Kindle the Christmas spirit with this crafty personalized Advent calendar! I made this calendar for my grandma. I usually don’t see her until Christmas Eve, so this is a perfect and prayerful way to stay in touch.
Materials:
24 Matchboxes
5 sheets Christmas-themed Construction and Scrapbook paper
2 Cardboard Squares
Acrylic Paint (red, green or white)
1 Sponge Brush
Glue Gun and Sticks
Elmer’s Craft Glue
Scissors
Ruler & Pencil
Scotch Tape
24 slips of paper with handwritten or typed messages – prayers, Scripture verses, or words of encouragement to nourish your loved one(s) in the Advent season.
How-To:
Step 1: Dump the matches out of 24 matchboxes. Use acrylic paint and a sponge brush to coat at least half of the inside drawer and outside cover. Set out to dry.
Step 2: Leave drawers aside. Use a glue gun to fuse a stack of six matchbox covers. Make sure the painted sides are facing the same direction. In the end, you should have four stacks of six matchboxes each.
Step 3: Form a cube with the four towers. Each tower should face out a different direction (see picture). Glue gun towers together.
Step 4: Measure and cut a cardboard top and bottom – but don’t glue them on yet!
Step 5: Measure and cut paper strips for drawer handles and for the bottoms of each drawer.
Number the handles 1-24. Tape the numbered strips to the bottom of the boxes. Then, glue in the drawer bottom.
Step 6: Place a personalized message in each drawer.
Step 7: Decorate the cardboard top and stacks with some craft paper and other embellishments.
Step 8: Glue on the top and bottom, slide in the drawers and Advent away!
