{craft hope: beanies & bags}

check out my post over here on craft hope.  this one should be fun!

{how pinterest saved Christmas}

i have always tried to make at least some of the Christmas gifts we give each year.  creating and working with my hands is something i really enjoy doing, but don't find time for nearly often enough.  (unless you count laundry and dishes as working with my hands.)  the holidays always seem like the perfect opportunity.

here's the thing though.  i am really not creative in my own right.  i copy others ideas really well and often tweak them to make them my own.  i just don't always come up with alot of *new* ideas.  we'll call this my disclaimer.

enter pinterest...

i have shared my loved of pinterest here, but let me just say, seriously, it made coming up with gift ideas SO MUCH easier.  here is the board i made with ideas of advent conspiracy gift ideas.

here are a few of my favorites: (links are to original posts & instructions)

these wooden spoons  were so much fun to make for the grandparents.  (i should have had the kids make some for me too!)  aiden and miles drew the designs and mike burned them in with a woodburner.  this would be great for mother's day as well.

these hex nut bracelets for my niece turned out better than i expected...really cute!  kind of a more grown-up take on a friendship bracelet.  if you have a hard time finding "ball chain", check the electrical aisle.  it's what pull chains for lights are made from.  ;) 

image via design dazzle

owen and i had a great time making these bird feeders for grandparents, teachers, etc.  they were super fast and he could do alot of this alongside me (measuring, stirring, picking the shape of the cookie cutter, cutting the twine, pressing the seed in, etc.)

image via apartment therapy

i didin't get a picture of this, but i made something similiar with six hearts for my mom and jer.  i cut up an old atlas and used the locations of their homes, cabin, cities where the kids and their parents live for my hearts.  (note: buy your frame first and plan your hearts accordingly.  i didn't do this and was then stuck a bit on frame size.  no good.)

image via bluemoss girls

and since i had already cut up the atlas...ha!  i made something similiar to this for my in-laws.  i just backstitched the route between boston and madison and added hearts around the city names.  (if you end up doing something similiar, i would recommed pre-poking the stitch holes since you only get one shot at getting your needle/thread in the right place.)

i typically make an ornament each year as well.  this year we made a few.

the kids had fun making these handprint snowmen that i saw on meg's blog last year.  we used washi japanese masking tape from etsy for the scarves and hats.  the boys used blue and green ornaments for theirs.

these trees are from here via pinterest.  the kids and i took a walk at the forest preserve to collect the sticks.  they easily cut to size with tree loppers.  the kids then painted the sticks and mike drilled all the holes.  these were a bit labor intensive, but fun.  aiden's teacher got one with her birdfeeders!

and last...my favorite.  i was inspired by this image.

Palomas nest

i loved the simplicity of the design and love how great white ornaments look on a dark green tree. 

this is what i came up with.

they also worked as gift tags on our presents

i used sculpey polymer clay from michaels and rolled it out on parchment paper.  the clay is really hard so this was a bit of a workout.  i used snowflake cookie cutters to cut out shapes and then used a toothpick to punch a hole at the top for a hanger.  i got alphabet rubber stamps from the $1 bin at michaels and added the kids names or words like "noel".  then just follow the instructions on the package to bake them.  on some i used the wire ornament hangers and on some i used bakers twine. 

variations of these might also be cute for valentine's day.  i could see using clay in other colors and making knock off conversation hearts.  you could also easily glue a magnet on back.  i just may have to add that to the to-do list.  ;)

{living water}

our church is full of insanely talented and creative people.  people with big hearts for loving others.

as part of our advent conspiracy celebration, REUNION has collaborated with Old Try in making Christmas cards.  these aren't just any old cards, these are cards with a mission.  $3 from the sale of each card goes to drill fresh water wells for those living in developing countries.  those suffering from thirst, drought, and disease.

stats tell us that americans spend 450 billion dollars on Christmas every year.  and the thing is, it is estimated that 20 billion would solve the worls's water crisis. clean water could change the world.  Christmas [can] still change the world.   

pictures courtesy of Old Try

pretty cool, huh?!  if you are local here in boston, you can grab some at any REUNION gathering.  out-of-towners can purchase online through old try here, 

join us in helping to make Christmas Good News for all!

{craft hope: Christmas in dixie}

I've talked about craft hope before.  Craft Hope is a "love inspired project designed to share handmade crafts with those who need them. It is our hope to combine our love for crafting and desire to help others into a project to make a difference around the world. "

Well, they have a new project called Christmas in Dixie .  Christmas in Dixie aims to “provide handmade stockings for the 12,000 families that lost everything to tornadoes this year. Yes, 12,000 families that will not be pulling the Christmas ornaments and decorations out of their attic. 12,000 families that have to build their lives again. We know we cannot do everything, but we can do little things. And these little things make a BIG difference.

In addition to having nothing, these families will face new needs that this season will bring, such as winter clothing, funds for heating, and gifts for their family members or in addition to the everyday needs they now face. There are groups helping supply toys for tots, churches help with clothing and food, even the Government will help somewhat. But no one will be concerned with these items that help form the traditions, and memories that we all remember as we grow up. We can only imagine how worry will begin to creep into the back of many moms’ minds, realizing Christmas is just around the corner and once again they will be reminded of those items that mean so much, like ornaments handmade through the years, pictures with Santa, and their own personal stocking being lost and gone for ever.”  Excerpt from the Craft Hope website

some homemade favorites of mine...

image via marthastewart.com

via hgtv.com

via pinterest (hable construction stockings)

Maybe it's because I just had so much fun sewing pillowcase dresses, or maybe it's because they are forecasting a hurricane here this weekend and my thoughts are going out to those who have experienced devastation this year.  Either way, this sounds like a wonderful way to bless a family this holiday season.

The deadline for this project is Sept 23, 2011.  Check out the website for more details.

{little dresses for the DR party}

a couple weeks ago i hosted our second annual little dresses for the DR party.  friends came and spent the afternoon transforming pillowcases into dresses for girls living in the dominican republic.  it would have been fun to just hang out with these great ladies having snacks and sangria, but knowing we were sending love across the miles just made it that much more fun. our missions team from REUNION then hand delivered them the following week.

our playroom turned sweatshop! we were working in the attic on one of the hottest days this summer.

(i find it amusing that there is a snowman in the background of a pic taken in august.)

aiden modeling for us

and maybe the sweetest picture of all...a little dominican girl in her new dress.  makes my heart sing!

to read more about making pillowcase dresses for impoverished children, check out little dresses for africa.  you can find the instructions here, or just do a google search for a zillion variations on this dress.

more to come on the trip itself.  stay tuned...

{craft hope}

“Craft Hope is a love inspired project designed to share handmade crafts with those who need them.  It is our hope to combine our love for crafting and desire to help others into a project to make a difference around the world.” From the Craft Hope website

we are always on the lookout for ways to teach our children about compassion, social justice and love for all, in age appropriate and relevant ways.  craft hope is making this easy with project 12: orphan outreach.  through projects like this, craft hope seeks to empower a generation to change the future.   project 12 is about making bracelets to give to orphans living in a crisis center in Leningrad as a way to tangibly show them His love. 

this sunday at REUNION, the elementary kids made these bracelets to send on to orphan outreach.  they did an awesome job and we are encouraging them to make more at home with their own families.

it's just bracelets.  i can make bracelets, my kids can make bracelets.  such an easy thing to do that could really bring a smile to another child's face halfway around the world.

owen was posing with the bracelets and wanted me to take a pic of the bracelets "and his muscles!"

any kind of bracelets are accepted.  for some gorgeous pics of jersey fabric bracelets, see these images from ashley ann.  we are making some of these too and they are so fun and quick.

check out the details via the link about for deadlines and such and get busy creating!

{you are fab!}

I spotted this great Compliment Bunting here and fell in love.  I can think of so many uses for this, but I think I might save it for my kids' teachers for Teacher Appreciation Day (sshhh...don't tell!)

Check out the link above and you can download a .pdf for free!

{a favorite Christmas gift}

Aiden worked on this gift for months...literally.  her class started it back in sept and she was so excited to give it to us (sweetly wrapped in homemade stamped wrapping paper!)  we will proudly hang it in the kitchen.  i'll have to remember this idea for next year when advent conspiracy rolls around and we are looking for gifts to make for family.

a few of my fav months...

and that sweet first grade handwriting...love it!