Getting crafty this Christmas - my own take on the advent calendar

I chatted with Marissa of Omiage the other evening about her cute advent calendar tutorial for Oh My Handmade Goodness. I confessed that I wasn't keen on unleashing glitter with my kids. Marissa came up with several great ideas which got me feeling inspired.

My advent tree

Voila! My advent tree!

While blog browsing this morning I saw some cute craft paper packages, sewn shut with little treats inside. I thought they would be perfect for my advent calendar except the little treats I had on hand (Halloween eyeball candy I bought on sale) were too big for my little star cut-outs.

So I decided to write little labels with ideas for fun things to do during the countdown to Christmas. The tiny tags (bought at the hardware shop last week) are sewn into the stars. My vision is that the kids will tear one star open each day.

Sometimes we'll do something really fun and festive like bake Christmas cookies or have hot chocolate. Other days we'll listen to Christmas Carols or watch a Christmas movie. I haven't finished making the stars yet. The expedition into the garden to find a branch took on a mind of its own and I have run out of time for today.

Step by Step: I cut out the stars after tracing around a cookie cutter. The fabric is Japanese cloth paper, kind of like tissue paper.

I sandwiched the handwritten tags between two fabric cut-outs making sure the tag string was poking out, so we can hang each star as an ornament.

I gathered the stones to weight the pot from the farmer's field next door.The tree branch is a magnolia with buds. Luckily it was overhanging to the other neighbour's place and I don't feel guilty about cutting it off.

The project was essentially free as I had all the supplies on hand. I did buy the tissue paper and tags for Mee a Bee to use as gift wrap but it's a huge roll and a large packet, Mee a Bee can spare a few!

I will need to prepare a few things so we can perform the suggested tasks. I am looking forward to marshmallow snowball fights very much!! After seeing the idea in Fawn & Forest's holiday magazine. I have never heard of such a tradition but my kids will be all over it! Luckily I know a place where I can get little drawstring bags.