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11/29/12

Each Day A Gift ~ An Advent Calendar

I really love the idea of an advent calendar.  We didn't have one when I was little.  At least I don't remember.  They're fun to make and they help kids understand the passing of time until the highly anticipated Christmas morning!  It must seem like it takes FOREVER for Christmas morning to get here.  

(Not for us though, right moms!?)

We're heading toward a very meaningful holiday.  And if you are a Believer, then the birth of Christ is cause for celebration.  I want to teach my children that this season is about so much more than just receiving the presents that have come to represent Christmas.  I hope to share with them that we should be appreciative of every little gift AND each and every day we have been blessed with ~ as His gift to us.  

So in our home an Advent Calendar is more than just a countdown to presents...
It's a celebration of each day we have been gifted.


I found this advent tree at Goodwill for $2.99.  It was still in it's wrapping.   


When I opened it I discovered it contained 24 tiny little cards inside the drawers depicting the nativity scene.  How darling!



Similar trees at the craft store were going for $8.99 (on sale) and up.  I knew I was getting a steal.  Except...the trees in the craft store were a "blank canvas" white...and this one was finished in an exciting shade of "Christmas Tree" green...with numbered "stars of Bethlehem" on each little drawer.  Cute.  (Okay, not so much).

So, I sprayed it white!


I laid out all those cute little drawers on my work-space (otherwise known as the kitchen counter) and set to work.


It appears I'm using a glue stick for this project...and I am...but only to trace the little curve onto my scrap papers.  I cut out 24 little scraps, just slightly smaller than the fronts of the drawers, then added the little curve.


I glued them on using white craft glue.


Some embellishing was in order.  I used up all of the number stickers I had on hand, so I had to get creative for a few of the numbers.  See number 21 down towards the bottom (below)?  It's actually made with an exclamation mark instead of a one.  I cut a few capital L's to look like 1's as well.  


It works, right?  


DONE!!!

5 minutes of spray painting
30-40 minutes embellishing (Just because I can't make up my mind when choosing papers!)
A $2.99 advent tree
All other supplies on hand already.

I put the numbered drawers back in randomly...adding a little surprise to each one...



And now Alex gets to count-down-to-the-day he can start counting down to Christmas!  

Good thing it's only two more days until December 1st!!!



Do you still remember what it looked like before???


Yeah, that was so worth the time it took!!!

I hope you find each day a gift in some special way.
Enjoy the delights of the Season.

P.S.  Speaking of Christmas Trees ~ Inspiration Cafe is sharing a sparkly, thrifty Christmas Tree project you have to see to believe, courtesy of The Thrifty Rebel.   

      



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28 comments :

  1. Oh my gosh Sherry! I am love, love, loving this one! I have never made an advent calendar but this is so inspiring! What a total score at the thrift store and you made it look like a million bucks! The art on those little cards looks fantastic! Did you use them? Awesome project!

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  2. Gorgeous!!!! Sherry this is just beautiful! I so wish we could get things like this to makeover. And its so perfect. I'm doing mine today - talk about last minute but I'm just gonna do a cheat version lol.
    Just love this....

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  3. Sherry!!!! I love this!!! Makes me wonder what I can do with my own advent calendar....

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  4. Wow! What a transformation! It looks so pretty now.

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  6. Sherry,

    This is the most adorable advent calendar ever! I love it! I love all the colors and patterns, embellishments. I love every single thing about it. What a wonderful up-cycle!

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  7. That is so darling Sherry! And how sweet that those cards were still inside. :-) I think you made it look how it was always meant to...simply lovely. Thank you so much for sharing this with us at Inspiration Friday this week!
    Vanessa

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  8. What a wonderful find and you did such a gorgeous job of refurbishing it. Love it! Kudos and TFS. I am now a follower of your blog and look forward to return visits. I invite you to join me as well on my blog at http://atastefultouch.blogspot.com
    Hugs, Gayle.

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  9. Sherry! Amazing!! This year, I was behind so I threw 24 little gifts into red sandwich bags and called it a day!
    Kelly

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  10. Lucky you finding that! I would have been stalking you around the store to see if you decided not to buy it! And I love what you did with it! A lucky someone will have a great time each day checking out the drawers!

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  11. Awesome job, Sherry! I hope it didn't take long for the spray paint to dry... I am doing the exact same thing with some cardboard cubes but they are bigger and it's taking them forever to dry out in the balcony...

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  12. Cute, cute, cute...great transformation!! Lucky find :) Laurel

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  13. Beautiful! I wouldn't have guessed the transformation your advent tree went through. Wonderful job and it's darling now!

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  14. That turned out absolutely darling!!! And what a deal. I love a good find :) Advent calenders are one of my favorite traditions.

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  15. This is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing this at my Our Favorite Things Link Party.

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  16. How cute... love the re-do.

    Merry Christmas!

    Spencer

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  17. This is adorable! You did such a great job transforming that original crazy green color!

    And, thanks for stopping by my blog today and saying hi! I love meeting other Portland bloggers :)

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  18. what a steal! thift finds are the best. the end result is so cute.

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  19. Love it! each year I say I'm gonna make one and never do - maybe I'll stumble across one soon!

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  20. Thank you for linking up to It's Party Time! I love your advent calendar - the papers you used are so beautiful!! Complete transformation!

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  21. You transformed it to a beautiful advent calendar for December! You did such a good job!

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  22. Very cute! I love how you made it your own. Great job!

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  23. Great makeover! I love the craft paper use chose for each day.

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  24. Love your advent tree. I'm featuring it in the PoPP Spotlight this weekend. Thanks for linking up.

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  25. so pretty

    would love it if you could share this on my link party @ www.serenityyou.com

    Natasha xx

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  26. omg so gorgeous!

    if you have a moment and haven't already, hope you'll pop over to enter my giveaway for followers:
    http://www.hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com/2012/12/personalized-lovely-giveaway.html

    smiles to you.

    michele

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