Crafting Through the Holidays Advent Calendar: Part 2/5
In episode two of my Crafting Through the Holidays Art Skills advent calendar series, I opened and completed five more surprise holiday craft projects. This round included a glittery Bluey snowflake ornament, a simple foam Christmas tree, a nostalgic Perler bead snowflake, a very questionable beaded Christmas tree, and a sparkly diamond painting snowman. Some projects were fun and creative, some were disappointing, and one ended up being a complete favorite — which is exactly what makes opening a craft advent calendar so entertaining.
Project 1: Bluey Snowflake Ornament
The first project in this episode was a snowflake ornament, and at first it seemed a little too basic. The kit suggested adding a photo to the center, but instead of using a picture, I decided to draw my own Bluey artwork to make the project more personal and creative. I painted the snowflake, added rhinestones, and may have gotten a little carried away with glitter — but honestly, that was the right choice. The sparkle made the whole ornament feel much more festive. Adding Bluey in the center turned a simple Christmas snowflake craft into a cute handmade character ornament, perfect for anyone who loves Bluey, kids’ crafts, or personalized holiday decorations.
Project 2: Foam Christmas Tree
The second project was a foam Christmas tree, and this one was definitely one of the more disappointing crafts in the advent calendar so far. It felt very similar to a quick kids’ craft you might bring home from school: simple foam pieces, easy assembly, and not much room for creativity. I also lost some footage from this project, but since it was the one I was least excited about, it was not the biggest loss. This foam tree would still work as a very easy holiday craft for young kids or a quick Christmas activity, but compared to some of the more creative advent calendar projects, it did not stand out as a favorite.
Project 3: Perler Bead Snowflake
The third project was a Perler bead snowflake, also known as an ironing bead craft, and this one brought back so many childhood memories. I used to love making these with my mom, so I was excited when this project finally came up in the advent calendar. The kit included the plastic pegboard, beads, and instructions, and the final design became a simple handmade snowflake. This was a fun nostalgic Christmas craft, especially if you grew up making Perler bead creations. It’s also a nice holiday ornament idea, though the ironing step definitely needs an adult — which works out well because luckily, I am one now.
Project 4: Beaded Christmas Tree
The fourth project started with beads, so I was hopeful it would be a fun one, but unfortunately it turned into what I can only call the tree of failure. The idea was to create a beaded Christmas tree, but the final shape ended up looking more like a sad little worm than a festive holiday tree. The best part of the project was the color palette, since I used two of my favorite colors. I also tried a helpful trick for painting small beads: putting them in a container with paint and shaking them until they were coated. It worked better than painting every bead by hand, although I still had to do some touch-ups. Even though this beaded tree craft was not a favorite, it made for a funny advent calendar moment.
Project 5: Diamond Painting Snowman
The fifth and final project of this episode was a diamond painting snowman, and this was the one I was most excited to try. I have been curious about diamond painting for a while, but I never wanted to commit to a full kit because of all the tiny pieces. This mini snowman was the perfect low-pressure way to test it out. The process was shiny, satisfying, and surprisingly fun, even with the risk of losing tiny diamond pieces everywhere. The finished snowman turned out adorable and sparkly, making this one of the best projects in the episode. If you are curious about diamond painting crafts, a small holiday kit like this is a great beginner-friendly place to start.
Overall, this second Crafting Through the Holidays advent calendar video was a fun mix of cute, nostalgic, and slightly chaotic Christmas crafts. The Bluey snowflake and diamond painting snowman were the clear standouts, while the foam tree and beaded tree were much less exciting. The Perler bead snowflake landed right in the middle as a simple but nostalgic holiday ornament. Even when a project does not turn out perfectly, it still makes the advent calendar more fun to open — and I’m excited to see what the next set of surprise crafts includes.
