I have been waiting for one year to make this advent calendar featuring vintage gold buttons!  I got the vintage silverplate tray for a song at a rummage sale shortly after Christmas last year and have been patiently waiting for Christmas to roll around again!

 

The buttons are on magnets and silverplate isn’t magnetic! So I had to apply a sheet of metal to the back where the Christmas Tree image is attached and apply 24 magnets to the back of the tray.  (Your local hardware store has metal sheets.  Bring a magnet to find out which one will work.)

The magnets are really easy to apply IF you print out the chalkboard numbers and space them out on the tray, using a permanent glue stick to attach them to the tray.

After the paper numbers are attached to the tray, place a magnet on the number. Then apply glue on the magnet that goes on the bottom side of the tray.  Hold it under the tray and the magnetic field of the magnet on top will keep the magnet with the glue on it underneath in place until it dries.  I used Aleene’s Tacky glue.

After all the magnets are glued to the bottom, use glitter glue to decorate the chalkboard numbers.

Next print out the German Diecut Scrap Tree and use glue to attach it to the silver tray.  Decorate the tree.  I used old pearl necklaces and lots of Ranger’s Stickles glitter glue, little adhesive rhinestones and ribbon roses.

 

Last, attach 24 buttons to magnets.  Now they will sit on a number, and be used to decorate the tree when it’s number is up.  I got a bag of 24 buttons on Etsy and decorated the centers with inexpensive craft rhinestones.

If you want to make your own tray advent calendar print out the chalkboard numbers and German Scrap Tree.  Have fun!!!!

Click and print:

The tree prints out 11″ tall, if your tray is smaller, resize it with your photo software.