Christmas Advent Calendar

Designer Grace is on our blog with a DIY advent calendar that can easily be made with a paper stack from DCWV and Glue Dots!

Designed by: Grace Tolman
Time: Approximately 45 minutes
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Size: 19 7/8” x 11 7/8” x 2/3”

Advent Calendars are nothing new but I wanted this one to be focused on the true meaning of Christmas so instead of stuffing it with treats, I added 25 activities that our family can do to get into the Holiday Spirit. My base is a couple of cardboard pieces and because my calendar is made mostly of flat items, it wasn’t too heavy to use the Hybribond Mounting tape.

Here's what you need:

• Glue Dots® Advance Strength
• Hybribond Repositionable Mounting Tape
• Mini Glue Dots®
• Glue Lines®
• Cardboard
• Pattern papers- Candy Cane Lane, Die Cuts with a View
• Silver and white cardstock- Craft supply
• Rhinestones- Clear, Bazzill
• Buttons- Craft Supply
• Twine- Red, Doodlebug Design Inc.
• Number stickers- Craft Supply
• Ink- Truffle, Mixed Media Inx, Color Box
• Circle punch – (1”) EK Success
• Tag punch- EK Success
• Paper Trimmer
• Craft knife
• Scissors
• Computer generated list of activities for the advent calendar

Here's what you do:

1. Cut out the cardboard foundation.
2. Cut out two pieces of chalkboard type pattern paper with designs on the edge to cover up the cardboard piece. Adhere to the board using Advance Strength, Glue Dots®
3. Cut out 25 pieces of paper measuring 2 1/3” x 2 7/8” from different papers from the pattern paper pack.
4. Adhere three edges of it onto the board using Glue Lines adhesive. Make sure the top is open for you to slip the tags in and out easily.
5. Punch out (or use a template) tags from text pattern paper. Mine measured a little too big for my pockets so I trimmed the edges making the final size to be 1 ¾” x 3”. Ink edges using the Truffle color ink pad.
6. Punch out 25 circles from the silver cardstock. Add the number stickers. If you don’t have stickers, you can also use a stamp or print the numbers using your computer and a word document. Adhere the circles onto the top of the tags using some Mini Glue Dots adhesive.
7. Type up your list of activities and print it off onto the white cardstock. Cut into strips and adhere to the tag using some more Mini Glue Dots adhesive.
8. Slip the tags into the pockets.
9. Decorate the front of some of the pockets using cut out papers, buttons and twine and rhinestones. Use some Mini, Glue Dots® adhesive to adhere the papers and other elements.
10. Mount the calendar onto a wall or flat surface using the Hybribond Tape.

~Grace

Either format of Glue Dots products can be used for this project:

Glue Dots can be purchased at: