My Other Creations: Christmas Spirit Countdown

I've got hot chocolate in my mug, Michael Buble's Christmas album playing and a pine- tree-scented candle burning.  Instant Christmas, yes??  Well...hopefully!  Unfortunately, it isn't always so easy to create that peaceful loving Christmas vibe.  I get lost in the rush and stress of the season instead of focusing on what this holiday is really all about.  And so when this week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge theme was to create something countdown-related, I decided to go for a Christmas Spirit Countdown project!

Instead of counting days, I wanted to count different ways that I could get into the Christmas mood.  So I made a wooden house, covered it with paper, glued on a wooden clip and used it as a background to hold up different suggestions of what I can do if I'm not feeling "Christmas-y."

Here is a picture of the house with Idea #4 attached:

And here's a close-up of some of the other ideas that I'll swap in and out:

There are so many ways that we can reach out and spread the true spirit of the season and I hope that my little countdown idea calendar will remind me to focus and not get sidetracked by the glitz and glam that doesn't really matter.  Other ideas that I will add to my countdown include: Read Luke 2, donate to the food bank, participate in Sub for Santa or other charitable programs, watch "Elf," spend time with loved ones, keep my eyes open for ways to help, be positive and be grateful.

I LOVE this time of year and I enjoyed making this project.  Here are some of the supplies I used that you can get at Simon Says Stamp:

Sizzix BIG SHOT MACHINE Powder Blue & Teal	My Mind′s Eye Vintage Christmas 6x6 Paper	Fancy Pants Merry Little Christmas Trees	Hero Arts Basic Alphabet Stamps	Martha Stewart Himalayan Snowflake Punch	My Mind′s Eye Flair Washi Tape	My Mind′s Eye Winter Wonderland Washi Tape
My Mind′s Eye All is Bright 6x6 Paper	Tim Holtz Documentation Fabric Pack	Kaiser Fa La La Stamp	Fiskars Acrylic Blocks	Prima Finnabair Paper	Fancy Pants Merry Little Christmas Flairs	We R Memory Keepers AQUA Washi Tape
Indigo Blu Script Stamp	Fancy Pants Merry Little Christmas Tags	Fancy Pants Merry Little Christmas 12x12 Paper	My Mind′s Eye All is Bright 12x12 Paper	Walnut Stain - Distress Ink	Black soot - Distress ink	Archival Ink - Jet Black
Colorbox Rain Forest Ink

Now I just KNOW that you've got all sorts of clever countdown ideas yourself.  Why not share them with us at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog and be entered to win a little gift for yourself ($50!!  Yippee!)