NEW PROJECT KIT: Christmas Matchbox Advent Calendar

We finally have a new project kit ready and waiting for you to order. it may seem a little bit early to be thinking about Christmas but that is all we seem to have a buzz for at the moment. We need something to get excited about, and right now, with only 120 days to go until Christmas, we want to get those christmassy projects out there for you to start making!

This Christmas matchbox advent calendar project will definitely keep you busy, with lots of cute embellishments to paint and glitter, including wooden advent numbers, as well as 25 papers to fold and stick in place around your matchboxes, you'll be glad you started crafting for Christmas early!

The base of the advent calendar is actually a baking tray which we have spray painted in a beautiful vintage red colour, almost burgundy. The baking tray makes the perfect base because it is magnetic, so we can simply add a small magnet to the back of each matchbox to display it on the tray. We also created some holes at the top of the tray so you can thread through some gingham ribbon to hang up your advent calendar.

Now on to the matchboxes... 

When I first started this project I knew that I wanted to include some photos on this advent calendar to add a personal touch and include memories from past Christmas times and from good memories over the past couple of years. I decided to print them in black and white as a nice contrast to the patterned papers I chose for the boxes. I then chose some Christmas words to create on my Dymo label maker and added them to the photos I thought they best suited.

I picked a selection of wooden embellishments to use on the boxes without photos and added some glitter to them. As well as wooden embellishments I also used some of Tim Holtz die cuts, including a poinsettia and a miniature car carrying a tree which I layered underneath a Prima Marketing Pebble embellishment which recreates the look of a snow globe.

The papers are from an old Tim Holtz Christmas paper pad which all compliment each other nicely. The kits will be using a more current selection of papers from a Tim Holtz Christmas paper pad from 2019.

For us, the magic of Christmas is all about the build up to the big day and what better way to do it then by counting down to Christmas with this beautiful advent calendar. If you are interested in purchasing a kit please email vintagefollie@hotmail.com. Kits are on pre-order and will be available to collect from mid September.

We wish that we could have you all round for a wonderful Christmas craft day but we are still in uncertain times and don't want to put anyone at risk. This kit will include almost everything you need to recreate this advent calendar at home. All you will need to grab is some glue, glitter and possibly some paint. So why not put aside a day at home and get in the festive spirit!

Curio Display Box

A bit later than planned, we have finally got around to finishing this beautiful curio box project that we can now share with you. A few weeks ago I was desperate to get in the craft room and make something. Looking around the room I caught sight of the Tim Holtz Curio Box Big XL die that we hadn't got round to even using yet. An idea popped into my head of how I wanted this project to look and I got to making straight away. This project is very simple to make and if you fancy something a bit more intricate and advanced then you definitely want to check out Pinterest for some fantastic ideas. Since this was the first time I had got in the craft room for a while I wanted to pick something fairly easy that I knew I could accomplish (well thought I could - still took an extra 2 weeks to get it all stuck together!!).

Anyway, here is a list of the products I used:-

Sizzix Tim Holtz Curio Box Big XL Die w/Framelits Die

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Wooden Vignette Finials

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Pocket Watch

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Word Bands

Metal Brads

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper Pad - Etcetera

7Gypsies Paper Pad

Tim Holtz Distress Paint - Antique Linen

Tim Holtz Distress Crayon - Picket Fence

Looking at my project I'm not sure if I have got the base and top of the box the wrong way round... but I preferred to use the box this way so that I could cut a frame out more easily.

I used chipboard for the base of my box and folded along the score lines and stuck the tabs together. I then used some washi tape to reinforce the joins before adding some strips of patterned paper. I cut the top of the box out from patterned paper and then chose a framelit die that I wanted to use as a frame for the front of the box. I added some patterned paper to the inside of the box that I wanted to use behind the pocket watch.

I added a photo to the inside of the pocket watch and then added some ribbon through the loop at the top and tied a bow. I decided to leave the pocket watch as it is rather then distressing it with paint or alcohol ink. To make the pocket watch stand out in the box I layered it on top of a couple of MDF circles that I stuck together. This helped the pocket watch stay in place more securely than layering 3D foam pads.

I used a white Tim Holtz Distress crayon to colour in the letters on the metal word band and then used a wet wipe to get rid of any excess. I attached the word band to the front of the box using a couple of metal brads.

To make the box more decorative I decided to add some finials to the top and bottom of the box and coloured these using Antique Linen distress paint.

This is the perfect piece of home decor to display a favourite photo in and definitely helps to dress up a boring old bookcase!