DIY Advent Calendar Part 1

Thank you for stopping by! 

Today it's all about Advent Calendars. I know it's only November but because there's a good amount of preparation involved for this to be ready by the first of December, let's start early. 

Advent Calendars are boxes made of wood or paper that has 24 or 25 doors. The idea is to open a door each day before December 25 to count down the days before Christmas. There's usually a surprise tucked inside the door. It creates anticipation, helps keep track of days, and you are rewarded for your patience. You get to open a small gift each day until Christmas day when it's time to open the gifts under your tree.

There are many versions of Advent Calendars and the cute ones I've seen are those with jam, perfume, Lego, Play-Doh, and Sesame Street books.  

But the more common Advent Calendars (and less expensive option, too) are filled with chocolate: 

This was a gift from a dear cousin last year. Behind each door was a small square of milk chocolate. It's a perfect December tradition that I open after dinner where the chocolate serves as dessert.

But when all the chocolate has been eaten and the box is empty, you know that I won't throw it away just yet. I'll turn the empty Advent Calendar box from blah to TADA!

I'll repurpose the box into a new Advent Calendar but instead of chocolate, I'll put tiny handmade ornaments that I can use year after year.

I'm using air dry clay for this project...no baking involved! But as an alternative, you can use salt dough clay. 

I shaped the air dry clay into these tiny pendants. Each one is less than an inch tall and only a quarter of an inch thick. I also put them on a sheet of wax or parchment paper to make it easy to peel off in case they stick.

I used the back end of a paintbrush to make very distinct holes on each one. I left these out to dry and harden for a few days.

Don't forget to return the remaining air dry clay in its packaging and store in an air-tight container so that it stays pliable for next use. 

Sun prints via Etsy

I wasn't sure how I would decorate the ornaments but these botanical sun prints really caught my fancy.

Once the pendants hardened, it was time to paint. I used watercolor to add an indigo shade to the air dry clay ornaments. I like how the paint didn't dry evenly -- very similar to the sun print paper. 

With a small paintbrush and white acrylic paint, I drew on some botanical prints. I'm veering away from the traditional Christmas themes and colors, using spring references instead: ferns, flowers, and first blooms. These remind me of the Baby Jesus and the new life He promises. 

Here are my air dry clay ornaments...TADA! I made 24 blue ones and one white one for Christmas Day. The painting on this white one is an Easter lily, another symbol for birth and rebirth.  

With the aid of a needle, I strung on some white embroidery thread through each hole. 

The thread was long enough to tie into a bow. Look, the ornaments are more festive!

The Advent Calendar box came with this plastic tray. After cleaning the tray, I tucked an ornament into each square. 

Then I slid the plastic tray back into the Advent Calendar box.

If you peek in each door, you'll see the ornament inside...TADA!

Since the perforated doors have been opened, I used stickers (or washi tape) to keep the flaps in place and prevent the ornaments from falling out.

I found new use for an empty Advent Calendar box. I can share this with my family or pass it along to a friend so she can start a Christmas tradition.

That is how I turned blah to TADA!

Please stop by next week for a decorating idea using the ornaments from this Advent Calendar.

I wish you all a surprising week ahead and please subscribe here if you'd like my future blog posts right in your inbox.

Tote Bag Stories: A Tote Bag for Wine Bottles

When you're off to a party bringing a bottle of wine, how do you carry it? Do you bring it as is or wrapped in cute packaging? 

But if you were bringing more than one bottle? In my mind, a wine bag like this one would be ideal. It's made of sturdy canvas, has six compartments to keep the bottles from bumping into each other (less chance for breakage), and can be thrown in the washing machine in between uses. 

But why buy when we can D.I.Y.?

I own many reusable canvas totes and I chose this one because it has a food/dining theme.

I also like it because the fabric is thicker and it's gusseted, allowing the bottom of the bag to stand on its own. 

I'm going to make three compartments. I measure the bag and divide it into three equal sections. I use a pencil to make light markings on the bag.

Then I stitch the front part of the bag to the back part of the bag together with a back stitch. 

Use thread that matches the color of the bag or a totally different color to give it an accent. I sewed this by hand but you may use a sewing machine if you prefer.

The compartments snugly fit three bottles of wine (or non-alcoholic beverages)...TADA!

It's a clever idea to include a small corkscrew in the bag...TADA! 

Tuck the corkscrew inside a small canvas pouch and throw in a wine stopper or two just in case you don't finish the wine. A tight seal from the wine stopper will prevent spills and keep the wine fresher longer.

Reusable water bottles (one for each member of the family) can also fit in this bag.

With a little measuring and sewing, this canvas bag finds new purpose and is ready for any picnic, party, potluck or BYOB (bring your own bottle/booze/beverage) event.

This bag, together with the wine inside, makes a thoughtful hostess gift, too!

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Five Things for November

Hello November! I welcome this season of warmth and coziness, and I make sure to spend some quiet time before the holiday season begins. 

Oh the joy of autumn! I love to take long walks in the cool, crisp air and marvel at the red, orange, and yellow wardrobe of the trees around me. This time outdoors prompts me to collect leaves for crafting or to create a painting...TADA!

The U.S. elections happen this month (November 5). A gentle reminder to exercise this most solemn right to vote and make your voice heard. 

November is also the month we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States. Most of the time, I'll make pie -- apple or pumpkin are the runaway favorites...TADA!

And since we'll be celebrating Thanksgiving, let's really pause and count all the things in our life that we are grateful for. An attitude of gratitude always turns the "blah to TADA!"

November is the beginning of party season! Whenever my husband and I are invited to a friend's house, we always make sure that we're wearing nice socks. Sometimes they have a "no shoes in the home" policy and we're fine with that. Here are some of the socks in my collection: croissants! heart-shaped waffles! sunny side-up eggs! Aren't they cute? Shopping for socks (or getting them as presents) does turn my day from "blah to TADA!"

Speaking of parties, let's not forget the hostess gift. A few ideas include: a thoughtfully-wrapped pie server, a personalized gift basket, and handmade gift tags...TADA! 

I wish you all a lovely November!

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Sketchbook Practice: Inspired by End Papers

Welcome back to my blog!

I maintain a sketchbook practice. It's something I've had for several years now.

An inexpensive spiral watercolor sketchbook is all it really is. I try to make time for it each day. I'll make a small sketch if I only have 10 minutes, or a bigger drawing during the laid back hours of the weekend.

Sometimes, it's difficult to start when faced with a blank page. Some of my solutions: painting using prompts, nature themes, and mundane objects. 

Another idea is based on END PAPERS. Say what? 

End papers are defined this way: The endpaper, also called endsheet, forms the connection between the book cover and the book block. It is itself often a design feature of a book, but also a technically necessary part for the durability. Thus, the endpaper is often reinforced by a strip of fabric in the spine. Of course, endpapers do not always have to be white... definition is from here.

I really loved the book "Things to Look Forward To" by Sophie Blackall. The swoon-worthy illustrations begin when you open the book:

This is what the end papers of "Things to Look Forward To" looks like. The drawings are hints to the title: babies, a cup of coffee or tea, and reading a beloved book.

The images are so playful and I like the red-on-pink color combination because you don't see this everyday.

So I'll try this color combination, too. On a page of my sketchbook, I painted it with a layer of water. Then I added several coats of pink watercolor and I let the page dry for a few hours.

With a red colored pencil, I drew my favorite candies when I was a child. They may not be familiar because these are local brands from the Philippines. 

• "Lipps" were red candies that colored my lips (like I was wearing lipstick) 
• "Nipps" are similar to M&M's 
• Chocolate Coins in their shiny wrapping were always a hit
• "Curly Topps" are milk chocolates with a curly swirl 
• "Butterball" candies tasted like popcorn 
• Pink Cotton Candy was a birthday party treat (it was mesmerizing to watch the machine attendant spin this confection out of sugar)
• Serg's Milk Chocolate Bars and Chocolate Eggs 
• Lollipops in different flavors 
• "Choco Knots" are chocolate covered pretzels
• "Orange Swits" are orange-flavored gummies

Some of these candies no longer exist. That's why I thought it important to document them in my sketchbook. It helped jog my memory and I'm feeling lots of nostalgia right now.

So you see, inspiration from end papers and memory keeping are just some of the ways we can turn a blank sketchbook page from "blah to TADA!" 

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Learning from Suzy Ultman: Cardboard Birds

So lovely to see you!

Awhile back, I took a free on-line class on Creativebug. 

 

Our teacher was the talented illustrator and product designer Suzy Ultman and the session was hosted by adorable crochet artist Twinkie Chan. 

The craft we made was right up my alley -- we upcycled an empty cereal box to make this cardboard bird!

Suzy provided a template but it's easy enough to draw freehand on the cardboard (just think of an elongated plus sign with oval corners). Cut out the cardboard and paint it in any color you want. Once the paint is dry, add the details like the beak, eye, and patterns such as dots and lines. When this layer has dried, write words with a black marker. Suzy chose words that represent birds: happiness, soaring, freedom, feathers, and fly high. 

Here is the version that I made:

I used similar colors and found a quote about nature and gratitude...TADA!

It's such an easy craft for kids and kids-at-heart and the materials are readily available. I couldn't help but make a few more:

I tweaked the shape of the bird, decorated it with primary colors, and added some encouragement using brush lettering...TADA!

For this cardboard bird, I first made abstract prints on the cardboard using paint, markers, and rubber stamps. Then I cut the bird into this shape and added details like the eyes, beak, and feathers using a black marker...TADA!

Here's another bird cut-out that I personalized with my penpal's name. Imagine using this as birthday or baby shower banners, or seating cards for a party...TADA!

Here are other versions. Notice the flower in their beak!

Wasn't that fun? That is how I turned empty food boxes from blah to TADA!

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A Tin Box Decorated with Decoupage

It's so nice to see you today!

There is a stall at the Union Square Holiday Market that I always love to visit. They sell all these gift items from India and I'm particularly attracted to the enamelware decorated with flowers. They are vibrant and remind me of folk art.

One of the things I bought from them is this lovely bangle.

If I'm not mistaken, this style of decorating is called Kashmiri paper mâché.

I'm using this design as a launching point for today's craft.

This used to be filled with chocolate covered coffee beans. It's now empty but I saved the tin container.

 

After cleaning it inside and out, I painted it with several coats of plum-colored paint.

Once the paint was dry, I decorated the tin box this way:

I found some floral gift wrap remnants that I cut into smaller shapes. 

With a paintbrush, I applied white glue on the backs of the gift wrap cutouts. The paintbrush helps spread the glue in an even layer and covers the surface until the very edges. 

I attached the floral cutouts onto the tin container, a crafting style called decoupage. 

Here's what the tin box looks like after attaching the floral cutouts...TADA! 

We can leave it like this or add more flowers:

This is just one of the ways I turned a tin container from "blah to TADA!" 

If you like this idea, maybe you'll like this recipe box, paint palette, storage bin, trinket box or twine canister...all made from empty tin boxes.

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