stand by for my e-book release very soon.

Love

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Managing expectations

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Christmas after Christmas, year after single year, I dreamed and envisioned what this season would look like when I had a family.

(Admittedly I am a complete Christmas junkie.)

I’m not really fussed about the presents.

It’s the candles, the songs, the family, the baking, the traditions, people helping people, donations to the less fortunate and more.

The problem is though, I spent so many years dreaming and placing such high expectations on this season that no family was ever going to live up to it.

How do we dream yet hold our expectations with realism?

It is easy as a single person to see families running around and see only mirage of satisfaction.

It is easy to watch someone’s career highlights and not feel the pain of the late nights, the criticism and the growth needed for the capacity to live the life they have been given.

20131107-110021.jpgEnter yesterday I found myself extremely excited to put up my Christmas tree early.

I bribed my big Mr to allow me to put it up early because we are going oversees for 3.5 weeks and ‘I won’t get to enjoy my house all christmasified whilst overseas arriving back 2 days before Christmas.’

He said yes and the deal was made that we would spring clean and throw, sort and tidy things at the same time.

The moment and memory was beautiful my 18 month old had got the picture, he climbed up and helped hang ornaments on the tree. I put Christmas carols on, yes my dreams were starting to realise.

Not even five minutes after the angel had been placed, we turned our back and our little one was on our kitchen table (the tree was safe up there right?) and then the tragedy happened.

The tree with all my glass ornaments collected around the world, (when dreaming of the day with my family), was pulled down and all those ornaments smashed. The ones from England, the disneyland ornaments, even the beautiful Angel on top bought one dreaming day in Melbourne.

We both looked at each other, my Mr and I and we laughed and laughed. If I didn’t laugh I would have cried and we went to console our little one who was distraught.

Never when I was dreaming about Christmas with my own family did I think of a two year old and glass ornaments were a very bad combination.

Dreams

Expectations

Reality

This year I will be drawing a chalkboard tree and only the soft ornaments will make it out this year.

Those dreams of slowly waking to snuggles and kisses from my babies today my reality was poo painting and a whole heap of washing.

This year Christmas eve, my husband will be working night shift, so late night whispers and setting up the secrets of Santa, won’t be like how I had imagined…

My big thought this morning is this;

Keep dreaming

Write your vision and make it plain

Then allow the reality of life to colour in and outside of the lines.

If you hold on too tight to the outworking of your dreams, you will always end up disappointed.

Do you struggle with disappointment often?

Disappointed in people?

Disappointed in your boss?

Disappointed in your life?

Lower your expectations but…

But with a capital B.

Keep dreaming.

Poo painting happens,

Ornaments break,

Work is necessary,

It’s all part of the picture that I never dreamed would be the beauty of normal.

All my love

Amanda

 

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