Hand Made Advent Calendar International

While most people are preparing for Christmas, they use an Advent Calendar.

Since Christmas costs a lot of money for most people, I figured why not put the "It's the thought that counts" back into the Holiday season.

This swap should cost you very little money for the Advent Calendar, and only the cost for shipping.

We will be making an Advent Calendar. Use fabric from your stash! You know you've got it! Or go out and get some new.

You don't have to sew the Advent Calendar either. Feel free to use matchbooks or anything else! Knit one, crochet one, plastic-canvas one, it's totally up to you! Just put your best effort in!

Each Advent Calendar must have 24 squares, ready to be filled by a little present. The second requirement of this swap is that each space is filled with a small (preferably hand-made) gift. If you'd like to purchase a FEW small items, say, from a dollar or pound store, that's fine too. No more than 10 items can be purchased for filling your advent calendar.

Ideas for small gifts: ~Look in your partners profile. If you see they like quilting/sewing, why not send some of that fabric in your stash? What about cross-stitch - how does a skein of Embroidery Floss sound? What if they're a crochet or knitting fan - maybe some hand-made stitch markers? Or a bookmark for the person that loves to read? Maybe someone could use some extra ephemera for their ATCs or Card-Making.

I'm giving everyone here enough time with the swap dates so that if you wanted to, you could make a slightly more time intensive (not necessarily monitarily expensive) package for your partner to open up on Christmas Day.

Summary: You MAKE: ~ 1 Advent Calendar ~ 14- 24 SMALL (think bookmark, pin, ATC, use your partners profiles) items to fill in each space in your calendar.

OPTIONAL: ~ Purchase 10 small items for your partners Calendar ~ 1 more time intensive project for your partner for Christmas Day.

** AIM FOR HEARTS**

International.

LINKS FOR IDEAS/INSPIRATION (Copy and Paste) http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf578066.tip.html http://www.theallineed.com/holiday/04121101.htm http://www.chinaberry.com/1147.cfm http://www.christmascraftfreebies.com/sewing.html http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/ideaslibrary/idea105.html www.orientaltrading.com/products/6590072.jsp http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/miscchristmas/a/110600a.htm http://www.sewandquilt.com/design/project/xmaspockets.html http://www.artchixstudio.com/create/classroom/classadventcalendar.htm http://www.craftlog.org/craftlog/archives/001992.html http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/matchbox.htm http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/templates.htm

http://crafts.kaboose.com/felt-tree-advent-calendar.html

http://www.loobylu.com/archives/000513.htm#000513

http://www.loobylu.com/archives/000516.htm

http://allsorts.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/adventcal.jpg

http://littlebirds.typepad.com/littlebirds/2005/11/reallyimnota.html

http://soulemama.typepad.com/soulemama/2005/11/advent_stocking.html

I am so very serious about the players in this swap. I WILL NOT TOLERATE FLAKERS. It would be absolutely awful if someone flaked on a Christmas swap.

Requirements: 4.8 or better. NO NO-SENDS. No NEWBIES. If you have lower than a 4.8, but think you have been rated unfairly, Message me and we'll discuss.

Sorry Newbies, there's plenty of time for you to get rated - so get rated, then sign up. You cannot have signed up for any E-card or E - swaps - those will not count for this swap.

Unfortunately, I cannot personally angel anyone, but we won't have any flakers, now will we??

PS - I would love it if we all posted pictures of our Calendar (not the goodies, so they're a surprise)