I know a porcupine really has nothing to do with Christmas, but my boys love to make things out of pine cones, so this is perfect. They had so much fun creating these little critters to hang on the Christmas tree. (Yes, the little one has a tiny pebble glued on its head…) We are still laughing at them!

How To | Porcupine Pine Cone Ornament

Supplies:

• Pine Cone
• Googly Eyes
• Black Pom-pom ball
• Small Piece of Brown or Black Felt
• Embroidery Floss or Ribbon
• Craft Glue
• Scissors

How To:

1. Cut a 6 inch or so piece of ribbon or floss. This will be use to create the ornament hanger. Tie it up around the pine cone and then tie it in an open loop so it can hang from a tree branch.
2. If your pine cone has a stem on one end carefully break it off. This side will be the face.
3. Cut out a face size circle from the felt. Glue on googly eyes and a pom-pom ball nose.
4. Glue entire face to the end of the pine cone.
5. Cut out 4 small feet from felt. Glue those in the appropriate spot to make feet.
6. Hang on your tree and laugh at your funny new friend and ornament!

The post Advent Activity | Porcupine Pinecone Ornament appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

Are you getting ready for the countdown to Christmas? I am getting everything prepared here. My kids look forward to the Advent crafts and activities we do every year while we count down the days of December!

If you visited here last year you have probably seen my Jesse Tree for Kids Ornament Tutorial. We are looking forward to reading our Jesse Tree book again this year and hanging up our ornaments. It was so fun to pull each one out day by day as we made our way to Christmas. (Hopefully this year will be a little less crazy than last year, we had a brand new baby in the house!) If you would like more information about the Jesse Tree Tutorial please click here.

I am also introducing a new book this year, The Advent Storybook – 24 Stories to Share Before Christmas by Antonie Schneider. If you have small children they will enjoy following little bear and his long journey to Bethlehem. I really can’t say enough about how perfect this book is for small, pre-schoolish age kids. (See the link at the bottom of this post.)

You can download a supply list of the craft supplies you will need if you follow along with our Advent Activities.

Click Here to Download: Advent Countdown 2011 Master Supply List

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ADVENT COUNTDOWN CALENDAR

Nov. 27th

• Light Advent Candle and Recite Advent Prayer
• You can craft your own Advent wreath with your kids – visit this post

Thurs. Dec. 1st – Calista’s First Birthday

• Set up Fisher Price Nativity Set
• Color Your Own Nativity Sticker Scene from Oriental Trading Co.
• Create Cards with Colored Stickers to Send to Soldiers
• SEND CARDS TO: postmarked by December 9th, more info at American Red Cross
  Holiday Mail For Heroes, P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456
• Read The Nativity Pop-up Book by Francesca Crespi
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Sun and the Moon (Creation)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Fri. Dec. 2nd – Visit Santa at the Mall (My daughter has school off this day!)

• Hang Stockings and Decorate Mantel
• Read The True Story of Santa Claus by Paul Prokop
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Apple w/ Snake (Adam and Eve)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed
• Watch Christmas Movie and Have Popcorn and Hot Chocolate

Sat. Dec. 3rd –

• Decorate Our Christmas Tree
• Trim-A-Tree Activity – find download in my SHOP
• Read The Tale of Three Trees retold by Angela Elwell Hunt
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Noah’s Ark w/ Rainbow (Noah)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Sun. Dec. 4th –

• Make Christmas Cookies with Family
• Light Advent Candle and Recite Prayer
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Camel (Abraham and Sarah)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Mon. Dec. 5th –

• Make Beaded Nativity Story Charm Bracelet from Oriental Trading Co.
• Read The True Story of Santa Claus by Paul Prokop
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Sheep (Isaac)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Tues. Dec. 6th –

• Open Stocking Gifts from St. Nick (German Tradition)
• Everyone Choose a Toy to Donate
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Ladder (Jacob)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Wed. Dec. 7th –

• Make Mitten Snowman Frame – everyone decorate their own snowman. I was inspired by this blog.
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Coat of Many Colors (Jacob)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Thurs. Dec. 8th –

• Make Bird Seed Pine Cones (My kids love to do this every year!)
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Silver Chalice (Joseph)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Fri. Dec. 9th –

• Make Toilet Paper Tube Reindeer – Free Download (Toilet Paper Tube Reindeer Template)
• Watch Rudolph Movie and have Popcorn and Hot Chocolate
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Whip (Moses)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Sat. Dec. 10th –

• Cut and Color 3-Dimensional Christmas Houses – Free Download by Rebecca Bischoff (Cut and Color 3D Christmas House)
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Sheaf of Corn/Wheat (Ruth)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Sun. Dec. 11th –

• Light Advent Candle and Recite Prayer
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Jar of Oil (Samuel)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Mon. Dec. 12th –

• Decorate Nativity Sticker Scene from Oriental Trading Co.
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Slingshot (David)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Tues. Dec. 13th –

• Make Porcupine Pine Cone Ornament – how to will be posted on blog
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Crown (David the King)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Wed. Dec. 14th –

• Make Snowman Sock Ornament – how to will be posted on blog
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Temple/Pillars (Solomon)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Thurs. Dec. 15th –

• Make Magic Reindeer Food – find download in my SHOP
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Raven (Elijah)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Fri. Dec. 16th –

• Watch Christmas Movie and have Popcorn and Hot Chocolate
• Make Truffles to Give to Friends and Family

Recipe from Kraft Family Magazine
Ingredients:
- 2.5 pkg. (20 squares) Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
- Multi-colored sprinkle or nuts to decorate tops or Powdered Sugar or Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Directions:
• Melt 8 chocolate squares. Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy; stir in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm.
• Shape into 36 balls. Place on wax paper-covered tray.
• Melt remaining chocolate. Use fork to dip truffles; return to tray. Decorate (see below), then refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Decorate the tops with finely chopped nuts or sprinkles. Or, coat truffles with powdered sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder instead of dipping in chocolate.

• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Bear (Elisha)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

 Sat. Dec. 17th –

• Make Pretzel Hugs

Recipe from Becky Higgins as seen in CK Magazine

Directions:
Put a layer of square pretzels on a cookie sheet and place an unwrapped Hershey’s Hug (or substitute a Rolo) over each pretzel. Bake at 200 degrees for eight minutes. Remove them from the oven and place a red or green milk chocolate M&M in the center. Let the cookies cool.

• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Candle (Zachariah)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Sun. Dec. 18th –

• Make Hand Print Snowman Ornaments – following directions on this blog.
• Light Advent Candle and Recite Prayer
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Olive Branch (Mary)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Mon. Dec. 19th –

• Make Snowman Poop – find download in my SHOP
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Tablet w/ Stylus (John the Baptist)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Tues. Dec. 20th –

• Write and Mail Letter to Santa – Fill-in the Blank Santa Letter Free Download (Letter To Santa)
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Baby in Manger
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Wed. Dec. 21st –

• Paper Maché Christmas Bulb Using Child’s Artwork – how to will be posted to blog
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Shepard
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Thurs. Dec. 22nd –

• Wrap Up Handmade Ornaments for Friends and Family from Kids
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Fri. Dec. 23rd –

• Watch Christmas Movie and have Popcorn and Hot Chocolate
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol Angels (Herod)
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Sat. Dec. 24th –

• Put out Magic Reindeer Food – find download in my SHOP
• Read The Jesse Tree book – Jesse Tree Symbol The Brightest Star
• Read The Advent Storybook before bed

Sun. Dec. 25th – Christmas – CELEBRATE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!

The post Advent Activities | Countdown for 2011 appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.