I'll show you a couple of my advent calendars and then show you some inspiration for advents. FUN! First up is my vinyl countdown. I had an Uppercase Living party just to get this sucker for free. (That's how I roll.) In the catalog it says to put it on a pizza pan, but I wanted something I could put anywhere in the house and a pizza pan didn't sound like it would work (more on that later!)
So, I got a round table top from Lowe's, painted it with magnetic paint, then put a coat of white over the top. After the paint was good and dry I put my vinyl on:
(You can click on most pictures to get to last year's posts.)
As I mentioned last year, it was a very good thing the Bub had no sense of time because I didn't finish up this next project till about 12 days before Christmas. He got day 12 a couple times, day 23 a few...you get the picture. ;)
I get little trinkets for the boxes from the dollar store, etc. Starting this year I'll also write down activities we can do together and put those inside. Maybe take a drive to look at Christmas lights, make cookies, watch a Christmas movie, things like that.
Of course after I did this, I saw Carrie's adorable version, that is to. die. for.:
Here are some other fun ideas I found looking around the net...
Speaking of pizza pan advents, this one turned out soooo adorable, I kinda wish I had seen this before I did our round one! Love the ribbon woven through!:
Something as simple as pails would be sahweeeet with some spray paint and numbers:

I LURVE this idea!! Match books covered in fun paper with numbers attached:

I scanned this one from my Women's Day holiday mag -- same idea, but on a corkboard:

Here's a similar version, I think this person made the stockings herself. If you sew, this wouldn't take long at all!:



These are from an Etsy shop (click pic) but look easy enough to make on your own:

By the way, that's a hint for an upcoming Christmas project I'll show you soon!
Have you seen any other great advent calendars out there? If so, share them in the comments!
The Before and After Party will be open and whooping it up till this weekend, so link in or visit the party! And I have a fantabulous molding project to show you later this week -- with my first video. Egads. That is, unless I find my senses and decide to nix that part. We'll see... ;)
That advent calendar is so cute! Can't wait to see what else you have up your sleeve. :-)
ReplyDeletepk @ Room Remix
What the French Toast.... I love the baby sock one........LOVE LOVE LOVE it actually!!!!
ReplyDeleteThese are all so adorable. I gotta tell you, though, when Bub is a little older, you're going to want to get him the Lego Advent Calendar. Oh.my.goodness, what a fun treat! A tiny little Lego set (just a few pieces each) to put together for 24 days! Honestly, this is a WONDERFUL product. Go to Lego.com and take a look at it! And if a mom were really great, she could take the little Lego sets out of the Lego box (even though it's a cute box with little windows to open for each day) and put the Legos into her adorable homemade boxes. I think that really great mom would be you. GMS. Great Mom Sarah. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the advent calendar....I started trees today....so one down and 65 homes to go....a marathon....Love your blog
ReplyDelete@cheapchichome. My favorite is the trinket box one!
ReplyDeleteI really want your Uppercase Living Advent calendar! Wonder if it is still available?
ReplyDeleteI love those bags! You can fit lots of great non-candy things in there.
ReplyDeleteWow! Thanks for sharing our little advent calendar. The Root & Wings Co girls and I have a serious problem with collecting advent calendars. Our collections grow every year. What a great bunch of ideas in this post!!
ReplyDeleteThanks again! It sure feels good to find us on a blog we adore so much!!
Anjeanette
Oooh ... I want to make the box one! I am thinking up ideas here as I type!! This is totally in my idea file!
ReplyDeletePerfect, I was starting to work on Christmas stuff this week. Forget about thanksgiving, I'm ready for Christmas. Thanks for the inspirations.
ReplyDeleteLove all of them!!! I do the 12 Days of Christmas with my girls and my MIL (who is 91!!!). I pick up cute little boxes/sacks/etc. and fill them with little trinkets for them to open the 12 days leading into Christmas. They all get so excited (especially MIL) to see what is inside. MIL even gets exicted about a Christmas Box of Kleenex!!! LOL
ReplyDeleteCute Advent calendar ideas! Here are some I found out there in blog land...some "kid-friendly" and some "mom-friendly" :)
ReplyDeletehttp://craftastica.blogspot.com/2008/11/recycle-bin-advent-calendar.html
http://shizzyknits.blogspot.com/2006/12/advent-calendar.html
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/advent_calendar/
Now all I have to do is decide which one to choose!
ReplyDeleteLove all of these! My favorite is the little cardboard boxes. Does anyone know where I can find the little snowflake-y number stickers? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThese are all so cute! I bought a Advent countdown on clearance at Target last year, but so want to make a fun one!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE,LURVE, looove the match books in the apothecary jar! I am going to make it for this year and make an activity everyday for the hubs and I to do!
ReplyDeleteOkay, girl, ALL of those are ADORABLE! We always just used those paper advent calendars when my kids were little, before the BLOGLAND of fabulous ideas!
ReplyDeleteI love the one that Emily posted today from PB. Here's the link: http://mckevitts.blogspot.com/2009/11/christmas-ideas.html
ReplyDeleteOMGoodenss! This is one of the best posts I've seen in a long time...and it's making me super excited for the holidays. Thank you (x10) for posting this. I've never seen cuter advent calendars!
ReplyDeleteLove the wonderful ideas, my boys would love for me to make one this year. Hmmmm, I better get started! :)
ReplyDeleteI love each and every one of the ideas you featured today! :) I need to get crackin' before December gets here.
ReplyDeleteI must admit that seeing "countdown to Christmas" made me slightly freak out. But, I'm so happy you talked about Advent Calendars.
ReplyDeleteEvery Year I declare that "next year" I will do it, then I don't and I regret it.
This year - I have to try to make my goal a reality.
Thank You! You have inspired me.
ooh when I saw the title to this post I knew you were talking to me! I LOVE Christmas and am counting down the days just to start decorating. Can't wait to see what else you have up your sleeve. :)
ReplyDeleteYou never cease to amaze me. Thanks for keeping me inspired... YOU ROCK!!! God's blessings, Sarah :D
ReplyDeleteCountdown to Christmas - YAYYYYYYYYYYY!
ReplyDeleteI love the pizza pan calendar. Also Martha's? TOO CUTE.
Those are all so cute! I made one of those last year. My kids love it! Such a fun way to count down the days!
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Jen
These are great! You should link up to my friend Keelie, and you may win a prize!
ReplyDelete(She's doing 12 Weeks of Christmas. This is week 5-Homemade Gifts.)
www.redswriting.blogspot.com/2009/11/twoc-homemade-gifts.html
Those are all so cute! I love Advent calendars- I made a fun one with photos a couple years ago from BHG- here's the link if you're interrested: http://wannabecrafter.blogspot.com/2008/01/few-finished-projects.html and one more I did here: http://wannabecrafter.blogspot.com/2008/01/few-finished-projects.html
ReplyDeleteLOVE your new look and can't wait to see the VIDEO!
ReplyDeleteLayla :-)
I like the ones you did the best. I saw a felt haunted house one @ TJ Maxx for halloween. Apparently, it's hip to countdown for each holiday now. Imagine the possibilities for Easter. The little buckets would be cute for Valentine's day. I used the stocking garland (not as an advent calendar), draped across a cream colored shower curtain in my guest bath one year. Cool ideas! I love the way you write...sounds like I think, but don't have the "stuff" to say it. LOL!
ReplyDeleteLied, wasn't a stocking garland. I used mittens.
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love the matchbook advent in the apothecary jar!!! I saw that one last year and just about dided...so stinkin cute!
ReplyDeleteYou better not nix the video. I'm dyin' to see you IRL...almost.
~Amanda
I have the same "Countdown to Christmas" thing, except I was very unoriginal and copied mine right out of the UL catalog!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas!
Soooo cute & fun! There's so many different ideas & options!
ReplyDeleteThese are gorgeous! I have been wanting to make one for a couple of years, and I finally did it, too! Here's mine:
ReplyDeletehttp://mudpiestudio.blogspot.com/2009/08/christmas-advent-calendar.html
Would love for you to see!
Lori
Such cute projects. My goal is do ONE this season!! Thank you for sharing early. these next few weeks are going to go fast...
ReplyDeleteHey there! I just recently found you blog and have spent the last 5...YES 5 hours reading!! I am in love with your home, your attitude and ideas, and the fact that it's all so easy! Thanks so much and wanted to share this cookie sheet advent calendar!
ReplyDeletehttp://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lifeofacupcake.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/making_memories_advent_calendar_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://lifeofacupcake.com/2008/11/i-heart-advent-calendars/&usg=__g-o5PNyLPy1sTan52R9JpfnLD_o=&h=493&w=300&sz=120&hl=en&start=4&sig2=O9Y6y4QmgU3dekLe7ub16A&um=1&tbnid=iqQ8qCKLUMvFTM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=79&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcookie%2Bsheet%2Badvent%2Bcalendar%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=-5_xStDKOMSztgeUp7G6Cw
Ive had my eye on that teeny tiny box one for 6 months, thinking oh how cute...I must do it...and then thinking oh how tedious! but I must do it!
ReplyDeleteGuess it's time to start thinking about these things!!! Hey, you inspired me to get ready and decorate for fall this year so I'll look to you for my Christmas inspiration too :) I think I'll wait until after Thanksgiving to get serious though. . .
ReplyDeleteThanks for doing this early. I'm thinking it might be a fun thing for me to make for my SIL who we will see for Thanksgiving but not for Christmas, might just make their Christmas gift and give it to them early, then they can use it all holiday season=) My only problem is I have 4 kids, teeny tiny pockets make it hard for 4 kids, how does everyone else do that? In the past I have a Santa with numbered pockets in his beard where I placed tiny ornaments in them and each kid rotated getting to get one out and then they would put it on the tiny Christmas tree that sat on the foyer table. Not as much fun to only get to open it once every 4 days.LOL Help me with ideas! I loved that tin one Kathy linked us up to, the old paper scrapper in me was itching to handle all that stuff again!=)
ReplyDeleteI love advent calendars!!! I made one of these with scrapbook paper and matchboxes: http://www.bhg.com/holidays/christmas/crafts/make-matchbox-advent-box/
ReplyDeleteI am going to use the idea of putting activities inside too. Thanks for the idea!
Jennifer
Been away for a couple days (weeks? Gosh, time flies!) so sorry!I know since i've never commented before you probably didn't miss me much :-)
ReplyDeleteAnyhow LOVE the new design on the site. Gorgeous! AND i LOVE,LOVE, LOVE that you are on it with the Christmas stuff. I am officially inspired!!
Fantastic ideas! Love the calender and the little tiny stockings.
ReplyDeleteSo sweet! :)
love the little bags from etsy- you can vary those in so many ways. great idea, thanks for posting them!
ReplyDeletewww.reworkedart.blogspot.com
love the little bags from etsy- you can vary those in so many ways. great idea, thanks for posting them!
ReplyDeletewww.reworkedart.blogspot.com
Christmas!!! I just cant wait...you make me want to take all of my goodies down today~ Enjoyed your ideas then and just as much today!
ReplyDeletesuch good ideas!
ReplyDeleteThese are some cute ones you've shared I've never seen before.
ReplyDeleteI made some with inspiration from Pottery Barn a few years ago.
I have pictures on my blog of them.
http://edeenutcreates.blogspot.com/2008/11/thinking-ahead-to-christmas.html
thanks for the ideas! this is something on my "to-do" list of what i want to conquer before christmas, we'll see if that happens. ugh. have you seen the one at pottery barn? felt tree, so cute, one day i'll get the motivation to tackle that one. maybe for now i'll do your little box idea, loved it hung up too. thanks!!
ReplyDelete-natalie
www.centsiblychicsisters.blogspot.com
What great ideas. I linked to your post in my Friday Favorites. ~Lanie
ReplyDeleteLinked your blog on mine! Absolutely love your blog!
ReplyDeletehttp://roz-johnsonfamily.blogspot.com/
Fun ideas!!
ReplyDeleteI did a box advent last year and put an activity or project in each one. It was great fun and my kids loved it. Here's the link! http://yummioso.blogspot.com/search/label/Christmas
ReplyDeleteI just found some red plates at a thrift store and sprayed a circle of chalkboard paint in the center. I painted the words "Days 'Til Christmas" around the edge and hot glued a bow on top. My kids now love erasing the number each day and keeping a countdown til Christmas! I'll be posting pics on my blog (as part of a Christmas giveaway) this week.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving ALL of these ideas!! I grew up with the chocolate advent calendars every year. While I love chocolate, these are way more fun and unexpected. My favorite is the little box painted/papered up then attached to the magnet board-adorable!
ReplyDelete