Day 23: Make the Season Bright! Continued... Advent Calendar

Obviously, I'm proud of this one!

Originally Posted on 12/6/2008

Last night I spent about 2 hours going through old Christmas Cards, picking the ones that were turned long ways, cutting them out into envelopes, then gluing them together. So this morning my goal was to get tiny clothes pins. After dropping my son off at school, I made a trip to Hobby Lobby and for $2.33 I got 24 of them. Brought them home, painted them black.

I grabbed a piece of wood from the garage, covered the front with batting, then with black canvas and stapled all the way around the back, then I used some fancy white cording and wrapped it around to the back, stapling each cord securely. Added two little cord loops in the back for hanging. Then stuffed each envelope with something special for my kids. Here's what I put in them.  Here's the template for the envelopes.  Just click the image to print. 

Also go here to download for "To Do Cards"

My friend made these and I LOVE them.

1. Write and Mail Letters to Santa 2. Bake Cookies and Decorate 3. Share Cookies with Neighbors 4. Make a gift for each others Stockings. 5. Make a Paper Chain for Tree 6. Wrap Presents for Teachers 7. Make up a Bedtime Story using Stuffed Animals 8. Write a Story and “publish” it on Mom’s Blog 9. Make Christmas Ornaments, make Daddy’s B-Day Present 10. Make a “Thankful” list and hang it up (Daddy’s Birthday) 11. Take a Bubble Bath with Candle light 12. Break out the Christmas Music and Dance 13. Watch a Christmas Movie 14. Make More Christmas Ornaments 15. Make Paper Snowflakes for the Windows 16. Have a Tea Party 17. Make Christmas Wrapping Paper 18. Make Mommy a Canvas Painting with Hand prints 19. Read a Pile of Christmas stories 20. Stay Up Late and Watch a Movie 21. Bake Some Bread or Cookies 22. Make Cupcakes 23. Go see Massive Christmas Light Show down the street. 24. Christmas Party at Nana’s 25. Open Presents and Go to more parties.

 

 

You could also do them like the example above, same pattern and concept, just decorate your mantel!

Now I'm off to do #1 with the kiddo's!

P.S. I'm leaving this sucker up all year to catch my important pictures, birthday cards, announcements, invites, etc.! So, it'll work ALL year!

P.S.S.  I made a little origami box to put the envelopes on after we took them down.  The kids liked seeing them "gone".  The box is made out of Christmas paper and sat on the mantel as decoration.  I also saved the strips of paper so I might use them next year.  Read on to see how our Advent Calendar adventures continued...