CHRISTMAS IDEAS #2

This cute little ADVENT TREE takes a little time to create, so I thought I should show it to you in November. If you plan to use it, you obviously will want it ready by December 1st.




Supplies Needed:

12 sheets Always Artichoke Cardstock
12 sheets Whisper White Cardstock
1 pkg Deck the Halls Designer Paper
Chocolate Chip Ink Pad
Sponge Dauber
1" Die Cut Alphabet set (stickers will work too)
Variety of buttons
Ribbon
Silk Poinsettia
Sticky Strip
Glue Dots
Adhesive
Scissors
Bone Folder
Paper Snips

I began by making 24 - 2" square boxes using Always Artichoke leaving off one tab so that the front of the box is open. I used a bone folder to get a good crease on all the fold lines. Then, using Sticky Strip, I adhered them together in rows first. Once the boxes were joined to create the rows, then I used sticky strip to join the rows to create the shape of the tree. NOTE: to keep your tree from leaning, lay each row on it's back on a flat table top while joining each row to it's neighbor.

Next, I created 24 more open ended boxes using Whisper White cardstock to make the drawers. These boxes are slightly smaller than 2" so that they slide in and out of the tree easily. I covered the front with squares cut from Deck the Halls Designer Paper that had been edge sponged in Chocolate Chip Ink. Then used a 1" circle punch to create "finger pulls) along the front, top edge of each drawer.

The numbers are computer generated because I don't have access to a 1" die cut alphabet. It would definitely have been less time consuming if I had! The numbers were printed on Very Vanilla cardstock, cut out with paper snips then sponged in Chocolate Chip. I used SU! Snail Adhesive to glue mine to the drawer fronts - but if you have a Xyron machine it would work beautifully. (I was out of the glue tape for mine!)

Because the Designer Paper is so decorative itself I didn't have to spend alot of time decorating the front of each drawer. A few buttons tied with string, a couple of cut-out poinsettias with pearl centers and the drawers were complete.

The last step to completing the Advent Tree was the placement of the draping ribbon and a store-bought poinsettia at the top. The ribbon holds its shape by placing glue dots at the top edge of each box along each side of the tree and adhering the ribbon at each point.

Actually - that's not the last step. The last step is hiding the treats inside each drawer!

Hope you enjoyed today's post and will give this little tree a try-out. It is a little time consuming (approximately 8 hours from start to finish) but the end result was worth my time.

Until Next Time -
Happy Stamping!

Jill