Hi friends! Noreen from OrganizedandCreativeMom.com here with a Holiday Countdown project that can be whipped up in time for December 1^st! I’ve used Creative Memories’ Merry Little Christmas papers and coordinating embellishments which boast traditional Christmas colours in fresh new patterns – perfect for this fun holiday project! Each year I like to come up with a slightly different version of an Advent Calendar or Christmas Countdown. This year I’m using a sweet little tag pocket that I first shared with other Creative Memories Advisors when I visited Australia back in September. Since then, I’ve been sharing this easy pocket as a great Make & Take, a Halloween Treat package, a Thanksgiving table decoration and now as the holder for Christmas Countdown activities. The pockets are easy to make from a 6” x 6” square of double-sided patterned paper, and I’ve created coordinating Date Circles and Insert cards for you, making the project even easier! Choose six pieces of 12” x 12” double-sided patterned paper to make your pockets with, and some coordinating cardstock and stickers to create extra Tag Inserts or make the cute little custom-made box (I used Red cardstock). You’ll also want to print and punch out the Date Circles and Tag Inserts that are included with the handout. *You can download the FREE instruction handout here on the.

The pockets are super simple to make. First cut each piece of 12″ x 12″ double sided patterned paper into four 6″ x 6″ squares. You will have twenty-four squares in total. Place one piece of 6″ x 6″ paper in the 12″ Trimmer with one point up and one point at the intersection of the 45° line and 2.5″. Score with scoring blade. Repeat two more times, turning paper 90° each time so that you have scored lines along the bottom and two sides. Round all four corners with the 2-Way Corner Rounder if you like. With one corner pointing up, fold up the bottom corner along scoreline. Add a dab of Tape Runner adhesive, then fold over one side. Add another dab of adhesive and fold over the opposite side to finish the pocket. Repeat these steps for EACH square to make all twenty-four pockets. Print the Date Circles from page 3 of the handout on 8.5″ x 11″ white cardstock and punch out each circle with a 1″ Circle Punch or Custom Cutting System Circle Templates. Print as many copies of the Tag Inserts from page 4 of the handout (or, make your own by trimming white or colored cardstock into 3″ x 4″ rectangles and decorating them).  Adhere a Date Circle onto each Pocket. Write an activity on each Tag Insert with a Dual-Tip Pen. Use ideas from the list included in the handout or incorporate activities and traditions that are meaningful to your family. Place one Tag Insert card into each of the twenty-four pockets, coordinating the activity to the date that works for your schedule. You could also add small treats or gifts instead! Once the pockets are complete, display them by punching a hole at the top corner and hang them from hooks using ribbon or twine, place them into a festive container, or make the box shown below following the instructions in the handout and decorating with additional pieces of Merry Little Christmas papers on the sides, and a punched shape made with the Petal Frame Punch and decorated with a couple of Merry Little Christmas Stickers on the front. Pull out one tag each day from December 1st to 24th and enjoy the activity together. I’m looking forward to watching Christmas movies, seeing the lights and baking cookies with my boys!
Have fun!

Happy Scrapping!

All Creative Memories products featured in these projects are available in Canada on my CM website, and you can find CM advisors in the US and other countries by using the Advisor Lookup feature. Please drop by my blog, Facebook Page, YouTube Channel or my Instagram feed for more ideas and inspiration – I create layout sketches, cards and other projects which showcase Creative Memories products & tools on a regular basis.

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