Make counting the days to Christmas a lot more magical with this festive Mouse Ears Gingerbread House Advent calendar!
A friend of mine absolutely LOVES everything Mickey Mouse, so I decided to make her something special for the holiday season. This Mouse Ears Gingerbread House advent calendar is made of wood, and the countdown numbers attach to the house using the power of magnets. This project is a lot of fun make using the xTool S1 laser cutting machine, and there are so many ways you can customize it for your own family. I'm so excited that now my friend can have some of that Disney magic on display for the entire month of December to make waiting for Santa a lot more fun!
New to laser cutting? Be sure to check out how to get started with the xTool S1 Laser Machine!
The crafting possibilities are endless when it comes to using the xTool S1 laser cutting machine, and it's actually very easy to use! Once you have one of these, the hardest thing you'll have to do is decide what to make with it. If you want to learn more about how this incredible machine works, be sure to check out my complete xTool S1 review.
To make your own Mouse Ears Gingerbread Advent, you will need these supplies:
- xTool M1 or xTool S1 laser cutting machine
- Mouse Ears Gingerbread Advent Design (personal use only)
- 3mm Basswood
- Stain or Chalk Paint Wax
- Acrylic Paint
- Strong Adhesive
- Clamps (optional)
- 1 10mm x 3mm Magnet
- 25 10mm x 1mm Magnets
- Clear Sealant
*Save extra 15% off on xTool selected materials: AFFMTRS15
Printables and cut files from Artsy-Fartsy Mama are for personal use only. You may use these in an personal and/or educational setting, but you may not sell them. If you'd like to share this design digitally, share a link to this post/website only. Do not share a direct link to the download.
Upload the Mouse Ears Gingerbread Advent design into xTool Creative Space. In the right menu bar, change the material setting to 3mm Basswood. When you upload an SVG design, you need to make sure each part of the design is set for cutting, scoring, and/or engraving. For this project, everything in black needs to be scored, and red needs to be cut. No engraving this time!
Place a piece of 3mm basswood into the xTool S1 machine. Manually pull the laser box with your hand so that the red "+" is located on the material - it doesn't have to be centered. In XCS, you will see "Distance (mm)" in the right menu bar. Click on the target icon to the right of that space, and the machine will automatically measure your material.
*For more details on how to complete this step, be sure to check out my review of the xTool S1 Laser Machine!
Make sure that the design elements are within the marked bounding box in XCS, and then click the green "Process" button in the bottom right corner to proceed to cutting the project.
After removing the wood pieces from the machine, I would highly recommend cleaning the soot away from around the edges of the wood using a Magic Eraser or baby wipes to prevent making marks all over your hands and workspace.
Since gingerbread houses are usually brown, I recommend using stain or antique chalk paint wax. Not only does it give you the perfect brown shade, but you can also see the wood grain, which is beautiful! If you're using the wax, paint a thick coat over the surface of both house pieces and then use a paper towel to wipe the excess away. Cover the opposite side of the back piece the same way. If you want it to be darker, you can apply multiple coats. Just make sure to let each coat dry completely before adding another.
Apply strong adhesive on the back side of the front house piece (with the score lines). Place it on top of the base, and align all of the edges. Clamp pieces in place until the adhesive has set to keep them from shifting while the adhesive sets.
Make sure to fully cover each piece with paint, and if adding multiple coats, always let the first coat dry before adding another.
Apply a small amount of strong adhesive to the back of the gingerbread house "decor" pieces. Place them onto the house, lining the pieces up with the score lines on the wood. If necessary, clamp them in place until the adhesive sets.
Once all of the adhesive is set, the advent calendar is ready for use. Place the number circle on top of the magnet on the house, and it will pop right into place! I keep all of the numbers stored in a storage bag behind the house, and switch them out as we count down to the big day.
While the adhesive sets on the house (again), assemble the countdown number circles. Paint each circle and the numbers, adding multiple coats, if necessary. Once dry, apply adhesive to the back of the numbers and place them on top of the circles. Align the number pieces with the score lines and press them into place.
Next, add a small drop of adhesive into the hole in the front of the house. Drop a 10mm x 3mm magnet in, and press it down so that it's level with the wood. If necessary, gently tap it down into the space with a hammer.
Cut a circle out of a scrap piece of paper or thin cardboard the same size as the number circles. Fold the circle into fourths, and cut a small piece of the tip off to make a hole in the center. Turn the number circles over and place the paper template on top. Dot a permanent marker over the hole in the template, and now the center on the back of the circles has been easily marked!
Add a small drop of strong adhesive over the dot on the wood. Place a 10mm x 1mm magnet on top of the adhesive and press it into place. Give the adhesive plenty of time to dry. Important - make sure that the circles have extra space in between them, otherwise the magnets could draw toward each other and come off of the wood!
While the number magnets are setting, assemble the roof of the gingerbread house. First, use adhesive to place the small Mickey heads on the roof piece, aligning them with the score lines. Then, align the roof with the top of the house, and use adhesive and clamps to hold the piece in place.
This Mouse Ears Gingerbread Advent is such a magical project to make with the xTool, and I had a lot of fun putting it together! As always, I would love to see what you're making! Share your creations on Instagram, Facebook, or leave a comment/photo on the project pin on Pinterest! #AFMCrafts
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