holiday diy: twelve days of christmas advent part 2

Here is another nifty way to dress up twelve cups of Christmas cheer.

I used a mini embroidery hoop and twelve mini clothespins. Adhere the pins to the hoop with a super sticky glue (my glue gun in the pics did not hold up. I would use E-6000 for the next round). When you arrange the pins, think of a clock so that they are fairly evenly spaced.

 Add your teas and hang within reach!

 

holiday diy: twelve days of christmas advent part 1

 I love an advent calendar. LOVE them. I always plan on making one just for fun but then well...time runs away from me. Here is a simple advent you can make as a holiday gift for a friend that still has the element of an advent without having to rush through the last of week in November to get it done. It's a Twelve Days of Christmas Tea Advent. Okay, really it is an interpretation of the twelve days as the Twelve Days of Christmas begin on December 25 while this advent would kick of a twelve day countdown to Christmas. Confused? Me too, but lookie, it's cute!

Years ago a lovely internet friend sent me a tea advent calendar. The variety of teas coupled with the happy colors of the wrappers made for a delightful morning cuppa. A few week's ago I asked if anyone wanted to swap tea and had two takers so I whipped up these mini twelve day advent calendars that can be used to count down to Christmas or New Year's. One calendar presented two ways. Here is way one.

Most boxes of tea will have 15-20 bags inside. Pick up three boxes with one of them being a variety pack and you could create a dozen or so gifts for your tea drinking friends. Now, good tea can be spendy but your average supermarket tea can be very tasty as well as long as you know how to brew it. Good Earth makes a fantastic Vanilla Chai tea, Tazo has the coolest wrappers and you could pick by color as all of their teas are really delicate yet full of flavor, and my favorite market tea is Mighty Leaf's Orange Dulce. Whichever tea you choose, make sure each bag is wrapped to ensure the integrity of the flavor.

Gather up your teas and get to wrapping them. I used two brown lunch bags cut into bands, washi tape, and a permanent marker.

 

Use a hole punch or a needle and thread to attach each bag to a length of twine or yarn and tie to pretty hanger either store bought or homemade. Think outside the box and wrap a metal hanger with fabric or yarn, turn a tree branch into a hanger, or use a cedar hanger that is a gift itself.

A simple, easy diy that can be dressed up in any number of ways no matter the color or seasonal trends!

diy: lickity split advent

I know, I know you're probably thinking Jessica, you are totally pushing it, December is...afterall...tomorrow but I meant to get this finished sooner and well...I am an ace procrastinator if I do say so myself so this was just finished, as in an hour ago and the light was slip-slipping away and the rain has been coming down for a few days and I was cursing at the yarn that kept falling and the tack that refused to anchor the whole shebang and then I couldn't find the bag of wrapped sweets to add to a few of the pockets so those pockets are empty (shhh, don't tell anyone that part) and there are still massive piles of stuffity spilling and all topsy-turvy around the tiny casa but I did it. I finished it and the photos are servicable and now I am typing this all while enjoying a happy jar of eggnog that I can actually taste (yay sniffer!) and so I do hope you enjoy it...the calendar that is, eggng is not so easy to share over the internet.

coffee filter advent calendar

*25 cone coffee filters

*white paper

*colored scrap paper

*glue stick

*scallop punch

*markers

*yarn

*wooden spoon

*tiny trinkets and sweets

Type in advent calendar into any search engne and you will certainly see dozens and dozens of brillianttly pretty ideas. From envelopes to matchboxes to tiny wrappd packages there is no shortage of ways to display a happy bit of advent for the holiday season. This calendar came about when  I wanted to create one using items I had on hand. The coffee filters are perfectly shaped for a unique spin and the natural unbleached color is pleasing to the eye. The yarn, a small ball of varigated yarn that I had picked up at the Goodwill outlet for a dime was already out on the table and well, I seem to have more wooden spoons that any households need.  

Gather up your supplies and punch out 25 scallops using a decorative punch. You can use stickers or write up the numbers using a marker or two. 

 Glue your numbered circles to strips of colored paper for a pop of color and glue those happy bits to your coffee filter. Punch holes through the top of each filter and fill with tiny treasures and trinkets.

Cut out thirteen lengths of yarn in a variety of lengths and knot all but one, twice; once at the end and again about six inches or so above it (if your yarn is skinny, you might need to double or triple knot each knotty knot).  Knot the remaining bit of yarn once at the end and thread filter number 25 onto it. Double up the other 24 filters until all the yarn is cozy cozy with the filters. 

Wrap your wooden spoon with yarn or give it a hapy coat of paint. I used the tried and true friendship knot on my spoon. It seems there is very little I will not wrap with yarn. Give your wooden spoon a hanger of yarn by looping a bit over each end and hanging it on your door or wall.

 Tie all the happy trinket filled filters to your spoon so that you have a happy party going on and get to counting down! 

Tis the season!