Watercolor Advent Calendar {2016}

I shared awhile back on Instagram that I was going to do something completely different for my Advent calendar this year. Not because I didn’t love our wood plank advent calendar from years past, but because I was ready for something a little different. So I took a leap of faith and tried something new, something I had never done before, and created a new watercolor advent calendar.

You may remember seeing it in the background of our Holiday Housewalk Tour, and also when I shared more details on our woodland winter tablescape. I wanted to share how I made it, and some more pictures with you today 🙂

I grabbed my large linen memo board I’ve had above my office desk and cleared off the board. It was a DIY memo board I made years ago using painters drop cloth and an old frame from goodwill.

Next used watercolor paper, and cut them down to the size I wanted the tags to be. Once the paper was cut down to size, I rounded the bottom edges with a round punch cutter I still had on hand from when I tried scrap booking 10 years ago!

Once my tags were the shape and size I wanted I began mixing my watercolors to get the right shade of blue that I wanted. Since I wanted a layered look I did this in stages, waiting for each layer to dry in between adding color. I do not claim to be an expert, in fact this was only my second attempt at watercolor, however I was somewhat pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

Once the paint was completely dry {I waited overnight}, I wrote out the calendar numbers leading up to christmas with a gold leaf calligraphy pen.

I tacked 4 strips of velvet ribbon to the memo board, and then using mini wooden clothes pins {I think from Hobby Lobby} I hung the numbered tags. Overall this project felt moderately easy, and not super time consuming, and gave a completely different look to our advent calendar. I had every intention of writing scriptures on the back of the tags for each day, but just never got around to it. The kids still have fun counting down the days, so I guess that’s all that matters 🙂

To see our wood plank advent calendar from previous years, you can click HERE or HERE 🙂

Stay in touch!

Instagram / Pinterest / Facebook

Have a design question? Visit Doucette Design Co. for all your design needs!