Advent Adventures

August 1, 2025

TLDR: Welcome to Advent Adventures, where the countdown begins before the countdown even starts. We’re building something magical — one barrette and one box at a time — and you’re invited behind the scenes. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be updating this post so you can follow along as each piece of the Advent Calendar Adventure comes together.

YouTube Links

You can also follow what’s happening on YouTube at Ann Gabriel Barrettes: https://www.youtube.com/@AnnGabrielBarrettes/videos

Latest Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiiiCElFqRw

Today, the Advent Adventures begin.

I’m so excited. Like, ridiculously excited. I've been thinking about this Advent calendar for months, sketching out ideas, collecting treasures, dreaming up ways to make it feel joyful, magical, and totally Ann Gabriel. And now, it’s happening.

But here’s the twist:
I completely lost my voice.

Ten days ago, I got COVID, and ever since then, laryngitis has taken over my life. So, no YouTube videos. No Instagram shorts. No clever little video intros where I tell you what’s coming next.

And yet... this silence has been kind of perfect.

With no voice to use on camera, I’ve gone fully underground — doing the deep, behind-the-scenes work that really makes a project come alive. It’s like the factory lights have flickered on, and the machines are humming. Behind the curtain, the work of Ann Gabriel is very much in motion.

There’s so much to do. More than I ever imagined.

• I opened a business checking account. Although it changes nothing, it also changes everything.

• I’m researching how to open a small Amazon store.

• I making lists of bloggers, influencers, and magazines I want to share this Advent calendar with (if you know someone, tell me!).

• Oh, and the actual Advent calendar? It will be officially unveiled on September 1st.

Between now and then, I’ll be updating this blog post with photos, progress notes, sneak peeks, and maybe even a few quiet confessions from the Ann Gabriel studio (aka my very real and very messy workspace).

So, welcome to Advent Adventures. You’re here at the beginning. There’s glitter in the making, and I’m so glad you’re part of it.

Talk to you soon!!