Advent calendar + Christmas project.

I have been SO BUSY lately!

With the end of the school year happening this week & hectic deadlines for Friday & other commitments, I just haven't had a chance to blog which is so frustrating because I have so many crafty projects to share with you. This has also meant I am slow with hauling out my Christmas decorations too this year.

I am happy to say that slowly our home is starting to transform though & starting to feel alot like Christmas. Forget the fact the temperatures are beginning to soar LOL & the pool is looking more & more inviting.

We put our Advent calendar up &amp on the 1st & the kids are LOVING opening each little box to score the candy inside everyday. It is a project I made for a magazine page call some time back but it wasn't picked up needless to say I am so stoked I made it. There is something so rewarding & wholesome about a homemade calendar as apposed to a store bought one. Oh...before I forget: It was inspired by an idea I originally saw on the Lilybee blog some time ago, can't remember who the designer was though.

Advent calendar by Kim Watson

Page Supplies: Cardstock & Ribbon: American Crafts; Patterned paper: My Minds Eye, Fancy Pants, Lily Bee; Rub-ons: Fancy Pants & Lily Bee; Chipboard & Fancy Brads: My Minds Eye, Number stickers & Flowers: Little Yellow Bicycle, Mist: Studio Calico, Adhesives: Fabritac: Beacon, Tombo, 3L; Tools: Trimmer & cutting mat: Fiskars, Xacto knife: Elmer's; Punches: Martha Stewart, EK Success, Tonic; Paper Piercer by Close to my Heart ; Score board: Martha Stewart; Paper & Printer: HP, Software: Adobe, Other: Thread, Sewing machine.

Each box is an empty matchbox covered in patterned paper, embellished & filled with candy!

While I'm up... here is another Christmas project inspired by an article in the Nov/ Dec Creating Keepsakes mag, 'Holiday cards on Scrapbook layouts'.

 Tis the Season by Kim Watson

Page supplies: Cardstock, Pinwheels, Brads & Pen: American Crafts, Patterned paper: My Minds Eye, Fancy Pants; Flocked Transparency, Alpha stickers & Buttons: Fancy Pants; Ribbon & Fancy Brads: My Minds Eye; Journal tags & Felt snowflake: Little Yellow Bicycle, Star pins: Maya Road; Adhesives: Fabrictac: Beacon, Tombo, 3L; Tools: Slice Die cutter: Making Memories; Trimmer & cutting mat: Fiskars, Xacto knife: Elmer's; Punch by Martha Stewart, Paper Piercer by Close to my Heart, Stapler by Tim Holtz for Advantus, Paper & Printer: HP, Software: Adobe.

Digital supplies: Patterned paper & Sparkles by Michele Coleman http://mysecondmile.squarespace.com/, Bracket paper & Bracket frameby Wendy http://wendys-craftycreations.blogspot.com/, Stitching by Kristin Tilley http://wyowoman.blogspot.com/, Word art & twill tape by Ali Edwards at Designer Digitals http://www.designerdigitals.com/, Tag by Chris Hertel http://workforscraps.blogspot.com/, Fonts: Aurulent Sanshttp://www.fontsquirrel.com/, Susie's Hand http://www.dafont.com/

For our 2010 Christmas card, I took x4 photos from our family photo-shoot which were 'less than perfect' but perfectly summed up our family's craziness. I designed the card digitally then had them printed out onto mat photo paper. It was cheaper & faster to do it this way with so many friends & relatives living overseas. For my layout, I printed out a copy of the 6x6" card cover and used it as the focal point on my page. For the title I cut out the sentiment from the inside. 

 This type of page is a great way to preserve out cards inside & out for the kids to remember when they are all grown up.

OK...x2 down...more to follow though.

Hope you are enjoying the Christmas season as much as we are. This time of year is so special for me as the 25th approaches, I become increasing more aware of why we actually celebrate: 'Jesus & His gift of salvation'. 

Happy days to you all!

Thanks for stopping by!