Recycled Snowman Advent Calendar

Recycled Snowman Advent Calendar

For the past couple of years we've been created different advent calendars so Bean can count down the days 'til Christmas.  We've had the Christmas book countdown and last year we did the Christmas sock countdown.

This year's advent calendar was inspired by this post from MPMideas.com.  I asked the gals at work to help me save 24 toilet and paper towel rolls for this project.

I took pictures of Bean and I painting and decorating these little fellas but they seem to be lost off my phone.

We painted (most) of our rolls and I used the bastard glue gun that steals people's fingerprints to attach the earmuffs, eyes and scarves.  We reused the numbers from last year's sock calendar.

(Dear Santa, I would like a new glue gun for Christmas please.  My fingers can't take much more.)

I say we painted most of them because I somehow miscounted the little boogers and once the paint and sinister glue gun were put away, I realized there were only 23.  I quickly picked up Little No. 7 here, the snowman cousin from the tropics, and slapped him together.  After two hours of painting and crafting with a 5 year-old and several third degree burns, you really don't give a crap any more, you know?

Little No. 7 - ain't he cute!

The hardest part about this is keeping them all standing upright.

Bean loves them.  I like the fact that most of the materials were recycled from other things or projects and once she gets the surprise inside each day, the poor little dude goes right into the trash.  By Christmas Eve, the mantel will be Christmas decoration free!  Nothing to pack up.