NewlyWoodwards

an unconventional home

Simple and cheap DIY advent calendar

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Simple and cheap.

Did I get your attention?

I had these 12×12 boards from last Christmas. Remember what I did with them?

Ryan cut out a bunch of them for me when I had a whim. (Love him.) I used them for gifts last year. But, I didn’t use them all.

Fast forward to this year. I’ve been seeing lots of advents around the blogosphere. I really like them, but I didn’t really want to put candy or little gifts in them. When I was growing up, we just moved a little mouse through each of the days. That was exciting enough. We didn’t need no gifts on our advent. We were tough. 😉

So, I came up with this idea after getting inspiration from a scrapbook store. I’m sure lots of other people have done it, too.

I have a square punch. So, that made this extra simple. I just punched tons of squares out of a variety of scrapbook papers that I already had on hand. Then, I modge-podged them to black boards. I added the numbers on top (the numbers were something I’ve had for years… they are pads of solid numbers that looked like a pad of paper). Then, I added a few layers of modge-podge. Easy peasy.
After it dried, we added upholstery tacks from the hardware store with a hammer. We chose them because they were black. You could use hooks or regular thumb tacks, too.

Now, we’ll just move the bell backwards as we get closer to Christmas. I think it’s rather adorable. You can hang it from a ribbon or add hardware on the back. Or, you could just prop it.

I made a bunch of these to give to Ryan’s family while we were in Memphis. I think they were well received.

Do you advent?

Advent calendar

Comments

  1. Those are super cute! Ever since I was born my grandmother bought me an advent calendar, since she is no longer here- my mom has carried on the tradition for my sister and I. She tries to find Germany calendars (I think that is were advent calendars began). I write the year on the back of each and keep them with all my christmas decor. I don’t display them but I do enjoy looking through them each year.

  5. OMG…..cute as ever. I actually have the mouse advent calendar hanging up this year. I can’t believe you remembered it. How cool is that? I love these calendars!

  7. dude it’s so cute! Now tell me this…as a fellow childless household, do you really move this every day? Or will a few days go by and you kinda skip over them? Cuz that’s totally what would happen at our house.

  12. incredible idea! We’ve been looking everywhere for something like that but all I can find is one where I have to put a treat in each box. Good job!

  15. I DO advent and wish I had to make these.
    YOU were so close to me at Lamberts…I wish things were less hectic adn we could have met in person. Oh well one day maybe

  20. wow – that is sooo cute!! i’m definitely going to steal this idea! i was just thinking of how i wanted one, but none of the store ones really appealed. thanks for sharing!

  22. Love love love this. And totally with you on the candy, much prefer a simple countdown. My aunt gave me an Advent calendar for this year – I need to find it.

  24. That is cute and easy. I don’t have time to do it this year but I am going to file this in the file to do next year. I have a cricut and it will do easy to do numbers with it.

    Good job.

    We don’t advent but I am hoping to start that tradition next year.

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