My crafty advent calendar

If I didn’t have to stupid work to stupid feed, clothe, and house my stupid self, I could spend all my time doing crafty type stuff. It’s the dream really. I’ve been wanting to do this particular project for years but Christmas always seems to have come and gone before I have any time. And working on an advent calendar around Flag Day just doesn’t feel fun. Also, S.O. had very specific ideas around what she wanted in an advent calendar so we spent quite a few seasons judging the variations. This one meets both her and my requirements.

I made it in an evening from about $10 worth of supplies, the key piece of which is an old type drawer I picked up at a junk/antiques shop. (Note: Old type drawer as in an aged, skinny drawer that held pieces of type that printers used in their presses, NOT old-type drawer as in any old drawer from days of yore.) The numbers are all photos of signage that I printed from flickr images and mod-podged to the tray. (S.O. tells me that an advent calendar should only have 24 days but we have 25 type slots so Christmas day got a spot as well.)

We have cherry kisses marking off the days. Tasty, tasty Christmas. Maybe Flag Day needs a calendar after all. Tasty, tasty Flag Day.

9 Comments to “My crafty advent calendar”

  1. Mindee 22 December 2006 at 8:51 am #

    Very excellent. I’d been wondering about this project and am glad to see it. Starting and finishing a Christmas project in the same season should earn you an extra special something from Santa. Although, as you’d have to dig through a stocking full of dead termites to find it, maybe you’ll take a pass.

  2. Mindee 22 December 2006 at 8:54 am #

    Oh and the advent calendar on my wall has 25.

  3. Kristen 24 December 2006 at 1:03 pm #

    That’s fantastic. So, who gets the cherry kisses? Do you trade off days or do you share? :-) Merry Christmas!

  4. hellohahanarf 26 December 2006 at 11:32 am #

    i’m loving this. great work! i so need to find an old type drawer.

  5. modcottage 29 December 2006 at 8:16 pm #

    thanks all! and we trade on the kisses. fair is fair no?

  6. Allison 4 January 2007 at 6:21 pm #

    My advent calendar actually has something like 28 pockets (my Mom made it and it’s little pockets with tiny wooden ornaments) since the length of advent actually varies from year-to-year (it technically begins the 4th Sunday before Christmas).

    I also had a paper one as a kid that had 25 doors and it was one of my favourites because it always seemed weird to me not to have a door to open on Christmas Day.

  7. Fiona 30 November 2007 at 11:35 pm #

    The result was well worth the wait. Each box has room for
    multiple treats so the perennial advent calender problem solved.
    (It kills me to had the chocies over to the kids e v e r y day)
    What an inspiration!

  8. Karina 5 December 2007 at 11:35 am #

    Love this idea. What a great way to display any photos – had to post on it.

  9. Ann Hagerich 13 January 2008 at 8:44 pm #

    I totally agree with your, ” stupid work…” comment. I’ve been looking for a way to make my work and craft lifes be the same for the last 20 years. I would be in heaven if I could ever find a way to do it. I have so many inventions and craft ideas in my head and written in books, that I could work the rest of my like and be very happy. However, I’d be naked, starving, homeless.