Christmas Countdown

I know this is from Christmas, but I haven’t done a project with beadboard since, unless you count finishing the mudroom walls. This project could also be modified and made into a magnetic frame for pictures.

This year I decided our family needed a new Advent Calendar. We have been building a new mudroom (post on that later) and had some extra supplies I thought would be great for this project. Supplies used:

Bead board

Trim

Sheet metal

Scrapbook paper

Liquid nails

First I started with the trim and had Hubby cut it into 4 equal sides for the frame. Then I painted it black, of course. Can you see the outline of all those letters on the tarp? That’s for another project.

The bead board was cut in a 23″ square and then stained and most of it wiped off. The stain stayed darker in the grooves of the bead board. Just the look I was going for.

Then I started working on the countdown part. First I Mod Podged the scrapbook paper onto the sheet metal, let it dry, them Mod Podged over the top. Big mistake! Don’t do that! It didn’t work! The next day it peeled right off and looked like I had laminated the scrapbook paper. Yes, I FREAKED out!

Guess what finally worked? A Glue Stick. I just smeared the glue all over the sheet metal and smoothed the scrapbook paper on. Make sure to go to all the edges with the glue stick. I also used the little roller to smooth it all out and make sure the glue went everywhere.

After it dried I started stamping the borders and numbers on the paper where I wanted the magnets to be. I had decided on a Christmas tree shape. The placement was kind of free form and guessing, but it worked.

Then it was time to make the magnets. I found the scrapbook paper I wanted and used a round punch to punch out the circles I wanted to use for the magnets.

I bought a magnetic sheet and cut out circles the same as the paper. The magnetic sheet is sticky on one side and magnetic on the other, so I just stuck the paper to the sticky side.

Then Mod Podged over all the magnets.

Now back to the frame. I assembled it all together with liquid nails. I placed everything where I wanted it and then started gluing. I glued the sheet metal to the bead board last. It needs to set for a few hours before you can move it and it’s not completely cured for a few days. Here it is, on the basement floor, completely assembled.  I added black scalloped cut paper around the outside of the metal sheet, just for fun and contrast. This is how it will look by Christmas when all the magnets are on it.

So I thought it was cute, but there were no treats and my kids like treats. So I added another idea to it. I made 25 tags with 1-25 on them.

Then I got some small clear bags and candy. Attached the number tag to the bag of candy with ribbon and placed the correct magnet in the bag with the candy.

Then tied them on the tree. On the first day of December the kids can open the bag with the 1 on it and place the magnet on the 1 on the countdown tree, and so on till Christmas.

Here’s what it looks like before any of the magnets are on, with the tree next to it. I’m not sure where it’s permanant home is going to be yet.

The tree looks great with the bags tied on it and I love how the advent turned out. I think my kids are going to love it, especially the treats.

Now to get to the rest of the decorating, which will have to wait till tomorrow night. Hubby and I flew back from Kentucky today, took the family to the movies, baked pies and made salads for our Thanksgiving celebration tomorrow and now I’m tired and ready to relax a little.