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Instagram Advent Calendar

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgivukkah yesterday and that you are on the way to recovering from all that good eatin’.  Perhaps you’re working it off by dodging and weaving through the Black Friday crowds today?  Well, for those of you who are home and looking forward to some down-time to dive into Christmas crafting, boy do I have a project for you!  {And I also have the Silhouette Black Friday & Holiday Sale to share, so stick with me to the end for that!}

So, I had the opportunity to try out the Limited Edition Advent Calendar from Silhouette America, and since December 1st is coming up in just a few days, I figured that I had better get on it and create me a calendar!  So, I did.  Instagram-style:

Instagram Photo Advent Calendar!  Such a fun way to remember highlights from the year as you countdown the days till Christmas.

Are you an Instagram nut, too?  My husband Mark and I both really love it for its simplicity and beauty.  I mean, you can practically transform even the most mundane of photos into mini works of art!  Just crop, add a filter, and BAM!  Instant retro chic.

So, I thought I’d pull some of the highlights from our year as captured on on Instagram into an advent calendar.  That way, every time we flip over a number and reveal a new photo, we’ll smile and remember that moment or that person or that furry friend that brought us so much joy in 2013.

Here’s the overly detailed run-down…in classic Lauren fashion.

Tutorial

Step 1.  Download your advent calendar designs.  First things first, I busted open the box with my Limited Edition Christmas Advent Calendar.  It comes with a solid wood white frame (16″ x 18″ opening) with five wires strung across, a baggie of 35 metal hanging clips, and a 20-shape download card.

Silhouette Limited Edition Advent Calendar Kit

So, I followed the instructions on the back of the card to download my designs.  (TIP: If your designs don’t automatically upload to your Silhouette Studio software when they’re supposed to, just review your download history and click “recover order.”  I’ve had to do that a few times, and it seems to solve whatever glitch they have in the system.)

Looking through the variety of images, you have everything from 3D ornaments to envelopes for little notes; but since I had a vision for an Instagram Photo Advent Calendar, I thought the Polaroid frame with the square opening would suit the Instagram images poi-fectly.

Silhouette Limited Edition Advent Calendar Kit

Step 2.  Determine the size of your photos.  Using a scrap piece of paper, I determined that the longest my images could be was 2.5″.  So, back in Silhouette Studio (Designer Edition), I used my ruler tool to size the Polaroid frame accordingly.

Love that ruler tool in the Designer Edition software!

To find the exact dimensions of the square inside the frame, I drew a square using the “draw a rectangle” tool on the left toolbar and used the ruler once again to size it at 1.84″, which I rounded up to 1.9″ to be safe.

How to size your Instagram photos for printing!

Step 3.  Prep & print your photos.  Next, I sifted through our Instagram feeds, jotting down a list of the 25 pictures from January 2013 up until now that I wanted to include in our calendar.  I took screenshots of those images (on a Mac, just hold down command-shift-four to turn your cursor into cross-hairs to “crop” a screenshot); and I saved them all to one folder on my computer where I could easily find them.

Then, I opened up the free online editor, PicMonkey, which has a special new Design option where you can automatically start with a 4″ x 6″ canvas.  (4″ x 6″ photos are often the most inexpensive to print, so that’s why I went with that size – – and I knew I could fit 6 Instagram photos on each 4″ x 6″ print.)

Using PicMonkey to print Instagram photos!   So easy.

Just pull in those Instagram photos by selecting to overlay “Your Own” images and stack them 3 x 2, leaving just a smidgen of white margin around the images because you can expect some of that margin to get chopped off.  (And remember, the images are sized at 1.84″ inches, so they’re just a hair under 2″.)  Save each collage in the highest quality.

Using PicMonkey to print Instagram photos!   So easy.

Then, go ahead and print them on your home printer or at local retail photo center.  I only paid $1.07 for 5 prints of 4″ x 6″ glossy photos at my local Walgreens.  Not too shabby!

How to print Instagram photos at your local retail photo printer!

When you cut them out, it’s okay to leave some of that white margin around the edges.

Step 4.  Cut 25 Polaroid frames using your Silhouette.  Next, I duplicated my Polaroid frame 25 x over in Silhouette Studio and cut it out on white adhesive-backed cardstock.  The adhesive cardstock is one of my favorite Silhouette supplies.  I’m flying through my stash and just put in an order for more!

Adhesive Backed Cardstock via thinkingcloset.com

I was able to fill an entire 12″ x 12″ sheet with 20, and then just used a portion of a second sheet to finish off the last 5.  Pretty efficient!

Silhouette Cameo at work cutting Polaroid frames!

Step 5.  Cut 25 scrapbook paper squares.  Using a row of those five Polaroid frames, make sure they are selected, then go to OBJECT, then RELEASE COMPOUND PATH.  This will allow you then to select the inner square and delete it across the line.  These rectangles will serve as the backing on the numbers side of the calendar.

I just used some scrapbook paper I had on hand and cut that row of 5 rectangles using 5 different types of paper.  This was my first time cutting paper this thin, and I trusted my gut and used a blade of 1 instead of the blade of 2 that Silhouette Studio suggests for “Printer Paper,” and it cut like a dream!

Step 6.  Cut out your numbers on gold foil.  For the numbers themselves, I decided to cut them out of Printable Gold Foil, which just screams Christmas to me!

Printable Gold Foil - - specialty media by Silhouette America!

I decided to create the numbers inside circles and then weeded out the numbers themselves, so the foil would reflect the numbers in the negative space.

The gold foil comes in 8.5″ x 11″ sheets (since it’s printable), so I just adjusted my mat settings accordingly and filled it up.  I used the free font, Century.

Cutting up my printable gold foil to create number stickers.

Step 7.  Compile your squares!  Here’s the fun part – – now that everything is cut, first lay out the Instagram photos in the order in which you want them, as well as the scrapbook paper.  I applied the numbers to the scrapbook paper first.

Applying the gold number sticks to the scrapbook paper!

Plotting out the front and back of the calendar!

I gently placed a photo behind the frame, then placed the corresponding number square on the adhesive-back.  There were only a few that needed a little double-stick tape on the photo to help the paper stick; for the most part, there was just enough exposed adhesive on the frame to secure the number square to it.

Instagram photo squares ready to be put together in an advent calendar!

Step 8.  Assemble the squares in your frame.  Now, I decided to apply a paper backdrop to the back of my frame to really help those squares pop; I just used some black kraft paper I had on hand from my chalkboard-style wrapping paper obsession last year.

Then, I clipped my squares onto the frame, and BAM!  Insta-Advent!

DIY Advent Calendar...Gold numbers on one side - - flip them over to reveal Instagram photos from the past year!

DIY Advent Calendar...Gold numbers on one side - - flip them over to reveal Instagram photos from the past year!

DIY Instagram Advent Calendar. Such a fun way to look back at highlights from the year while counting down the days till Christmas!

I love that as we enter into this season of advent, building our anticipation of celebrating Jesus’ birth, we’ll simultaneously be remembering the sweet times from 2013 through the photos we’ll reveal each day.  (We have so much to be thankful for.)

Such a fun idea to use Instagram photos as part of a Christmas Advent Calendar!

Such a fun idea to use Instagram photos as part of a Christmas Advent Calendar!

Oh, and you may not know this because I’m always conscious to try to crop it out of photos, but we have a random, non-working (and ugly!) speaker in the middle of our wall.  It’s centered right above our buffet.

The eyesore!

Welp, now I have the perfect thing to cover up that eyesore!

Christmas "fantle" with Instagram Advent Calendar on display!

Knowing me, we probably won’t even take this down until next Christmas, when we create an Instagram Advent Calendar for 2014!  Mark has already declared that it’s here to stay.  I can dig it!

DIY Instagram Advent Calendar. Such a fun way to look back at highlights from the year while counting down the days till Christmas!

And a little something fun to pin:

DIY Instagram Advent Calendar. Such a fun way to look back at highlights from the year while counting down the days till Christmas!

What about you, dear reader?  Are you doing anything special to countdown the days till Christmas?

Epic Silhouette SALE!

EPIC Silhouette Holiday Sale, 11/28 - 12/8 at thinkingcloset.com! MAJOR deals on Silhouette machines and supplies using the code CLOSET.So, in case you were too busy eating yummy foods and playing Pictionary yesterday to see my blog post (and I don’t blame you!), I announced the EPIC Silhouette Holiday Sale that is running from now through December 8th.  It’s the biggest Silhouette sale they have ever had–ever–and I think it’s going to enable a lot of people to get that Silhouette that has been on their wish list!

By clicking through to the special promo page and using my affiliate code, CLOSET, at checkout, Thinking Closet readers can buy any of these bundles for a sweet, sweet song:

Silhouette Cameo Holiday Bundle:$406.93 $229.99 (43% off)

  • Silhouette CAMEO® electronic cutting tool
  • Silhouette Studio® Designer Edition Software
  • $10 + $25 download cards
  • 12 in x 12 in cutting mat
  • Silhouette blade
  • CAMEO dust cover
  • Silhouette hook tool
  • Silhouette scraper tool
  • Silhouette spatula tool
  • Silhouette pick-me-up® tool

Silhouette Portrait Holiday Bundle: $286.93 $129.99 (55% off)

  • Silhouette Portrait® electronic cutting tool
  • Silhouette Studio® Designer Edition Software
  • $10 + $25 download cards
  • 8 in x 12 in cutting mat
  • Silhouette blade
  • Portrait dust cover
  • Silhouette hook tool
  • Silhouette scraper tool
  • Silhouette spatula tool
  • Silhouette pick-me-up® tool

CAMEO & Portrait Holiday Bundle: $529.98 $299.99 (43% off)

{Essentially, if you buy a Silhouette CAMEO® at full price, you get two $25 download cards and a Silhouette Portrait® ABSOLUTELY FREE!}

  • Silhouette CAMEO® electronic cutting tool
  • Silhouette Studio® software
  • $10 + $25 download cards
  • 12 in x 12 in cutting mat
  • Silhouette blade
  • Silhouette Portrait® electronic cutting tool
  • Silhouette Studio® software
  • $10 + $25 download cards
  • 8 in x 12 in cutting mat
  • Silhouette blade

This sale also includes 40% off ALL consumable products at silhouetteamerica.com, which covers pretty much all materials except machines, subscriptions, download and gift cards.  (So, stock up on vinyl, extra blades, that glass etching starter kit you’ve had your eye on, etc.)

Plus, another fun fact: you get FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $25!  Yahooooo!

Oh, and just in case your eyes skipped over this, can I just clarify the amazingness of that third bundle?  The CAMEO & Portrait Holiday Bundle?  You and your bestie can go in together on this deal and for only $299.99, you get a Cameo machine AND a Portrait, plus $50 in download cards.  A Cameo on its own normally costs $299.99, so this is a steal, people!  You’re practically robbing the bank!

Epic Silhouette Holiday SALE! 11/28 - 12/8. Use the code CLOSET for deals on machine bundles and supplies! Make that Christmas wish come true!

To get the discounted pricing on the machine bundles, you’ll need to visit the special promo page (click HERE) and enter my affiliate code, CLOSETat checkout.

Instagram Advent Calendar Supplies!

And if you want to make an Instagram Advent Calendar of your own, all the Silhouette supplies I used are included in the 40% off promo!  Here are the links:

TOTAL: $62.97 now $37.77 with the code CLOSET (and that qualifies for FREE shipping, too!).

More Silhouette Inspiration?  Questions?

If you want to see a whole collection of all the Silhouette projects I made in 2013 along with my silly parody video of, “All I Want for Christmas…is a Silhouette Cameo,” be sure to check out yesterday’s EPIC post!

And if you have any questions at all about the Silhouette machine or my experience with certain materials, feel free to drop me a comment below, and I’ll be sure to reply to you in time for you to take advantage of this awesome promotion!

Enjoy your holiday weekend, everyone.

{Linking up here.}

Full Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post; however, I received free product in exchange for an honest review.  This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase using my code, I receive a small commission.  Please rest assured that as always, I only recommend products that I use and love.  And I don’t just love my Cameo, I’m sort of obsessed with it…if you couldn’t tell.  Tee hee.

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46 Comments

  1. Hi Lauren, this project is amazing! I just stayed up late making calendars from all of my favorite instagrams over the past year. Your tutorial was so simple and easy to use. This is just the added bit of handmade goodness a few of my Christmas gifts needed. Thanks so much for the great gift

  2. One of the best Advent Calendar ideas ever because you are really being grateful for all the blessing of relationships over the past year! And that was very clever that you were wisely able to use the photos again as part of your Christmas letter!

    1. Well, it’s staying up then! If Mark and Thalita are in agreement, there’s no diggity doubt about it. 😉

  3. Lauren!
    I just found you last week, and you inspired me to make a happy 30th birthday instagram collage for my boyfriend Ben. I couldn’t find the advent calendar kit in Houston, so I just made one myself, and I am pretty proud of how it turned out! Here is the post if you are interested in checking it out… Definitely gave you props, girl… Thanks for the inspiration!
    😀
    http://hollygracemarie.wordpress.com/2013/12/10/bring-the-magic-of-instagram-to-life/

    1. You are so sweet! Thanks so much for the props! And as I said on your post, I am blown away by how this turned out. Now, YOU’VE inspired ME! Can’t wait to feature you in my upcoming Reader Showcase!

  4. What a fabulous tutorial, Lauren! I’ve just recently gotten into Instagram, and I’ve been wanting to print out some of my photos from there, but wasn’t sure how to go about it. PicMonkey’s the perfect solution! Thanks so much for sharing!! And I love how your advent calendar turned out!

    1. Yay! Glad this was a helpful post for you, Brooke. Also, depending on what you’re doing with the pics, I’ve also heard good things about Printstagram. Have fun with your projects!

  5. Wow, Lauren, you’ve really outdone yourself on this one! This is soooo awesome! Thanks for linking it up to the Link It or Lump It Link Party! I’m making it my LIOLI Tuesday spotlight on Facebook so come on over tomorrow as we share your awesome Instagram advent calendar! – Melissa @ Two It Yourself

  6. This is super cute, Lauren!! I’ve never really gotten into Advent Calendars, but I love that this one doubles as a fun photo display once you’ve gone through the month. I agree with Mark – you should leave it up year-round!

  7. I think that is adorable! I love that they have a “make your own” Advent calendar kit. And the pictures are great because they are so easy to reuse, either for next year’s Advent calendar or just in general, maybe as magnets on the fridge or something.

  8. I love this! I actually bought my silhouette last year during black Friday but never ended up using it – for shame! I really dig this frame and it’s a great way to display Instagram photos year-round! PS, found you at the Made by You link up!

  9. I’M FINALLY GOING TO GET A CAMEO!! Dreams DO come true 😉 My mom is going to get it for Christmas, but I told her to buy it now while things are on sale, so we used your code! THANKS!!!!

    Hugs and hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving!!!

    Gabby 🙂

  10. I love this – such a sweet, simple idea! Also, your instructions are always exactly the right amount of detailed, in my humble opinion – better safe than sorry, right?! Someday, when I have a more permanent place to live, I just know I am going to love recreating lots and lots of your wonderful tutorials! Happy 1st Advent, friend! <3

  11. This is just AWESOME! Instagram is more than just an app for me–it’s a way I document my life! I post every month with what I did via Instagrams on our site, and I really dig this! I mean I really love it, and it caught my eye at the I Heart Nap Time party–I had to stop by!

    I would love it if you stopped by our Facebook page, and said “hello!”
    https://www.facebook.com/OurMiniFamily

    Your fan,
    ~Cathy Mini
    ourminifamily.com

    1. Thanks, Glenna! I’m thinking it might make a great annual tradition – – 25 highlights from the year in photos! Even if Instagram goes out of vogue, taking pictures never will.

    1. Oh Wendi, you’d LOVE it! There’s just so much that it can do, it’s hard to imagine anyone who WOULDN’T find a wealth of opportunities to use it. And I’m delighted to know you’re a fan of the calendar. Yes, time does pass by so quickly–looking back at photos helps us relive some of those sweet times! (I feel that way every time I see our goofy photo booth photos from FL Blog Con!)

  12. I love this ! So sad that I cannot get any of these supplies near me to make this for this year. Hopefully I can remember it for next year.

    1. I’m sure you could create a variation of this project with the supplies you have on hand! Even if it means improvising a bit (i.e. using an x-acto knife to cut the Polaroid frames out of regular cardstock, gluing the cardstock to the photos, buying your number stickers). Or if not, pin it for next year! I’d love to see your version, Jen!

  13. Lauren, your advent calendar is so pretty, I love that you changed it a bit by adding Instagram pics and love those gold foil numbers 🙂 yep, I could keep it in my space the whole year too 🙂 hope you had a great Thanksgiving yesterday 🙂

    1. Thanks, Ingrid! I’m glad to know you approve of it being a year-round decor item…why not, right? Thanks for your holiday wishes, too. We had a lovely Thanksgiving with Mark’s family…lots of good eatin’, game-playin’, and story-tellin’! Hope your weekend is a wonderful one!

    1. Thanks, Coley! Yeah – – I’m all about creating holiday decor that can play double duty like that! Holidays just fly by too fast otherwise. (One year, we left our tree up so late, we turned it into a Valentine’s Day tree! Ha ha. Now, that may be a bit much. Lol.)

  14. No “in person” black Friday shopping for me….I’m perusing the Internet for deals and reading my favorite blogs!!! I’ll start decorating in a little while.

    I love this project! If Santa brings me a Silhouette I’ll make this for the holidays next year…still waiting to see if I’ve been good enough to get the Ranch…if so, the Silhouette may become a summer purchase. We’ll see!
    Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! xoxo

    1. Yay! A homebody like me! Although in truth, I did go out to one shop with my MIL, but it clearly wasn’t meant to be because my purchase ended up in shards: photographic evidence.

      So, does that mean you’ll find out about the Ranch by Christmas?! Hoping Santa comes through for you! You sure have been so good to me. And then, we can get to planning that crafty retreat. And yes, a Silhouette project WILL be on the docket. 😉

      1. Still waiting to hear…I doubt we will get any news until after the first of the year. However, I am so looking forward to our retreat…and it will happen at some point!

        Awww the owls were really cute too…I’m sure you’ll do something nifty with them! If anyone can…it will be YOU!
        xoxo

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