Advent Calendar with a Sentimental Touch

journal entry:

 

It seems that each year I think about making an advent calendar. Think about it but don’t do it. I have long collected images of advent calendars others have made in an effort to gather ideas. Someday. That’s what I have said to myself.  Today is “someday”.

I knew that I didn’t want it to be ordinary or I wouldn’t use it year to year. So. I gathered bits and pieces and odds and ends and this and that and spread things out on the table. I had scrapbook embellishments on hand and one of this and two of that. I had beads and trinkets and tags and silver embroidery floss. I bought magnets. Strong magnets.

Months ago I bought long and narrow magnet boards at IKEA. They were on a close-out aisle for $2.99. Problem was they were all orange. Orange is not my color nor the color of anyone else I know personally. { Sorry if orange is your favorite color } I looked over the partially used cans of spray paint in Grandpa’s garage and picked a few. I knew that all I had to do was say that I was going to spray paint something and Grandpa would be right by my side saying “here, let me do that.” That is because he gets the paint on the object to be painted and I get it everywhere else.

The super glue was another issue. I used quite a bit of it. By the time I finished twenty five little “things” for the advent board my finger tips were covered with glue. It will take a few days to peel it off. Nevertheless, the little keepsake-treasures-numbers turned out just the way I had imagined. Sparkly, interesting and meaningful.

 

When my children were small, I wouldn’t have had treasures like these to use. I would have had pom poms and construction paper and popcicle sticks and glitter and wax paper and pipe cleaners. Wonderful. Perfect. For that particular season of life. Years of accumulation and a little extra spending money made it possible for me to make an advent calendar that will be special to me year after year.

 

This tree ornament was perfect for the 25th !

 

• Here area  few odds and ends about the project:
• The magnet board is painted with silver spray paint.
• The edges are lightly sprayed with ice crystals which come in a can.
• The numbers on the magnet board are adhesive scrapbooking numbers.
• Some of the keepsakes are ornaments.
• I already had the easel !

 

 

I am working on another Keepsake Advent Calendar.

This one is bright, lime green with sparkly things children will like !

 

MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS !