Lovely Advent Calendars - Inspiring Projects

We've started getting ready for Christmas and are enjoying putting up the treasured decorations, some of which have been around for a long time and the same for years. This year we've started with the indoor decorations first. At last it's snowed, our first real snowy day. It's also got very cold, so cold I don't know if we'll get to any out side other then the wreath on the front door. The tree in the living room is finished and a small Advent tree is on the shelf next to it. Boughs are across the fireplace mantle and stockings are hung. Our olive wood manger from the Holy Land (a gift my my mother-in-law) and Ginger Bear are on the built-in oak hutch in the dining room.  My Gingerbread Man & yo-yo potpourri basket is on the pantry counter. Christmas scented candles warmly glow most evenings and fill the air with delicious aromas. My youngest daughter is making a baking list of what she plans to make this year, starting with Peppermint Bark. Her first batch has disappeared already so she will have to make more. I've been enjoying searching online for Advent calendars. I've a found several that I really like and I'm sharing links to the projects. Nothing that I'll get to this year but they are certainly inspiring and keepers for a future Christmas:

Godelieve of StampingMathilda has made a unique and beautiful Wooden Box Advent Calendar with lovely, hanging tags and ATCs made from scrapping paper, wooden sticks, ribbon and beads. Be sure to click on the link to each day to see close ups of the individual pieces and the detailed stamping, embossing, distressing. So inspiring -- I want to make some thing similar to this some day!

I love yo-yos and scrumdillydilly has made her own yo-yo Advent calendar. She has a great photographed how-to tutorial at craftzine.

A wonderful fabric Advent calendar is made by
Anna of Noodlehead. Get the full, photographed tutorial from her guest blogger post at Gwenny Penny. She's made printable activity cards for inside the pockets and they can be printed in either color or black/white from her PDF file.

This Advent calendar project is made from an item everyone has lots of: empty toilet paper rolls. This is one of my favorites recycled items to use for crafts and art. I've also used empty toilet paper rolls for seed starters for my garden seedlings. Maya's Count Down Calendar 2010 project is made from them. She has two other wonderful Advent projects also made from toilet paper rolls: Count Down Calendar 2008 and Count Down Calendar 2009.

Another beautiful fabric Advent calendar is made by Elizabeth from my crafty mess -- she has a fabric Advent calendar of recycled old lace, bits of sweaters and rick rack -- elegant homespun, another project on my list I'd like to attempt.

Another yo-yo Advent Calendar is from Sunshine Creations with a detailed 26 step photographed tutorial.

This is a great project using everyday items found around the house. Kristy from craftastica has an inexpensive recycle bin Advent calendar made from recycled magazines, catalogs, newspapers, and brown paper grocery bags.



















So many wonderful ideas and inspiration for some thing similar next year!