DIY Advent Calendar & Rockwell Tools Giveaway!

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Have you ever had one of those projects that’s been on your list for years but you just can’t seem to check it off? Well, this is one of those and I am SO glad I finally buckled down and finished it! I love advent calendars and I’ve had this idea to make one using these tiny galvanized buckets for the past few years and I finally completed it and guess what, I think I love it more than I imagined!

Today I’m giving you a glimpse into how I made my new DIY Advent Calendar using Rockwell Tools and if you keep scrolling you just might have a chance to win some tools of your own!

Miss E helped with most of the project and she is so excited to start using it on December 1. I used these tiny galvanized buckets I found on Amazon. I actually started this project last year, you may remember my ornament post here, but I never actually got to the calendar part.

These little buckets are the perfect size to place candy, little toys, notes, or scripture to countdown the days until Christmas.

So are you ready for a quick tutorial using some of the most amazing tools ever?!

Supplies:

– (5) pieces of 30″ X 4″ X 1 ” wood (Keep in mind, 4″ wood from the lumber store is really 3 1/2″)

– (2) pieces of 17 1/2″ X 2″ wood

– (10) 1 1/2″ screws

– (25) 2″ nails

– (25) 2″ Bucket Pails

– Measuring Tape

– Wood Glue

– White Paint

– Decorative Element for Top

–  Compact Circular Saw

I couldn’t be happier with our new move, but unfortunately I don’t have an official workspace yet. We don’t have a workbench or anything in our garage for that matter, which has made working on DIY projects a little challenging for me. I’ve been doing a lot Macgyver setups! Untilllll, I got this the JawHorse from Rockwell Tools. This portable workstation has been nothing short of life changing. I kid you not I don’t know how I have worked this long without it.

The JawHorse folds up into a compact space making it easy for transportation or storage. With just a simple steps it turns into an awesome work station. It’s really sturdy, and gives you the opportunity to securely work on pieces up to 37″.

For my advent calendar, I measured all of my wood first and then cut at once. All I had to do was clamp my wood in place by pushing the button into lock and pushing the food lever down to fully secure it and go. The whole process took seconds. I would lock, cut, unlock, move the piece over, cut. I cannot tell you how much easier this is than trying to balance the piece of wood on a table and having to clamp it each time. I am pretty sure I cut all of my wood for this project in under 5 min.

I’m not exaggerating when I say I’m in love and I will probably be getting a lot more DIY projects done now that I have this!

Now let’s talk saws. I’ve been in the market for a  new circular saw. Mine hit the dust a few months ago and I honestly haven’t found one I like yet. I decided to give the Compact Circular Saw a try and this was really impressive. Good things really do come in small packages!

Most of my DIY projects tend to be on a smaller scale, most likely decorative pieces for our home so I don’t need a large circular saw. This Compact Circular Saw is absolutely perfect for me, it’s small, lightweight yet sturdy, the guide is really sleek and it’s powerful.

The saw feels very ergonomically correct. It feels very natural, there is not learning curve and I was really impressed with the ease that it cut the wood. Such a clean cut with little effort.

Here are all of my pieces of wood for this project.

I quickly sanded down the edges to smooth them out, very little was needed.

Then, I secure the smaller pieces using wood glue and screws. You want to make sure there is a screw going through each plank.

I gave my sign 2 coats of satin white paint and then measured for my nail holes. I spaced my buckets out 5″ a part and placed 5 buckets on each plank. 

For the final decorative elements, I made a vinyl sign using my Silhouette and used this graphic. You can also learn more about how I decorated the buckets here. The little greenery and twine just gave it the final touch I was looking for!

I can’t wait to start using it on December 1 to start using it! The kids are so excited.

GIVEAWAY

Now it’s your turn to win the BLADERUNNER PORTABLE TABLETOP SAW from Rockwell Tools! Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Open to US Residence only, 18 years and older. Prize valued at $119!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AND THERE IS MORE!

As part of Rockwell’s “Tools for People that Rock” holiday campaign, the company is hosting a huge “Give One, Get one” Sweepstakes which runs until January 31^st, 2015. Participants have the chance to win two ULTIMATE sets of Rockwell Tools for themselves and someone they love. There will be 10 runners-up, who will each win 2 Sonicrafter F50 for themselves AND someone they love.

You can learn more information about Rockwell Tools through all of its social media channels:

• Facebook @RockwellTools
• Twitter @RockwellTools
• Pinterest @RockwellTools
• YouTube @RockwellTools
• Instagram @RockwellTools

About Taryn Whiteaker

Taryn Whiteaker is the voice of style behind TarynWhiteaker.com (formerly Design, Dining and Diapers) ! Taryn is a previous PR/Marketing professional who got back to her creative roots after becoming a mom and now shares her passion for home decor and design for the world to see. Taryn lives in the greater Seattle area with her husband and three kids and loves coffee, the outdoors, and exploring with her family.