Advent Pocket Calendar

Advent Pocket Calendar

The link below has a wonderful tutorial. There really is nothing more I can add to it except if you would like to use the numbers that I used, you can find them HERE. And if you would like to use the cards I made, you can download them HERE.

This is how I use the numbers from that download...

After printing the numbers out, I punched them out using my one inch punch. I use the black circles as a guideline and cut right up to the edge of it.

As you can see in this next picture, the punch then centers nicely to punch out your numbers.

My inspiration for this calendar was taken from HERE
The tutorial is also found at this link.

Anthony's Amazing Advent Adventure!

I took a trip this year with my Grandson, Anthony to Disneyland. I thought how fun it would be to have him remember a little bit of the trip during December as somewhat of an Advent Activity. I also thought he needed a KISS from Grandma every single morning in December.

So - this is what I created...

What you see here is a bowl full of what are called 'sour cream containers' that I made out of photos from our trip. Inside each one of them is a KISS (Hershey style) and a little note of what the picture is of.


I also made a quick little journal with the same pictures included. I did this ALA-SIMPLE as if I did it any other way it would simply not get done. I printed out some lines on red paper, wrote in my handwriting the memories and stuck them all together in page protectors with rings covered in Christmas ribbon.

(OK - so I'm NOT the family photographer - that is the role of my niece Kimberly Jarman. You can find her amazing photography HERE!)

Split Coast Stampers has a GREAT Tutorial for how to make the Sour Cream Containers HERE

Because I used photographs, mine was a little bit different. Instead of using the paper with the dimensions they mention, I just use 4 X 6 photos. I find that double sticky tape works just fine holding everything together. You do NOT have to use the crimper - but it sure does give it that awesome final touch. Don't avoid this project if you do not have a crimper. It's just to adorable to miss!!

Here are some more pictures of my process using the photos....

Anthony and his mommy - my beautiful daughter-in-law Jennifer.

Anthony - In one of my favorite photo spots in Disneyland.

A little tucked away stair case in New Orleans Square!Crimping the first side. (After using tape to hold it together.)

Crimping the second side - don't forget to put the treat in!!!

I used my Mickey Mouse punch and the numbers I created HERE to make the tags for each container.

After printing the numbers out, I punched them out using my one inch punch. I use the black circles as a guideline and cut right up to the edge of it.

As you can see in this next picture, the punch then centers nicely to punch out your numbers.

I then glued the numbers to the Mickey Mouse punch. Of course, you could come us with a lot of fun and different ways to do this.

Mini Muffin Tin Advent Calendar

Go figure - I didn't even get a picture of this before it was given away! Silly me!

My inspiration came from this photo.

I purchased the MINI muffin tin at Walmart for under $5.00. I then used my 2 5/16 Scalloped punch to punch the Christmas Paper Shapes.

I punched the numbers using the same template that I created for the RACK project. You can find a link to download that HERE (you will only need to use the numbers 1-24 from this sheet)

After printing the numbers out, I punched them out using my one inch punch. I use the black circles as a guideline and cut right up to the edge of it.

As you can see in this next picture, the punch then centers nicely to punch out your numbers.


I then glued the numbers to the Christmas paper.

On the back of them I used magnets that I just cut from a roll of adhesive magnets. You can find this in the Walmart craft area. Here are pictures...they tell the story much better! :)




However, there are lots of links full of inspiration on the internet. Here are a few. You can also do a Google search for Muffin Tin Advent and find a lot of stuff that way too!!


Somewhat Simple has her version of it HERE

From The Bottom Of My Pencil Case has one HERE

Stamp Till You Cramp has a version HERE

Random Acts of Christmas Kindness

This is a Christmas advent activity for the family/kids.

The idea is a fun advent activity to do with the family throughout the month of December.

The inspiration for this came from a couple of different places. TSJ Photography was part of the inspiration. The links for her inspiring ideas are HERE and HERE. Her ideas sprung from Katherine Marie Photography and what she posted HERE. And my ideas sprung from there. :)

This is not a perfect science, or a perfect tutorial. I just tried to share with you some of the basic things I did to put this together. You could certainly achieve the same thing many different ways.

Here are the ideas that I included in each little envelope. (click on the picture to enlarge)


Supplies I Used:

Kleenex box or some type of box to hold the RACK Activity
Empty can to hold candy canes
Wrapping paper to cover the box and the can
Extra chip board or cereal box for divider if desired
Small envelopes or envelope template from HERE
Numbers and Words HERE
Rack Cards HERE
You've Been RACK'd Cards HERE
1 inch punch
2 inch scallop punch
Adhesive

I started with an empty Kleenex box, cut off the top and cut it down a bit. I covered the box in wrapping paper.

Next I created this divider out of chip board from a cereal box to go into the box. I did this to separate the envelopes from the candy canes with the thought that the side with the candy canes could hold some supplies for the different RACK adventures. Coins, tape, etc.



I covered this in wrapping paper and secured it to the inside of the box by gluing the flaps to the inside edges of the box.

I know...better pictures would have helped, but I did not get them and some lucky person has already taken this home as a prize from our event! :)

You can sort of see it in the finished picture at the beginning of this post.

I used these little envelopes from the Dollar Tree.


I don't know if they carry them any longer, so I have included a template (listed under supplies) and you could make your own envelopes.

After printing the Numbers and Words out, (listed under supplies) I punched the numbers out. I use the black circles as a guideline and cut right up to the edge of it.


As you can see in this next picture, the punch then centers nicely to punch out your numbers.


Then, using my 2 inch scallop punch, I punched out some coordinating wrapping paper.



I then glued the number to the scallop shape and then glued them to the little envelopes. 25 times later....and we are almost done!


After printing out the Rack Cards, (listed in supplies) I rounded them with my corner rounder. They then go into the little envelopes.


Wrap the can in matching gift wrapping paper. I just set it in the box to hold the candy canes.

Print out the You've Been RACK'd cards (listed in supplies). You will use these when you leave a RACK for someone.

I then embellished the front by making some small paper rosettes and placing the R-A-C-K on the front of each one of them. Paper Source has a PDF download HERE that can explain how to make the paper rosettes. You could embellish the front any way you like. I am lucky enough to have the sizzix die for this little embellishment. I love it. It is so versatile. However until this last black Friday sale :)...I did it the old fashioned way like in the PDF instructions. You can come up with many different ways to make paper rosettes - from small to huge just by doing a 'paper rosettes' or 'paper medallions' Google search.

I then cut out each word - Random - Acts - Of - Christmas - Kindness and glued them on separately.


Here is how the final RACK Advent turned out.


If you have any questions or concerns, please just contact me. Contact me information is found in the right hand side of the blog.

Deanna