Christmas Advent Board Tutorial

For the last few years I have wanted a Christmas advent container of some kind.  I have been in awe of the ones at Pottery Barn, but I am not willing to spend the $99-200 it costs to have a fancy one. I saw one the other day at Target but it was $30 and was cheaply made.

While browsing at that fabulous place, aka the Dollar Tree, I found circular Christmas themed boxes.  They had a large one and a small one for $1.  I knew these would be perfect for holding candy for an advent of some sort.  My wonderful husband went with me to Lowe's the other day and we bought a large MDF board for $21 and cut it down to about 10 board sizes.  (That's 10 different gifts for about $2 a piece, gotta love it!)  Now, putting the circular boxes together with the board, bingo, I have the makings of an advent board. 

On to the tutorial...

Supplies:

• 1 MDF board of your chosen size (mine was 16 by 25)
• Apple Barrel Paint in Glossy Red
• Foam brush
• 25 circular boxes (I had one leftover since they were bought in pairs)
• White vinyl cut via the Silhouette (title in Civitype FG font, numbers in akaDora font, both found free online)
• Silhouette Cutter
• Transfer Tape
• Scraper (I used my Pampered Chef little brown scraper)
• Glue Gun and Glue Sticks

Tutorial:
1.  Paint the top and the sides of your MDF board with the red glossy paint.  I did two coats.  Allow to fully dry.

2.  Cut your vinyl.  Remove excess vinyl so that your letters and numbers are the only things still on the paper. (Sorry it is hard to see the vinyl on the white backing).

3.  Rub the transfer tape on the vinyl letters.  I used my Pampered chef brown scrapper (one used for cleaning stoneware). Then peel off the transfer paper (vinyl will be attached).  Place the transfer paper on your board, rub using the scrapper and put your letters on the board.

4.  Organize your boxes on the board.  I did a large box then a small box, alternately.  Dumb me only bought four types of boxes, which meant the boxes got repeated.  Next time I would by five types so that I don't repeat them as often.
5.  Once you have the boxes organized on the board, transfer the numbers onto each box using the transfer paper as you did before.

6.  Hot glue each box to your board and allow it to set before adding candy or trinkets in each box.  Here is my finished Christmas Advent Board:

I figured out that I made my board for about $20.  It isn't the cheapest project, but it is personalized and perfect for what I wanted.

I just realized I name dropped about five companies and I'm not getting reimbursed for any of that.  My brother would be very upset with me for all that free advertising!

If you made your own advent for Christmas or another holiday, please share it as I love advents of any kind!  Off to eat the goodies for Day 1 since the kids didn't get to!  Ha!

I get absolutely giddy when my husband says he has cookies to bring home from work.  Our church secretary, Kathy M, makes the best sugar cookies! She spoils us with them for our birthdays, anniversary and Christmas.  She even made some to welcome our sweet little Anna in the world.

Our boys especially like the smiley faces!  In our house, these are a hot commodity.  My husband has even emailed or texted me pictures of him eating one at work just to make me jealous!

Kathy has made these for many years (I think 15-20 years, but I am not positive).  Anyone that has tried one is quickly addicted and begs for the recipe.  I know from experience. 

Well, the hubby arrived home today with a batch for Christmas and I began to strategically plan how to hide them from the kiddos.  I also thought of how great it would be to share the recipe (not the cookies themselves) with our blog followers. 

I got Kathy's permission and now I can share the recipe.  I hope it becomes a family favorite for you as well.  Enjoy!

The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe 

by Kathy M.

1 cup PARKAY margarin, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 TBSP vanilla

4 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Baking soda

Cream margarine and sugar together.  Add eggs; mix well.  Add vanilla.  Add dry ingredients, 2 cups at a time.  Chill at least 2 hours.  Roll on floured surface about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.  Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.

Buttercream icing

1/2 cup of Crisco solid shortening

1/2 cup of butter or margarine (I use Parkay marg, here too)

4 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 TBSP milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

Cream shortening and margarine.  Add sugar, milk and vanilla.  Blend on medium speed until all ingredients are well mixed.  Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy.  Makes 3 cups of icing.  Freezes well.  Can be stored for a week in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Warning!:  These are highly addictive!

Enjoy!

Our Very First Giveaway! Day 1 of 12 days of Christmas giveaways! GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

For the first day of our Christmas giveaways, the winner will receive a personalized, holiday, navy blue, short sleeved t-shirt.  You tell us your size (S-1X), your name (or the name you want on the shirt) and we'll decorate it for the holidays, using freezer paper stencils.  You'll receive it in plenty of time to wear it for the season. Good luck!

Here are some examples of the type of shirt we could make you.  These are our Thanksgiving shirts.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!
There are five chances to win this giveaway:
1.  Become a follower of our blog or tell us you already are.  Then leave us a comment saying you are a follower.
2.  Subscribe to our blog via email or RSS feed or tell us you already are a subscriber.  Then leave us a comment saying you are a follower.
3.  Like our Facebook page or tell us you are already a fan.  Then leave us a comment saying you are a follower.
4.  Follow us on Twitter or tell us you are already a follower. Then leave us a comment saying you are a follower.
5.  Repost our giveaway on Twitter or Facebook.  Then leave a comment with the link to your post.

If you sign in as anonymous make sure to leave us your email address so we can contact you!

That is five ways to win!  You can enter until Noon EST on Dec. 2.  We will announce the winner by 8pm EST on Dec. 2.  Good luck to you!

It's coming...12 days of Christmas giveaways!

We are so very excited to start our first giveaways.  Shannon and I have been busy making fun crafts and we want to share them with you!  Help us publicize our blog and we will help you win!

Our first of our 12 days of Christmas giveaways starts at midnight, be on the lookout!  Thank you to all of you who are already following our blog!

Our Weddng Week Part 1

Today is my Dad's birthday.  He's 30 plus 38 :-) Happy Birthday Daddy!

I can't believe November is almost over.  I'm already feeling the December rush.  Family pictures on Wednesday, shopping, baking, planning, decorating... all needing to be done.  YIKES!  With all the holiday stress on the horizon, I'm glad I have great memories of the last two weeks in November to look back on.

We just got back from our "Wedding Week" in Florida.  I was so fortunate to be asked to be a bridesmaid in my friend Mandy's wedding.  It was beautiful.  There were seven bridesmaids and we were lucky our bride was no Bridezilla.  We were allowed to pick from any black, long gown we wanted. We were all thrilled with the dresses we got and we were able to pick dresses that looked best on us.  What a bonus!  Now, if I can just find somewhere to wear my beautiful gown to again.

Mandy's wedding was in Melbourne,  FL.  Melbourne is south of Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral on the east coast of Florida. We stayed right on the beach.  It was a little cool to splash in the waves (even though I saw a few brave souls doing so), but a morning walk on the beach was perfect!  Mandy had a block of rooms, reserved, at the hotel, for her wedding guests.  She had baskets for each room.  The baskets contained a map of Melbourne, bottled water, crackers, muffins, fruit snacks, trail mix, and my favorite... CHOCOLATE!  There was a little note from the bride and groom attached to each basket.  What a great welcome for guests!

Mandy chose to have her wedding on a Sunday afternoon.  I've been told many venues offer great rates for Sunday weddings.  What a great way to stretch a wedding budget!  Because she had her wedding on a Sunday, one of her wedding favors was a red or black paper bag filled with goodies and a note.  (see pictures) What a great economical wedding favor!

She also had her favorite, rock candy, at each place setting. This worked wonderfully to help sustain the kids, while waiting for the buffet line to open.  The only thing I would change is the color of the rock candy.  She chose red, an accent color to her black and white wedding.  Although it was very pretty, my youngest daughter got some on  her dress and as hard as I tried, I just couldn't get the stains out.  I would suggest a clear rock candy wrapped in colored cellophane or with a ribbon in a coordinating wedding color.

Mandy also had the BRILLIANT idea of having a basket full of new flip flops on the edge of the dance floor.  My feet were miserable before these lifesavers came along.  I know Old Navy offers flip flops for $1/pair at least once a year.  If you're planning a wedding, I'd say stock up when this amazing sale comes around!

There were many wonderful things about this wedding.  The bride and groom wrote their own, very personal vows.  So special. They played their favorite music while the wedding party walked down the aisle. So personal.  They broke out into a phenomenal dance routine at the end of their traditional first dance.  So fun.  This wedding was their wedding. It was so personal and unforgettable. I am honored that I was asked to be a part of it.

The perfect gift for kids!

Are there kids on your shopping list that you would like to include on your holiday gift list?  If so, follow this link to a wonderful list of picture book gifts!  I know my daughters adore books.  I'm sure your special kiddos will too!  Ways to give a gift: 2010 Picture Book Edition

Crocheted Candy Corn

On our trip home to Kentucky, I finally got to make these cute decorative candy corns.  These have been on my list of things to make for about two years.  One nice thing about blogging about crafts is it makes me commit to making things I've been procrastinating on for years.  I think these will look cute amongst my mantle decorations next year.

Now that I finished these, I can end my obsession with candy corn for another year.  If you would like to make these, they are super easy.  Here is the link to the pattern:  Candy Corn pattern  If you make them, let me know.  I would love to hear about those of you who are equally obsessed with Candy Corn.  My second child seems to have the same affliction.  He took off a piece of it from my wreath when I was packing things away.  I guess the clear sealant didn't stop a 2 year old!

Bye Candy Corn, we look forward to seeing you next year!

Craft Sharing

      Crafting is an escape for Jill, Lesli, and me.  We love to get together and work on our latest projects. Unfortunately, with seven kids and three husbands between us, we don't always have the time to get together.  We still craft, when our little ones (and big ones) are tucked snuggly in their beds.  In the wee hours of the morning, you can find us working, ever so quietly, to check our craft projects off our lists.
      We've found that it's often financially and time wise to create in multiples.  By the time you buy the materials for a craft, you usually have plenty left over to make a number of the same projects.  So, you can form an assembly line and craft away.  What do I do with these extra crafts?  I share them.  Jill and I have become craft "swapping" experts.    When my daughter's recent bout with Strep kept me from a craft date at her house, I made the project here while she was making another project at her house.  Then we swapped them.  It worked out so well.  We spent less money and time than we would have had we done each of the projects on our own and we got two great projects!  We've actually done this a number times so our decorations are multiplying!
        So, next time you set out to create a craft, might I suggest you make it in multiples and find some buddies to swap with?  You'll soon have a plethora of great decorations for each holiday season.  (This same idea works well for cooking too!)