Christmas Countdown

UPDATE: Scraplifters Anonymous has moved and changed names. You can find this same post at http://scrapinspired.com/2010/11/christmas-countdown/, along with lots more scrappy fun stuff on my new blog ScrapInspired.com.

Christmas is my favorite holiday, BY FAR!  Every year I start to get really excited as the time to decorate draws closer.  In my home we always decorate the weekend after Thanksgiving.  This year I stumbled across the cutest Christmas countdown project I've seen.  And so easy!  I created the entire project, start to finish (including drying time) in under 2 hours.  Love that!

And I so love this!

I saw it over at Eighteen 25 where they are blogging about advent countdown calendars all week!  It was so adorable I knew I had to make my own!

I bought a clipboard at Michaels.  It was so easy to take the clip off which allowed me to cover the entire base.  But I think that the original one looks cute too even though the paper only goes up to the clip.

I cut the paper to size, rounded the corners (with my corner rounding punch), and used a hole punch on the paper for the screw holes.

I've never used Mod Podge so I did a bit of google research before starting.  I saw several recommendations to spritz the back of the paper with water to keep it from getting wrinkles or bubbles.  So that is what I did.  Lightly sprayed the back of the paper with water, then spread a medium layer of Mod Podge on the clipboard only.  Then I lined up the paper on the clipboard and used my fingers to spread it as flat as I could.

I allowed the clipboard to dry for 20 minutes before coating the top with a sealer coat of Mod Podge.

I printed the title at a font size of 50 in a text box sized 2.75 by 4.75.  I used the free font Elise from KevinandAmanda.com.  I added some sparkly brads and gradient jewels just for fun.  FYI, I did Mod Podge the mat onto the clipboard.  When I tried to Mod Podge the title, the ink smeared everywhere (even though it had been drying for 30+ min).  I had to pull off the white paper, reprint, and glue it down again.  This time I didn't Mod Podge the top of the title.  :)

I've been dying for the chance to use these adorable svgs from SVGcuts.com.  This is the reindeer from their Christmas Cuddly Friends collection.  SO CUTE!  I love using SCAL (Sure Cuts A Lot) with my Cricut.  Who needs cartridges when you can get svgs as adorable as this?!?  I pieced that reindeer together and then Mod Podged it to the Clipboard.  Once it dried for 20 min I coated the top with Mod Podge as well to seal it.  After it had dried I added a gradient gem to his nose.  Love it!!

I printed the numbers in the font Clingy (also from KevinandAmanda.com) at size 230.  I used 8.5x11 sheets of cardstock, put the page in landscape mode and added two columns.  I made the right and left margins as tiny as they would go then centered my text.  That way I could just cut the page down the middle.  I did end up cutting 1 in off the top to leave more room for my title and reindeer.  I used my corner punch to round the bottom corners as well.  If you'd like to download my word file click here. UPDATE: You must visit my new website and use the link from there to access this file. I'd love to see you over at www.ScrapInspired.com!

For a bit of color I took a red ink pad and ran it along the edge of each number card.

On the 10 card I added a cute little Mrs. Claus from the same collection as the reindeer.

On the 1 I added Santa, from the Christmas Cuddly Friends collection as well.  They are all so cute!!

To top it all off I tied a bit of ribbon to the top of the clipboard.

And here is my final product.  I can't wait until Dec 1st when I can put it out!  I am so in love with this Advent Countdown Calendar!

Try one out!  If you do leave me a comment with a link! I'd love to see yours!