Dollar Store Advent Calendar

This project started out as one of those cute mini-muffin tin advents you see on Pintrest.  Unfortunately, after making all my cute little number tags, I pulled out my mini-muffin tin, only to discover that it has only a dozen muffin cups –not the twenty-five that makes using a mini-muffin tin so perfect.   
Bummer.   
After searching for three stores, I discovered that the $10 dollar price tag for a new pan was a little over my budget, since I will be making two – one for each of my girls.   
Big Bummer. 
So, I did what I always do when I need to find a cheapo solution.  I hit the dollar store, hoping against hope that they had one.   
Nothing…Notta…Zilch…Humungous Bummer.   

But then I found these….

I know what your thinking.  They are the cutest little containers ever and yes, those are M&Ms on the label.  So, feeling inspired and now craving chocolate, I quickly loaded the cart with three packages and headed to the candy aisle for a little “shopping snack”. 

This is when it got a little crazy… 

I needed something to attach these cute little containers to, you know to keep them all together and organized.  So while popping M&Ms in mouth, I may or may not have lined these little babies up on EVERY flat tray or pan in the store.  Let me tell you there are very few things that will fit 24 of these exactly.   

Trust me, I know, and I have earned “The Crazy Dollar Store Lady” award to prove it.  But there was one pan (15”x12” tin cookie sheet ) and, low and behold, it came in a set of 2, which worked great for me.  Yippee! 

Now, I had a plan.  All I had to do was find 24 (x2) items to fit into my little containers.   

So, since I already had the crazy lady award, I took out a container and proceeded to try out EVERY little item in the store to see if they fit.  After a few hours I checked out and headed home excited to put together my little project.   

  Then, I decided maybe someone else might benefit from my craziness and I could save them from stealing my “award” and spending hours at the dollar store by giving a little tutorial.   

So here it is….

Take out your cutie-patootie containers and hot glue your number labels to them.  My number labels are 2 1/2 inch squares made from scrapbook paper.

 Next, line them up in your pan.  You should be able to fit four across and six down leaving a little tiny space to peel the lid of once they are glued down.

Now, if you have little, curious, Peekers, like me, you may want to tuck some tissue paper around the edges so that they can’t see through the clear plastic on the sides.  I simply cut a two-inch strip which I folded in half long-ways. I tucked and scrunched down the sides, using a butter knife, and gluing in place to create a sort of ruffle effect.

 

As you can see, you will have a little space left at the bottom of the pan. I tucked a little more tissue paper there. That is where you will place the number 25 (the big one).  I made mine with the same scrapbook paper and placed it on a longer tag.

Now, squeal with delight, and relish in the fact that all those people who thought you had lost your noodle at the dollar store, DO NOT have one of these right now! Then, get ready to put on the finishing touches.
Grab some ribbon and cut about a 7-inch piece (don't measure, just act like you know what you're doing and cut it).  Then, hot glue that baby right on the back, smack in the middle like this...

Now turn it over and fill it with all those treats that you so carefully selected. Then hang it up and your done!!

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