The cutest Advent Calender

This is the perfect time of year to start this blog. The Christmas season always brings out the creativity in me. There are so many fun and beautiful ways to decorate, give gifts and just enjoy the holiday season.


I have a 6 & 4 year old who love anything Christmas.  In fact every time I would find and put up a new decoration this year, they would get so excited and say things like: "I love that Mom" or "this is going to be the best Christmas ever."  So I knew they needed an advent calender. So I set out looking for one for their  Christmas count down. When I found this one I immediately loved it and I just had to make one myself.  When I see cute things in homes or at the store I immediately try to figure out how I can (as everyone says) DIY (Do It Yourself), and for a lot less money.


I'm posting this a little late for December, but if you don't want to do the whole count down you can just do the 12 days before Christmas.

It was so easy, if you scrapbook at all then you'll have no problems with the decorating part. I did this in 2 days. And that was with kids, twin babies, house work, dinner & work. So really only spent a few hours on it.


So here are the supplies you will need:


*     Sheet metal. I picked mine up from LOWES 24x24 $10. (they had smaller sizes as well in rectangle)


*     Strong magnets. I used 1 inch.


*     Plastic framing. Also from LOWES I found in the door/windows department. You can also use a real     
picture frame or make your own out of molding (which I wanted too but didn't have the time)


*     Paper party favor boxes.  I found these 2x2 boxes at MICHAEL crafts. Only $5 for 20.


*     Scrapbook paper & embellishes.  I happened to have most the paper and embellishments. I found a few real cute paper also from MICHAEL crafts.


*     Craft paint (black), glue (scrapbook & tacky), and hot glue gun with glue sticks.


*     Strang ribbon & drill.

So you can start with drilling two holes in top (about 2-3 inch from edge). Next frame the sheet metal. You can cut straight edges, but the miter cut looks so much nicer. I messured and cut the plastic then painted them black. Then used tacky glue to adhere the plastic to metal.

Nexted I folded together the boxes then painted them black aswell. Then glued the magnets to the bottom of boxes with the hot glue gun.

Next I decorated each box lid with: scrapbook paper, embelsiments & number stickers for the days of the month. As a cute touch, I brushed black paint around edge of boxes.

Then thread the ribbon throught the holes & tied a bow.


Last I filled each box with treats and goodies for my two older kids to open and enjoy each day.

  Beelyn