Christmas Advent Calendar

I just finished an Christmas advent calendar in October!

I'm shocked but extremely happy because this is a gift for my very dear friend, Juanita.

Juanita is one of those crazy people who starts thinking about decorating for Christmas in July.

I start thinking about decorating for Christmas around December 24.

We've been friends forever....our kids have grown up together, we scrapbooked together, we cried together, and every year since we met I watched in awe as she transformed her home into a beautiful Christmas wonderland. I lived vicariously through her amazing decorating sense.

Well, this year I finally get to add a bit of my craftiness to her home.

Just a quick FYI - there are 72 days until Christmas.

Christmas Sweater Inspired Advent Calendar - Festive Project for Emerald Creek Design Team

It's the end of November and my thoughts are turning to all things Christmas.

Cards & gift tags to make, gifts to wrap, meals to plan and all that decorating!

What better way to get into the holiday spirit than to make & decorate a 25 Day Advent Calendar.

Each box is like a tiny piece of art and I love how this one turned out.

I was initially inspired by this package of paper from Carta Bella called Warm & Cozy. Isn't is dreamy! Then I decided to combine it with an 8x8 pad of Yuletide from Tim Holtz.

These advent calendars are handmade - my dad builds the wood box out of MDF and then I make the smaller boxes from chipboard. I have bought the advent calendars available on the market in the past but these are so much more sturdy.

I painted the outside of the box with a mix of bright red and burnt sienna acrylic paint - at about a 2:1 ratio. I didn't mix the paints completely as I wanted the brown of the burnt sienna to be visible as streaks throughout the red.

Each smaller box was painted with Peeled Paint Distress Paint on the outside and a wash of burnt sienna on the inside.

I then used the Holiday Knit Layering Stencil from Tim Holtz and Fired Brick Distress Ink to apply the design on all sides of the MDF box.

I then glued squares of the paper on the front of each box as well as lined the back and bottom sides of the boxes on the inside.

Once I found enough handles & drawers pulls and other bits & bobs it was time to start decorating.

I used the Alphabet thinlit die from Tim Holtz/Sizzix and a sheet of gold adhesive backed deco sheets from Tim Holtz Idea-ology. 

 I traced around the numbers with my hickory smoke distress marker just to add a bit of shadow.

I was so excited to finally use my snowflake charms from Emerald Creek Supplies. These metal alloy charms are gorgeous! I used alcohol inks in various shades of brown to give them a vintagy look.

Check out the Victoria Snowflake Charm & Mini Snowflake Charm.

I also used a Buckle Charm for a drawer pull. It was the perfect size and looked great after I used alcohol inks to add some colour.

I know I have said it before but I am in love with the Exclusive Line of embossing powders from Emerald Creek Crafts. This time I used the Soft Fallen Snow. I first used it on the words Let It Snow. I just love the texture and the tiny flecks of sparkle is perfect.

 I also used the Soft Fallen Snow on the Stacked Snowflakes - I first covered them with Picket Fence Distress Crackle Paint and while it was still wet I sprinkled the embossing over it. I just love the look of it after the paint dried ans cracked. I finish it off I gently inked the edges of the snowflake with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

I also used this embossing powder on a couple of scrap pieces of torn white cardstock.  This made a nice little 'snowdrift' for my Crazy Bird.

Here is my finished 25 day Advent Calendar - already to go for December 1st.

 For more Festive inspiration check out the projects from the rest of the Emerald Creek Design Team

Karon - Karon's Krafty Korner
Diana - missusgmoments
Cathy - Amethyst Dragonfly's Alcove 
Katelyn - A Creative Journey

Now that you are feeling festive head on over to the Emerald Creek Dares blog for the new Festive challenge. Share your Festive projects with us for a chance to win a $25 credit to the online store.

Thank you so much for dropping by my blog today!
I appreciate you taking the time and leaving a comment.

Celebration Calendars....not just for Advent anymore

We all remember the chocolate-filled advent calendars we got on

 December 1 when we were kids, don't we?

The excitement of 25 days of opening the tiny doors and

chowing down on low-grade chocolate. The joy!

Well, fast forward to 2015 and the age of Pinterest and now we have 25 days of Beer calendars, and 25 days of Wine calendars. Isn't it great to be an adult? 

I had an idea a couple of years ago and it all started with my sister.

My sister is a winter baby, born on December 28 and for years I have heard that she feels 'ripped off' at her birthday because it is so soon after Christmas. 

In the Spring of 2013 I decided to make her a birthday celebration calendar - 25 days plus 3 extra wrapped presents. One for each day of December leading up to her actual birthday.

It sounds ambitious but hear me out - each box was filled with a little gift that I picked up in local stores or while away on trips. A pair of earrings from a market on Cape Cod; handwritten notes from my kids & my husband & I about why she is so awesome;  a bag of Mystic Tea from Mystic, Connecticut; chocolate truffles from Papa Chocolate; lip balm, hand lotion, a scented candle; a necklace all the way down to kitschy gifts from the dollar store. 

I have to say it was a lot of fun to look for tiny gifts that would fit into a 2"x 2" box

 and it was even more fun surprising her with it!

She loved it!

So the idea of the Celebration Calendar was born!

I found the mass produced advent calendars available to buy a little restrictive because of the box sizes and only having 25 boxes. This is where having a creative carpenter for a dad really comes in handy. Any size wood box for any number of boxes. It's awesome and so much fun!

My most recent custom box was made for my very good friend and Halloween queen, Nicole Wright.

She wanted a 31 day calendar for Halloween because who wouldn't want 31 days of spooky & creepy fun every day of October?!?

So with graph paper, pencil and Eileen Hull's XL ScoreBoard Box & Cubes dies I was ready to start designing a 31 day Halloween Calendar.

 I can't wait to see what Nicole does with the blank canvas ~~~ I know its going to be amazing!

I have to give a huge thanks to my Dad for his time & patience. I am always so amazed that he can take my ideas and bring to life in 3D!

Check out his Facebook page to see his custom made furniture & home decor...

Shuttleworth's Carpentry & Custom Furniture

Thanks for checking out my blog today!

~~~stay crafty~~~

julia