16 December 2010

Magnolia Advent Calendar Blog Hop



Hi everyone and I'm very happy to be hosting window sixteen of the Magnolia Advent Calendar blog hop today. Magnolia are very generously giving away a prize every day in December and all you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is pop over to my Magnolia Blog for more details of what to do.

I decided to make an advent calendar for the blog hop as it's tradition to have one in our house every year. My usual calendar is shown in the photo's below and was made when my boys were small. I cross stitched it, sewed all the aida fabric together and mounted it on board and it usually hangs on a wall.



The new calendar was a KaiserKraft chipboard flat pack that I put together, painted with gesso and then covered all the little boxes with Magnolia papers and there's a small amount of SEI paper too. The numbers were painted with Ranger Picket Fence crackle paint and then attached to the boxes. For my centre panel I used a piece of 8 x 8 inch chipboard (it's a big calendar) also painted with gesso and then I sponged on my background scene. I did the mountains and sky by cutting a curvy shape into a sheet of printer paper and using both sides as masks for the sponging.  The trees were also sponged on using distress inks and then I added lots of glitter, cosmic shimmer glitter jewels and white rub 'n' buff.


Tilda in Christmas coat is painted with distress inks and cut out and the skaters were stamped onto shrink plastic, painted with distress inks and then shrunk down so that I could have them in the distance. I stamped Magnolia Christmas text stamps on a Magnolia Doo Hickey tag that I cut from white Bazzil card then added some rusty tin holly leaves, twine, little bells, a Marianne swirl die cut and some ribbon that I died with mica powder and distress ink and then wrinkled. To decorate the little ledge in front of the panel I glued on some sparkly twigs, mini tinsel and snowballs to finish off the scene.


Camilla added a lovely poem on her hosting day for the blog hop and I'd like to leave you with my favourite winter poem by Robert Frost which came to mind when I was making the panel.

Stopping by woods on a snowy evening : Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Thank you for reading to the end, it was a long post :).

24 comments:

Elaine aka Quixotic said...

An absolute stunner, Chris! Love it. :)

Funnily enough I have one of these sat waiting to be altered - just ran out of time this year...Will have to make an earlier start for next year I think! LOL!

scrappyjacky said...

Chris....this is simply stunning...I'm sure it will become a family heirloom.

SannaS said...

WOW!!! and WOW!!!! Fabulous project!! =)
Hugs, SannaS

Nannieflash said...

Wow Chris these two cards are stunning and your scene is so sweet and it looks so real. With love and hugs Shirleyxxxx

Bluefairy4U said...

Hi chris, Absolutely stunning, took my breath away. The details are fantastic as usual. Lots and Lots of `love JO.xxx

Crissy Armstrong said...

What an enjoyable post Chris! I read the poem over a few times. I just love it. Your calendar creations are just outstanding. What a ton of work and time must have gone into both of them! I love the little balls of snow in the Tilda one, and how you did the trees in the bg. The hills and sky too! The gorgeous little tag and holly is the most perfect way to set the whole thing. You are nothing short of an amazing artist my friend!!!

Heike's Creativeplace said...

WOW, your calender is Stunning. So lovely Details and your coloring is amazing.

Hugs
Heike

carole said...

This is the most beautiful advent calendar I ever seen... Well don Chris and thanks for sharing.

Crafting Queen said...

Wow advent calendar is just stunning!!!!

Julie said...

What a fantastic piece of work, I love the winter scene you've created and I can see why the poem came to mind. Thanks for sharing.

nicolet said...

WOW this one is really stunning Chris! I love the details!
Hugs Nicolet

Renkata said...

OMG Chris this is the most wonderful calender. Such a gorgeous design.

Dawn Gallop🐝 said...

Love it Chris!! The colors are so beautiful and what fun it must have been making it!! Awesome work!! Wanted to wish you a Happy Holiday!! Hugs, Dawn Gallop

Netty said...

Wow Chris its spectacular. Annette x

Fleur said...

Stunning. Gorgeous. Beautiful. I love it!!!
Hugz fleur xXx

Michele Kovack said...

This is just incredible!!

Only By His Grace said...

A precious creation. I so love it. The scenery is beautiful. Love the way you have colored Tilda.
Stunning.
Hugs Maz

debby4000 said...

Oh this is stunning Chris and love the X stitch one too.
luv
Debby

creacora said...

Hai Chris this is amazing wow wow what a beautiful calender the numbers so gorgeous, and the details wow I love this calender Super !

hugs Cora

Anonymous said...

Just amazing Chris! If I could pick one person to color like... it's be YOU! and then your designing...just fabulous!
Pam Going Postal

Suzie Q said...

hi Chris,
A M A Z I N G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
how wonderful i loves it
have a lovely christmas
hugs
Suzie Qx

Juls said...

stunning!!!! Loving the dimension to this.....and I love the little magnolia couple in the background! Just too cute!!!!! Hugs Juls

Riet said...

This is so wonderful Chris,I love the images and the colors.
So gorgeous details.

Hugs Riet.x

chris said...

Oh Chris its gorgeous, I so love it. I have seen a few of these kaiser craft advents done now and cant belive how they are all so different, this is outstanding. I have just done another on for my son I love doing them.
hugs chris xx