{DIY Advent Calendar}

Have you checked your calendar today ....?

It's December, folks!!!

YIPPEEEEE!! 

I mean, who doesn't love December, right?

Last week, I posted a bunch of awesome advent ideas ....

And since every morning for the past three days - as I've carried her down the stairs in the morning - Lucy has asked, "Mama, is today Christmas!?!" ...I clearly needed some kind of advent calendar to help her get the picture and count down the days until Christmas is here!

So after much procrastination, I finally buckled down the last few days and got 'er done!

I began with one of my old window frames that I had added some chicken wire to. 

(To see the original project, go HERE.)

I gave it a fresh coat of paint .... Martha Stewart's Bay Leaf Green.  {LOVE it.}

*I even ended up painting the chicken wire (which took a while, but it was so worth it! -- I love the difference that made!).

**By the way, I think these little tester-size Martha paints totally ROCK.  I love being able to quickly unscrew a little can of  paint AND have a brush attached to the lid!  PERFECT for little projects!  

For the countdown, I used two things:  tags (which I simply made, see below) and little card stock "pockets" (which I bought at the craft store, 12 for $1.00, and then altered a little bit, see below).  

Tags:

I traced a tag-shaped template onto cute shabby Christmas craft paper, then cut out little squares out of brown craft paper, distressed the edges with walnut Distress Ink, added numbers with glittery stickers, punched a hole in the top, and added a hemp loop.  

The "tag days" on the calendar are for activities or events we will be attending this Christmas season ... such as watching special Christmas movies, going to get pictures taken with Santa, hunting for our Christmas tree, baking Christmas cookies with Nana, going to see the Zoo Lights with friends, etc.  

I printed the date and description of the activity on cream-colored card stock and glued them to the back (with just a smidge of gluestick glue so that I can easily take them off and replace them next year!).  

Pockets:

These little "pockets" are SIMPLE:  a piece of card stock, folded in half, with small holes punched on each side and hemp twine tied at each end.  They came with kinda cheap white plastic-y twine ... I cut that out and replaced with hemp (which you can see on the left below).  Much better. :-)

The "pocket days" on the calendar are for little treats, such as candies or holiday stickers .... as well as a little ornament for the day we're decorating the tree,  a tiny cookie cutter for the day before cookie-baking day, birthday candles to put on Jesus' birthday cake, etc.  

I alternated tags and pockets on the calendar so there is a good balance between "getting" and "doing" ... although I think the "doing" things are SO much more special, as a three-year-old, I'm sure the goodies in the pockets might be a little more enticing for Lucy! .... or Scott, too, for that matter! (If you know my husband, you understand.) 

I guess this way there's a little something to make everyone happy!  

I LOVE this advent calendar.  

The old shabby frame and chicken wire fits right in with the everyday decor in our house ... but with a little Christmas flair thrown in!  

A cute woolen Santa hangs at the end of the countdown! :-)

How adorable are those little tree-embellished clothespins!? 

Got 'em at the craft store -- 24 for $1.99!

What do you think of the painted wire!?  

So much cuter, don't you think? :-)

Added bonus...?

When Christmas is over, I can unclip the tags and pockets to keep for next year .... and continue using my cute shabby frame for hanging special family photos!  

Total cost for this project was maybe $10.00, considering I took the frame off my wall!

And it took me about three hours, including paint time.  

I hope you like it! .... I know I have SO enjoyed being inspired by many of YOUR advent projects already!