Around this time last year, I was puttering around a fabric store making plans for the holidays when I got a phone call from one of my clients. While I stood surrounded by mid-weight cotton, my very very part-time job suddenly transformed into a very very full-time job. Sadly, I had no idea how to balance 80-hour work weeks with family commitments and we had the most neglected holiday season ever…thankfully the job ended after 6 months.
Now that I have returned to a somewhat more balanced life, I am determined to celebrate yuletide cheer to the fullest. And first on the list is creating an advent calendar. My last attempt at an advent calendar was in 2008 when K was 2-and-a-half – a valiant yet misguided effort using this tutorial. My matchboxes fell apart, and I painted an ugly tree the wrong way on the back so the puzzle element didn’t work out quite right.
I was, however, proud of the mini ornaments I made to fit in the little matchbox drawers. I sewed miniature felt ornaments that you see way above (there were more but have been lost over the years), and painted holiday motifs onto tiny wooden squares that are about 1.5 x 1.5 inches. These were then meant to be hung on a miniature tree that I bought at a craft store. Labor intensive, I know. I must have had a lot of time because I made three sets, two to give to friends with kids. These were the painted ornaments:
I’m looking for something much more minimal and simple this year. What do you think of these inspirational and modern advent calendars? OK, that last knitted one would require some serious effort, but it’s so darn cute…
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