Hello — and welcome to the kick-off of the Christmas Cheer Link Party! I am excited to share my craft with you today, and can’t wait to see all the great projects you link up! Our Advent Tree was one of my favorites last year, and I had so much fun creating a new one. Nothing whips kids into a Santa Frenzy like daily gifts on display!
Start with a basic corkboard (I picked mine up at Michael’s for $8, using a 40% off coupon), and cover the front with decorative paper or fabric. I painted my frame white, and covered with basic red wrapping paper.
Then I painted 24 clothes pins (Dollar Store sells them in a large pack for, you guessed it, a buck), and glued a strip of scrapbook paper to the front. Using a dot of hot glue, I affixed a thumb tack to the back of each pin.
There are many options for treat bags, but I went with these inexpensive muslin bags. At 3×5 inches, they are perfect for little treats, and the red stitching is a cute accent for Christmas. Not to mention you get 25 in an order. I felt like Oprah when I found them, as I was singing, “PERRRRFEEEEECT!” If you want a larger bag, The Penny Paper Co has nice ones, too.
My original plan was to stamp the date directly on the bag, but I’m too smitten with them to use only for this project. So I printed numbers on my computer and punched them out with a scalloped circle, then glued to the fronts of the pins.
I raided the trinket section at a few stores for toys and candy, and filled each bag with treasure. Some of the bags also have a slip of paper declaring it, ‘Family Movie Night,’ or other family activities like touring the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights, making hot chocolate, and having dinner picnic-style under the tree. Check your calendar first, to be sure you can deliver the activity that night!
Pink is my accent color this Christmas, so I added a red and pink bow to the top, and some pink ribbon trim around the frame.
Obviously this isn’t a permanent fixture in our Breakfast Room, so I used these awesome Velcro removable hangers to stick the board to the wall.
Play around with the placement of your bags before sticking in the board. I went with a Christmas tree design. Or wine bottle, depending on your frame of mind.
My kids have been inspecting every bag, trying to guess what’s inside. I really don’t think it even matters to them, the excitement of opening a treat and counting down the days until Christmas is the fun part. And don’t think your honey wouldn’t enjoy an Advent Calendar, too! *wink* (Did I really just do that?!)
Now it’s your turn! What Christmas Crafts have you been working on, past and present? Link them up below so we can share in your creativeness. And feel free to use this button in your post or sidebar…it contains magic fairy dust that combats calories. Really.
** Linking up to Home Stories A to Z, Tip Junkie, Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Just a Girl, Remodelaholic, The Shabby Nest, The DIY Showoff, TaterTots & Jello and Thrifty Decor Chick**
I love the advent calendar, Cassie! The pink is so you : ) I need some kiddos so I can have an advent calendar… or maybe like you said, the honey would like one too, knowwhattImean? HA. Linking up now!
Hey girl in having trouvlw with the button. Im number 7. Trying to get it fixed asap!!!! Xoooo
Love the advent calendar – so simple and cute!
Love your advent calendar! Very cute! Thanks for hosting and Happy Holidays to you! I'm also a new follower. I hope you'll stop by The Corson Cottage for our {Home for the Holidays} link party every Friday in December we would love to have you:) Carrie
I love the calendar! So fun and colorful! You're always so creative! Hooray for the first day of link ups…you sure know how to host a parttaayyy (:
Perfection in an advent calendar! Thanks for such a wonderful tutorial!
Great calendar!
And fun party – thanks for hosting.
Thanks for hosting, Cassie! I love your advent calendar!! I didn't make one this year…I guess I'll have to head to the store. Have a great day! 🙂
This is such a cute idea! Great pictures. Thanks for the party! I got crafty just for you. 🙂
This is so cute! I don't have any kids but I like the idea that you put little slips of paper in so I could do a date night or I'll take over all dog walking duties slips. I love it!
Your calendar is adorable Cassie! I like the little pouches!
Yay, so fun! Definitely linking up the holiday garland that I made this weekend. Your Advent Calendar is adorable, I love the sweet little muslin bags! Xo, Katie
LOVE LOVE LOVE the calendar. Seriously want to make it. Thanks for the great link up!
Thanks for hosting Cassie! I love your advent calendar. So fun…my kids would love one.
Cassie, that is adorable. So creative. Thanks for kicking off the link party!!
You are too cute, Cassie! I LOVE this idea and want to make one! I'll link up this weekend (or whenever I finish!) when I make my DIY coasters for Christmas gifts! 🙂
Your Advent calendar is nothing short of adorable and fun. Thanks for hosting today!
I love your craft! What a fun and creative alternative to the classic advent calendar. I hope you like mine, too! Thanks for the link up.
Hi Cassie,
I found your fun party through the holiday link up at CG.
So glad I did because I've already spotted a lot of cute ideas. I love your advent calendar.
Hope you like my faux ice flowers.
Cassie, I love your DIY Advent Calendar! Thank you for sharing your crafty idea!
The DIY advent calendar looks AWESOME! So fun for the kiddos!! And look at the link up go! Woo hoo! 🙂
Oh, your advent calendar makes my heart sing! I love, love, love it! I will have to try this next year. I already purchased the German chocolate calendars for my kids (which they love) but it would be so great to combine them all into ONE advent calendar because with 4 kids it just adds to my already cluttered kitchen counter top. Your calendar would allow me to put 4 little treats in each little baggy…love that. I am linking up to your blog for the first time today and am so glad to have found you! 🙂
OMG. Adorable…love how it came out!
That is super cute! Those little muslin bags were a great find!
I love the advent tree! I can't wait to look through the other links. 🙂
Great advent calendar! Thank you for hosting! I see so many other links that I want to click on.
Megan
Can I just say that I LOVE this party?! So many great ideas and excellent photos. Please please pretty please throw one every quarter, at LEAST. 🙂
I'm trying to add some pink this year too. Love your advent calendar. Thanks for hosting today. So many great links.
Excellent instructionals. I learned a lot from this blog. Keep it up!
I need you at my house at Christmas time!! I'm like the grinch at Christmas, can't ever get around to really decorating. Hmm…this year might be the year to break the pattern!
Such a great project! I love the color scheme. Thanks for hosting the partaay!
Myers Maison
Oh my goodness…LOVE your project! I need to make an advent calendar tomorrow and love your ideas. Thanks for sharing, and SO much inspiration!
Hi there – new follower, liked you on Facebook, linked up a bunch of projects – looking forward to seeing all the other fab inspiration!
Lowri 🙂
http://papervinenz.blogspot.com
ok so can I come over to your house & get crafty? Crafts are just not my "thing" but your projects always make me wanna get my "craft" on!
Very cute Cassie! I'm a new follower. Looking forward to getting to know you!
Hi Cassie, I have been keeping track of your fantastic projects and ideas for awhile and am happy to link up to this party! Great inspiration here, thank you! {michelle}
Cassie you are so creative!! I have not been doing any projects! Well I am doing rehab for my new hip!!
However, you have been so generous, so..
Please Come and enter in Our 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways. There are so many exciting Gifts!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Just saw your advent calendar on Homestoriesa2z & I love it! Those little bags with treasures are adorable 🙂
Such great ideas and wonderful photos! Following you!
Cassie, I'm just finding your party today. Can't wait to visit the links! I Love your advent calendar. Our kids still love ours, and they are 21, 18, 15!! Linked up #204! Thanks for hosting, and Merry Christmas!
This is exactly what I was looking for when wanting to make an advent calender! I'll have to steal this idea next year!
I'm here! Am I late? Being link #214 and all =X Thanks for hosting!
Such an adorable advent calendar!! I'm linking up a couple of crafts- a little late to the game. Thanks for having the link party!!!
Hey, great party-love your blog and the ideas. Cheers
Just wanted to let you know your home your was listed on Dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/lifestyles/home-and-gardening/headlines/20111223-peek-at-bloggers-christmas-style.ece