Tonight our craft club made these Christmas Countdown blocks:
Last year I made this advent calendar while on bed rest. Kate loved counting the days until Christmas and eating a chocolate Kiss each day with breakfast. I was excited for this month’s McKinney Marthas craft because I knew Kate would love changing the blocks each day. As opposed to an advent calendar that marks the days of December, this craft counts the days left until Christmas.
To make your own Christmas countdown, you will need:
* two 3.5″ wood cubes (I had Home Depot cut a 4×4 into cubes. Did you know a 4×4 is actually 3.5″ and not 4″ ? How confusing).
* one wood piece for base measuring 3.5″ wide x 8″ long x 2″ thick (I had Home Depot cut a 2×4 for this. Again, the 2×4 is only 3.5″ wide. Who named that?)
* Mod Podge
* twelve coordinating scrapbook papers cut into 3″ squares
* one 1.5″ x 7.5″ scrapbook paper rectangle
* 2.5″ tall vinyl numbers or stencils (you could also freehand the numbers with a Sharpie)
* 1.25″ tall vinyl word or stencil for base (again you could freehand with a Sharpie. Mine says “Merry Christmas”)
* acrylic craft paint
After you have your materials, let’s get going 
1. Paint cubes and base with acrylic paint. Let dry.
2. Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge on all sides of cubes and place a 3″ square of scrapbook paper right side up on each side. Also apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the front of the base and adhere the 1.5″ x 7.5″ scrapbook paper.
3. Add vinyl numbers or stencil cubes. Important note!!!
For the first block you will need: 0,1,2,3,4,5
For the second block you will need: 0,1,2,6,7,8
Please make sure your number 6 is a font that can be flipped to look like a 9
4. Add your vinyl word or stencil to the base.
5. Add a thin layer of Mod Podge on all sides of the cubes and base! Let dry
PS – Quick shout out to Melanie and Leah in Tulsa!
Looks like you had tons of fun and those are SO C.U.T.E.! Very creative and festive. I have this cool Santa that you pull out a brick from the chimney and he drops all the way down and on Christmas Day he is sitting in the fireplace…my kids LOVE it and take turns pulling the brick out to make him fall each morning. :O)
I love this! Very creative.
I do love these – how fun!
So sorry I had to miss out! Can’t wait to make my countdown blocks!
Such a cute project! I want to start a craft club : )
Pingback: We Have a New Craft Club Theme This Year — Jenny Garland
Interested in starting a creative club in my area, any suggestions or guidelines?
I love all of your tutorials and have tried most of them. Your blog has been an inspiration to me. I included this in my “Non-sewing Handmade Gift Ideas” blog: http://www.amytriedit.com/2010/11/non-sewing-handmade-gift-ideas.html
Hi Susan, I definitely recommend starting a craft club in your area. I would say 15 people or less would work best. Let me know if you have any specific questions!
Amy, thanks so much!!
Hi There!
Thank you so much for the wonderful tutorial! I am making the countdown calendars as neighbor gifts this year. Did you put a second layer of Modpodge after you did the numbers? How do you keep it from bubbling up?
Hi Tina, I did put a second layer of ModPodge on after I did the numbers. I didn’t have too much trouble with bubbling, but I bet those pre-cut square pieces of tape would help adhere the paper at first, so then you would just use the ModPodge on top of the paper and not underneath it. Hope to help!
I LOVE this! I don’t care if there’s only 4 days left until Christmas, I’m making mine now!
How darling and its easy enough even for me.