Creating an Advent Calendar Tree

Hi, everyone!  Toni here with you today sharing a tree-shaped advent calendar constructed using a variety of products you can find in the DB shop.  

I started by cutting out a bunch of Lawn Fawn Tiny Gift Boxes using green 6x6 paper that I've collected (it can't be called hoarding if you use it sometimes, right?).  A large number of the ones I used here were from Sunny Studio and are very similar to the currently available pad, Joyful Holiday.  I also used MFT Poppin' Polka Dots and some Lawn Fawn.

The number you need is dependent upon how you plan to configure your advent tree.  I needed 25 green boxes (tree), 3 brown (trunk), and 1 yellow (star).  From the top, the overall construction is thus:

1 (star)

3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (tree)

circle for support

3 (trunk).

I had seen online how some people used more boxes for the trunk but I wanted it to look tapered so I did my own thing by cutting out a circle and adhering the trunk on one side and the base of the tree on the other.  This was necessary so there would be sufficient surface area between the tree and trunk.

In this pic you can see how the boxes are connected as well.  I cut out 1" wide strips which I then cut into 1" lengths, and folded in the middle.  I didn't bother using a scoring board because who has time for that business when I've got 29 boxes to put together?  

I used a similar technique to add the Mama Elephant Little Snowman Agenda images (colored with Copic BG10, C2, C4, R27, YG03, YG17, and YR04) and Mama Elephant Slim Peeking Presents bows between the boxes. I reduced the size of each strip to be about 1/4 x 3/4."  No need to be exact here as long as it gets the job done.  You can see this in the very top pic of this post.

Now this is a big project so I tried to streamline production as much as possible.  

• I cut the boxes out of 2 papers at once.
• I used red cardstock scraps with the Mama Elephant Cloud Grid Cover to create ornaments of a sort behind the Lawn Fawn Oliver's Stitched 123s countdown numbers.  Imagine if I had cut those out individually!
• I used Scor-tape to adhere the connecting strips so there was no drying time.
• I assembled the ornaments and numbers at once, flat, before using liquid glue to add them to the boxes. I could have used Scor-tape here as well by opening each box and pressing lid to the number ornaments but didn't think of that until just now. LOL.

The numbers were not something I could save much time on because I used thick cardstock that couldn't be doubled up when cutting but the result made up for it.  

Another time-saver, albeit accidental, was the circle diecut. I had adhered the Avery Elle Holiday Happy Tag to a skewer and realized as I was positioning it as a topper that if I puncture the top box and the circle diecut, it would stand up perfectly and I wouldn't have to trim it down at all.  Woo hoo!

Is this a project you can do lickety split? Nope.  BUT, it's manageable and it's cute so why not spend some quality time with your favorite papercraft?

I'll see you again soon.  If you'd like to check out my other creations in the meantime, you can visit my blog, Frankie Helps Craft, my Instagram, or my Pinterest Board.  Have a great rest of your day!

PRODUCTS USED AND/OR RECOMMENDED

I've got that joy, joy, joy JOY down in my heart!

 

Hello Doodlebug friends!  Are you singing it, too?  Ha!  I have been in serious Christmas card-making mode lately - so many cards to make, so little time!  Here's how I make multiples without getting bored!

• Gather a big seasonal word die - my Joy is from Waffle Flower Crafts and I love that the coordinating stamp set comes with sub-sentiment stamps, too.
• Pick a few cardstock colors that you favor for the season and use embossing, debossing, and background die-cutting to make each unique.  I've even done a little partial-embossing for a bit of interest.
• Die-cutting makes every job quicker - so did a wonderful set of Holiday Blooms from Spellbinders.  Separating the greenery from the blooms allowed me to cut several colors.

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When my crafty day was done, I had created EIGHT gorgeous cards!  

Here are four of my favorites:

Here are the other four:

These designs are so fun and easy to replicate!  They're sure to bring joy to the recipients, too - I hope!

Happy weekend eve, friends!  Hope I've inspired you to design a few holiday cards of your own this weekend!

=] Michele

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:   

Thanksgiving-Themed Treat Bags....

 

Hello everyone. Happy November!! I am sharing a fun Thanksgiving-themed treat bag set with you today. I used the adorable Tiny Gift Box Peacock and Turkey Add-on die to decorate the front of the treat bag. 

I began by die-cutting the layers to create the treat bag. You can use the Mama Elephant Favor Bag XL die. I then used the Scalloped Circle Mat 1 die set and the Stitched Circles Small to create the base layer for the turkeys. 

I then die-cut the layers to create the turkeys. I added a bit of color to the edge of the turkeys using Antique Linen Distress Oxide ink. 

I then used the banner from the Framed Tags Madison Avenue die set for the sentiment. The sentiment is from the Scripty Autumn Sentiments stamp set. 

I hope you enjoy these Thanksgiving Day-themed treat bags I created to share with you today. Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by. I hope you each have a wonderful and blessed day. Please feel welcome to visit me on my blog, IG or Pinterest.

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:  

Cozy Snowglobe Scene

Hi, everyone!  Toni here with you today sharing a bonus card using the Concord & 9th Winter Wonderland Stamps and Dies along with Sunny Studio Snowman Kisses on a Lawn Fawn Birch Tree Layering Stencils background.

I started out stamping the Concord & 9th Winter Wonderland Stamps and Dies snowy background using Catherine Pooler Aquatini.  Concord and 9th inks would work well too as they have good coverage or Distress Oxide if you have a MISTI to repeat stamp.

Next I created the snow globe using the included base and adding Sunny Studio Snowman Kisses images.

I decided to add a background of the Lawn Fawn Birch Tree Layering Stencils done in Distress Oxide Spun Sugar. Yum--pink and aqua!

The arched sentiment is included in the Concord & 9th Winter Wonderland Stamps set. I will eventually try them out using the Mama Elephant B2B Arches dies. Fingers crossed they nest well.

I'll see you again soon.  If you'd like to check out my other creations in the meantime, you can visit my blog, Frankie Helps Craft, my Instagram, or my Pinterest Board.  Have a great rest of your day!

PRODUCTS USED AND/OR RECOMMENDED