Jane

DIY: kraft bags advent calendar + a giveaway!

friends! it’s almost time to start the advent calendars! december first is eight days away! before i head off to enjoy the day {and weekend} with friends who are visiting this week i wanted to share with you today the advent calendar{s} that we made this year.

sometime in july or august i decided i wanted to make simple, homemade advent calendars for a few of our dear friends and family this year as gifts. knowing this could become daunting i forced myself to start early. after all, they needed to be finished and delivered in november, right?

i took all my favorite details i’d seen on advent calendars via pinterest and created ours. i liked the look of kraft paper but knew i didn’t have time to do anything fancy, so kraft bags were the perfect option. the date was stamped on each bag, and then the hunt for 25 days of treats & surprises began. first, each member of our family created or chose something of their interest to add to the bags. kiana spent literally months making a few dozen christmas-inspired friendship bracelets. myla created and drew a christmas comic that is all folded up in one bag. kj did a little google research and made a full page of all his favorite christmas jokes. i added yarn ball bookmarks. big papi’s contribution was baseball cards. and sela helped me choose her favorite treats for one of the goodies because she took a particular interest in what treats would be included. {everything else included is still a surprise to my kiddos.}

and then whenever i was out-n-about and found something little over the past few months i kept it hidden for the calendars:

one of my favorite finds were the mini harmonicas i tucked in the last bag for christmas. who can resist a mini harmonica?

i hung the advent calendar on twine using clothes pins. to deliver the advent calendars i tucked everything included in a burlap bag from west elm and attached a few more pom poms, because y’know, i’m obsessed with pom pom balls!

is this a tradition in your home? do you use an advent calendar to countdown till christmas? do you have one ready? if not, then here is your chance to win the supplies shown below to make one just like ours for your home! {or, for someone else!} from our home, to yours:

just leave a comment below, and answer this question: what are your favorite blog posts/topics at seejaneblog? is it sharing in our life/family adventures? beauty tips? recipes? quotes? *new to me* posts? giveaways? home decor? DIY projects? toy reviews? a combination of a few of these? other??? i am starting to brainstorm for 2013, and would love your opinions.

a winner will be announced using random.org at the bottom on this post on Monday morning, November 26th. depending on how many you need the advent calendar for – i will also include a small bag of treats to help you fill those bags. {but not all of them.} xo.

if you follow me @see_jane on instagram, you are welcome to leave two comments and enter TWICE! extra love!

have an awesome weekend!!!

***

congratulations charlene!!! this will be in the mail to you today! xo.

{photos by me, Jane Beckner Rhodes}

84 responses to “DIY: kraft bags advent calendar + a giveaway!”

  3. I absolutlely adore the build a fort series. I am a nanny and have tried a few out. Also, your DIY ideas are simply stunning every time. Thanks for all your work and for this cute giveaway.

    Reply

  5. Another amazing giveaway. I have been brainstorming for weeks for advent calendars.

    I love your craft/party ideas and your family posts!

    Reply

  8. Such a cute idea! I love your DIY posts, of course your giveaways, and I enjoy your family posts and party posts because your an inspiration!

    Reply

  10. I love it all! My faves are probably DIY projects, toy reviews, & home decor just because they are the topics in life that interest me most. I love your personal adventures because they help inspire me in my journey as a mother & I adore your beautiful family.

    Reply

  15. I am new to seejaneblog but so far I love your DIY and crafts and of course giveaways. You have great ideas! Thank you for sharing them!

    Reply

  16. This is the first year I am doing an advent calendar since I now have someone old enough in my house:). I love your new to me blogs, DIY, and home decor! Happy Holidays!

    Reply

  31. Jane i love your diy craft ideas they’re all so great you are so talented, the updates about you and your family are nice too. Hope you had an awesome thanksgiving

    Reply

  33. I love your DIY projects and your seasonal and event posts. You always have such great ideas. I also love reading about your adventures and making mental notes of places that would be great to visit!

    Reply

  34. I love seeing your crafts, party ideas and kind things you do for so many! Happy holidays and cheers to another fun give-a-way!! And I follow you on the gram.

    Reply

  35. I love when u share ur family life and adventures. I also love reading all ur little family traditions. Thanks for a great blog:)

    Reply

  40. I love so much about your blog! Party ideas (Sela’s party animal party was awesome, and I always remember that party you threw for growing wheat grass), crafts (the pom pom bookmarks were amazing!), home decor, ‘new to me’… there’s so much great stuff here 🙂

    Reply

  41. I love getting a glimpse at life with your and family and your home. The projects you are working on with them and the parties you throw for them. I love your eye for the good stuff. Thanks for sharing!
    +++
    and… I love that bag! What a great idea.
    Thanks, Lindsay

    Reply

  44. I really LOVE everything about your blog, but what I love the very most are your holiday ideas. You celebrate the holidays bigger and better than anyone I know. I just love it!!!

    Reply

  52. This is adorable! Becky kimball posted on instagram that you sent her one & now I want to send one to my far away bestie! I love your blog. I love reading the personal stuff & the DIY tips. I always find inspiration here 🙂

    Reply

  55. I always look forward to any party planning posts! and of course, seeing the wonderful traditions and time spent with your beautiful family.

    Reply

  56. I spent a good couple hours sewing bags out of fabric for our advent. But I want to abandon all that because I love this one so.much.more.

    A good DIY and home decor post will keep me coming back every time. Your style is adorable.

    Reply

  58. I love all your posting ideas…and such a cute giveaway – my 4 kids would go ballistic!!! DIY, home decor, beauty, and party ideas are my favorites but you are fabulous!

    Reply

  59. Hi Jane! Once again, your ideas are amazing! I love all your posts, but particularly those about raising your family and the things you do to create unity. Hope I win this great giveaway! 🙂

    Reply

  66. I think my favorite thing in your blog as to be the darling crafts you show. I love your style. So fresh, modern and clean! Can’t wait to see what you have in store for 2013.

    Reply

  68. My favorite posts are about activities you do with your kids and the time you spend as a family! With four children as well, I know how hard it is to give your kids individual time amoungst a very busy schedule. You proove time and time again that it can be done! You are a great mom! Thanks for the giveaways, this one is amazing as well.!

    Reply

  70. I love your posts where you talk about your lovely family (and Sela’s obsession with stripes as I have one myself). Thanks for this giveaway!

    Reply

  74. I love your blog and it’s so kind of you to do another amazing giveaway!! I like when you blog about new fun things you find, for example, the little teepee’s and the house fort that you can color. So fun!!

    Reply

  76. Such a cute idea!! We do advent calendars but usually just the ones that you can buy that have a piece of chocolate for each day, I’m not very creative, haha!! But if I win I would definetly fill those bags with some fun stuff!! I love your posts on your family adventures it’s fun to see what your family is up to! If we ever come to Boston I would totally use your blog as a resource for some fun Boston sightseeing ideas!! Merry Christmas!!

    Reply

  77. I love to see what new and exciting things you are trying this time. You have a style that is fresh and new and inviting! Thanks for all you do!
    Andrea

    Reply

  84. I am new to your blog….I am a follower of living with kids and recently read your interview there. Love the images and your house tour.

    Reply

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