DIY Felt Christmas Advent Calendar - {Tutorial}

We have a super fragile advent calendar that is really awesome and just like the one I had when I was a kid, but it hangs high on the wall and the pieces are really tiny so I have to end up doing it for the kiddos and that's not fun for them, so I decided they needed one just for them. I was eyeing these ones at Pottery Barn:

$89.00

$99.00

I was thinking two things when I saw these:

1. SUPER cute! But, they both look like they're made out of felt and they're so expensive!

2. I can TOTALLY do that! (Or something similar.)

So, off I went to scrounge up some felt from my felt shelf in the garage. I made the entire thing out of felt (my new best friend) and I think it turned out really awesome and it's just perfect for L and E. They both love it so far and can't wait to start opening all the little felt envelopes on the 1st. I filled each envelope with different activities to do for the day and in some envelopes I put mini candy canes, one for each kid. So, let's get started:


What you'll need: 
2 24px pieces of felt for the background: one measuring 25" x 35" and one measuring 23" x 35" (I chose white and green)
1 long dowel 26" long
Dowel caps
Big Shot/Big Kick
Bigz Alphabet Simple Letters Die
Bigz Scallop Envelope Die
Bigz Bear Die
Bigz Beary Essentials Die
Originals Beary Merry Die
Creatology Peel and Stick Felt Numbers
Creatology Peel and Stick Snowflakes
Jeweled Brads
Hot glue and gun
Assorted colors of felt
Red Ribbon

1. Start out by cutting all of the pieces for your bears, envelopes, letters, and then assemble all with hot glue.

2. After you assemble the envelopes, place your brad in the envelope where the top of the envelope will fold over so that you can use it as the enclosure. Then, with a very sharp pair of scissors, cut a small slit in the flap so that you can fit the brad through the hole and hold it closed.

3. Lay your two large pieces of felt on top of each other and glue together with hot glue.

4. Lay out all the envelopes and place your bears and family name all on the felt and position it so that it looks perfect. Then, pick up one thing at a time and adhere it with more hot glue. Use your peel and stick numbers and stick those on to the felt underneath the envelopes. 

5. I freehanded a Christmas tree and then cut that out of felt and placed it at the bottom of the advent calendar. I also decorated the advent calendar with some peel and stick snowflakes I found at the craft store. 

6. After your all done gluing the felt pieces down, assemble the dowel and the dowel caps and then fold the top of the advent calendar over the dowel and glue down. 

7. Lastly, tie a piece of ribbon to the dowels and hang in the perfect spot.

    

 

$10.00

Here are some suggestions for some awesome things to write on the cards for each day:

Deck the halls!

Take photos for Christmas cards

Buy a new Christmas album and listen to it 

Make the house smell like Christmas

Make Christmas Cards

Read a Christmas Story Book 

Wrap Christmas Gifts 

Unwrap a new Christmas book

Make a new Christmas Decoration 

Color a Christmas picture

Build a snowman or hang up paper snowflakes

Make hot chocolate and stir with candy canes

Make a treat and take it to a friend

Watch a christmas movie and eat popcorn

Go out for a Christmas treat

Do something nice for someone

Drive around and look for Christmas lights

Go visit Santa Clause

Do service for someone in need

Have a campout in front of the Christmas tree

Call grandma and grandpa and sing a Christmas song

Take gifts to teachers and friends

Read a story or watch a movie about the birth of Baby Jesus

Make cookies and write letters for Santa Clause

Read "The Night Before Christmas" 

Have an awesome Thanksgiving and the link party will still be on for tomorrow, so after you get done eating your turkey and stuffing, come link up your awesome projects! ;D