I wanted to make a Christmas banner out of felt and wool, like my Thanksgiving banner...as I was cutting out the pieces I decided to turn the banner into an advent calendar - so I sewed on pockets and hung it up where little hands could reach in and get the surprise!  I started this project about a year ago - only working on it occasionally, and it felt so good to finally finish it!  It's very "rustic"...but I'm really happy with how it turned out!

Felt, felted wool and wool were used - I hand stitched the pieces together and add buttons, beads and whatever other doo-dads I could find.  I didn't worry about colors too much, just red, green and white.  Each pocket measures 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches and was machine-stitched onto a green ribbon (I was sick of hand-stitching at that point!)

It was fun coming up with little ways to decorate the pockets...and I did purchase little buttons and accents to use, like the poinsettia flower on the "H" and the wooden Santa button on the star.  I wanted 24 pockets so I added in extra pockets between the Merry and the Christmas.

There are 24 pockets in all...in the last pocket there is a note that tells where the last gift is hidden...and that last gift will lead Max on a scavenger hunt around the house until he finds it, under the tree on Christmas Eve...probably a Christmas book, I haven't decided yet.   

The banner is hung waist high in our family room, Max will have no trouble reaching in for the gifts - but telling him he can only open one each day  might be another issue!  Below are some of the gifts I put in the pockets:

Just little toys and treats - the good and bad thing about Advent calendars is you are very limited as to what fits!  But I managed to get in a set of marbles and a whoopie cushion!  The mister is going to LOVE that!  And so will Max!  Elsa will love it all, too, probably a little too much - her little hands are always very, very busy!

Cute little mugs, no?  I'm so excited they are coming for Christmas - we are going to have a jolly good time!  Might even break out my own set of antlers!

Max and Elsa won't be here for a few more weeks and I can hardly stand the wait!