Day 1: Advent Calendar

I can't even explain how excited I am for this. About a month or so ago I was toying around with the fact of possibly doing this and I wasn't to sure but now that its FINALLY here I can't wait. I call it LOVE SIMPLY'S 25 Days of Christmas! (creative and clever, right. ha.)  My hope is to share with you ideas I have found or came up with myself for the Christmas season. Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday of the year and I wait all year until it comes around again. So I try to take full advantage. During the countdown I will be posting diy tutorials for either Christmas decorations, gifts or other ideas and also add some great recipes you could use to treat yourself or others.

Advent Calendar: I remember as a child getting an advent calendar with the chocolates and the next chocolate would always haunt me until it was time again to open another day. Just so I don't have to go through that again I have created an advent calendar that has 'to do' items if you would call them for myself and my husband. This was a great project that even Matt helped with. I wrote out cute little ideas/things to do and he would give the cards to me and then tell me what number to put on them. That way we are both surprised as to what tomorrows going to bring. 

I found this tutorial here.

Supplies: 

• Cork Board
• Canvas
• Glue Gun/Staple Gun
• Cards
• Push Pins
• Ornaments or Decorations for each day
• Rubber Stamps

I cut out my canvas leaving an inch or two hanging over my cork board. Hot glued the canvas to the cork board making sure to pull tight. You could also use a staple gun. I found it very easy and quick using a glue gun. Then punch a hole in your cards and I hand wrote our tasks/ideas on the back (ex. watch a Christmas movie, drive around looking at lights, coffee date, peppermint mocha's). You can do whatever you want with your cards personalize them for yourself. It makes it that much more special. I decided to use rubber stamps to put on the numbers. However you could either type them or use stickers. Once you have layed your cards out evenly you can begin to decorate each number to your liking. I made mine more colorful than what the tutorial shows. Just remember to make it your own :) I found all of my supplies at Hobby Lobby.  ENJOY!

Have fun and I would love to see pictures of your finished product! Stop by tomorrow for another treat.