Canvas Advent Calendar

This year I found a little time to do a Christmas project not an album, but an Advent Calendar.  The idea is from the Somerset Studio Magazine Nov/Dec issue. The project is by Danita you can visit her at www.danitaart.blogspot.com.

Using a 12 x 12 canvas I glued with Claudine Hellmuths Studio Medium, a 7gypsies sheet onto the canvas and painted the edges of the canvas.

I painted the canvas, all over, with a green paint, then sprayed with a brown and gold Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist.  After that dried I added some snowflakes... rub-ons.

Following the directions in the magazine, I cut my strips to make pockets.

I stamped the strips with holiday designs and colors. Then sprayed with more Tattered Angels.

I sewed the pockets to make 25 small pouches - it was at this point I realized this was not going to work for my house.  My daughter saw these lovely pockets and decided to touch one.... rip.... since I am making this for little hands I needed to rework the design.

I remade the strips, heavy duty this time, by using fabric as pockets.  Now - even little hands can handle it!

Before, I glued the strips onto the canvas.  I used a Sharpie marker and made numbers.  Now here is where my project looks very different from the magazine.  Danita painted each of her pockets red and green, but I don't have any red or green fabric paint so I thought I'd just make a little simpler.

I added some Prima Ribbon after spraying with some brown Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist to make it look old and aged. A few chip pieces and a star at the top.  I'm not sure about the star I used -I'll keep my eye out for a dimensional one or maybe add some glitter and gems later.

My son wants to make all the angels to go into the pockets - but for now, he has advanced to lego men, nut crackers, snowmen...  I guess 25 angels isn't his thing, but I think they are so cute!

I added a 7gypsies pocket to hang from the canvas.  This way I can store all the angels... for next year and they won't get damaged, plus we can just empty it out for each day, next year.  I distressed the pocket on both sides with Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads in browns and greens.  Webster's Pages vellum was glued onto the pocket once the ink was dry.  Then I attached a chain - done!