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Christmas Advent Calendar
by Vanessa Spencer

Start with the Karen Foster Countdown Calendar (5KF-02053). Using the Jenni Bowlin red and black paper (5BO-RED & 5BO-BLACK) I cut all 25 squares down to size to fit the front of the boxes. Use a circle punch (5MU-LVCP40) to create the notches; this is much quicker than doing it by hand - just punch half a circle at the top of the square instead of a full one. Glue the squares onto the front of all the boxes. Paint the outside edges of the box with red acrylic paint and allow to dry, once dried sand it with the Tim Holtz sanding block (5TH92482) to give it a distressed look and then paint over with a sealer so it doesn’t chip. Use ARTchix red foil flowers (5AR-G917) and Prima Sprites red flowers (5PM-516413) and attach randomly to the boxes. Also use some of the stickers from the Jenni Bowlin paper kits and attach to various boxes. Add a mini vintage drawer handle (5SG-12176) to the very middle box. Finally attach the black number stickers that are included with the countdown calendar to all the boxes.

Creepy Countdown
by Vanessa Spencer

Using the countdown calendar (5KF-02053) start by painting the 25 small boxes purple and the large box black with acrylic paint (5MA-23751). Once the paint has dried I suggest coating with a decoupage sealer so the paint doesn’t chip. The surface of the calendar has a slight gloss to it so sealing it will make it much more durable.

Using the ARTchix Studio Halloween faux postage (5AR-P315), cut the postage squares slightly by cutting off the orange “Halloween Post” part, then adhere the large part of the sticker to a box and then add the orange “Halloween Post” part. On each box I alternated the positioning of the orange part of the sticker to mix it up and give it that “junky” kind of appearance.

For the numbers add either black, white, green or orange stickers (or rubons) to each box – again alternating colors. I put shredded paper with traditional Halloween colors into each box.

Add your favorite Halloween candy, fake insects or anything suitable for this spooky holiday!

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