5 Creative Advent Calendars

I would love to take credit for all these, but no! :) I'm happy I came up with just one of the five.

1. Mini-stockings.

I created a template from cardboard and traced 48 (2 each) stockings on the washed and pre-felted thrifted wool sweaters I've been collecting. (Note: If you, unlike me, don't haunt thrift stores for cool wool sweaters to wash and felt and cut apart, you could easily create the same look from store-bought felt).

I then sewed them together, cut out numbers from regular thin craft felt with my QuicKutz, and hand-sewed the numbers on. They are then strung on a piece of ribbon or yarn with clothespins. Each day holds a holiday tradition ("Make cookies," "Watch 'The Grinch,'" etc.).

2. Vintage spools.

This adorable idea is from Cathe Holden. Pop over to her blog and get step-by-step instructions, complete with PDF downloads.

3. Pyramid Boxes.

Julie Ree created this adorable garland. I'm thinking you could do this with those cool tea boxes that Oprah loves called Tea Forte (and cost about $1 a piece), but you could also make your own using these instructions. (I bet Cricut has a template, too.)
 
4. Recycled Christmas Cards

I love the idea of recycling old cards into mini-envelopes for this calendar. Full instructions from Homespun Threads. (I think I'd change this up a bit by painting the clothespins red and green, or leaving them natural-colored and stamping or writing the day on them. Then I'd hang it over the mantle or in the kitchen.)

5. Cookie Sheet.

 

This one is an oldie but a goodie from Teresa McFayden via Craft Magazine. (I think I might make one of these this year as a decor item, and use it in conjunction with my felt stocking one. I'm thinking this would be a fun crafty project for Thanksgiving afternoon, when I'm trying to avoid washing the dishes or eating more dessert.)
 

What about you? Do you have a favorite advent calendar, or a link to a cool one online? Share!

Comments

[PaulaSG]

Love them all! Your stockings are adorable.
I went a little advent calendar crazy last year: http://scraptherefore.blogspot.com/2008/12/counting-down.html I'm thinking of getting the Lego one this year too. And of course the TJ chocolate ones again. Is there such a thing as too many advent calendars?

[April]

your little stockings are cute, but I don't think I could handle sewing those by hand (and well, since I don't own a sewing machine, I don't see me doing that one) . . . but I like the cone ones too. I need to go check out my cricut cartridges and see if I can handle putting one of those together. Thanks Lain for such a timely post!!

[Karen]

Here are links to our advent calendar that I made 27 years ago. We still use it!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8243804@N08/4115128232/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8243804@N08/4115127010/in/photostream/

[Kelli]

I do not have a hand-made calendar. I have one I received as a gift from the family I lived with in Germany. I received it 16 years ago and Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without it. It is a giant fabric nutcracker with pockets sewn onto his jacket. The children always choose where it goes and what goes in the pockets. One gets to fill odd days and the other gets to fill even days and then they reveal what they other person put in it on the appropriate day.

[Nathalie (famille1999)]

Cute ideas! We have one advent calendar that we received as a gift when the girls were little that we put up every year. It's a nativity scene that the girls get to do one piece at a time through out the month of December. The beginning of the month is random with little lambs, stars and sheperds, but we always finish with the big star and baby Jesus for the 23rd and 24th. Besides that one the girls usually get a store-bought advent calendar with chocolate inside each window. It wouldn't be Christmas time without one of those. :)

[Michelle (from KY)]

Such cute ideas. I had an advent calendar growing up (and an advent wreath). A wonderful tradition!

[Crafty P]

love the recycled cards one... i could do that. we have a couple advent calendars already!

[Elizabeth Yow]

Several days late (as usual, but at least it's before December!), but the 3rd one reminded me that I'm pretty sure I've got at least one Sizzix die that makes some sort of box or container or something, which would be a) easy, and b) perfect.