Oh my goodness. It’s not often that I am around on a Sunday, but I am popping online tonight for what might be my favorite “Christmas party” of the season…The Holiday Idea Exchange!

Tonight, I get to join some of my VERY FAVORITE bloggers…

Four Generations One Roof | Nest of Posies | No. 2 Pencil
Positively Splendid | Simple as That | SNAP!
Tatertots and Jello | ThistlewoodFarms | TidyMom | Two Twenty One

In a pinning party set to feature some of the most fun 2014 holiday ideas on the web! Woot!!! This evening, each of us will be pinning YOUR great holiday ideas, along with a few of our own to the Holiday Idea Exchange Pinterest Board. Join us beginning at 8 p.m.

Envelope Advent Tutorial

Around here, it’s absolutely impossible to start a holiday without some sort of advent calendar. I love them and couldn’t think of a better way to kick off this fun party than with a new take on an old idea.

To complete this project, you will need the following supplies:

• Mounting Board: Wood or Gallery Canvas
• Cardstock: Pow Glitter Paper – Silver, POW Glitter Paper – Gold, POW Glitter Paper – Charcoal, Gold Cardstock
• Super Sticky Red Tape
• Glue Gun
• Number Stickers (these are 2014 Studio Calico Thickers)
• Wood Letters
• Gold Spray Paint
• Envelope Punch Board
  (optional)

I’ve been thinking about creating a new advent calendar for a couple of weeks now. I knew that I wanted something really different than the felt pocket calendars we’ve used in the past or even the little boxed calendar we used last year and settled on using envelopes.

Initially, my plan was to create some sort of envelope banner to string across the fireplace, but I was a little worried it would get in the way of the garland I usually use on the mantel.

Then, while wandering the isles of the craft store, I came across art canvases priced at 50% off. Perfect! I could turn my advent calendar it into a piece of wall art for the main floor hall.

Once I got home, I rounded up the rest of my supplies including some neutral shimmer and glitter cardstocks, American Crafts Super Sticky Red Tape
and my We R Memory Keepers Envelope Punch Board (No sponsored post here, I just love these products!)

I don’t know how well regular old glitter cardstock would work on this project because it’s so heavy. I used American Crafts POW Glitter Paper. It’s thinner than most glitter cardstock and the best? It doesn’t drop glitter all over the place.

Once I had my supplies together, I sat down with the tv and started making my little envelopes.

Here’s what the tool looks like that I used to make my envelopes. I really wanted them to be a consistent size and look without a whole lot of time and attention.

I love this tool! I purchased it about six months ago and have been able to use it for a million little projects. If you don’t have an envelope punch though, you can easily create your own mini envelopes.

Start with a square piece of paper (My envelopes were 2.5 x 3″ and I used a 5×5 sq. piece of paper.). Then simply fold the sides in so that they overlap a little and repeat with the top and bottom.

Once you’ve got your folds, tape the envelope together. Because I was using a lot of glitter paper, I used red super sticky tape. Nothing holds glitter better.

I started mounting the little envelopes onto my canvas with just a touch of hot glue. I had a little room at the bottom so I spray painted some letters gold and added the word NOEL to the bottom of the advent.

Once all of the envelopes were in place, I filled the envelopes with a month’s worth of activities and then secured the envelopes closed with some cute gold Thickers, but you could use anything, even round labels created on your computer!

Here’s what the calendar looks like hanging in my hall…

I am really excited to begin enjoying the calendar and all of the fun activities hidden inside!

Do you have an advent calendar in your home during the holidays?