Monday, September 14, 2009

Halloween Advent Calendar

I'm so excited about this! Starting in July I began sketching out ideas for a Halloween advent calendar. My sister and I had so much fun making Christmas calendars last year that I knew we'd love making Halloween ones as well. It's been a wonderful experience to see it come to life and be even more beautiful than I had anticipated!


I designed the calendar and sent Kristie the sketches while she digitized each drawing and put them to life by picking the color pallet. We spent a lot of late nights "skyping" and working together on this. She ordered the fabric and embroidered the numbers and the "trick or treat" banner while I cut out the houses for the street at the top of the calendar. We split up the work of the pockets and split up the calendars for sewing! There's been a lot of sending back and forth between here and Seattle where she is. I always think we make such a great team. We are both anal about different details and have our own areas of expertise and creativity. We're sisters so we can hit a rough patch and then call each other dorks and move on. I'm so lucky!

Below are the pictures of our calendar. They are 30 inches wide and 38 inches long (including tabs). They are made from high quality wool felt for color vibrancy and durability. Each pocket is 3 inches wide and 4 inches long.

It has been my hope of how I can help our family. I haven't written about it, but 6 months ago the company Seth work for went under. We have been okay living on our savings and are so lucky to live by such generous people. Seth has interviewed everywhere under the sun from China to Canada, but nothing permanent has come. He has had a few freelance projects that have been great blessings as well- but with our little Pip not weened I couldn't take off for full time work to help out. My goal in creating these was to find a way that I could be home and help pay expenses. I created an etsy shop (it's called THE LOST BUTTON- how cute is that?) :) and I am selling them there. Each calendar has taken us about 30+ hours. It would break my heart if someone copied this design I have come up with. I want to remind all that I own the rights to this. I hope you enjoy the pictures. I wish you could see the detail in person like the embroidering and beads sewn on the different pockets. They are one of the most beautiful things I have ever made and I'm so excited they are done! If you'd like to order one come on by or go to my etsy shop here...

http://thelostbutton.etsy.com


Here's my cute girls counting down the days to Halloween by discovering candy, treats, and presents along the way. :)
I've also made a little trick-or-treating ghosty attached to a string (so he wont get lost) that can be used to count down the days till Halloween if you don't have a sweet tooth.












28 comments:

jessica said...

Karalenn it's AMAZING!!! I love it!

Chrystal said...

Incredible! Amazing! Beautiful! How exciting! Wonderful work Kare!! Good luck on the sales too!

sunnytosh said...

Totally - I believe amazing is the word here -and inspiring too. Every time I see your work I want to create something also.

Jolene said...

These are so cute. What a fun idea.

Knapp Scraps said...

Ugh! I totally forgot to watch for these. I'll have to keep an eye out during Christmas and hopefully you'll make more next year!!

Colleen said...

so awesome. you are so creative. i have been wanting to make on for a couple of years. i LOVE IT!

Char @ Crap I've Made said...

Really seriously beyond words AMAZING work.

Tauni said...

This is gorgeous! What attention to detail. This is much better than the Pottery Barn Kids version and sooo much cuter than the one I made.
I have posted link to your project on my blog. Thanks for sharing.

NiftiNotions said...

I absolutely love your Halloween Advent Calendar! I posted it on my blog!

Jasmine Bailey-Barfuss said...

How GORGEOUS!! What an amazingly gifted and creative lady you are!!!

Anonymous said...

You might have a right to how you have designed this advent calendar and I have to say it is very nice, But dont act so disappointed if someone trys to sell the same thing as you for you haven't created the idea. These advent calendars have been around a long time and everyone has just as much a right as you do to make and sell them. Good luck

Melissa @ Silly Bee's Chickadees said...

I think it's gorgeous and as an artist and graphic designer, I totally appreciate your concern. I would be disappointed if someone took my designs, too. I have studied copyright infringement and I have to say that the comment left by anonymous was completely unfair. I have a feeling you don't think you "created the idea". But you do have ownership of your design. Yes, anyone can make and sell an advent calendar, but they can not "sell the same thing as you". Your advent calendar is the cutest I've seen! Good luck!

Melissa @ Silly Bee's Chickadees said...

Oh, I forgot to add that I saw you on Tip Junkie!

Unknown said...

I love it! Totally love it. Wish you had more for sale. It is by far the best Halloween Advent Calandar that I've seen yet.

Karalenn Hippen said...

Oh, of course I don't think I created the idea of an "advent calendar" :) I grew up using a Christmas one that I loved. That's the reason I wanted a Halloween one. I was just saying that I created the design of each pocket, the layout, and even designed the houses silhouettes. I would feel sad if someone used my design and copied it. I hope most people understood that about my post. :)

Karalenn Hippen said...

Thank you for all the kind comments! It's so nice to hear that people enjoy your work.

Sarah Lou said...

That is amazing. The detail is incredible! I love it and it makes me want to celebrate halloween!

Anonymous said...

do you sell halloween calendar this year?
I love it
I'd like to buy one.

Anonymous said...

I send you an e mail on etsy.
please let me know
Thanks
Chiara

hotmomma08 said...

Hi will you be selling these calenders this year? Please let me know (kristinalewis22@gmail.com).

Katie Jean said...

are you selling these calendars this year and if so how much are u selling them for? i love it! (ktinred@hotmail.com)

Anonymous said...

I visited your Etsy site where you stated you were no longer selling these, but was wondering if you still make these or other seasonal advent calendars, and if so, how much they are. I love them! Please email me at: jafulle3@gmail.com

alybring said...

I am also interested in buying one of the Halloween advent calendars or a pattern to make one. It looks like a lot of work and they are so adorable.

alybring said...

Sorry I forgot to give you my email. I would love to know if I can buy one or buy the pattern. Thanx!
alysonashton@email.com

Rach said...

Hi! How much are you charging? I tried looking on your etsy story, but there was no listing. (rachelriebow@hotmail.com)

Karalenn Hippen said...

Hi Rach- I'm sorry I haven't made any of these for two years. Life has been completely crazy. I think we are just now beginning to settle down a bit so I have plans to make these into a pattern, but I probably wont make them again except for one or two more. I wont have the pattern ready this year though. Sorry.

Anonymous said...

I came across this the other day and would LOVE to buy a pattern...or at the very least see more upclose pictures of each square. I have no intent to sell. Just make one for myself and my two little boys. I know this post is old but hopefully you will read this and respond: jennyrshultz@yahoo.com . Also, I would like to know where you buy your felt. I live in rural Kansas so hopefully I could find quality felt on the web to buy.

MJ said...

found this via Pinterest, such detail!! I am truely amazed that anyone could use felt like this, it is wonderful :)