I have set up a new blog ....

at the moment I am truly obsessed with Advent calendars!

I have seen so many amazing ones during my journeys around blogland that I decided to set up a blog, dictated to just Handmade Advent Calendars. It doesn't matter what type they are (the matchbox ones are my favourite) Matchboxes, cloth, chipboard, etc

When I was making my one, I got stuck on some parts and tried to google Advent Calendars to get some inspiration, unfortunately the majority of the images were the usual Chocolate ones, not very many Handmade ones, so this is another reason for my blog - yeah any excuse really, lol

If you know of any calendars that aren't featured in my blog and you think they should be let me know and I will hunt them down!!!!

I want to update this every year once the crafters start making calendars again!

Pop along to Handmade Advent Calendars and be truly amazed at all the beautiful work that has gone into these calendars.

Altered Chipboard Advent Calendar .....

at last, lol!!!

I have finally finished the Calendar, I used way too much wet stuff and had to keep waiting for it to dry - sigh!!!!


This is how it looked

and after I got my hands on it!

Again photos do not do it justice, IRL it looks a lot nicer! CLICK ON THE PICS TO SEE A BIGGER IMAGE!

I used a square punch and a scalloped scissors to make the roof "tiles". All the papers are K and Company expect for the snowflake paper which is s.e.i. The icicles are from a £2:00 Christmas Decoration pulled to pieces. I used opal dust to give the impression of frost, and a snow writer on the edges for ice.

I have used a lot of glitter, well it is a Christmas decoration after all, you read right, this is not for the girls, this is never going to be used the way it is supposed to be, Grinch I know, but too much blood, sweat, tears and gluing my fingers together went in to this, lol!!!! I had told Aimee that I was making it for them to open, so she kept asking which number was she going to open! I told her that everything would fall apart if it was used properly and that I will buy them the usual Advent Calendars, Aimee being Aimee didn't create a fuss and said "yes mum I think you are right it is too beautiful to use", that little lady sure knows how to pull at my heartstrings!!!!

Anyways, all of the embellishments on the drawers were bought from Netto about 2 years ago, and I saved them for the perfect thing, as you do!

The chimney took me the longest as I wasn't sure how to decorate it!!!








Beautiful K&Co Christmas stickers

Stash used
K&Co - Christmas papers and Stickers
Embellishments from Netto
Stickles - Crystal, gold, red and silver
Jo Sonja's - Artist Background Colour
Arcylic Brown Paint
Iceles - Christmas Decoration
Jo Sonja's - Opal dust
Decoart - glistening snow Writer
S.E.I - Alpine Frost, Dust of snow
Sandylion - Kelly Panacci - Season's Greetings
Numbers very kindly cut by Tracey
Bazzill Bling - Black

Update on Advent Calender

I have painted the house and drawers with Gesso, and now all I have to do is wait for it to dry *sigh*

Look at what I found in Tesco's!

Dh had been in Tesco (supermarket) yesterday early in the day, and saw something that he thought would make a good birthday present for Chloe, so when he came home we went down to Tesco and yes ideal present for Chloe, so while DH was paying for it (can't tell you what as Chloe reads my blog), I wandered around the Christmas aisle and saw this ......

and I also found the little chocolate Santa's that fit perfect into the drawers. Yipeee!!!!!


Ruth had told me last week that she had found a house and was going to make an advent calender from it (I don't know where she got her one from), so when I saw this I thought I am going to copy her and do one myself and at £6.00 it is a bargain and I don't have to get match boxes to do one. Even though I did see this one as I have been blog hopping .....

on Frances blog Franmade, check it out HERE, so I might start saving some matchboxes throughout next year and do one of these for Christmas 09. I have seen some fantastic ones while I have been blog hopping, but I have to say the colours and embellishments on this calender spoke to me
as in "Make me, Make me!", I love it, and my middle name is Noel, lol