Last year I came across this adorable advent calendar from Twig and Thistle. We were already well into December and it was too late to make one. This year I’m bringing my ‘A’ game to Christmas and I knew I had to make one! I picked up a pack of Wilton 2″ favor tins months ago and have been waiting for Christmastime to arrive.
DIY Printable Advent Calendar
DIY Magnetic Advent Calendar Tutorial
The supplies to make this are pretty straight forward:
- 2″ Favor tins
- Card stock
- Modge Podge
- Chocolate candies
- 12×12 frame
- 12×12 metal sheet
First, print the advent calendar number printable. <<Free Printable Download Below!!>>
Use a 2″ circle punch. My favorite paper punch is this squeeze punch by Fiskars because you can see your design and align it how you want before you make the punch. It works fantastic! If you have a crafter in your life – consider this for a Christmas gift. They’ll love you forever!
Cover each circle number in Modge Podge.
Put Modge Podge’d circle in the tin lid and allow to dry.
The lid is kind of loose on the tin, so I flattened the bottom of the tin slightly so the top fit snug. The top of the tin will cover the flattened part, so don’t worry about an odd shaped tin.
I love the idea of having a family activity advent. Hopefully we will be able to keep up with it all. I punched out some circles with Christmas traditions and activities and taped it to the bottom of the tin. <<Free Printable Download Below!!>>
I placed some chocolate treats inside the tin.
I used a simple, elegant winter themed scrapbook paper as a background for the advent tins.
I placed my scrapbook paper on top of the 12×12 calendar metal sheet I have used for my magnetic monthly calendar and put it in a 12×12 frame.
DIY Advent Calendar Supplies
Free Printable Advent Calendar Numbers
To download this printable, select the button with the arrow pointing down.
Free Printable Family Christmas Activities
To download this printable, select the button with the arrow pointing down.
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This looks awesome!!!!! Modern and Christmassy, and I love how pretty the inside of the tin looks too! What a great idea!
This is FABULOUS – wow I totally love it.
A great idea for an advent calendar.
Lowri
http://papervinenz.blogspot.com/
Visiting from Whipperberry
LOVE this!! It looks so cute and I like how you Modge Podged the special activity for the day to the bottom of the containers!
Love this! I hope to get to do it!
ohhh… this is just so cute!
I would love to have you link up to my Delightfully Inspiring Thursday Party going on now.
http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/2011/11/delightfully-inspiring-thursday-party_16.html
Hope to see you there & join us every Thurs-Sat.
Thanks,
DaNita
Oh my how ADORABLE!! Pinning this right now! Would LOVE it if you would link this up at my turquoise lovin’ party!!
Love! Found you on the tt&j linky party. I’ll have to pin this. Thanks for the printables 🙂
This is the cutest advent calendar. I love the little tins just large enough to hold a special treat. Thank you for sharing!
I love this, what a cute idea! And how much do those little favor tins cost? I don’t think I have ever seen them.
They retail around $20, but I used a 40% off coupon at Michaels.
They were in the wedding supplies aisle…
Very nice idea-I love your graphics and use of magnetic tins-wanting to try this!
Found you over at Whipperberry’s link party. Love your advent tins! I linked up an advent calendar using square tins, but our projects are so different! I LOVE the labels you put inside the tins! I was going to just fold up strips of card stock with the activities on them and stuff them in; your idea is so much better! Thank you for sharing!
This is so cute and I love all the color combos and designs.
I love the project – perfect formy granddaughters. When I clidk on the pdf link to download the darling numbers – I just get a gray square with nothing in it. Any ideas?? I’d love to make it this week 🙂
Thank you –
I just sent an email to you with the pdf attached. 🙂
Where do you guys find your metal sheets? last time I did a magnetic project I got some at home depot. But it was quite the process..I keep thinking there has got to be an easier way to find some!
I got mine from a local craft store, but I just did a search and found this: http://www.createforless.com/Paper+Accents+Calendar+Page+12×12+12×12+Tin+1pc/pid149484.aspx which is the same.
So clever!!
I’d love it if you could link up to my Simply Christmas Inspiration Party at http://shabbyartboutique.blogspot.com/2011/11/yay.html
This is SUPER cute!
This came out super cute!! Would love it if you would stop by and share this at my linky party going on right now 🙂 http://everything-underthemoon.blogspot.com/2011/11/bedazzle-me-monday-9.html
Have a great week!!
This is just a great project. I love how you presented it. Thank you.
Thank you 🙂
This is genius! Now I have something else to add to my list for Michael’s on Black Friday 🙂 Thanks for the printable too, I want to do this with my kids now.
I’d love to have this linked up over at our Christmas traditions party & giveaway today. Every link will be entered to win $50 in craft supplies from Pick Your Plum:
http://mysisterssuitcase.blogspot.com/2011/11/homemade-for-holidays-day-12-christmas.html
Happy Thanksgiving!
ohgoodgolly this is brilliant!
Thank you so much for sharing this project…and for the tip about the Fiskars cutter! 🙂
Oh my gosh!! This is absolutely gorgeous!! You did a marvelous job on the calendar and the tutorial!!
I’d love for you to link up this post and any other Christmas-related projects to the 26-Day Christmas Craft Marathon Linky Party!!
Thanks so much for sharing!!
~Lisa
Lisa’s Craft Blog
This is amazing. I just pined it to pinterest so I can print it one I get my printer hooked up. Thank you for the printable.
Would love to see you DIY Home Sweet home.
Jamie
http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/
P.S. I have a linky every Monday. Would love for you to stop by and link up.
I love this idea! Printed the numbers and just got the Wilton tins…but are the tins supposed to be magnetic or did you add magnets to the back?
I added the magnets. Have fun!
i did it! Tank you soooooo much for your amazing inspiration! To see it….
http://3wists.blogspot.com/2011/11/craftbrought-to-you-by-instagram.html
Cute!! Thanks for sharing!
JUst wanted to say thank you so much for the free printable!!
I will totally enjoy this..thanks
melissa
You’re welcome! Have fun! 🙂
Thanks! Just what I was looking for!
This is probably a stupid question, but how do the tins stay on the board? The 2″ tins I found at Hobby Lobby are not magnetic. Is the metal sheet you’re buying magnetic? Thanks.
I added a magnet to them so they would stick to the metal sheet. 🙂
SO cute! I’m hosting an advent link party and would love for you to join!
http://nap-timecreations.blogspot.com/2011/12/december-1st-beginning-of-advent.html
I just finished mine! Thanks so much for the idea/tutorial/printables!
http://ideachest.blogspot.com/2011/12/another-advent-calendar-update.html
Hi! I just wanted you to know that I used this printable last year for a countdown calendar and it turned out great! Thanks for sharing!
Hi there! I’m having trouble downloading your printable. Any tips? I love this project. It’s so cute! I plan to make one for counting down to Halloween, one for Thanksgiving, and one for Christmas. My son will love it!
Thanks for this tutorial. I stumbled upon it on pinterest and just had to make it. I blogged about it as well. Thanks again!
http://itspinterestinglife.blogspot.com/2012/11/an-updateits-about-time.html
What a great project. Love it!! I shared it on my blog today: http://www.vixenmade.com/2012/11/20-adorable-advent-ideas.html
Thank you Victoria! Have a great day and thanks for stopping by and sharing.
I want to download some of the printables but I’m not sure how. Do I have to download a certain program first? You have really cute ideas!
I just figured it out. If you right click on the printable you can select to print document. They print out full size. Can’t wait to put this together!
Thank you for the detailed instructions. I have seen variations of these advent calendars on Pinterest and am thinking about making one for our preschool class to give the teachers as our class gift, each child filling a tin and maybe adding a photo of each child to the inside.
http://www.littlebirdcelebrations.com