![DIY advent calendar-8314 DIY advent calendar-8314](/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DIY-advent-calendar-8314_thumb.jpg)
I don’t really consider myself a crafty person, but I feel like I unleashed my inner crafting goddess this past weekend! Even though I started to lose steam about 30 minutes into this project (my typical short attention span), I persisted on and ended up with a fun advent calendar that can be reused for many years to come.
Thanks to Bec from Little Lucy Lu for the tutorial and inspiration!
![DIY advent calendar-8309 DIY advent calendar-8309](/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DIY-advent-calendar-8309_thumb.jpg)
Before I knew it I found myself at Michael’s and Home Depot on a Friday night. par-tay. It ended up being a lot of fun (except for the Home Depot part) and I was impressed with how easy it was to make (except for the frame building part which someone kindly took over).
![DIY advent calendar-8305 DIY advent calendar-8305](/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DIY-advent-calendar-8305_thumb.jpg)
Eric, the exacting, meticulous planner, took the wood to the garage and later appeared with a frame so perfectly square it could be sold at the store. Later on when he was hanging the wire, I heard him say things like, “this needs to be mathematically correct” and “I think I am going to strip some thicker electrical wire because I don’t think this crafting wire will hold…” And he did. He stripped this awful, ugly thick wire and tried to convince me it would look good. Umm, no thank you, but I appreciate the thought. I insisted the regular crafting wire would hold my “super heavy” tea bags and not surprisingly it did, but that didn’t stop him from putting about 765 staples into the back of the frame and pulling the wire so tight I thought he was stringing a guitar. When he builds, he builds to last.
I, on the other hand, had numbers dropping like flies all night long because I forgot to glue them in place. Who knew the tacky backing wouldn’t hold? When I build, I build to last for 5 minutes apparently.
![DIY advent calendar-8272 DIY advent calendar-8272](/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DIY-advent-calendar-8272_thumb.jpg)
Here’s what you’ll need:
– A large frame (2 feet by 3 feet) OR make your own frame. We used (two) 1 inch x 2 inch x 8 foot framing lumber boards. They cost about $1 each. OR try a large bulletin board and just pin everything on.
– spray paint, if desired. I used Tremclad flat green paint – found at Home Depot
– Florist wire (found at Michaels) or try regular string (Eric made three rows)
– Staple gun for securing wire/string
– 24-25 metal clips OR simply tie loops around the wire with twine/string/ribbon
– twine or string
– construction paper or scrapbooking paper (I purchased Martha Stewart holiday mat pad + 2 sheets of scrapbook paper)
– Stick on numbers (or make your own)
– glue stick + scissors
– treats, notes, activities to put inside!
![homemade advent calendar-8268 homemade advent calendar-8268](/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/homemade-advent-calendar-8268_thumb.jpg)
I LOVE this crafting paper by Martha. The sheets are the perfect size to fold in half and make pouches and it was 40% off to boot.
![DIY advent calendar-8271 DIY advent calendar-8271](/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DIY-advent-calendar-8271_thumb.jpg)
To make a pouch:
– Fold/cut craft paper into desired size (I used above sheets which are 6.75 inches by 4.75 inches, but make them any size you wish)
– Hole punch holes on each side
– Place twine or string through holes and a big knot on one side (see below)
– Glue number on the front
– secure on calendar with clip (or simply tie with string)
To make the Tags (see #2 above):
– Print off this tag template in your desired size
– Trace it onto desired craft paper & cut out
– Write desired activity on the back (such as “put up the Christmas tree” or “Christmas party at Jenn’s place”)
– Glue number/paper on front
– hole punch top & secure with string
We’re picking out our Christmas tree & decorating it on December 2nd, so I wrote that for #2.
![DIY advent calendar-8311 DIY advent calendar-8311](/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DIY-advent-calendar-8311_thumb.jpg)
Ideas for pouch-stuffing:
– Your favourite tea
– homemade granola or trail mix
– Chocolate wrapped up in tin foil
– Candy, suckers, gum, mints, etc
– Write activities for you and your family to do together (I wrote down our Christmas parties, putting up the tree, baking days, etc)
– You could also use this calendar to stay healthy around the holidays by writing down daily fitness or health goals as motivation to stay on the right track. Don’t forget to balance it out with chocolate though!
– Any other ideas?
– I’m planning a surprise for Eric on the 25th tree, but I probably won’t write it until our last night in the house before Christmas.
So there you have it, our first ever DIY Advent Calendar! Maybe some day a child of our own will be using this each year. If not, I’m sure Sketchie will like it filled with treats…or lens caps.
Is it just me or is he building some major arm muscles?
Are you crafting anything this holiday season?
Such a beautiful calendar. I think you could easily be mistaken for a crafty person!
Sketchie has definitely been doing bicep curls on the side. ;)
I have two little girls and thought I would make an advent calendar this year! Its activity based so each day we do something as opposed to getting a treat. I am SO not crafty but its kind of fun to put it all together! I have mine on the wall in the form of two Christmas trees made out of garland and then I just clipped decorated tags on them. Not the prettiest but it serves the purpose! The activities are so cute too… something as simple as calling Grandma and singing jingle bells… haha!
Thanks for sharing yours Im on an advent calendar kick right now!
That sounds really cute!
This looks like so much fun–I’ve seen a bunch of different ideas for DIY advents floating around over the last few days. I have to say, I’m a bit boring and bought those like $1 chocolate advents from Trader Joe’s, haha!
Also–side note–does that say vanilla nut “crepe” tea??!?
It’s vanilla nut creme decaf, but crepe would be good too I’m sure. hah. It’s really good with almond milk!
I just discovered that vanilla nut creme decaf tea and I am obsessed with it!
I am too…drink it every night lately!
This is so cute! I have a bag of miniature (I’ll appropriately call them “elf size”) clothespins I bought simply for their adorable factor. I’ve been waiting 2 years for a use for them, which is strange since I live for crafting. Thanks for the inspiration! :)
this is cute! i do not even pretend to be crafty – store bought all the way!!
Great idea!
We’re going to attempt to make our Christmas tree this year. I love a real tree as much as anyone, but for various reasons (small Parisian appartment, cat who will attack and eat any green thing…) we thought a homemade tree made out of real branches might work better this year.
Oh my goodness, this is SO cute! You’ve inspired me now, I want to make one!
I love this advent calendar. My hubby grew up with the candy a day calendars (until he had to be heimliched (sp?) for skipping ahead a day! It’s okay, laugh, we do) and I grew up with the regular paper ones. This might be a fun way to kind of incorporate both. I could write the Christmas story on the inside and he’d have a prize for the day!
I’m a crafting fool this year! If you want to swing by and see the sheet music flowers I did yesterday you can see my latest obsession. :-)
Very cute! We still get those cardboard advent calendars with the cheap chocolate on the inside – some childhood traditions never die. :)
Cute! I get frustrated appx 2 minutes into crafts – not my thing at all! Love this though!
This is so cute – love it!
HAH Sketchie looks totally jacked in that picture! What a cutie :)
That’s such a great idea! I love the mix of treats, activities and healthy options too.
This idea is so cute. I love it!
It’s my first Christmas with two kitters in a place that has actual Christmas trees… i’m scared. The look on Sketchie’s face in the first picture makes me even more nervous!
I’m not as crafty as you (I bought an advent calendar at Trader Joe’s, and that was because it had chocolate in it), but I did glue some holiday ribbons onto headbands. I’m doing a couple of holiday races, and I wanted to wear something festive for them :)
I never heard of an advent calender my sister would love this me and her or exchanging handmade gifts this year;so it would be nice to give her the calender and put little mini presents in the pouch for her she would be so excited..
your calendar is so cute! I am trying to make one for my boyfriend… but it’s not nearly as pretty! ;)
I just saw this tutorial on Pinterest and it is so cute! It’s good to know it is do-able!
Oh wow, Angela, this is so cute!! You did SUCH a great job! I Love the idea of writing fitness and health goals down, too. Very clever!
Angela this is so fun and creative and love that it’s reusable, DIY, crafty, and just so pretty!
Good heavens, I just do not have the patience to do these gorgeous DIY projects! I love the idea of it, but to implement? I just won’t do it… so sad. I’d most certainly buy it though :) And my husband? So not a handyman… like me, he’d just pay someone to do it, or get one of our dads, haha