Special Report : Advent Calendars

Special Report : Advent Calendars

What's better than average storage container? Teeny storage containers filled with gifts that you open each day!

If you plan on making a non-store-bought advent calendar for your kiddies (or special someone), it's time to get moving. Here are some innovative and crafty approaches.

THE HIPSTER

Vintage printer drawer, crafty number cut-outs + Hershey Kisses

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THE MATCHBOOK

Teeny matchbooks wrapped in anything pretty, perfect for gelt

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THE CABINETMAKER

For people who know how to make things out of wood - properly

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THE POUCH-ER

Tiny mulsin sacks with gingham ribbon.

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THE BOOK-STER

My favourite! perfect for the bookworm in your life.

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THE SIMPLE SLEEVE

Craft-paper envelopes (which i would fill with stickers if i was giving this to my 7 year old self)

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THE LETTER

So many options here : lottery tickets, cash, gift certificates, or ideally, declarations of love

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THE REUSER

Baby food containers + BlackBoardPaint + decorative wrappings

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THE TREE

Wee gifts wrapped and hung... would definitely up the charm factor if these were real branches

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Treasures & Trinkets Stored

Treasures & Trinkets Stored

Amazing nesting box for all your tiny keepsakes that need a special, undisturbed place.

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Stash boxes

Stash boxes

Reclaimed wood branches create these teeny, swivel-top boxes.

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Chiyogami Boxes

Chiyogami Boxes

Pretty watch-maker tins turned into charming gift boxes with some beautiful Chiyogami paper.

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Pill Box Progress

Pill Box Progress

Why are pill boxes so ugly?

In a quick attempt to rid my parent's dining room table of those unsightly pastel-hued boxes, I whipped up a moderately improved version. Admittedly this isn't perfect (i could have worked harder to achieve a less goppy result with the glass paint) but it's at least one step up on the aesthetics ladder.

Money Boxes

Money Boxes

Not sure what purpose these serve other than to show off...

...A creative way to dole out allowance?

...A way to insensitively patronize someone who has just been laid off?

...A way to keep your foreign currency sorted?

....the useless options are endless.

(for the step by step procedure, click below)

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Must haves

Must haves

I think you can divide most people into two categories; those who have a love affair with small tins, and those that don't. (clue: you are the former if you've ever found yourself looking forward to finishing all your Altoids because your stamps/bobby pins/buttons need a new home)

If you have small things and those things need places to go, i'm not sure you can find a better solution that watchmaker tins. (they also make excellent boxes for gift giving)

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