Advent Calendar Ornament Tree

I've been searching and searching for a creative advent calendar/Christmas countdown display that would be an affordable and easy craft.  I saw so many great ideas on other blogs, but many of them required intensive sewing or an expensive decal/sticker cutter, requiring either lots of time or lots of money...neither of which I was going to swing.  So, I thought about it for a few days and came up with a miniature Christmas tree with numbered ornaments that either countdown or count-up to Christmas.

Materials:
- Small artificial Christmas tree - mine measures approx. 12 inches tall from base branch to tip-top and just happens to have a base wrapped in burlap with a red bow around it...lucky me
- Pot or container to hold the tree (This time of year hardware stores have great deals on pots in the garden section. I found this one made out of recycled plastic wrappers for $5)

- 25 small ornaments (I purchased a 27-count package of round glass ornaments at the local craft store)
- A paint pen (I chose gold to contrast with the red ornaments)

Very Simple Directions:
1) Bust out the paint pen, and holding each ornament carefully write a number (1 through 25) on each one.  Set the ornaments somewhere where they won't be disturbed so they can fully dry.

2) If you haven't done so already, place your tree in the pot or container.

3) Place the finished ornaments in a small decorative dish or bowl next to your tree, so they are easy to grab and place on your tree each day.  I set mine in a glass star dish I bought for $1 at the Dollar Tree (love that store!). Don't they look beautiful, just sitting in the dish?

That's it folks!  A festive and super easy afternoon (or baby naptime...) project.  Here is the finished product again:

I know I'm a bit late with this project since we're already several days into December, but that's ok because you just have more ornaments to place on the tree when you first put it out.  Hope you enjoy! -Kristen