Because every day should start with chocolate... I decided to sew our own advent calendar this year! I wanted something more special to share with our daughter in anticipation for Christmas than cheap chocolates popped out of a cardboard calendar (I ate those myself for years... so I'm not judging!).
I used a selection of fabrics (including some raw silk leftovers from my wedding dress) to make the flags 'cones'. Next, I cut small squares of raw canvas (fraying the edges) and used gold paint to number each one. The numbers were then pinned onto the flags with decorative brads.
Sewing them into conical shapes creates a pocket at the back which I could place the goodies into for each day...
Azriel is a big fan of this part - "oooohing" in delight to get her wee pudgers onto a Hershey kiss! Each day has a printed out verse too that I found from this source.
Lucky for mama, she agrees to share - in true Christmas spirit. ;o)
Mewsli & Tinderpuff give their approval too. Thankfully they don't mind sharing the large picture window where I hung our banner.
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Now, this isn't my normal d.i.y post for projects since it wasn't super fast.stupid easy to do... (every element had to be done 24 times which was pushing the limits of my creative attention span!) But here's a shot of the basic 'pattern' if you want to wing your own version:
That's right.... take a square paper and fold two corners to meet in the middle... now you have the 'diamond' shape to cut your fabric from. I sewed up this middle line on each piece of fabric and then flipped it right side out to make the 'cones'.
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Over the next couple of weeks I'll keep showing you more handmade Christmas projects I've done around our nest.
Hope your homes are feeling merry and bright!
Mel :o)
this is such a cute idea!! my mom used to make my advent calendars too and I loved it!! I have one of those cardboard thingies this years and though the chocolate is good, it's not quite the same as something handmade.. with love! :)
ReplyDeleteI love it! I like this idea compared to the traditional cardboard!
ReplyDeletethanks! I hope it can become one of those traditions for each year to look forward to (and remember in years past). I'll gladly take chocolate from any source, cardboard or other! ;o)
ReplyDeleteyour Mom made them... new every year? What were they like? I do hope my kids will look back and remember these wee gestures of love and creativity - that would be lovely! :o)
ReplyDeleteLovely. I'm all into diy Christmas stuff this year. I have a list of projects that excite me. I made/am in the process of making something similar to this http://ashleewoolf.blogspot.com/2009/12/nativity-advent-calendar.html for our nativity calendar. It's great fun!
ReplyDeleteyou are the sweetest mom! love the photo of her sharing the kiss...what a lovely, lovely project!
ReplyDeletehugs!
I'm excited that you're excited to get crafty Heather... you haven't given up on sewing yet then?! ;o)
ReplyDeleteHope we get to see you guys again soon - I'll get Ben to make more cupcakes if that's a bribe! xo
aw, thanks sweet Krista (was just thinking of you this morning!)... turns out that's the ONE day she eagerly shared the chocolate... now it's a resounding "NO, mine!" if I ask her to share hehe... guess she's more of a Scrooge with her sweets now (probably gets that from her 'hoarding' mama)... lol.
ReplyDeletexo