The matchbox advent calendar

This is what I made last year for my niece and nephew. Its a wooden sleigh which has been decorated with Blonde Moments papers (painted first - I used emulsion) and filled with different sized boxes with chocs in. Sorry pic is so small I pinched it from my docraft gallery!


So I wanted the advent calendar to match.

I began by painting the inside drawers of the matchboxes. Then stuck them together in stacks.

I then covered them with paper. The top and bottom are mountboard covered with the paper too.

Ive cut pictures from the blonde moments papers to add to the sides. Used Vellum stickers - by Brenda Pinnock to add a little interest. Then punched holes in the drawers and added ribbon knotted to give a little handle.

Shock horror another use of peels offs for the numbers! Then a chipboard tree triple embossed and stamped with a BM tree stamp and swished with silver pearl pigment powder for the top.

I hope they like it!
Now this next bit i can take no credit for. My craft buddy Averil made 2 last year for her own children whilst we were at the craft retreat at Malham. Her idea - as the drawers are small - was to put inside a little clue or instruction for each child which over the 24 days would lead to the house being trimmed up for Christmas. How cool is that? No reward except the pleasure of decorating your home for the excitement ahead. I really liked this idea so asked SIL if she would be up for it before I made the advent calendar and I think she is keen as she bought the matchboxes! So I have some tiny envelopes from Kanban that she can pop a message inside for them.


Bless my nephew said - so tactfully the other day when I said I was making an advent calendar for them - "Auntie Janet - you might be a little disappointed when I tell you this but Gran always buys me a lego advent calendar but we can have 2 you know" How sweet. I reaasurred him I knew about Grans calendar but this would be very different.
So that along with the santa easel card was my crafting on Tuesday at Embsay. Im back again on Saturday this time making a banner for friend. So watch this space x
HAGD Janet