Advent Card/Calender

 

I have been meaning to make one of these for a few years now
but time always ran out or I forgot till December :-(  So I thought I might try it and do a tutorial to go with it in case anyone else wanted to have a go.  I used a large card blank to make the basis for the card, a sheet of A4 to go inside, if you use a bought blank card it's easier as you will have an envelope that looks nicer than having to go with an office one.  O'k it's not perfect but not to shabby for a first try.

Part One

The basic measuring and cutting is as follows.  Please bare in mind that this is scanned so the red lines should be on the right hand side when you do it or the tabs will open from left to right which is a little odd.

With the card in landscape measure 1/2" in from the right and then the tabs are 1 1/2" each with a 1/4" gap between.  The space at the left hand will be slightly out but it looks o'k. To make the lines down measure 1/2" from the top and then 1 1/2" each tab and 1/2" between till you have four lines of boxes

Work on the inside of the card, don't worry about pencil lines as you can erase them but they will be covered by papers and pictures anyway.  If you wanted to use a patterned paper to cover the card before cutting do it now and glue all over so it won't come away when you have made the cuts.  So when it's all marked up you CUT the GREEN lines and SCORE the RED lines.

Cover the windows with patterned papers and fill in the rest with paper if you didn't cover it first.

Choose some pictures to go behind the windows and stick them to a sheet of cardstock so they will show in each space, not showing mine in case I decide some poor unfortunate is going to receive it!!

Cut out the numbers from a sheet or however you decide to do the numbers.  I used Teresa Collins "Countdown" sheet I bought a few years ago but she has a new range this year which would work. Here it is and where you can get it in the UK I am sure American ladies will have no trouble finding it, maybe at Crafty Charlie's?

http://www.thestampattic.co.uk/christmas_cottage.htm

http://www.craft-emporium.co.uk/index.php?cPath=831_1087

 I used a nestie to cut out the numbers and fixed with raised glue pads to help when opening the window.  Attach in a random pattern. 

 Inside I added some pattern paper and a topper with the last number mounted on another Nestability shape and a little glitter.  Well there it is, hope you have a try and enjoy making it yourself x