Giving back (a lesson for me in gratitude)

It's so easy for me to get wrapped up in the daily life. Get up, make the coffee, get kiddos dressed, throw in the laundry (sometimes grumbling about how it never stops), yell at kids to do dishes, go to grocery store, etc. (You get the idea). Worrying about shallow things like who doesn't like me this week. Bad news all around us - unemployment rates, gas prices, grocery prices....

I've decided that I want to teach my children (and myself) that we are blessed beyond measure. That our "problems" could be much different and wider in scope. We have food to eat (good food too!), we have more than enough clothes to wear (though some of us may not be as stylish as we want!), we have a nice home with a nice bed to sleep in, we have clean water to drink.

When complaints arise about any of these things (from me as much as the children), I want to remember those who have less. Like the children in Africa. I don't say that as a guilt trip like moms that want their children to eat their brussels sprouts. I want to inspire gratefulness in my own heart as well as those of my children. I also want to live as those "to whom much is given, much is required." So I jumped at the opportunity to get involved with Kristen at We Are That Family and her Do it For Others Project for July. I volunteered as a seamstress to create dresses for Little Dresses for Africa out of pillowcases and supplies sent in by readers of the We Are That Family blog.

I created 10 dresses with the supplies I received with the help of my 12 year old and 10 year old daughters.



Here are some of our favorites.











This gave me an opportunity to dwell on how blessed I truly am and to thank God for His many blessings in my life. Gratitude is the key to a soft heart. Realizing what we have versus the ambition to always acquire more, new, better.....

It has also given me a door to discussion with my children. My 3 year old repeatedly asked when HER dresses would be finished and I was able to talk with her about how some of these children only have 1 dress and how thankful they will be to receive these.

I am resolved to continue to be an example of God's Love. AND to teach my children to do the same. It's the right thing to do.

DIY rocking chair refinish

I have been itching to do some re-purposing....

I also wanted to get Gigi a chair that is her own size.

So when I came across this gem at a garage sale for $5, I snatched it up. I looked at it and thought "It can't be that much work."



I had read on another website that Easy-Off Oven-Cleaner worked well for removing paint. I happened to have some handy. So I sprayed it down and let it sit for 5 minutes. Wow, the paint did come off pretty easily, too!



However, I didn't count on how many layers of paint were on this chair!



These are the colors I remember seeing. Lavender, Navy blue, yellow, aqua, red, and white. Whew! Three rounds of stripping. 2 coats of primer and then 2 coats of glossy white paint.

The finished product - and Gigi loves it!

"Puffy" boxes

I went to a card-making class last night and learned to make these puffy boxes. I couldn't resist sharing! They are super-simple, super-cute and can be made with stuff most of us have around our homes.



So here goes - my pics aren't great, but hopefully you get the idea -

First, take a CD and mark the middle on all four "sides" with a sharpie.




Next, take a piece of patterned paper and on the wrong side trace around the outside of the cd. Mark the four "center" marks too.



Then line up the cd between two adjacent marks and draw around the cd again.


Now, draw "ovals" inside each cirle from mark to mark.


Then cut around the outside.


Next, fold along oval marks. Be careful and take your time, folding only a little at a time, since it is on a curve. I found starting in the center was easier than saving the center for the end.


This is what it should look like when it is all pre-creased.

Then cut approx 27 inches of ribbon. Fold box together, Wrap ribbon around and tie.


Voila! These would be sooooo cute for gift-wrapping earrings, lip gloss, bath salts or fizzies, a handful of chocolates, tealight candles, etc. How about using them for a wedding or baby shower favor?



I might try some larger circles too, to make a little larger box...

My 10 year old had no problem making these. My 6 year old and 8 year old needed help holding the cd still while tracing and folding on the lines. But it provided a great motor skill activity (and boredom buster!) We made 7 between the four of us in around an hour (that included gathering the supplies and cleaning up)!

BTW - The giveaways for Saints in Limbo and Stealing Home end tomorrow. Check out the links in the right sidebar! (I'll probably post the winners on Monday.) The Sisterchicks giveaway lasts until next Friday!

Egg Update

After a request - here's how we did the eggs. After prepping the color dyes (any will do - traditional food coloring dilutes or egg dye kits) and hard-boiling the eggs,

1 - We dye each egg it's first base color. Usually the lighter colors work best, graduating to the darker colors on subsequent layers.
2 - Allow egg to dry.
3 - Drizzle or "paint" egg with rubber cement. Can make patterns but we like the "randomness" approach.
4 - Allow rubber cement to dry. (We usually hold the "ends" of the egg and blow like crazy - it may not help - but it keeps the kiddos occupado!)
5 - Dip egg in another color.
6 - allow egg to dry.

We usually do another round of rubber cement and dye too. Don't remove the first rubber cement if you decide to do this.

Do not peel or rub off any of the rubber cement until the eggs are dry, or the colors will smear. When dry the rubber cement just peels or rubs away. The dyes also change color as you dip other colors in, just keep that in mind.

I can't take credit for this idea. But I also can't give it to who it's due either, because I don't remember where I got it from. We did it for the first time probably 5 years ago. I think it might have been on Martha Stewart's program, but I'm not sure.

This does take some time, with all the drying in between rounds, but it's also fun to see them experiment with colors and patterns and can be used as a colors object lesson. With younger children you can talk about mixing colors, like "the egg is yellow and now we are dipping it in blue, what color will it be?" and with older kids talking about patterns, symmetry, balance and complementary colors, etc.

I try not to let the talk stifle their creativity.

Easter crafts

While my children are taught the REAL reason for Easter, and their need for a Savior and the hope of the resurrection, we do like us some spring crafts!

Of course - Easter eggs -

We made these designs with rubber cement. One of my favorite ways to color eggs!



And of course - these cute handprint lilies -














AND - after my shower, what did I find but this simple word at the base of our beautiful lilies -