Welcome to the Advernt Calendar Blog Hop

Welcome to the Advent Calendar Blog hop. 

I am so glad you came to my blog.

Today I wanted to share a favorite family tradition in our home. We make a tree ornament count down, filled will candy. Each night we gather as a family and turn out all the lights, except that of our tree and the paper village from Winter Woodlands on the top of the piano (pictures on that will be next week). We read a short Christmas story, often a tear jerker. They are touching and wonderful stories. We then sing a couple of songs that my kids choose. Last year, my youngest son chose "We wish you a Merry Christmas" every time. Lastly, one of my kids gets to find the number that corresponds with how many days until Christmas. We start on November 30th and so that night will be ornament # 25. We just love it. 

Last year we moved from the hodge podge of mixed and matched  tree decor  to a tree of  all ornaments of  gold and silver.   This year we did the same, but added some red to the mix. I just love this time of year.  My kids now set up a small fake tree with their cute school and family ornaments for them to enjoy.  

Here are the other people in the blog hop. Please feel free to start at the beginning and enjoy yourself as you see so much wonderful inspiration. At the bottom of this post I have some blog candy and the next blog button.

Angelica http://handmadebyangelica.com/

Dawnica http://dawnicakorner.blogspot.com/

Gale http://www.thehappystamper.com/

Janie http://www.typicalscrapbooker.blogspot.com/

Joanna http://scrap-making.blogspot.com/

Joy http://joyslife.com/

Mary http://cardztv.blogspot.com/

Melissa http://www.apaperjourney.blogspot.com/

Michelle http://www.mumoftwoblog.blogspot.com/

Nicole http://primpedinpaper.wordpress.com/

Raven http://love4stamps.blogspot.com/

Theresa http://www.thescrapbookingqueen.com/

Tracy http://www.craftjunkietoo.com/

Yolie http://yoliebean.blogspot.com/

Denise (you are here) http://cricutmyway.blogspot.com/

Ruthie http://septemberninth.blogspot.com/

Now for my project:

Step 1:  First I started off with a 12 x 12 sheet of paper. I just loved all the glitter on this and thought it would make a beautiful border.

Step 2: Since there are five in my family, I cut the paper 6 x 6.  You can choose 4 x 6  if you want it shorter.

 

Step 3:  On one side I ran my glue runner and then reinforced it with lots of Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive. For this project the quick dry works the best for me.   I also add a little glue runner on the middle half of the other side (the side by the glue bottle). 

Step 4:  When you glue the first sides together it will look like a toilet paper roll. 

Step 5:  Add some more of Scotch Quick Dry  to the bottom  by the area you used the glue runner and hold shut for a couple of seconds until it stay closed.  Let set to dry completely.  It shouldn't take long this stuff dries quick. 

Step 6:  Meanwhile, while it is drying, make your tags.  I used my gypsy to reshape a scallop circle into an oval.  I then put  numbers in them middle of each  regular oval, so I would not have to glue individual numbers on.     I did not  have glitter paper for the bottom layer, so I made my own. with my xyron sticker maker, glitter and then pressed them in my cuttlebug to firm up the glitter. 

Step 7:   Lastly, feel with candy and close up the top in the opposite direction than the other end. It will look like a sour cream tube.  You can use glue to close it, but I just punched two holes and tied some ribbon on with the tag in a double knot.

Now they are ready to hang on the tree and to enjoy as you count down together.

 Now for the blog candy.

Thanks for stopping by.  It would make my day if you became a follower.  Please leave a comment to be eligible for the blog candy.  It is a stack of 24 sheets of paper and some ribbon.  I will be drawing the winner on Monday night and announcing it by Tuesday.  

Hope you have a great day.  Your last stop is Ruthie.

3-D Snowflake

I found these cool 3-D snowflakes on youtube.  I just had to make them.  Here is the link for the video, I will also try to give instructions below. 

First select your paper.  Two sided, because you will see both sides.  Cut to 7 1/2 cm.  (3 inches will work fine too.) 

Fold in half and then fold in half again.  Cut from bottom fold to the top to the two single folds in straight lines 5 times.  Do not cut all the way through, leave about 1 cm from the edge.

This is how it will look when you open it up.

 
Glue each end alternating directions, until all side are connected like above.  Glue dots work well for this. 

 Arrange how you would like it to be.  Then use glue dots to connect together.

These will go on our tree this year along with some other things I am making.  All of our decorations are all hand made.  I will post more on those later. Some we made last year and others like the above were made this year.