Advent Calendar - Neil Walker

Hellooo,

Well it's official, it's coming, getting closer

and nothing we can do about it!!

Yes that horrible word that begins with C.....

Christmas 

This year has just flown by and Christmas will 

be upon us really soon. 

So this week we have decided to put in a 

little Christmas post to get you thinking.....

Advent Calendars

 The DT have been asked to have a play

so let's see what they came up with....

also we have Karen Gist with us on 

Saturday with her amazing Advent Calendar

so you will have to wait for that one!!

Ok, we are going to start with Neil.

You are going to love this....

Neil says 

I decided to make myself a crafter's countdown 

advent for this year.

Cut 22 pieces of water colour card 14 x 10 cm 

and 2 pieces 14 x 12 cm.

Take one of the larger pieces and attach one

 of the smaller pieces to this with Tim Holtz

 Tissue tape (or similar thin paper tape) Tape both sides.

Repeat this till you have a total of twelve

 pieces attached.

As you can see, you have created an accordion

 folded strip.

Repeat this with the remaining card so you end up

 with two.

 Add a couple of strips of tissue tape to the

 top of the top larger card. Punch holes and

 reinforce with rings if desired. Take 4 x 25mm 

book rings and 2 small clips and set to one side.

 I've used an old rusty hanger to attach my folded

 cards too. 

The clips are to keep the sections closed . 

Like this.

Take your card and have fun stamping your 

Festive fronts. 

Stamp your small Christmas sign onto the card

 (left side) and also on scrap paper to mask off 

before stamping the background.

Add colour with Distress Inks masking off the sign

Add colour to the top sections of tape too.

Add detail colour using Distress Markers.

Stamp and cut out the balloon and sled 

onto watercolour card and colour with markers.

 Add to the right side with 3d foam pads. 

Paint and die cut your advent numbers.

Add the numbers to each page. 

Cover your clips with tissue tape. Cut 2

 pieces of black card, slightly smaller than the 

12 x 10. Round the corners and set aside.

Make a selection of Snowflake rosettes using

 the dies. Add a tiny tattered rose to each.

 Use these to embellish.

 I tied the hanger with ribbon to remove

 the large empty area. Add a large

 bow to the top and some snowflakes

 using a glue gun.

I glued a snowflake to each clip too.

Everything is now ready for me to enjoy a little 

dose of Christmas crafting from the 1st to the

 24th of December. Each day I can have fun

 stamping and creating my design. I'll be

 adding Christmas inspiration verses to each

 page.The black card hides the unused page 

until that day has arrived. Then, when Christmas 

is here I will have a completed calendar full of 

Seasonal inspiration that can be used over

 and over again.

I said you'd like it.....isn't it lovely??
Thank you Neil!

So, if you feel like having a go, this is what
you'll need -

Woodware Watercolour Card Pack
Tim Holtz Tissue Tape - Commute
Distress Ink Pad - Aged Mahogany
Distress Ink Pad - Forest Moss
Distress Ink Pad - Gathered Twigs
Distress Ink Pad - Stormy Sky
Viva Decor Stamp - Steampunk Gears Background
Viva Decor Stamp - Steampunk Angel
Archival Ink - Jet Black
Tim Holtz Sizzlits Decorative Strip -
 Alphabet Die - Inside Out
Tim Holtz Thinlits - Tiny Tattered Florals
Distress Markers
Book Rings - 25 mm
3D Foam Squares - 3 mm
300g Coloured Card - Black
Stix2 Hot Melt Glue Gun

From Stash -
Wide Ribbon
Thin Lace 
Sizzix Alterations Snowflake Rosette 
Dies - Both sizes
Small Clips

That's it for today,
see you tomorrow

Jane x