Flair is everywhere right now—pins, buttons, patches—and it’s easy to see why. They add personality to bags, jackets, and bulletin boards. We decided to turn that trend into a fun, interactive project: a flair advent calendar. Using a Cricut to cut the circles made the process quick and precise, leaving more time to pick the perfect pieces of flair for each day.
Supplies:
- Cricut Explore
- Cricut Design Space software
- 12″x12″ Standard Grip Cricut Mat
- Cardstock
- Printer
- Square bulletin board
- Paint and paintbrush
- Thumbtacks
- 25 pins or pieces of flair
Instructions:
- Open the project in Cricut Design Space and click “Make It Now.” Print the number designs using the Print Then Cut feature. If this is your first time using Print Then Cut, follow the on-screen calibration steps—it’s straightforward.
- Place the printed sheet on the Cricut cutting mat and follow the on-screen prompts to cut the shapes.
- Paint the bulletin board in your chosen color and let it dry. A second coat may be needed for full coverage.
- Arrange and pin the numbered circles onto the board in five even rows using thumbtacks.
- To hide a flair item beneath each number, spin a number to the side, pin a button or pin to the board underneath, then return the number to cover it. Hang the board on a wall or display it on a desk so someone can reveal a new flair item each day.
This idea works great for roommates or friends who want to share the fun—each person can choose a color of numbers and fill those spots with their own selections of flair.
If you don’t have a Cricut: you can still make this. Follow the steps through printing, then carefully cut the pieces by hand and continue with the remaining steps. It will take more time, but it’s a simple workaround for hand cutting the designs.
Photos by Jeff Mindell
Flair shown in the calendar includes a variety of playful pins and accessories such as hearts, food shapes, animals, and novelty designs—great examples to inspire your own selections.
Other small items pictured include buttons, mirrors, novelty car pins, sequin hearts, and patches—perfect for mixing and matching to create a visually interesting calendar display.
You can also find a great selection of vintage pins at flea markets and local shops for a unique touch.
Countdown: 18 days until December 1st—time to gather your flair and get crafting!
This post was created in partnership with Cricut. All content and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep the Studio DIY projects going.