Advent Calendar

Make your own Advent calendar to help ease the anxiety of waiting for December 25.

Supplies

Step-by-Step

1. Step 1

   Cut 24 2 5/8" squares of patterned paper and 24 3" squares of cardstock.

   

2. Step 2

   Lay out cardstock pieces in four rows with six pieces each.
   
   Add patterned paper on top. If more than one patterned paper is used, lay them out in the pattern you would like to have when the calendar is finished.
   

   

3. Step 3

   Apply adhesive to the back of the patterned paper.

   

4. Step 4

   Center and adhere over cardstock square.
   
   Repeat with all 24 squares.

   

5. Step 5

   Apply strong adhesive to the back of all cardstock squares.

   

6. Step 6

   Line bottom left square 1/2" up from the bottom and left side and adhere to canvas.

   

7. Step 7

   Line bottom right square 1/2" up from the right and bottom edge and adhere to canvas.
   

   

8. Step 8

   Adhere the remaining squares.
   
   Here, the spacing is 3/8" between each square and each new row.
   
   

   

9. Step 9

   Cut two 2 1/2" x 12" pieces of coordinating patterned paper and adhere them to a 2 1/2" x 18 7/8" long strip of cardstock.
   
   ( I cut a 2 1/2" x 12" and a 2 1/2" x 10" piece of cardstock and pieced them together to get my 2 1/2" x 18 7/8" long strip. The patterned paper was taped over the cardstock strip to make it sturdier.)
   

   

10. Step 10

    Stamp calendar title and tape down. Add embellishments if wanted. Here, letters were stamped in pigment ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.
    
    Adhere patterned paper strip to the top of the canvas with strong adhesive.
    
    
    
    

    

11. Step 11

    Adhere a bottom piece of Velcro in the center of each square.

    

12. Step 12

    Cut 24 1/2" x 7 1/2" strips of patterned paper.
    Add a small piece of strong adhesive on each end and regular adhesive in between.

    

13. Step 13

    Tape one of these strips around the bottom of each tin.

    

14. Step 14

    Add one Velcro top on a bottom of each tin.

    

15. Step 15

    Stamp numbers from 1 - 24 and adhere them to the front of your tins.
    I stamped mine in Chocolate Chip, Old Olive and Real Red Craft ink and embossed them with clear embossing powder.
    I added punched out layered punched out circles under each number.

    

16. Step 15

    Stamp numbers from 1 - 24 and adhere them to the front of your tins.
    I stamped mine in Chocolate Chip, Old Olive and Real Red Craft ink and embossed them with clear embossing powder.
    I added punched out layered punched out circles under each number.

    

17. Step 15

    Stamp numbers from 1 - 24, cut them out and adhere them to the front of each tin.
    
    These are stamped in Chocolate Chip, Old Olive and Real Red Craft ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. Punched out layered punched out circles were layered under each number.

    

18. Step 16

    To hang the calendar, cut two 30" pieces of ribbon.
    
    Add a 1 1/2" long strip of strong adhesive on one end of both ribbon pieces.

    

19. Step 17

    Adhere ribbon piece on each top side of the canvas board. Reinforce with small nails or thumb tacks if needed.

    

20. Step 18

    Fill the tins and let the count down begin.

21. Step 18

    Fill the tins and let the countdown begin.

    

Variations

Use a magnet board instead of canvas and magnets instead of Velcro dots.

Line the holes of a mini muffin pan with decorated cardstock circles and add goodies inside.

Use paper mache boxes instead of tins.

Your Turn

You've seen the tutorial, now you try it! We've got a section of the gallery set aside for Advent Calendar. Try this technique, then upload your artwork to the gallery. Show us your creations!