Mini Bag Advent Calendar
Wow! I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to be making my first post at The Hybrid Chick! It’s wonderful to share space with some wonderful Hybrid Designers and an amazing creative team.
Well, Hybrid Crafters, it’s time to start your engines if you haven’t already- the holiday season has officially begun. You have precisely one month (or perhaps less) to decorate the house, craft those gifts, and get them all wrapped or packaged. It seems daunting, but if you’ve been following The Hybrid Chick, no doubt you have tons of inspiration to keep you going.
One of those holiday traditions that you might be planning for is the advent calendar. Twenty four little doors, or pockets, or drawers- one to be opened every day starting on December first. What a fun way to build the anticipation for the Christmas holiday!
Today’s project puts a slight twist on the advent calendar- instead of doors or drawers. This project centers around mini bags that can hold treats. These bags serve double duty- not only to keep track of the Christmas Countdown, but also serve as cute embellishments for your tree.
I used two of my template sets for this project: The Tag Bag Collection and Mini Tag Templates. For my papers and the numbers, I used a new kit by Karen Lewis called Happy Holly Days.
My first objective was to make teeny bags, so I resized the bag template so that I could fit 2 of them on a sheet of letter-sized paper. My layout strategy is summarized in the following graphic:
After I resized my bag template, I drew a large block over each one, which I used as a clipping mask for my papers. Since I was cutting the bags using the cutting files and my Cricut, I could have clipped the paper to the template itself. Both options are fine.
The boundaries on the templates are a little close, so I opted for the large paper blocks to allow some wiggle room with the cutting files. This will allow extra scraps of paper that can be used later for the number tags or other embellishments.
Once the bags are cut, it’s time to score and assemble:
To add a little more dimension to the bag and the label tag, I inked the edges with my chalk ink- this step is completely dependent on your personal preference and the style of the papers you are using.
I opted to keep the bag design simple, mostly because I was making twenty four of these, and I didn’t want to get burned out halfway through. I saved the detail for the tag and the embellishments. Here is a close-up of that tag- I punched a hole in one of the scallops of the bag so I had someplace to tie the tag.
Once the foundation of the bag and its tag are complete, it’s time to really have fun and embellish. I used some gold metallic ribbon (with a wired edge to really hold those bow loops) for some bling, and a poinsettia flower by Making Memories.
Possibly the best thing about making your own advent calendar is the versatility it provides. You can put chocolate treats in each one, to be sure, but you can also let your imagination go. Besides candy, you can fill the bags with tiny toys, or even add scripture verses to discuss as a family. What’s more, after you remove the goodie for the day, why not replace it with a little note- perhaps something you are grateful for? What a marvelous keepsake for years to come.
Please enjoy the project and the season!
Other Articles by GeekyDivaKim:
- The Stork Brought The Favors- Bundle of Joy Treat Holders - April 22nd, 2011
