Easy DIY Advent Calendar to Make with Your Kids!

Thank you to Oriental Trading Company for sending us everything we needed to create this fun and easy-to-make hanging DIY advent calendar for the holidays.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

I am a huge fan of having reusable advent calendars.  There are some really nicely crafted hand painted wooden ones out there, but most of them are out of my budget.  I've made several different kinds of DIY advent calendars over the years, and I adjust each one to suit my family's changing needs.  With 3 children who are now almost 10, 10, and 13, what we fill the advent calendar with has changed.  I've included a list of fun and creative ideas for filling your advent calendar at the bottom.  Be sure to check it out!

Since we now have two dogs, we try to have hanging advent calendars, so our dogs can't get to the treats (often chocolate) inside.  This advent calendar craft was super-easy to make, and I was able to enlist my daughter to help with the artwork.  She happily obliged, of course.  This turned out to be a very fun holiday craft to make together. I love how this advent calendar turned out to have sort of a rustic, Americana style to it. Check out the short list of supplies needed below, all of which I found in Oriental Trading Company's Christmas crafts, stocking stuffers, and Christmas decorations sections.


DIY Hanging Advent Calendar Craft . . . 

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

(2) Dozen Mini Stitched Christmas Stockings

(4) 6pc Burlap & Jute Gift Tags

Fabric Markers (Red, green, black)

(2) Poinsettia Garlands (optional)

Large Colored Candy Canes (optional)

Step 1.  With a black fabric marker, write one number (from 1 to 24) on each burlap tag.

TIP #1:  It might be a good idea to order one additional set of 6 burlap tags in case you make any errors.

Step 2.  Using your fabric markers, decorate each tag with a festive and colorful design.  We stuck with red, green, and black (and occasionally yellow).  Invite your children (school-age and older) to help you!

TIP #2:  Although fabric markers usually require to be set by heat, we skipped this step since our advent calendar would not likely be getting wet, nor will it be handled extensively.

Here is a sample of what my daughter and I came up with.  We are quite proud of ourselves for coming up with 24 different designs.

Step 3.  Tie each burlap tag onto one stocking, creating a neat bow with the twine ties.

TIP #3:  If you are using stockings in different colors or designs like I did, then it will be worth it to take a couple of minutes to plan ahead by stacking the stockings in the order in which you would like them to appear.  This is a great way to avoid having two of the same color or design next to each other.

Step 4.  It's time to hang your advent calendar up!  We chose to hang each stock on a separate nail, which are hidden under the poinsettia garland, but you could tie each stocking (evenly spaced apart) to one long length of sturdy twine.  Then you could hang the twine up like you would a garland.  I personally think it's more fun to be able to take one stocking down at a time to hand to the children to discover the contents.

Step 5.  Fill your advent calendar!  As far as candy goes, I like to vary what I put in there from day to day.  Some days will have something chocolaty, and other days will have a surprise, like these flavored candy canes.  But, what about the non-candy treats?  Check out some of the fun and creative ideas I've listed below for filling your advent calendar . . .

5 fun ideas for filling your advent calendar . . .

1. Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces - Choose a jigsaw puzzle that fits your child's skill level.  Then assemble the puzzle, so that you can disassemble it in an orderly fashion.  Place a handful of puzzle pieces in each day's advent calendar so that your child will have completed the puzzle by Christmas Eve.
2. Lego Mini Figures - Instead of putting whole Mini Figures in each day of the advent calendar, only put one or two parts (hat/hair, head, body, legs, or accessory).  Then, as each day goes by, your child will be able to mix and match the pieces to build some cool figures.
3. Fun Coupons - Print or hand write a fun perk on a coupon for each day, such as a trip to the mall or the ice cream shop, having mom do your nails, getting to choose the restaurant next to the family eats out, etc . . . 
4. Collectibles - For a young collector of anything, it would be fun and exciting to receive a new item to add to his or her collection each day.  Some examples might be die cast cars, marbles, buttons, seashells, or stamps.
5. Beads - Include a handful of beads in the advent calendar each day.  By the 24th day, your child will have enough beads to make a necklace or a couple of bracelets.  If needed, be sure to include nylon thread to string the beads on, on the last day of the advent calendar.

What fun ideas do you have for filling an advent calendar? 

Share them with us in a comment here.

Countdown to Christmas with Refillable DIY Chalkboard Advent Calendar Ornaments

This is an easy Christmas craft I had thought about making two months ago.  I actually purchased all the supplies at Michael's Arts & Crafts several weeks ago.  Unfortunately, I didn't have time to sit down and make this advent calendar craft until two days before December began.  Even though you won't be able to countdown for the whole 24 days, you could still countdown the remaining 12 days or 10 days this year and start at the beginning of December next year.  That's one of the things I love about this advent calendar, it is completely refillable and reusable!

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

(24) chalkboard ornaments with clips and twine

(24) small burlap drawstring bags

(24) 10" pieces of festive ribbon (approximately 3/8" wide)

small candies or toys (to fill the bags)

white anti-dust chalk

TIP #1:  If you cannot find pre-made chalkboard ornaments like the ones shown, you could easily make your own with chalkboard ornaments, mini clothespins, a roll of twine, and some glue.  Likewise, if you cannot find printed burlap bags, you could use rubber stamps to decorate plain ones.

Step 1.  Assemble the chalkboard ornaments, whether you purchased kits or are making your own, This includes cutting the twine into (24) 6" segments, threading them through each ornament, and tying them off at the top.  Trim off an excess to make the ends short and even.

Step 2.  Tie the ribbon around the twine right at the top of the chalkboard ornament.  Form a small bow and trim the ends to make them even.

Step 3.  Repeat Step 2 for the other 23 ornaments.

Step 4.  Use the chalk to number your ornaments from 1 to 24.

TIP #2:  The chalkboard ornaments I bought seemed like they had chalkboard paper on them.  As a result, it was not easy to erase the chalk, even with a damp paper towel.  If this is true for your chalkboard ornaments, I recommend that you use a chalk holder to hold the chalk so you can write more easily without making too many errors.  If you're confident enough, you could also use permanent white paint pens to draw the numbers.

Step 5.  Fill your bags with something fun for your children to find each day.  Every year, we include one small piece of candy for each child along with a handful of jigsaw puzzle pieces.  (This year, we upgraded to a challenging 400-piece puzzle.  It took my husband and I five hours to assemble it before we divided the pieces between the 24 bags.)

We hung our advent ornaments on a garland high up along the rafter that separates our living room from our dining area.  You could also hang them on your Christmas tree or make a calendar using a board and 24 nails.  If you have other ideas, I'd love to hear them!


If you like this advent calendar craft, be sure to Pin It for later . . . 

Easy DIY Mod Podge Glitter Sand Easter Eggs Craft

Thank you to Oriental Trading Company for providing the glitter sand and additional craft supplies for our Easter craft tutorial.  All opinions expressed are my own.

If you've dyed and decorated hard-boiled eggs before, then you might be familiar with the slight feeling of sadness when it's time to discard your beautiful works of art.  On the same note, you might wish that you could display your beautifully decorated eggs all throughout the Easter season instead of hiding them in the fridge.  Having felt this way many times year after year, I decided to decorate some eggs that can be left out to be enjoyed during this year's Easter holiday and can be used again for years to come.

Today's Craft Project:  Mod Podge Glitter Sand Easter Eggs

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

basic plastic Easter eggs (any size)

glitter sand assortment

Mod Podge

craft sponge or brush

shallow trays or bowls (one for each color of sand)

wax paper (optional)

Step 1.  Be sure your plastic eggs are free of dust and hair (they tend to hold a lot of static).

Step 2.  Apply Mod Podge all around the edge of an opened egg.  Then close the egg tightly and hold in place for a minute or two until the glue sets.

Step 3.  Pour one color of glitter sand into a clean empty tray or bowl.

Tip #1:  For a uniform effect, use sand that is similar in color to the plastic egg you wish to coat.

Step 4.  Holding your egg with the tips of your thumb and index finger, apply Mod Podge to the entire exterior of the egg.

Tip #2:  Cover as much of the egg's surface as you can, then place the egg on its side into the tray containing the sand.  Carefully apply Mod Podge to the two spots where your fingers were holding the egg.

Step 5.  Using your finger tips, gently roll and turn the egg until it is completely coated in the sand.  Then place it on wax paper to dry.

Tip #3:  Your finger tips will get coated in glue and sand, but that's a good thing.  Once your fingers are coated in sand, you will be able to hand the egg without taking sand off the surface of the egg while the glue is still wet.

Step 6.  Once the glue has dried, gently brush any excess sand off the egg.

Once you have enough eggs, you can display them however you like.  I used a large silver tin pail decorated simply with ivory jute cord and a glass butterfly pendant.  They would also be perfect to display in your favorite basket, on a mantle, or as part of a tablescape.  You could even use them in an Easter egg hunt or as party favors.

I should also mention that I experimented with mixing the remainder of the blue, yellow, and light green sand together with white sand.  I used the mixture to coat a variety of different colored eggs.  The results varied depending on the color of the bare egg.  I was happier with the results using the lightest colored eggs.  If you experiment with this, be sure to let me know what you think!


If you like this easy Easter craft, be sure to Pin It for future reference:

Easy DIY Gingerbread M&M Holiday Favors Craft (#HolidayMM #shop #cbias)

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This Gingerbread M&M shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and its client.  All opinions expressed are my own.


If you've always thought about making your own party favors, gift toppers, or tree ornaments to gift for the Holidays, but were worried that it would be too time-consuming, too costly, or too difficult, then I have an easy and fun craft for you.  Using Gingerbread M&Ms (exclusively sold at Walmart), some inexpensive golden cord and wired bows I found after raiding the Holiday gift wrap section at Walmart, and a few little one-dollar glass bottles I had picked up in a craft store, I made these festive and sweet favors.

Craft Project:  DIY Gingerbread M&M Favors

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

Gingerbread M&Ms (whole or finely crushed)

small corked glass bottles

golden cord

golden wired twist-on mini bows

hot glue gun

hot glue sticks

scissors

Step 1.  Fill your bottles with crushed or whole Gingerbread M&Ms.  Be sure to tap the bottles lightly on a hard surface so that the candy can settle.  Then make sure to fill the bottles to the top, leaving enough room for the cork.

Step 2.  Heat up your hot glue gun.  Then lay your M&Ms out on your work surface so that they are easily accessible during gluing. (I tried to select M&Ms that were uniformly shaped.)

Step 3.  Apply a small amount of hot glue to the backside of an M&M and place the candy immediately in the desired position on the bottle. (The glue cools almost instantly, so be sure the placement is accurate.)  Some ideas for designs would be initials, wreaths, hearts, candy canes, and patterns.

Step 4.  Using scissors, cut approximately 8 to 10 inches of gold cord.  Tie the cord around the lip of the bottle, while trying to make the ends somewhat even.  Tightly double-knot the cord.  (NOTE:  These bottles also work well as favors without the hangers.)

Step 5.  Knot the ends of the cord together to create a hanger for the bottle.  Trim off any excess cord at the ends.

Step 6.  Shape a wired mini bow, as desired.  Then tie the bow onto the bottle by wrapping the attached wire around the bottle and twisting it 5 or 6 times until the bow is tightly secured.  Then trim off any excess wire with scissors.

The results are these Gingerbread M&M favors that can also be used as gift toppers and tree ornaments.  How wonderful would these look displayed on a mini Christmas tree for guests to take on their way out the door or sitting at each place setting on the dinner table?

The crushed Gingerbread M&Ms are perfect for flavoring hot beverages, such as coffee, hot cocoa, and even tea.  It could also be sprinkled on top of whipped topping, decorating a dessert or ice cream sundae with festive color.

What would you use Gingerbread M&Ms for . . . to bake gingerbread cookies or to decorate a gingerbread house?  If you would like to try this easy craft or to experiment with creating a gingerbread recipe, click on the banner below to grab a coupon for $1.00 off one bag of Gingerbread M&Ms!

Join in on the Gingerbread M&M Instagram contest . . .

“If you need some festive holiday decorating ideas check out these fun Gingerbread M&M's crafts. If you have some creative ideas of your own, participate in the Gingerbread M&M Instagram contest to win a great prize!”

HOW TO PARTICIPATE: Upload an original image to Instagram with inspirational ideas and creations using Gingerbread M&M's to decorate and craft during the holidays, caption that image with the hashtag #HolidayMM, and share on Twitter (an “Entry”).

How to Make a DIY Reusable Advent Calendar for Counting Down to Christmas

Having three children, I have found it difficult to find an advent calendar that could be used for multiple children without having to make each child take a turn in a rotation.  Last year, we used a Playmobil advent calendar, which had one or more items in each box meant for a single child, so I ended up trying to squeeze 3 candies into each box.  That way, even though our children had to take turns to get the toy, they would each get a little treat daily.  Like with most advent calendars, the boxes were not designed to accommodate three children, so I had a hard time fitting 3 candies into every box.

Because of this, I decided to solve my own problem by making my own advent calendar.  I was able to find a couple of the key items at Discount School Supply, where I found the inspiration to make an advent calendar that looked like a collection of books.  Books would likely fit into any home's decor and you could even empty out a shelf to house them for the month of December.  We decided to put ours on top of a bookcase, but they would also work on a sofa table or a mantel.

SUPPLIES NEEDED

24 Papier-Mache Secret Books

Red and Green Poster Tape

Assorted Holiday Gift Wrap

Scissors

Thin Permanent Marker

Glue Sticks

All-Purpose Glue

6" to 8" piece of Satin Ribbon (Optional)

Step 1:  Cut a piece of wrapping paper for each book leaving a 1.5" border at the top and the bottom and a .75" border on the left and the right.

Step 2:  With the wrapping paper right-side facing down, crease and fold the top and the bottom, making the entire length of the paper the same height as the book.

Step 3:  Use the glue stick to apply glue onto the entire perimeter of the wrapping paper.  Then very lightly apply glue to the rest of the paper.  (Too much glue will cause your paper to wrinkle.)

Step 4:  Smoothly wrap the paper around the papier-mache book, leaving some overhang along the edges of the front and back cover.

Step 5:  Wrap the overhang around each edge, pressing it down firmly in place.

Step 6:  Use your bottle of all-purpose glue to glue down any corners and edges that need securing.

Step 7:  About an inch from the top of the book, apply the poster tape starting on the inside edge of the front cover, wrapping it around the outer cover, and ending on the inside edge of the back cover.

Step 8:  Using the permanent marker, write the number "1" on the poster tape along the binding.

Step 9:  Repeat steps 1 to 8 with the next 23 books, numbering each one a different number from 2 to 24.

Step 10:  Cut an 8" piece of ribbon to make a bookmark that will help your children keep track of which day they are on.  (I used a scrap piece of patterned ribbon I had leftover from another project, dovetailed the ends, and tied a knot at each end.)

Now comes the fun part . . . filling each book with surprises for your children.  As you can see, these books are large enough to fit Tootsie Roll Pops, so you really are less restricted with what you can fill them with.


Ways to make this project your own . . . 

I like craft projects that are quick and easy, but there are many ways you can customize this craft to fit your own tastes, such as:

• Decoupage scraps of wrapping paper onto the cover instead of using one piece.
• Use fabric to wrap the books instead of wrapping paper.
• Use calligraphy to write the numbers on the binding.
• Use decals for your numbers instead of writing them by hand.
• Tie a small charm onto one end of the ribbon bookmark.
• Instead of wrapping the books, have your children paint them and decorate them with Christmas stickers.

I have to say that my children are very excited for December 1st to arrive so that they can open the first box.  You can use these to count the first 24 days in December or reverse the order and use it as a countdown to Christmas.  My children opted for the countdown so that they will always know how many days there are to go until Santa pays us a visit.

If you are looking for inspiration for craft projects, visit DiscountSchoolSupply.com.  That is where I got the idea to use these papier-mache books!

Thank you to Discount School Supply for providing complimentary product samples for us to use in this craft project.

4 Creative Ideas for Something Different on the Table This Christmas Day

Christmas is that festive time of the year when we gather with our loved ones and friends. And if everyone is gathering at your home for the holiday festivities, you want to make sure your table reflects a warm and fun holiday spirit. You can help commemorate the occasion by introducing some unique items to your table that will engage and impress your guests. It's that special touch that will spread the cheer of the season.

1)  Place a Christmas cracker on the top of your guests' dinner plates. These delightful novelties, developed by a British confectioner in 1847, are a British tradition that has quickly swept around the world. They are decorative cardboard cylinders filled with treats and small gifts. When pulled at both ends, Christmas crackers open with a snap. English crackers can easily be found online, and will feature a decorative wrap in a holiday pattern to suit the decor of your table. And if you're feeling creative and ambitious, you can make your own Christmas crackers . Most local craft stores carry the materials needed during holiday season. If you make your own, you can really personalize the gift for that special person. Just think of how surprised your special someone will be when their gift pops out of the cracker.

2)  There are so many ways to adorn your Xmas table with Christmas chocolates and treats for your guests. Using your favourite chocolatier, gift wrap the chocolate in a box and top it with some curly ribbon. Place the wrapped box next to each person's water glass on the table. For children, you can purchase cello-wrapped chocolate pops in fun shapes, and place them on their plates.

3)  Adorning your Christmas table with flowers is another decorating idea that will add a festive atmosphere. Paper whites give an elegant look to any table with their 12 inch stems. Their delicate white flowers give a sweet fragrance and will fill the air with its aroma. Place the bulbs on white rocks in a clear glass vase, and tie a festive ribbon around the vase.

4)  Placement cards are a wonderful way to welcome guests to your table. You can write your own personal message to each guest. Choose a holiday pattern on the cards to coordinate with your table decor. Placement cards can be purchased at local stationery stores, or you can make your own at home with software. Add a gift to the placement card by punching hole and tying an ornament to it.

How to Make Easy Holiday Window Decorations

I have just been dying to try out this Klutz Window Art craft book. Since Christmas is almost here, I decided it would be fun to add some subtle decorations to our living room windows. We live in a townhouse community, so we do not really have the chance to decorate the outside of our home.

This would be a fun family activity for grade school-age children. The kit is actually recommended for anyone ages 8 and up, but I think slightly younger children would enjoy it if they were assisted by an adult.

There are tons of fun templates in the book, including landscapes, dragons, flowers, and much more. There were not any holiday-themed templates, so I had to draw mine freehand. Instead of slipping the included plastic sleeve over a template page, I just put it over the cover. Then I used the black outline paint to draw all my outlines, making sure all my shapes were closed.

Then I used the colored paint to fill in my enclosed areas. The black paint was thicker, while the colored paint was thin and easily spread out to fill the shapes no matter how irregular they were.

The tough part is that you need to let your Window Art dry flat on the plastic for 24 hours. The waiting may not be easy for a child. The final result was definitely worth the wait in my opinion. I only had to peel the designs off the plastic sleeve and stick them on our glass windows. The designs adhered to the windows without any problems at all.

After trying the Klutz Window Art Classic for myself, I am going to do the next project with our nearly 7 year old son. I think I could draw the shapes and he could easily fill in the spaces with color. I might have to buy some more Window Art supplies. I actually wanted to create a snow scene, but the book did not come with white paint. I am curious what ideas my son has for our next Window Art project.

Thank you to Klutz for providing a complimentary sample product for us to use in this project.