Tando Octagonal Advent Calendar with All is Bright

One of the 1st Tando loves was this beautiful advent calendar so I was very excited to be able to play with one, and so were my kids....my youngest even helped me.  I had to wait for the papers which Jill over at ATDML brought to the retreat for me which are the lovely All is Bright range from My Minds Eye (they are not a mega Christmas red and green paper but the designs are just beautiful) - you'll see more creations with these papers :)

So I think I started the calendar off the hard way...I decide to cover it with book paper which I then covered in white acrylic mixed with PVA glue just to make it a little more durable - as these drawers will have chocolate in for the kids!  So that took too some time and this is what my table looked like at one point!

I used that same mix to paint all the draws white.  Once that was all dry I then made myself a little template for the front of the drawers - I drew around them and then just cut the template a little smaller - didn't have to be perfect as I would distress paper edges and ink them.  I then got to decorating all the drawers - I used lots more pieces from the Tando Christmas mini bags - gorgeous reindeer and snowflakes which I embossed and inked.  I used a typewriter font on the computer to make the numbers and inked these, then added buttons, bling, lace, ribbon, washi....all sorts to it.

I made my own star for the top - wrapped twine and used the top of a chipboard stocking which is kind of crown shaped as a crown too...so lots of layers....and I will just show you the photos now and leave you with the link to see all the other amazing calendars that have been on the blog this week :)