Advent Calendar from a Scratch-n-Dent Door!

I was at Ikea a few months ago. And you know that side room where they keep all the scratch and dent stuff? Well I found a big door in there for $4!! I was so excited. The other Ikea shoppers were looking at me like I was nuts. Who is that crazy lady who is giggling about some random, scratched up door?? I was going to make some Christmas Subway Art with it, but the wall I wanted to put it on wasn't big enough for this big old door. So it sat in my garage for a couple months.

Then when I got my Christmas boxes out, I found my little musical advent cones that I made and embellished last year and thought that instead of hanging them on my tree this year, that maybe I could turn that old door into an advent board.

So I headed down to my favorite Home Depot. Did I tell you they offered me a job in there because I show up so much?? hahahaha. I picked up some picture hanging cable and some 0-eye screws.

I decided that the white door was way too white, so I used my little mouse sander to distress it a little. Then I put some Walnut Stain over the whole thing and rubbed it into the the edges real well.  I measured the board and decided that I could make 7 rows of wire 7 inches apart.

So I marked it off with a pencil. And then drilled pilot holes with my screwdriver. And then screwed those 0-eye screw in. Then I cut off some of the picture hanging cable and twisted it around the 0-eye screw really well. I used my pliers to get it real tight. Then I stretched it out to the other 0-eye and twisted it on as tightly as I could. I did that 7 times.

I also found some great keyhole hangers that fit flush against the wall - they are great.

I love this project because I am using it as an advent board right now, but I plan to leave it up all year. It can be a message board and a place for the kids' to hang their artwork, messages, pictures or other cards that we get throughout the year.

See how practical I am???

Here is the tutorial if you want to make the Advent Cones. 

And there's also a free template printable there so you can cut them right out.

I went to the Dollar Store and filled my cones with some awesome stuff -- they had chocolate coal at the Dollar Store, isn't that fun? Plus, I found holiday erasers, pens, lollipops, and pencils. And on the 24th I am going to put in Movie tickets in envelopes and we are going to go see a Christmas movie together that day!!

And to go along with each day, I have added an activity.

Here's the advent list I made up for this year:

Watch It's a Wonderful Life

Wrap Up Christmas book and then open one each day.

Make Christmas Cookies and doorbell ditch them to the neighbors.

Find Mistletoe, hang it in our house and kiss under it.

Address and Mail Christmas Cards

Go to Bookstore and buy a new Christmas book to read.

See The Nutcracker

Have a Cookie Exchange

Go Ice Skating

Decorate Gingerbread Houses

Ride Trax downtown to see the lights.

Make a snowman and then drink hot cocoa.

Go sledding

Do a kind deed

Make a gift basket for a lonely neighbor or friend

Have a Snowball Fight

Make and Deliver neighbor Gifts

Talk about Christmas in other countries

Make a Gingerbread house

Decorate the Tree

Make Homemade Marshmallows and Fudge

Make Fondue and eat it watching Miracle on 34th Street.

Drive around to see the lights.

Go caroling

Act out the Nativity Story

Open one gift before Christmas

Make Rice Pudding with 1 almond, then give a present to the person who gets the almond.

Ride the Christmas Train

Go to the movie theater and see the latest Christmas movie.

Hang the picture of Grandpa and fill his stocking with memories

Write a letter to Santa

Make sugar cookies

Sign up for the Giving Tree and buy items for a needy family.

Host a Christmas Eve Brunch and invite all of our friends.

Clean out old toys to donate to children in need

Watch Elf

Go to a Christmas Concert

Watch It's a Wonderful Life

Make gooey Caramel Corn

Do YOU have an Advent Calendar -- if so, what kind do you use?

xoxo

PS -- I am working on a Ruffle Tree forest today. The tutorial will be coming up tonight or tomorrow :)



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