Jackson's Barn Advent Calendar

I have just finished a project that I adore.  I've been working on this project for three weeks mentally and one week physically.  It's an Advent Calendar.  In the shape of a barn.  Yes, it's for a special little boy who is in love with tractors, cornfields, combines, wagons, (did I say tractors?), barns, animals, plows, hay.  You get the idea.  Jackson lives in the city, but he's a farm kid at heart.   I wanted to make him an Advent calendar for his Christmas present.  I'm his Godmother...such a special privilege and honor for me.  I've been scouring the internet for ideas for calendars that I could make.  There are a gazillion good ideas out there (that's why it's taken me three weeks to settle on one.)

Here's my finished Barn Advent Calendar!

   

It all starts with a big boot box.  I remember making diaramas with my girls for school projects some years ago.  And so the Friday night after Thanksgiving I finally got started.  With a craft knife I cut the bottom of the box open to make two doors.  I used thin cardboard to make the roof.  I used alot (alot!) of clear packaging tape. 

I covered the entire barn with red paper.  It helps to have boat loads of scrapbook paper around.  I found this great paper for the inside of the barn, too, with wood structures, ladders, and stuff.   I had brown paper that looks like boards for the inside doors.  So far, so good!
 

I had to (buy more red paper) to cover the roof and I added the white trim for the doors.  Now it looks like a barn! 

Now comes the really fun part.  Adding all the little fliptops - starting with December 1 and ending on Christmas Day.  More scrapbook paper in prints and an assortment of number stickers.   I found little white envelopes at Michael's (25 for 2.99).  These envelopes and the red paper (5 at .49 and 5 free) were the only supplies I had to purchase for this project.  That's pretty good, I'd say. 

I know I don't really need to show you all the paper, but I am a paper freak, remember...love all the colors and designs, so I have to include it.  Deal.  Its part of my joy.   

I cut the red paper so one half would fit in the envelope, and the other half would hang out with the number on it.  So lovely, right!? 

Next came the task of taping all these envelopes on the barn.  The placement took alot of thought.  Using the sides of the barn and part of the roof helped get all 25 envelopes on.  I asked Jackson's mom, Tasha, to help me with the 'count down' activities for the inside of each card. She came up with a great list - some for Jackson to do on his own and some that includes their whole family:
#1 -read the story of Jesus' birth in the Bible;
#16 -share one of your tractors with a friend at the Christmas party;
#20 -eat peppermint ice cream. 
Love it! Good job, Tasha!   I could've said, "it is finished", but not me.  No, this was only the completion of Phase One.  

I had this idea that when Jackson pulls out the number and reads what is inside that he could flip the card over; this way he would know which cards were already used.  So, I found these awesome farm animal printables from Animaljr.com.  Exactly the right size and all colorful and pretty.  I printed two of each, that takes care of 18 envelopes.   

I randomly attached these darling little animals to the back of the red cards.  So, on December 25 all the numbers will be hidden and the animals will be showing.  The numbers above the doors have J E S U S on them.  And the two envelopes above these have a star and heart on them.  Just to keep Jackson wondering, "what's behind this number?"

   Phase two completed!! 

I wanted an interactive play element to this Barn Advent Calendar.  The plan was to find printables of the nativity and mod podge them onto wooden blocks.  I had an old 2x4 in my garage that my sister, Sandy, cut into the right sizes, and then I sanded the edges and cleaned them up a bit.

 

 

With these blocks, Jackson can tell the story of Jesus' birth.  I can only imagine how he will use them; stacking a king on top of the cow; putting the angel on top of the barn; parking his combine in the barn with the shepherds.  But, that's the point. 

 I hope he gives baby Jesus a ride on his favorite tractor!

Now, I can say, 'it is finished."  It was a joy to make.  It came together in phases.  That's how inspiration works for me.  The end is never very clear in the beginning.  I work with an idea in the present moment and see where it leads.  I hope Jackson will have a good deal of fun with this Barn Advent Calendar.  And that he'll know that our Saviour had a special affinity to barns, too.  After all, in His humble beginnings, Jesus was born in one.  

Happy Advent, Jackson!