Charming Christmas Countdown

Charming Christmas Countdown was made for a small class I taught last December 2017. It focused on using the Countdown Brads and a stash of the retired Ideaology Fragment Charms. I have a couple of packages of these wonderful charms that I would LOVE to gift to a couple of my followers. Info on the give away is at the end of the post.

To make a countdown similar to mine, you need a Medium Etcetera Tag. Cover it with paper and I went around the edges with Design Tape as well. I attached the paper and secured the design tape with Distress Collage Medium.
Then I attached paper to the back of all of the fragments with Glossy Accents. Once they were dry I trimmed around the edges and then pounced a little Mushroom Alcohol Ink on the top edges of the fragment to age them.

It's important to lay the fragments out so that you can make sure they fit, then attach the Countdown Brads through the hole, but only bend back the tips of the brad prongs and secure with a sticky dot or some Glossy Accents and hold until dry. There needs to be enough of the brad prong sticking out on the front of the fragment that you can easily slip the Loop Pin over the number and let it hang on the day of the month, as seen below.
At this point, take a picture because you want to remember where they go.

 I added a 26th tiny fragment with a Pinecone Adornment on a Loop Pin to be the thing I move each day to indicate the date. You can see it hanging on the Dec 2nd fragment in the picture above and December 10 below.

If you have some of the silver or gold Gilded Christmas Remnant Rubs from last year, this is a great opportunity to use them! I used the silver rub ons on this sample and put bits on each of the fragments. You can see them all in the photo below. The bottom four fragments I placed side by side on my workspace and then put the sleigh and reindeer across the last four heading toward the 25th.

 Here are some close ups of the fragments, the papers I used, rub ons, adornments, and also the orientation,  as some are horizontal and some are vertical.

 To put the top together I got out my Sizzix Sidekick, Mini Festive Greens and Festive Greens as well as various green and red cardstock. I cut the various pieces out, inked, and then arranged across the top of the tag.

 Lastly I added some ribbon in the center of the greenery.

 There you have it! A Christmas Countdown that won't ruin your diet. LOL!

I'd love to share a package of Retired Fragment Charms with a couple of followers, so if you would like to qualify, just leave a comment that includes a line from one of your favorite Christmas Carols by 4pm PT Nov. 29, 2018.  Then check back on my blog tomorrow evening and I will post the winners.