I love a good advent calendar, Which is probably why I end with a few to open every year!
This year i wanted to create an event calendar that stood alone as an absolute beauty, but was also fun to open and bang on trend. I decided that paper gems were a good way to go, metallics and geometrics were big this year and are something I’ve loved making lately so seemed like the perfect thing to do.
Despite looking pretty tricky, this advent calendar is not only simple to make but really fun to sit down and put together. Finding somewhere to put it in the house might be the hardest part!
YOU WILL NEED:
Gold Mirror Card
Copper Wire
Chocolate treats
Bakers Twine
Hole Punch
Glue Gun
Scissors
Cricut Explore https://shrsl.com/353bb (optional! You can always use my free gem template and scissors instead!
STEP ONE:
Using your Cricut Explore cut out 24 3d Gems, Slice the numbers onto the gems in design space so that the machine cut them out too! Clicking here should load the gems into your design space!
If you don’t have a circuit you can easily cut out your paper gems by hand using this free template. Add your numbers on by cutting them by hand or sticking on glitter numbers.
STEP TWO:
Assemble your numbers, stick them together with a glue gun. Leave the lid open so that you can stuff your treats inside.
STEP THREE:
Pop your treats inside each gem, I added some sparkle too of course!
I chose to fill mine with chocolate treats, but you could fill yours with any little presents, little notes or toys.
STEP FOUR:
Use a hole punch to punch a hole in your gem. Change up where you put the hole in each gem so that they all hang in a different way.
Thread through a length of bakers twine, again varying up the length.
Tie a knot and secure with a blog of glue. Repeat for all 24 gems.
STEP FIVE:
Seal up each gem with hot glue. Although this will make them hard to get into, it will ensure the treat doesn’t fall out and the gem keeps its beautiful shape whilst hanging.
STEP SIX:
Use your copper wire to create a circle about 15cm in diameter.
Cut four lengths of bakers twine.
Tie each string to a quarter of the circle then join the ends together so that it is easy to hang.
STEP SEVEN:
Start tying the gems onto the copper circle, vary the lengths of string and ensure there are gems all the way around the circle so that it balances itself out.
Add some gems to the centre knot so that they fall in the centre of the chandelier.
HANG UP YOUR CHANDELIER OF ADVENT PAPER GEMS READY FOR THE FIRST OF DECEMBER!
*This post contains affiliate links