it’s that time.

what time, you ask?

time to get your advent on.

(among other things on my list.)

remember last year’s advent?

no?

whelp, here you go.

not to mention it was spotted and liked just a little bit.  I was featured at the crafty blogstalker.  (!!!!)

she has the perfect help for anyone planning on doing an advent for this all too fast approaching christmas season.  darling ideas there I tell you!!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

Not just because of our lovely (yet typical) Utah weather!!
No, it is this darned designer I am working with at Jessica Sprague!
She has me seeing Christmas.
(It is only fitting for our weather though!)
Another yummy creation from Elle’s Studio:
Meet, the Advent Calendar…

Cute, fun, stuff!
It is brand new in store today!!
Of course, I embellished the heck out of it..  that’s what I do!
I used glitter and flocking powder this time, but used my Xyron sticker maker instead of wet glue.  Much easier on bigger areas.  I also got to raid my ribbon/fiber drawer to tie these cuties up.  (Using remnant supplies that I can’t bear to throw away is a huge plus.)  Other than that, I used the typical glue dots (both regular and craft) and scissors (large, medium, and small tipped), a hole punch, and rhinestones.
Elle makes it easy and fun for you.  She even includes a list of activities for you to use as ideas for your calendar activities.
We decided on ours, calendared them in, so when that day comes, we know what we are doing, that and we can re-use this again and again and again..
Or you could write or tack on your own activities on the pieces.
(I have to admit that it was more than a little weird working on this, cutting it all out while watching Halloween movies!)

Advent Calendar...

Here's the supply list for those who are interested...
A BIG thanks to the cute lady who thought this one up and posted it on Making Memories Blog last year...

Supplies:
11x17 cookie sheet (other sizes work well too..), the shinier the better, make sure it's not teflon coated, or test a magnet on it
2 12x12 scrapbook papers, pattern is fun!
coordinating papers for your lettering and number 25
calendar grid (I can e-mail this to you... just leave your e-mail address.)
rick-rack or other trim to cover paper seams (about 24 inches)
a 15 inch piece of wire, or you can use ribbon for the hanger part
25 magnets
25 pieces to mark your days
E-3600 craft glue is my fav, but your fav will work too
Fabric Tac glue, a small bottle will be enough
Automotive primer (with the, gray lid, will say automotive primer in white...)
Spray paint, I like satin finish the best

Other helpful supplies:
Punches
Ribbon
rub-ons

Tools:
Drill (to drill holes in your cookie sheet for the hanger)
paper trimmer
scissors
corner rounder, or just use scissors
wire cutters
Sizzix or Cricut (You can also use your home computer to print off text, mirrored so it's backwards, onto the wrong side of your paper, and cut it out by hand, or use stickers or rub-ons for your text...)
sandpaper

Directions:
*Drill your cookie sheet before you do anything!* If you paint it before you drill, it will chip the paint. After holes are drilled, paint it, bottom, or back, side first, with the primer. Get at least two good coats on it, letting it dry well between coats. Turn it over and get a good coat of primer all over, the second coat need only be on the edges, the center will be covered with paper, but needs some primer to help adhere the paper. (I did have a couple of friends who just left it silver, didn't prime or paint, and it still worked out just as well.) Paint it with your choice of spray paint. Follow the same order as priming, bottom or back of cookie sheet, then top.
After it's all dry, you can choose to sand the edges if that's the look you want, or you can leave it.
Trim your papers to fit the bed of the cookie sheet. The top and bottom strips should measure 2 1/2 inches high. The center piece remains 12 inches. Glue down the top and bottom strips first, using the Fabric Tac. Glue down the center piece last to ensure it is centered. Cut rick-rack or ribbon to fit, and glue down, with the Fabric Tac to cover the seams of the papers.
Cut your letters, unless you are using another method.
With the Cricut, I cut "The Days of" in 1 inch height. I cut "Christmas" in 1 1/2 inch height and the number 25 in 2 inch height. Glue down your letters, number, and calendar grid. (I prefer using my Xyron for this, but the Fabric Tac would work well on this too.)
One of the last steps is to get your pieces together and get them numbered and magnets on them! I use the E3600 glue to attach the magnets. You can either go for a collected look (pictured above), where you pretty much raid your scrapbook supply or find trinkets on clearance, and use those as your daily markers. I did a more uniform look, punching out circles of my patterned papers after I printed my numbers on them, and then stuck on a page pebble to add dimension and protection. Feed your wire through the two holes on the cookie sheet, from the back, leaving tails on the front to wrap around the handle. Tie ribbon to the handle.

And the winner is.....

Advent Calendar... GIVE AWAY!!!

I have officially re-gained my crafty (hehehehe... that was my best evil laugh...) life...
Here's my fruits:
I will be giving her away to one very jolly lady, or should I say person?...
Leave a comment telling me about a favorite holiday tradition or memory, and your name will be entered in a drawing for this masterpiece... winner announced Sunday evening!
If you don't win, then on Monday, you can go buy supplies and make one with me on Thursday, October 2nd, you name the time, my joint! (I will be open ALL DAY... I am a Best Western Widow!)
Supply list is in the side bar... I might add to it later as I am trying to get a fussy baby to sleep right now and I really don't know what it is that I am doing, or talking about, but if she hits her head one more time on some hard object while trying to crawl... so help me!
Um, anyway...
Buy a cookie sheet. The cheaper, the better. Any size, I used 11x17... no Teflon coated, the magnets won't hold.
You can prime you cookie sheet with automotive primer and spray paint it yourself, or you can bring it to me, specify which color you prefer, and I'll do it ;)... You must have it to me by Wednesday morning!!!
I will have the glue needed to adhere your paper, and a Cricut (and MANY fonts...) to cut out lettering, or foam stamps and paint to letter with. I also have wire for the hanger. I will also drill the holes needed before I paint your cookie sheet, or you will have to drill them yourself BEFORE YOU PAINT.
I also have various corner rounders, punches, and a trimmer, but you will have to bring your own papers!!!
Rick-Rack and ribbons are up to you too...
Now, for those daily pieces...
There are many options... above, is the collected, eclectic look. You have to come up with those too. (I do have 15 of the metal light bulbs [#5], those go to the first 15 to call them.) Or you may opt for the more consistent approach (my fav... heart!), as demonstrated below:
Those are circles punched in the background paper (double-sided) after I printed my numbers on them with my computer (I do have that saved...) topped with a page pebble, and glued to the magnets. (Those are one inch.) You have about 1 1/2 inches to play with in those squares. Bottle caps would be cute, wooden circles... you get the idea, right?
Oh, and those numbers, you gotta do those too. I used rub-ons, kind of a pain, I liked printing them much better, stamps would be cool too, I have to see if I have a font that small, so if you don't want my computer printed number method, get busy finding your numbers...
I will also have the grid, thanks to Christie :).
I think that's it, but I am very tired now, somewhat not all here...
RSVP so I know how much stuff to have for sure...
It'll be fun!
Should I bust out some Christmas tunes?