Confessions of a Non crafty mom

I admit it.  I am not crafty.  I really despise crafts. 
But alas…my offspring are quite the crafters. 
(Where in the genes did they get this?)  Here are a few things I have learned in my journey to a embracing a crafty home.  

1. Embrace the mess.
Keep a place where crafts can occur, and keep paper towels and clorox wipes nearby.  Allow them to go to town.  I choose non-permanent crafts.  Washable glue, washable markers, washable water color paints.  Do you pick up on the keyword?  WASHABLE.
Buy things that they can do on their own.  And let them just do it. 
Include them in clean-up, and give the creative license to create as they wish!

 

2.  Keep crafts accessible
I bought a 3 drawer organizer for all our little crafty pieces and it has been great.  I have a huge tin of crayons, and a basket that has glue, kid scissors, etc., a bin full of paper and envelopes.
My kids have access to ALL the craft materials…even the water color paints.  The only thing they don’t have freedom to get down is the playdough (I have a love hate relationship with playdough--- and finally decided it was a craft that required supervision), the stapler, the big scissors, and the glue gun.  
Allow your kids to use tape and glue.   

 

3.  Keep your craft drawer well stocked!
I am always on the hunt for craft deals.  Target’s 1 spot has had some steals lately.  Check scrapbook clearances, and Craft Stores for cheap additions to your craft drawer.  Googly Eyes are a big hit here and turn any creation into a living creature.  We also got great use out  of this pack of people sticks we got from Lake Shore Learning.    (I purchased all of the above for $5)  Back to school sales have great deals on markers, crayons, glue, and scissors.  Spare buttons from jackets (I never really use those packets of spare buttons ever) get tossed into the drawer, yard, pipe cleaners, scrap wrapping paper.  Toilet paper rolls, recycling, boxes from the mail--- all blank canvases ready for a set of googly eyes and yarn hair!

4.  Display your kids art work
If you have been to our house, you have noticed that our décor is….eh, a tad kid-centric?  Because my walls are adorned with priceless art.  We also started letting the kids “present” their art and explain it to us. We often mail art off to friends and create art for guests coming over for dinner (hand colored placemats, gifts, etc) Children are so proud of themselves when they know you love their work.  And I really do often look at things my kids create and I LOVE it.

 

      

5.  Toss, Clean, and start all over.

I toss art work almost every day.  Yes I love it, yes I plaster my walls with it.  But after a while, it is gone.  8:30 comes around, and kids are asleep and me and my little trash bag go to town.   We toss old art, scrap papers, sweep under the craft table, pick through old crayons, curse (just kidding) the multiple markers and glue sticks left without the caps on (ugh!)  I toss, toss, toss.  And get ready for the mess to happen all over again tomorrow.

~~~~~

 

One thing I do love is Melissa and Doug Sticker books.  They are HUGE, and have sheets and sheets of themes stickers,  My kids create scene after scene mixed with coloring.

Melissa and Doug also have color books (big poster size) and some really great craft pages (great deals on Amazon)

Things I don’t do--

Glitter (yeah, I don’t do glitter)

Finger paints (it has never gone over well)

Crafts that require a ton of parental involvement or supervision

~~~~~

So, there you have it.  A Non-Crafty mom, reformed.  I am a changed woman.  The crafts I once shunned, I now embrace…well, kind of embrace.  But those are some of my tips for beginning to embrace crafts for all of you non-crafty friends.  I hope it encourages you to let your kids get a little crafty!!  

Here’s to craft time!

Celebrating Advent

I know many of you have already started advent devotions or activities.  I posted a picture yesterday of our Advent Tree on Facebook and got so many requests for more details.   So I decided to post more about it here…

I made the advent tree last year. 
And in full disclosure , this is NOT my original idea. 

My Friend Katie Page, actually blogged last year about doing a Jesus Tree (an idea from Noel Piper’s book Treasuring God in our Traditions )  The original idea is to get an ornament to represent each name of God...but finding an ornament for Prince of Peace can be challenging.   Other people I know do a Jesse Tree--- and that goes through different people and events in the Bible all leading up to the Birth of Christ. 


Katie landed on creating cards that she would stick on the wall in the shape of a tree and VOILA…. a new advent tree was created.

I headed to Michael’s Craft Store stocked up on materials and got to “crafting”.  So here are Instructions to Make your own---

Names Of Jesus Advent Tree

Materials--
Bible
24 Green Cards
1 Yellow Cardstock
Decorative stickers or markers
Laminating machine (or kinkos, or contact paper)

 

Instructions--
-Cut out 24 green cards from cardstock
              (I used scrapbook cardstock)

-I then decorated with ornament stickers I found in the scrapbook section

-Write a name of Jesus and the scripture reference on the card.
If you are really on top of it, type the names in a cool font and print on the cardstock… Don’t know why I didn’t do this, as I hate my handwriting. 

-Tape them up on the wall each day, discussing the name of Jesus.

-Pray thanking Jesus for being the “Prince of Peace”, or “our comfort”

-Eventually, as the day month goes on, arrange the cards to form a tree

-The last name – JESUS -- is on a yellow star to be put on Christmas Morning!

-This is also easily packed up to take with you for Christmas Traveling and can easily be put up on another wall so you can complete the tree on Christmas Morning!

Here are the names/verses I used

There are so many options that could be used but I tried to choose ones that would be easily understood by small children.

Beginning and End (Rev. 22:13)
Bread of Life (John 6:35; 6:48)
Bridegroom (Mt. 9:15)
Creator (John 1:3)
Deliverer (Rom. 11:26)
Faithful Witness (Rev. 1:5)
Gate (John 10:9)
God (John 1:1; 20:28; Heb. 1:8; Rom. 9:5; 2 Pet. 1:1;1 John 5:20; etc.)
Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)
Head of the Church (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; 5:23)
I Am (John 8:58)
Immanuel (Mt. 1:23)
Lamb of God (John 1:29)
Light of the World (John 8:12)
Lord (2 Pet. 2:20)
Master (Lk. 5:5; 8:24; 9:33)
Morning Star (Rev. 22:16)
Our Protection (2 Thess. 3:3)
Our Redemption (1 Cor. 1:30)
Rock (1 Cor. 10:4)
Savior (Eph. 5:23; Titus 1:4; 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:20)
True Vine (John 15:1)
Truth (John 1:14; 14:6)
Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6-7)
JESUS

--I also laminated them at Kinkos so they would be usable for years to come.  That way too the tape stick easily, and pulls right off at the end of the season. 

--And you aren’t too late to start!!   I didn't start until Dec 6th last year, and we'll skip days and need to catch up.   SO jump in and make one with or for your kiddos!

~~~~~~~
The kids love taking turns putting the cards up, and will remind me every day to do it.  I hope to get years out of this advent “tree” and pray it helps us (and your family too!) to remember
The  Greatest Gift of all --- JESUS!
~~~~~~~


Lest you think we are only Spiritual---

My kids also love doing their chocolate a day candy… which I have slacked off and haven’t gotten yet.  They are going to have a lot of catching up to do!  (I don’t think they’ll mind)

Happy Advent!

 

And in other news…
I am wrapping up my
Stocking Stuffer Giveaway 
tomorrow, so check out all the
great giveaways by scrolling down my blog.

Jelly Bean Prayer

Jelly Bean Prayer

Red is for the blood He gave,
Green is for the grass He made,
Yellow is for the sun so bright,
Orange is for the edge of night.
Black is for the Sin we made
White is for the Grace He Gave
Purple is for the hour of sorrow,
Pink is for the new tomorrow.

A bag full of Jelly Beans...Colorful and sweet!
It’s a Prayer...It's a promise…
It's a yummy Easter Treat!

 

Last year I made bags of jelly beans with this little poem in it to pass out in Charlotte’s Preschool class.  It is a great way to teach children the Gospel message in a fun and creative way.  You will be surprised at how quickly they actually can memorize it too! 

Enjoy your Jelly Beans!

I am linking up with

Because I love anything to do with Jelly beans.