Welcome to a Christmas in July Blog Hop, brought to you by the DT at Scrap Our Stash!  If you did not start at Scrap Our Stash, go back and read the details on how to win a prize!  You need to follow the blog hop in order.  If you came from Angie’s blog, you are on the right track.

My Christmas project is an advent calendar.  I have wanted to do one for forever, found one on sale, and I’m finally getting around to it.  Now is the perfect time because it is done in plenty of time to use it this year.

Supplies: Karen Foster Countdown Calendar, DCWV Christmas Stack paper, DCWV Nana’s Kid’s paper, and DCWV numbers from a sticker stack.

My original plan for this was to use all 4 sides of the drawers to create 4 different themes.  I was a bit disappointed that that idea didn’t work.  This particular box was far from the best quality.  The drawers were too tight for me to try to add paper to the sides and I didn’t dare use Mod Podge, which I like to use for all my altered projects.  The notches on the drawers were also not even which was quite annoying.  Originally, I was planning to create a template and use it to trace all of the drawer fronts.  Good thing I realized this early because they would not have all lined up.  Instead, I had to trace each drawer (and on the side I would be using) on my paper and glue them on right away.  It worked out in the end but took a bit longer than it should have.  I was also stumped on embellishing.  This is very plain for me but I just don’t know what I can add because the drawers need to slide in/out so it has to all be flat.  The only thing I have come up with is maybe a red ribbon all the way around the outside of the box with a bow on the top; this would match both sets of papers.  Please share any ideas you might have.  I’d love to hear more suggestions.  It was the kid’s idea that I decorate the opposite side of the box to countdown to birthdays.  At first they wanted baby because I am expecting and I thought I’d do pastels that could double as Easter but when I was limited to 2 sides instead of 4 they chose birthdays and that will work for the baby too.  Here’s the other side:

Oh, one last thing, what’s better at Christmas than a little CANDY?!?!  To enter for a chance to win all you have to do is follow my blog and leave a comment on this post.  The deadline to enter is 8pm on Sunday, July 25.  I will announce a winner on Monday.  I didn’t take a picture because Christmas presents are supposed to be a surprise, right?  But…because I was always one to peek at my gifts early I will tell you that it is a Close to My Heart stamp set…maybe a Christmas one? 😉

Your next part of the secret phrase is: Holidays

Now hop on over to Kimmarie’s Blog for your next holiday stop!


25 Comments

Tere · 07/22/2010 at 4:01 am

Wendy,
I’ve always wanted to make one of this calendars too.
Yours is so pretty!!!!

Lindsey D · 07/22/2010 at 7:20 am

Love the altered box!!! What a cute idea.

Sarah · 07/22/2010 at 8:57 am

I LOVE love LOVE this advent calendar! I so want to make one of these this year! 🙂 TFS

Betty · 07/22/2010 at 9:32 am

Love this idea!!! Your calendar is so cute and I love that it can be used for more than one holiday/occasion.

Judy · 07/22/2010 at 9:54 am

I love how you have decorated the calendar. I like your idea of putting ribbon around it and tying a bow at the top. My idea would be to add matching bling to the boxes.

Lara · 07/22/2010 at 11:12 am

I love those Advent calendars! I wish they’d had them when my girls were little!

Kimmarie · 07/22/2010 at 12:16 pm

I love your double sided calendar. I have been looking for one to do also. tfs

Laurie Marmon · 07/22/2010 at 12:30 pm

This is super cute. I’m glad it worked out in the end even if you had to trace them all individually. Looks great and great that you can use it throughout the year AND Christmas!

Mandy · 07/22/2010 at 2:04 pm

I LOVE THAT! So cute!

Mandy · 07/22/2010 at 2:25 pm

I love this idea and how you used both sides!

Amy · 07/22/2010 at 3:04 pm

I’ve been wanting to make one of these for years! Yours turned out SO cute!

Colleen · 07/22/2010 at 3:34 pm

I’ve wanted to do one of these, but have held off because I suck at embellishing things. I love how you made it for more than one occasion.

Michele · 07/22/2010 at 6:12 pm

I’ve wanted to do one of these but not sure what I want to use it for. lol Thanks for sharing.

Lynne · 07/22/2010 at 6:18 pm

Love those advent boxes- soooo cool!!

Monica · 07/23/2010 at 1:20 am

Wendy, I like it how it is! I like simple and not too many embellishments on certain things! But I would add the bow around the box like you said, think it would add just the right amount! Love it! And great idea to do the back different!

KathScraps · 07/23/2010 at 10:49 am

I think you did a wonderful job with that advent calendar/box. Thanks for sharing!

Joni Parker · 07/23/2010 at 12:28 pm

Love it Wendy!! I need to do some kind of advent calendar…maybe I should start it now? lol!!

fia · 07/23/2010 at 1:48 pm

Love the blog hop…and love your cards..

kathy · 07/24/2010 at 12:00 am

What a great idea to do both sides. Too bad the 4 sides idea didn’t work. I like the idea of the ribbon with a box on top! But I think it’s cute just the way it is. Have fun using this.

later,
Kathy

Haley D. · 07/24/2010 at 4:02 pm

What a cute project! I think it’s great as is and will be so much fun to open each day.

Amie Reker · 07/24/2010 at 10:26 pm

This is so cute. I bought little plastic jars to make an advent calendar and now you have inspired me to get it done.

Ren-Yi Lo · 07/24/2010 at 10:34 pm

Wendy – how gorgeous is that advents calendar! the only embellish i have to suggest is using some gems to perhaps add on the outside of the drawers (e.g. on each polka dot a red gem) or using some rubons that may have christmas-inspired phrases. i still love how it came out 🙂

Stephanie D. · 07/25/2010 at 7:47 am

I love the advent calendar! I have always wanted to make one…now I may just have to. Too cute!

Emeraldvalkyrie · 07/25/2010 at 6:38 pm

I love the different ways you used the advent calendar. I am going to have to make one of these myself.

Emily Leiphart · 08/02/2010 at 8:54 pm

Wendy, thanks for stopping by on Verve’s blog hop! I love your cute advent calendar. I love the Christmas version as well as the all-occasion side!

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