Gift-Worthy: Stenciled Mixed Media Advent Calendar

Hello! I had an advent adventure with stencils and stuff from my stash!

When you finish looking, comment on this post and you might win free stencils!

I keep my radar up starting at the end of summer for small Christmas gifts to make (using stencils) or give. I’ve found it makes my budget manageable because it doesn’t allow me to feel rushed at the last minute.

It is simply perfect for…… well I can’t tell you WHO because SHE might read this post!

I am not a fan of wire coat hangers, but I sure think this is a fantastic use for one. I painted the cardboard red and wrapped the wire part with a green ribbon.

I hung the following 24 items with ribbon or string to the hanger:

1. Cloth tea bag filled with sweet-smelling cloves and orange peel.
2. Cup – This was a red wine tasting cup wired up and simply wrapped with a piece of white linen with the # stenciled on it.
3. Stenciled ribbon embellished with red pen and glued to a brown bag. Good for a lottery ticket.
4. Stenciled library card in a stenciled pocket. Nice for writing a sentiment.
5. Stenciled vellum tag.
6. Stenciled cork tag embellished with sewing pattern collage paper.
7. Teabag with a word and a # stenciled on it. Stuffed with Constant Comment Tea.
8. Little red painted box tied with ribbon and embellished with stickers from the SWAG exchanged at An Art Journal Affaire back in 2017!
9. Another cup, wired up and stenciled with a little # tag on it. I recommend that you secure with washi tape whatever you put in the cups.
10. Heart pin I might have made at an art products trade show is pinned to a tag.
11. Narrow, stenciled elf bag.
12. Double star (traced from a stencil) with a quarter gluing the 2 halves together.
13. Stenciled, embellished library card with little people peeking out of the pocket.
14. Stenciled green envelope.
15. Pendant (Ice Resin & glass glitter) hanging from a tag that was made with Flitter. The tag is hanging from a cinnamon stick.
16. Cloth v banner – Lindt truffle stapled to the back
17. Different pendant.
18. Stenciled ornament tag.
19. Candy cane with a small number tag (Great idea huh? I faked it with a straw – no candy canes in stores near me, yet.)
20. Stenciled star box made from cardstock and sealed with washi tape.
21. Sparkly stenciled tag with Thermo-Wed Glitz Glitter Gel.
22. Little brass and lace dress ornament.
23. Organza baggie – the number is stenciled on a piece Citra-Solv paper Nancy Curry gave out at Art Journal Affaire
24. Stenciled, sparkly hummingbird tag.

As to treats: candy, light-weight jewelry, gift card, money, chapstick, tiny scented candle, sweet little notes specific to the person the advent calendar is for. I figure the tags can either stand-alone or I’ll affix a wrapped chocolate truffle to the back.

Stencils used: Never Ending Calendar Mini by Carolyn Dube (perfect for numbers), ATC Mixup Stencils by Mary Beth Shaw (perfect for numbers too!), Andrew Borloz, June Pfaff Daley, Jennifer Evans, and Pam Carriker, Vintage Ornaments by Cathy Nichols, Art Deco Alphabet by Gwen Lafleur.

I handmade the star-shaped box with Mary C. Nasser’s First Star on the Right StencilClub set.

• Trace the stars you want 2 times on cardstock or heavy scrapbook paper. (I kinda wish I had made bigger stars.)
• Cut out the stars, one on the lines, the other ever-so-slightly larger than the lines.
• Cut strips for each star to make the edges of the boxes. For instance, the edge of one of my stars was 1” so I cut one 5” by 1” strip and scored at the ¼” on the horizontal and 1” on the vertical. The second strip was based on the same principle but again, ever-so-slightly larger.
• If you are planning to use a stencil to decorate the star box, now is the time.
• Use glue inside or washi tape outside to affix sides to top and bottom.

Project timing tips:

1. Gather all your stencils, boxes and bags, stashy stuff and tools in one pile. I had bits of ephemera, red wire, jingle bells, ribbons and cords, tags, washi tape, glue, wire cutters, etc.
2. If you are going to make this in one sitting, allow yourself at least the whole morning. Better yet, invite a friend over and you can each make one as well as enjoying the day with a lovely break for lunch. Or put on your elf hat and work secretly by the light of the moon.

Transport tips:

Put a towel on a large cookie sheet and lay the Advent Calendar down. If it’s a new cookie sheet, add a new kitchen towel — after you stencil the towel of course!

If you are shipping it, lay it on the pan and bubble wrap it.

I first saw this Advent idea done (tan/white/gold/burlap) in a Stampington email. This hanging calendar is worth reimagining for Valentine’s Day, or Mother’s Day, don’t you agree?!

Wishing you a joyous rest of 2019!

Carol

p.s. Got cats? Dogs? Toddlers? Hang it high!

p.s. Don’t forget to check out all the other AMAZING gift-worthy projects from my fellow StencilGirl Creative Team Members! You might win free stencils! Good luck!

Sue Plumb’s Cookie Jar and Art Bag

Claudia Neubacher’s Tote Bag

Sunila & Aditi Mahajan’s Treasure Box

Peg Robinson’s Necklace

Shel C’s Journal Set

Jennifer Gallagher’s Paper Mache Gift Box

Linda Edkins Wyatt’s Beach Memories Painting

Jill McDowell’s Twisted Treasure Pouches

Contest closes 10-8-19 at 11:59 p.m. CST.  Winner notified by email 10-9-19.