Next weekend is the first Sunday in Advent, and there’s still time to make your own Advent calendar. We always have a handmade calendar, and rather than fill it full of gifts, we opt for a different Christmas activity each day. I’ll share our Advent activity list later in the week, but first I’m going to share how to make a simple advent calendar out of copper pipe – perfect to tie in with the copper trend that’s still going strong.
Materials:
15mm copper pipe (I used 24inches in total)
15mm pipe cutter
Wooden rod (this is actually borrowed from the twins’ art easel)
Silver string
White metallic marker pen
Paper and scissors
Directions:
1. Cut the pipe into 24 1-inch pieces
2. Tie a length of string to each piece of pipe. I threaded the string through the pipe, and tied it off above, so that each piece would hang level.
3. Lay the wooden rod on a flat surface and arrange the pipe pieces below until you’re happy with the arrangement. Tie the end of the silver string on each piece to the rod, but don’t trim off the ends in case you want to adjust the heights when you hang the calendar.
4. Using a white metallic marker, write the numbers 1 to 24 on the pipe pieces.
5. Cut 24 pieces of paper, approximately 7cmx7cm and write a day’s activity on each piece, then roll them up tightly, and push through the corresponding piece of pipe.
6. Tie a length of twine or string at each end of the wooden rod and then hang from a nail, straightening the pieces of pipe as required (I threaded a few offcuts of pipe onto the hanging string for some added decoration).
Later this week I’ll share my Advent activity ideas, as well as my favourite DIY Advent calendars for kids and adults from across the web so do pop back for more Advent inspiration. Christmas is coming up fast and I’m determined to enjoy the build-up this year plus share lots of ideas on Growing Spaces leading up to the big day.
My ‘for Christmas’ Pinterest board is full of festive ideas, makes and decorating tips – have a browse and follow if you’re as crackers about Christmas as I am.
Follow Heather Young’s board for Christmas on Pinterest.
This is gorgeous!
Glad you like it!
I love this!
Thanks so much x
Gorgeousness! I love it! We have so many bits of pipe knocking around, I may have to nick a few bits!
Go for it!
What a fresh take on the advent calendar! Love it and I’m so loving copper right now x
I know copper has been around for a while now, but I’m still a big fan. It’s a nice alternative to silver, which is my usual metallic finish of choice!
Amazing! Love it! xx
Thanks lovely x
What a beautiful idea for a personalised calendar! I’ve always wanted to make an advent calendar myself, and I think I will give this one a try next year!
Thankyou and good luck with yours next year!
Earlier today I was thinking about what to do for an advent calendar tutorial, and then this evening whilst on Pinterest I spotted this. Well I don’t think I’ll bother with a tutorial now, nothing I could do would come even close to this, it’s beautiful! I love it, think I’ll just direct my readers your way
Oh thankyou so much. It was definitely one of my favourite advent calendars. I normally do a new one every year, but I may actually just use this one again!
Lovely !
Beautiful! How long was the wooden rod you used?
So sorry – only just spotted your comment. The rod is around 40cm long