Christmas Countdown...MFT Creative Challenge

Hello!!! Welcome to the November Creative Challenge for My Favorite Things'. This month the Design Team was challenged to create some holiday decor using MFT stamps and Die-namics. I have had an Advent Calendar from Kaisercraft hanging around for about two years now. I have pulled it out every now and then and quickly put it away after pondering that large empty canvas in the middle. I wanted to make something that I really loved and would be happy to display in my home. Well, after seeing Jody's fabulous brick fireplace tutorial I got the inspiration I needed! First I (my husband) painted the entire Advent Calendar with latex paint we had just used to paint the kids' new playroom. It is a very pale grey. Then I made and decorated a Christmas tree.

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care.  After a few more well placed items I had this finished piece.

I will tell myself that you all remember the Loopy Bloom tree I made last year when I was the Guest DT for MFT. Just in case you can't, you can see the original post and tutorial here. This time I used Jellybean Green felt instead of cardstock. I created my own paper cone as the base by shaping a half circle of Jellybean Green cardstock into a cone. I used a compass to draw the circle and cut it out by hand. The tree was decorated with pearls, sparkles, stars, & birds (cut using the Notched Tag Die-namics). I topped the tree with a star cut using the Star STAX Die-namics. Double sided adhesive was die cut and coated with gold glass glitter. A pin glued to the back side provides the method for putting the tree topper on.  I ended up adding a Open Scallop Doily in Whip Cream felt as a tree skirt of sorts.  Here are a couple close-ups.

For the fireplace, I used Paver Red cardstock and a piece of patterned paper. Jody airbrushed her "bricks" with her Copics. I used a stipple brush and some Walnut distress ink to add a bit of texture to the bricks. Similar to Jody, I painted Whip Cream cardstock with Rock Candy (clear) crackle paint for my "grout". I created a box of Steel Grey cardstock to serve as the hearth, and the Picket Fence Die-namics makes for a nice fireplace grate. The mantel was constructed just like Jody's. I stamped the barn board image from Western Backgrounds in Walnut distress ink on Kraft cardstock. The stocking images are from Stitched Stockings cut with the Stocking Trio Die-namics. Here are a couple more looks at the stockings and fireplace/mantel.

See that cute little teddy.  That was a find by my 7 year old when I brought him to the LSS.  I figured I would find a use for it one day, and this is perfect!!!  The opening for the fireplace was cut using the Rounded Banner STAX Die-namics. I wanted to mount the entire fireplace on 1/4" foam tape so I cut a piece of Paver Red cardstock 3/4" x 11", scoring at 1/4" and 1/2" down the length. I was able to adhere this to the backside perimeter of the opening by snipping along the curve. Red line tape was used as the adhesive. This way you can't see the empty space behind the brick front :)

The stockings were stamped in Wild Cherry ink and Jellybean Green ink. I added a loop of Baker's twine and attached the stockings with foam tape and round studs. I decided to hang a wreath above the fireplace. I cut three Winter Wreaths from Jellybean Green cardstock and the accompanying bow from Wild Cherry felt. I stamped a couple sentiments from Stitched Stockings on banners cut using the First Place Award Ribbon Die-namics. The "wallpaper" is from Basic Grey's Nordic Holiday 12x12 collection.

The drawers were the most tedious part of the entire project. Each drawer comes unassembled. I used liquid glass as my adhesive. I wrapped a piece of washi tape around each drawer to hold the sides in place while they were drying. I covered each drawer front with paper from the Nordic Holiday collection. I used a sanding block and files to finish the drawers off.  For the numbers, I cut 25 of the smaller seal from Accent It - Flags and Tags.  The numbers from Document It - December were stamped in Jellybean Green and Wild Cherry ink.  Each seal was adhered with a foam square.  I didn't feel the need to decorate the sides and back of the drawers, but the washi tape added a little decoration :)

Here are the MFT Products I used for my Advent Calendar.

Stitched Stockings	Western Backgrounds	Document It - December	Jellybean Green Cardstock	Whip Cream Cardstock
Steel Grey Cardstock	Kraft cardstock	Paver Red Cardstock	Jellybean Green Ink Pad	Wild Cherry Ink Pad
Rounded Banner STAX Die-namics	Loopy Bloom Die-namics	Winter Wreath Die-namics	First Place Award Ribbon Die-namics	Open Scallop Doily Die-namics
Notched Tag Die-namics	Star STAX Die-namics	Stocking Trio Die-namics	Accent It - Flags and Tags Die-namics	Jellybean Green felt
Whip Cream Felt	Wild Cherry Felt

InLinkz.com

Thanks for sticking with me!!!  Here is one last look from an angle.

Now I have to go shopping to fill this baby up with treats!!!  The kids can't wait :)  Thanks so much for stopping by! Remember to check Kim's blog for the complete list of designers participating in this month's Creative Challenge! You definitely will be inspired!!!

Advent Calendar - 13" x 13"
Stamps:  Document It December, Stitched Stockings, Western Backgrounds (MFT)
Papers:  Nordic Holiday (Basic Grey), Silver Valley (SEI), Winter Park (Echo Park), Whip Cream, Kraft, Jellybean Green, Paver Red, Steel Grey (MFT)
Inks:  Jellybean Green, Wild Cherry (MFT), Walnut distress ink (Ranger)
Accessories:  Loopy Bloom Die-namics, Notched Tag Die-namics, Star STAX Die-namics, Open Scallop Doily Die-namics, Stocking Trio Die-namics, Winter Wreath Die-namics, First Place Award Ribbon Die-namics, Accent It - Flags and Tags Die-namics, Picket Fence Die-namics, Rounded Banner STAX Die-namics, Whip Cream felt, Wild Cherry felt, Jellybean Green felt (MFT), sparkles, red pearls (Queen & Co.), white pearls, round durables, foundry pin, liquid glass, sanding kit (CTMH), gold glass glitter (SU), Holiday twine (Divine Twine), washi tape (Maya Road), teddy bear, foam tape, foam squares, latex paint