Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Advent Calendar {sewn cardboard house Advent}




November is all about the Advent Calendar.

It won't be long before December 1st comes rolling along!

Each year I try to make a new one . It's become a challenge! A tradition in its own right!

"What Advent Calendar will we make this year?"

I was reading about Advent Love and someone quoted loving the anticipation of advent and counting down more than the actual end event. That's me! I love all our December Traditions so much and to me this is what makes Christmas.

There are so many advent ideas out there! Google and Pinterest will bring you hundreds!

I have enough ideas to keep me going for decades!

This year's advent calendar idea is one I bookmarked back in 2010! By MayaMade

As a child I loved my paper window advent calendar so much.
The darling pictures behind each door were so magical to me.
Its so sad they just aren't available much these days.

I thought I would combine my above childhood memories, with this advent , with my kids drawings, with my love of sewing cardboard!

This year I wanted the kids to be fully involved with the making of our Advent Calendar.


Sewn Cardboard Christmas House Advent Calendar



Materials needed:
24 toilet rolls
Printed Grid of 24 squares (4x4cm)
Pens
Watercolours/paint/colouring pencils

 

Print out 24 square boxes. Mine are about 4x4 cm
Have children {or yourself} draw out 24 Christmas motifs inside the squares
We googled for some inspiration, but mostly ideas from their heads.
eg candy canes, Christmas tree, wreath, nativity, holly, elves, sleigh, snowmen, presents, baubles
I just love the drawings my kids did. SO CUTE!



Collect 24 Toilet Rolls. For a while we had a brand of toilet paper with white rolls. I thought they were great so kept them. I've had these in the cupboard for over a year! (Spray with Glen20:)

Flatten Toilet rolls

Sew along the bottom edge
Cut the top corners off to make a triangular roof shape
Sew the top shut
Draw Christmas house outline and decorate/paint your house

 
 
Using a box cutter carefully cut a door into each house. {only cut 3 sides! so it is still attached!}
Press lightly to only cut through the top layer of the toilet roll.
 
Now you have a door!
 
Attach glue to the back of your motifs/Christmas drawings and glue inside the door flap.
 
Shut the door. Attach numbers 1-24 or 1-12 on the houses.
I found the doors close/click back in very easily. I was worried about that.
 
Using a small hole punch place a small hole at the top of the house and attach string to each house.
Alternatively string houses along one long piece of string and display.
 
 
Your Picture window Advent houses are now done!
 
 
 
 
 
Now I'm under no delusions that my kids will be crazy excited over this advent compared to the little wooden drawer one which my mother just gifted me that will be filled with sweets. However this one did keep them {well my art inclined children} busy for 3 different sessions while creating it, so I suppose it fulfilled its purpose!


Our Previous 11 Advent Calendars Here


Happy Counting Down!

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