It's a little late, but it's the thought that counts right?

                               

Okay okay, so it's December 2nd and I'm just now posting about our advent calendar.  But, well, (enter excuse here).  To be honest, I've just been lazy with the blogging. Our computer is still on the fritz so doing everything by phone is annoying!  Maybe Santa will bring me a new computer (yeah right, I pay Santa's bills, he's broke).  I also only took one iPhone photo of the actual advent calendar. Forgive me.

So the advent calendar is a new tradition in our house this year. Little Miss is slowly starting to understand days of the week so this is also an exercise in that (gotta make everything educational right?).  I didn't have a whole lot of money to spend on one, especially this time of year so I wanted to use things I already owned (or needed to buy for a certain little lady's birthday coming up next week).  

Supplies needed for this project:

-a large chalkboard (like the one I made here)

-parchment paper bags (25 for $2 at Hobby Lobby)

-glitter!

-numbered stamps (I borrowed from my awesome mother in law)

-stamp pad
-rubber glue or mod podge

-washi tape

-string (I used bakers twine I got on clearance)

-craft paper (my husband had a ginormous roll in the garage so I stole it for myself)

-clothespins (buy these at the dollar store)

It seems like a lot of supplies but you can make your bags as elaborate or as plain as you choose. I sat on the couch and watched a movie while I made mine and it. Was. Wonderful. That is MY time and I enjoy being able to do two things together like that. 

I just stamped the date on the bags (truth: I forgot dec 11th), then added some glitter underneath because they were a little too plain for me. I had originally planed on hanging them on a different board so I had added the craft paper cutouts, however when I moved them to their final resting place, the craft paper isn't really seen. Which also makes the bakers twine I used to tie the paper to the bags obsolete too. Oh well. See, now you don't have to waste your time, unless you stopped reading at the supplies list and already started. Sorry. 

I'm on a budget, and with two kids in the house I wasn't about to buy little toys for each for 25 days. So candy it was. I alternated between Hersey kisses and mini candy canes. I also ate the leftover kisses as I made the calendar. Then I hated myself a little. Then I ate some candy canes and got over it. 

Seal your bags with washi tape and pin to your board (I put mine in order by date).  I wrapped lace I already had on hand (I think I paid 1.00 for it at a thrift store) around my board but any string will work (oh look, you can use that bakers twine if you want!!). I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. Maybe when the kids are older well invest a little more money into the calendar, but for now, the kids are just happy that I'm letting them eat candy every day. 

                             

What does your calendar look like? Did you start late this year (my kids can't tell the date yet)? Let me know! Don't forget to follow on Instagram for real time pictures(because I actually post things on there). 

~enjoy!

xo Stacie