I know it seems a bit early to share a cute little project for Christmas but since it's been SO hot here in the Midwest I thought we could use even the thought of cooler weather! And like so many of my canvas projects this is a "no sew" project that is quick and easy and can be used again and again!
I love Advent calendars and here is how you can make your own!
What you will need:
Kraft paper and patterned paper
Fabric
Adhesive
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First cut some fabric about 1/2 inch larger that the canvas square. Fold fabric 1/2 to backside of fabric and adhere with fabric glue. Now glue this "pocket" to the front and back of your canvas squares. (You will use 6 squares giving you a total of 12 calendar pockets)
Now that your pockets are created let's make something to go in there! First I cut 12 pieces of kraft paper a little bit smaller than my pockets. Onto this square I adhered a colored piece of paper (alternating green and red) onto the kraft paper. I chose to machine sew around the colored paper perimeter. Next I painted and glittered a Maya Road chipboard letter and placed on the paper. For this project I chose to spell "CHRISTMAS JOY". It has 12 letters so each letter fits into a pocket. Also, I envisioned removing a letter a day and hanging each letter on a garland so that at the end of the 12 days of Christmas you would have a banner that read "Christmas Joy"! On the back of each letter I printed a good deed that could be done on that day to make the 12 days of Christmas about doing something for others. Some examples were: writing a letter to a loved one, visit an elderly person, donate something to the food bank, etc. I love it when projects have more than one function!
Another piece to this project is making the 12 bottle cap numbers. Here I just punched a circle from the same patterned/colored paper used in the letter cards and just added a number to the center of it. Before I place the circle punched piece of paper I punched a hole directly into the center of the bottle cap and attached it to the fabric pocket with a brad. Now cover this with your paper!
To attach this project and make it a hanging and reversible I used items I had extra of. I used these clips with hooks on the end to hang one canvas square to the next. The eyelets on the canvas provide that ability too. Use ribbon, thread, binder rings, whatever you have "hanging" around to attach your pieces together and create this hanging Advent calendar!
Happy creating with Maya Road!! Shelley
I absolutely love your website, sooo many colors and soo much information all in one! I have gotten soo many ideas from your post, thank you so much for sharing!
Posted by: Rachelle | July 04, 2011 at 09:27 AM
great!!! I´ll feature on my blog. Hope you don´t mind
hugs from Brazil
Posted by: Rosana Garcia Hess | July 04, 2011 at 07:12 PM
Great tutorial, this is beautiful!! By the way, I am wondering if a winner of the Maya Mists was ever posted. The post was on June 18th, and it said 'We will be back next week with a winner'. Thanks!
Posted by: Renee VanEpps | July 05, 2011 at 07:13 AM
great idea...love it
Posted by: ANNETTE A. | July 05, 2011 at 08:52 AM
Such a great project. Thanks!
Posted by: Pam | July 05, 2011 at 04:06 PM
ADorAble !!!!! I will be scraplifting this one ! Thanks for sharing !!!
Posted by: Pam D. | July 05, 2011 at 07:41 PM
Great idea! I've been thinking about Christmas gifts and what I could make. This could work for a cook or gardener
Posted by: Mesha | July 05, 2011 at 08:31 PM