Burlap Bag Christmas Advent Calendar

One of my favorite holiday memories as a child is waking up in the morning, running to my advent calendar, prying open the tiny little doors and seeing what surprise awaited me.  The last door was always the largest which meant one thing, Christmas was only a sleep away!  Today, with two children of my own, I wanted to create an advent calendar that would bring the same excitement to their holiday season mornings that I felt as a child.  With this simple DIY, you too can create a tradition for your family that will last for years and years to come.  Stuff the bags with ornaments to hang on the tree, little pieces of candy, notes, or create homemade coupons for adventures that you will take. The possibilities are endless,  the memories will last forever.  

What you will need:

-24 burlap bags.  These can be purchased online or sewn at home.  Size is of no importance unless you plan on packing the bags with larger objects such as ornaments.  Keep in mind that you will be hanging them and if you plan on doing so above your fireplace or other small area, you may want to keep them on the smaller size.  

-Red and Green fabric paint.  

-Number stencils 0-9

-Two stencil brushes

-Twine or rope to hang your bags from.

-Clothespins to hang your bags with.

Directions:

1. Lay your number stencil on top of your burlap bag.  

2. Using your stencil brush, apply a small amount of paint to the inside of the stencil until you have achieved the desired amount of coverage.  

*Take note that the paint will probably soak through the bag and onto the other side.  If this is bothersome to you,  you may want to put a plastic bag inside to prevent the paint from soaking through.  

3. As you paint your bags, alternate between the red and green paint. 

4. Paint your bags 1-24.

5. Allow your bags at least a few hours to dry before hanging.

6. When hanging your bags,  begin with the number 24, counting backwards. Don't forget to remove each bag after it has been opened to allow your children to see how many days are left until Christmas!   

Be prepared with generator safety!

It is a given.  In most cases, the only time you will need to use your generator is when you are tired and the weather is less than desirable. 

Be safe while using a generator!

#1 Make sure when using your generator you leave it running outside your home away from flammable materials and far away from open windows.  Generators emit an exhaust similar to that produced from your car and can contain high amounts of carbon monoxide.  Remember carbon monoxide is a deadly odorless tasteless gas.  

#2 Do not overload the generators circuit.  Only plug in the recommended amount of extension cords and do not use an excessive amount of splitters.  Follow the UL listings on your extension cords as well.  If drawing more than the recommended amount of electricity, the cord can quickly become over-heated, melt and possibly start a fire.  

#3 Store any extra gas away from the generator and any pilot lights or flames.  This may seem like common sense but more times than not people leave their extra gas in too close to the running generator making future fill-ups that little bit more convenient.  Keep it far off to the side.

#4 When the temperature is hot, gasoline begins to evaporate and becomes more volatile.  Keep this in mind when the time comes to refill the generators fuel tank.  Shutting off the generator and letting it cool first is a very good idea!

 Following these few simple safety precautions will help you keep the  lights on!

Cheers! ~ Kevin

             

Crock Pot Loaded Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes 
• 1 large onion chopped
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 32 oz chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt 
• Pepper
• 1 cup cream
• 16 oz cream cheese 

Toppings:

• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Sour cream 
• Bacon
• Chives

Directions: 

1. Put first 7 ingredients into crock pot and cook on low for 10 hours, high for 6.
2. Stir in cream and cream cheese until it is well mixed. 
3. Slowly and carefully ladle your soup into a food processor, blender, or better yet use a submersible blender and blend your soup to the consistency of your liking. I like to blend half.
4. Serve with toppings of your choice.
5. Enjoy!! 

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