Advent Calendar Challenge

After today, I can officially admit to myself that I'm crazy! I know, I know. Most of you learned that the first time you met me (or maybe the second time). But I'm pretty good at rationalizing to myself that I'm "normal" and everyone else is just a little slow. Sorry! Hehe.

But now I know and I can say it-My name is Karisa and I'm crazy!

It all started shortly after Christmas last year. I was surfing the cooking blogs and found a post by Sara, from Our Best Bites. She had a post about "trapping her kids in a snowglobe". It looked like so much fun that I ran out to CVS and found snowglobes so we could do this activity this year.

Anyways, along with the post about snowglobes, she did a separate post on her advent calendar, because she had so many comments and questions about it. It's just that adorable! Here's the link if you want to check it out. http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/12/advent-calendar-ideas/

Way down at the bottom of the post Sara writes, "If anyone attempts to make one, I want to see pictures!" Yep, that's the line that did me in. How could she issue me a challenge?!?! ARGH!!! I was sucked in, hook, line and sinker.

For the last year, this project has filled up an entire shelf in my craft room. I'd pull it out, cut a little, and back into the closet it went. It was a HUGE project, in more ways that one. My first issue was that I wanted to copy Sara's exactly. That's my downfall....I ran to JoAnn's and of course, they didn't have red corduroy. Man, why can't projects be easy!?!? So I went with burgundy, and from there I just started changing more and more. And I've learned that it's ok!!! I convinced myself that I could make a few changes and maybe even make it look a little better-forgive me Pottery Barn!

Today, over 11 months later, it is done! And I love it!

I made the mistake of asking my boys about advent calendars this last week. My youngest said, "I'm not really into those." My oldest said he just wanted it filled with chocolate. Seriously!?!? Part of me wanted to scream my head off and just tell him I'll go to the Dollar Tree and get an advent calendar filled with chocolate if that's all he wanted. So huffed and puffed for awhile, and put the project back in the closet for a week, and then I calmed down. I decided that if chocolate is what my son enjoys, then he's just going to have the most adorable chocolate advent calendar in the world!!

As for Pottery Barn, I think these calendars are totally worth the $100 you were selling them for! I totally would have spent that on it, knowing what I do now!! But I'm glad I did it. I have a very short attention span and this made me really commit to something and stick with it. Thanks, Sara!