Pink Paper Peppermints ♥ Life is Sweet ♥

My Sweet Valentine Secret

 


"The secret of the sweet, satisfying companionship of the Lord have they who fear, revere and worship Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its deep, inner meaning."     --Psalm 25:14


Happy Valentines Day Friends!  Hope yours is full of love and blessings!

 

♥ Melissa~

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"We love because He first loved us." -1 John 4:19

Doily Mini-Book Valentine {Scrapbook O' Love}

Here is the little Valentine mini book tutorial I told you about.  I decided to do a small, heart-shaped book of love notes for O-man with the theme of  "10 Things I Love About You". 

Because it's small and essentially uses scraps from your messy art desk, your neatly organized scrap box, it's a pretty quick & easy project to do. 

So here's what you need to get started:

(click on any of the photos for a larger view)

-paper scraps, cut into strips
-memorabilia
-tiny photos
-embellishments such as sequins, ribbons, buttons etc.
-scrapbook cardstock
-3 doilies (size of your choice, I used 4 inch)
-scissors
-pencil
-adhesive

Step One

The first thing you want to do is trim the ruffled edge off one of your doilies so that you can use the doily as a pattern for your book covers.

(I'm saving the part I cut off to use for something else.  Doesn't it look like heart-shaped ric rac?!)

Step Two

Next use your doily as a template to cut out a front and back cover for your book from cardstock. 

I used double-sided cardstock so both sides would be pretty.

Step Three

Now for the photos.  I'm doing a mini-book so I wanted to use mini photos. 

You could just resize your photos on the computer and print them, but I've been saving leftover photo Christmas cards for awhile (the one in the pic is from 2008!) because I knew I could do something fun with the photos, so that's what I used.

Step Four

For the pages I used various bits and pieces of leftover projects, cut down (if necessary) to strips  that would fit in between the heart-shaped covers wihthout sticking out too much.

You can see some of the things I used in the photo above (click to enlarge). I used a piece of a library catalog card to stamp the author (me) and the date for a title page.

(Gratuitous macro shot of pages.  Don't you just love sewn sequins?  I do.)

Step Five

For the "ten things" part I stamped each "thing" across the mini page.  You could also just hand write it or print it from the computer and add it to the page for a neater look.  I like the messy look myself. :)

Step Six

 

Next you'll want to stack the pages neatly inside the book, and add the cover.  Make sure your pages are lined up like you want them.

You can use a small binder clip to hold the stack in place while you sew.  (Put it on the opposite side that you will be sewing.)

I wanted the ribbon from the tag page to stick out of the side of the book so I pushed it in a little further in the stack.

Step Seven

Before you add the doilies you'll want to go ahead and stitch across covers.

(If you stitch after you add the doily it might tear and you might get really sad and almost throw your whole little book in the trash until you decide that you can just take the torn doily off and cover it up with a new one.)

I mean, that could happen.  So just sew the covers & pages first, k?

Step Eight

Now attach  your doilies with adhesive and your beautiful little mini scrapbook of love is finished!

I hope you have fun making one or lots of these!  Let me know if you do, I'd love to see!

Have a great day!

Grace & Peace~

♥ Melissa~

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"May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed."
-Psalm 20:4

Frame the One You Love with a Paper Towel Tube!

I was about to throw this paper towel tube away when Little O came in the kitchen and started chatting with me about his latest adventures climbing our backyard tree.

I was fidgeting with the paper towel tube when I accidentally made a heart.  I looked through the tube at Little O and said, "I {heart} you."

{he gave me one of those half smiles that little boys do when they love their mama and don't want to say, "you're weird mom".}

And then I remembered seeing my friend Mindi take a picture through a paper towel tube (just in the round shape) and wondered if it would work with a heart! 

{Well, I *think* it was Mindi, I can't really remember.  I emailed her, but haven't heard back yet.  But go visit her blog anyway, because she is *so* funny and takes the most amazing pictures and is just sweet and honest and inspiring.)

Update:  I'm not crazy, it *was* her!  Here is the link.

 

Anyway, it *did* work!  So cool. 

If you want to try it just take an empty paper towel tube and pinch it in at the top of one end like this:

 

 

And then take a photo through the other end! 

I found it helps to be further away and then zoom in through the tube (the one below was taken from the kitchen and Little O was in the backyard tree). 

Also if your subject is sitting in too much light it doesn't work as well.  Just experiment with it with your camera.  It's fun!

I'm gonna do something sweet and valentiney with these I think.

Do you have plans for Valentines Day yet?  I'd love to hear about it if you do.

Hope you're havin' a great day.

♥ Melissa~

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"People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart." -1 Samuel 16:7

Chicken Scratch Embroidery Tutorial, Free pattern and Stitch Guide!

I've had so much fun working on this Chicken Scratch (also known as Gingham Embroidery) tutorial for you.  I even designed my very own pattern!  (Which is why it took me so long to post it.)

I was going to make an Easter Egg Pattern, but let's face it, no one in their right mind is going to make fabric, embroidered Easter Eggs three days before Easter, right?

(Well the "in their right mind" part is open to interpretation for most crafty people now isn't it?...heh-heh) 

So maybe we'll just save that for next year.

Instead I made a little cottage pattern which I thought would be fun for Mother's Day and we have over a month to make this into a cute little apron or pillow for our Mamas (or for your daughters who are mamas)! Yay!

Right click above and choose "save link as" to download the free pattern.
(It's a pdf so you'll need the Adobe Reader software you can get here)

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I also made a little stitch guide for you, because when I was first learning how to do Chicken Scratch embroidery I got a kind of confused about what color thread to use and on what color squares the stitches belonged, so I thought this might help you.

Right click above and choose "save link as" to download the free stitch guide.
(It's a pdf so you'll need the Adobe Reader software you can get here)

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There are really only a couple of basic stitches for Chicken Scratch Embroidery and the gingham fabric makes it so easy to see where to stitch.

First I'll show you the Double Cross Stitch.  This one is used to outline your design and also as part of the Lace Stitch. 

When you're outlining you'll use the dark color of whatever color your gingham is and three to six strands of floss on the white color squares.  So in this pattern I used a dark pink and three strands of floss. 

When using the Double Cross Stitch as part of the Lace Stitch you'll use white floss on the dark squares.

(See how this can become confusing when you're first learning?  That's why I made you the Stitch Guide.  Just print it out and look at it as you're practicing and you won't have to remember all this!)

Double Cross Stitch

• Bring your thread (dark if you are outlining which we are here) up at point A and down at point B diagonally across a white square if outlining (a dark square if making the Lace Stitch)
• Then bring your thread up at point C and down at point D crossing over your first stitch.
• Now you have a cross stitch
• Next  you'll bring your thread up at point E and down at point F horizontally over your cross stitch.
• And finally up at point G and down at point H vertically.

It's kind of like a little asterisk that you're making.

It's best to do the design the same each time unlike my example.  I usually go vertical and then across but forgot when I was making the sample.  It just looks prettier if all your stitches go the same way.

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Next I'll show you the Running Straight Stitch.  You use this one in combination with another to create the pretty lace effect.  It's worked on the medium shaded square on your gingham, usually in white.

I used two strands of embroidery floss with this small gingham print, but if you were using a larger one you might use three or even six.

Straight Running Stitch

 
Bring your needle up at point A and down at point B crossing over each medium shaded square according to your pattern.  (When creating the lace you'll do this vertically and horizontally)

When you're finished with your running stitches for the house pattern it should look something like this:

 

Next you'll do what's called a Lace Stitch or Woven Circle Stitch.  You'll go around twice or you can double your thread and just go around once. (I always go around twice, because...well...it's fun. ;P)

Lace Stitch

• Bring your needle up under a running stitch at point A.
• Weave the needle under the next running stitch at point B, being careful not to pick up any fabric.  You're weaving the thread between the fabric and the stitch.
• Weave the needle under the next running stitch at point C.
• And then again at point A going around twice (unless you've doubled your thread, then just go around once)
• Finish the stitch by going into the fabric where you started at point A.

 

Now your little house will look something like this:

 

To finish off your lace stitch you'll want to fill in the dark squares with a white Double Cross Stitch.

Like this:

 

The door and window are just more of these same stitches we've learned!  So now you know how to make Chicken Scratch Embroidery!

I would love to see your pretty things if you make something with the pattern!  If you have any questions just drop me an email or ask in the comments and I will answer there.

Have a fantastic Easter weekend!

Grace & Peace,

♥ Melissa~

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"God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never really die." -John 3:16

Crochet Bunnies and Chicken Scratch Embroidery Eggs

Thank you all for the warm welcome back here and in emails.  You guys are the best. :)

Here are some more Eastery things I've been working on as promised.

First my little crochet bunny egg.  He came out pretty cute, but I'm not crazy about how I embroidered his face.  He looks kinda mad, don't you think? 

I think I might pull it out and do it again.  I do love his little ears though. 

 

I found the pattern here at Lindamade.  She is just full of all kinds of crafty and crochet-y things.  She also has a pattern there for little chick eggs and plain ol' Easter eggs. 

These work up really fast (although  you will get a cramp in your wrist if you try to sit and crochet for an hour without stopping.  Just sayin'.).  I'm planning to do a few more for my nephew & niece.

Next I've been working on some fabric eggs.  I saw some at the quilt show recently that were so pretty so I wanted to try my own version.  

As a novice sewer I'm really having trouble sewing the curvy seams.  They are coming out kind of wonky and with little bumps in them.  Any advice on that from you experienced seamstresses?

 

The other thing I've been trying on my Easter eggs is a form of embroidery called Chicken Scratch.  It is done on gingham and comes out looking like lace.  You've probably seen it on vintage aprons like these. 

It's really fun once you get the hang of it and lace and gingham are two of my favorite things so I just loved working on these.  At first you don't see it, but as you're stitching the lace just appears like magic!

I learned the basic stitches by muddling through this article but it's a little confusing and hard to understand especially for me as I am a pretty visual learner, so I thought I would try my hand at a tutorial for you this week.  I'll also include the template for my Easter eggs so you can sew up some of your own!

(oh come on, you have plenty of time it's a whole week and a half before Easter!)

See you soon with the tutorial.  Hope you're having a lovely spring week!

♥Melissa

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"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  -I Corinthians 5:7

hello friends

It's a lovely spring day and Teen-O is at grandma's for spring break, Little-O is with daddy at work and I am sitting in a quiet house, (I could not spell quiet for the life of me.  Took me three tries. Must be my unfamiliarity with the word...heh-heh) so I thought it would be a good time to get back here and catch up with you all.

I must admit the last few months have been...well...difficult.  But there have also been some wonderful moments.  All-in-all the Lord has been faithful and kind and I am stronger than I was and maybe a bit more humble.  It's interesting what challenging circumstances will do to your perspective if you let them.

I want to thank all of you, so much, who wrote and asked about me and prayed for me and encouraged me without knowing the details of what was happening.

It's humbling and comforting to receive such kindness from those you've never met in person.  I wish I could bring you each a batch of chocolate chip cookies and give you a big hug.

I hope you'll understand that I don't feel comfortable sharing the details here, but I would be so grateful if you continued to lift me up in prayer when you think of it.

Now that things are starting to slip back into a routine, I've been crafting right along and have lots of fun things to share with you. I am really looking forward to visiting your blogs and twittering away and just generally wasting too much time on the computer again....heh-heh.  

I've mostly been crocheting lots of little things.  It is such a nice craft because you can pick it up and take it with you anywhere.  There are so many free patterns online that I don't think I'll ever run out of things to crochet.

This is my most recent project.

 
A spring garland, banner, bunting type of thing made from round crochet granny circles.  I found the pattern here at the Royal Sisters blog and just fell in love with it. 

I already have quite the crush on granny squares...so now...granny circles?! Love!  Be sure and visit the blog with some time on your hands because you'll find lots of other wonderful crochet patterns there as well, and wonderful pictorial tutorials too! (I like pictorial tutorials...even the words sound nice).

I just folded the circles in half over some bakery twine to make my garland. (I had to take a little stitch in the bottom so the circles would stay folded in half.)  I really love it.  I made some extras to use as coasters too, they work up really quickly.  Now I'm trying to think of what else I can do with them.

I'm working on some bunny eggs that I will share with you next. 

I hear the pitter-patter of  Little-O feet so I think my quiet time is over.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  Thank you again for your kindness.

Grace & Peace,

♥ Melissa~

PS The scripture above is a high res graphic that I made into a little poster to encourage myself.  Feel free to click and print the larger version and hang it on your fridge if you need some encouragement too. :)

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"...but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us..."
-Romans 5:3&4

two monkeys and a yo-yo

Random thoughts so far this year:

ONE

For some reason when January comes around each year, it is so hard for me to get back into the routines I had before Christmas.  I have this sort of hazy-fog-of-an-idea of what I had been doing before Thanksgiving came. 

You know like when you walk into a room for something but on the way to the room you start thinking about something else so that by the time you *get* to the room you're standing in the doorway saying...."now what did I come in here for?"....

{other people do that right?}

I'm standing in February saying, "now what did I come in here for?"  This may or may not be the reason you haven't seen me in awhile.  Just sayin'.

TWO

This is interesting.  It's called Typealyzer and analyzes your personality based on what you write on your blog or rather the personality of your blog.

Here's mine:

ESFP - The Performers [ESFP]

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

Pretty acurate I think except for the "tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation" part, but I think that is an anomaly in my personality (one that I'm trying to get rid of actually). 

What's your blog's type?

THREE

The snack of chocolate milk and cinnamon toast mixed with a little prayer can make a bad day seem not so bad after all.

FOUR

I *knew* Jin was still alive.

FIVE

If you need some last minute ideas for Valentines day The Crafty Crow has a marvelous array of them (and I'm not just saying that because I happen to be featured...*cough*).

SIX

I personally am completely unprepared for heart day tomorrow having let it sneak up on me while I was standing in February trying to remember what I came in here for. 

SEVEN

I think that's enough for now.  Life off my computer is quite busy these days with church activities and homeschool activities and house cleaning and organizing.

{actually the last one is just hopeful thinking...heh-heh}

I'll be around (Lord willing), just not quite as often for a little while. 

I hope you're all having a wonderful start to this new year.  Thanks for the encouraging emails as well as pokes & prods to get back here.

Grace & Peace,

♥ Melissa~
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"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins."
-1 Peter 4:8

old things are passed away

i am running into a new year
and the old years blow back
like a wind
that i catch in my hair
like strong fingers like
all my old promises and
it will be hard to let go
of what i said to myself
about myself
when i was sixteen and
twentysix and thirtysix
even thirtysix but
i am running into a new  year
and i beg what i love and
i leave to forgive me

  

--lucille clifton, from Good Woman: Poems and a Memoir 1969-1980

My one goal as I look back over the last year is to let go of  failures and mistakes, release my grip on regrets and instead embrace lessons learned. 

I want to, as Paul so eloquently put it in Philippians 3,

"focus on this one thing: forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
 -Philippians 3:13-14

Happy New Year friends, can't wait to see what God has planned for 2009!

His Grace and Peace for you in abundance this year,

♥ Melissa~

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"We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in that way.  Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between Himself and us, and He has given us the work of making peace between Himself and others."
-1 Corinthians 5:15-18

three minutes that will change your life

Wanna get plugged in?  For three minutes that will change your life, watch this:

If you'd like to hear stories from Brian Welch, Jason Castro, Stephen Baldwin and others who've been plugged in go to:

I Am Second

Happy Christmas Eve!

♥ Melissa~
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"They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this Child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often."

it's the most wonderful time of the year

I'm a little late for the Christmas Tour, but this is what Christmas is looking like around here (mouse over the photos for a description)...

   

 

 

 

 

I'm baking Italian Cream Cake and Chocolate Cream Pie and making macaroni salad and wrapping presents like crazy (even though I told myself I wouldn't wait 'til the last minute this year) and listening to Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra sing Christmas carols and having a very merry Christmas...how about you?

Happy Christmas Eve eve...

His Grace and Peace,

♥ Melissa~

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"And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
-Luke 2:9-12

a Christmas letter from Jesus

An email has been circulating with this letter.  It makes me smile.  Thought you might enjoy it too. 

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.

Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime, how I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own.

I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just get along and love one another.

Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then put a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all my followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree.

Decorate a grapevine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If  you have forgotten, look up John 15:1-8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is My wish list. Choose something from it:

 1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

 2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

 3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don’t you write and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family.

 4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

 5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

 6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless?  Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

 7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one.

 8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary– especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

 9. Here’s a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive.  If you don’t know them, buy some food and gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Believer. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

 Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself.  Just love Me and do what I have told you to to. I’ll take care of all the rest.

Check out the list above and get to work; time is short.  I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court.

 Do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember:

 I Love you,

 Jesus

Hope you're having a Merry Christmas.

His Grace & Peace,

♥ Melissa~
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"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are My disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."
-John 13:34-35

crafty paper angels

I am in the process of getting a new computer!

(well, a "new-to-*me*-recycled-from-someone-who-is-*really*-getting-a-new-computer", computer...heh-heh)

Yay! 

And also...*ugh*...

...because, you know, getting a new computer means...

nothing is where it should be

and things have to be installed and exported and imported and deported or whatever...

and you know...other technical/nightmarish stuff that makes you very cranky with your husband whom you love dearly and with whom you would normally *never* be cranky...

{I mean...for some people that's what getting a new computer means...}

Anyway...since I can't really post photos today and the candy cane paper angel was a hit, I thought I'd give you some links to other lovely paper angel projects.

But first some flickr goodness to inspire you:

1. Joyeux Noel angel ornament, 2. Quilted Angel Ornament, 3. Felted sweater angel ornaments, 4. Angel Party Ornament Favor, 5. angel bear, 6. I will fly..., 7. gorgeous gifts designed and made by rosalie quinlan, 8. angels designed and made by rosalie quinlan, 9. Angel bag, 10. xmas-crafts-in-felt-angel, 11. Angel with a fabric heart, 12. Angels, 13. Singing Angel, 14. white angel, 15. angel ,,

And now for the links:

A wonderful, "flat stanley" type of angel from felt or paper!
Perfect little gift ornament to include with your Christmas cards. (I mean, next year, because of course we've all sent them out already this year, right?...*cough*) 

A sweet little spoon paper angel

Origami Angels

Love this! A kitchen angel with your little one's face!

Cute 3-D angel pattern

A felt, teddy bear angel with a little pocket

Fabulous Paper Plate Angel from Martha

Hope you're having fun this season and making sweet memories...

Grace & Peace,

♥ Melissa~

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"The angel looked as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow."
-Matthew 28:3

a sweet peppermint angel candy cane crafty craft

This is a super sweet little Christmas craft I came up with for the kiddos to make & give to friends at church, homeschool group, etc.  It's so quick and easy! (my favorite kind of craft)

 

What you need to get started:

 

the angel pattern (download here)
paper (we used scrapbook paper, but you could use wrapping paper, construction paper or even fabric or felt)
scissors
pencil/pen
candy canes
embellishments if desired (sequins, glitter, stickers etc.)

Step One:

Print out the pattern and cut it out. 

 

The pattern should be about 7" long when you print it out.  If it's not, you may need to enlarge it (choose: file: print preview: scale: 125%).

Step Two:

Cut slits on the dashed lines only and fold back the paper.

 

Step Three:

Fold your patterned paper in half with wrong side facing out and trace the angel on the fold.

 

 

Step Four:

Cut out the angel that you traced on the patterned paper.

 

When you cut the slits for the candy canes, only cut the sides of the slits as shown above (not the top part).

Step Three:

Open the angel up and write a message on the back if it's for a special friend.  Or decorate it with glitter and sequins.

Or just leave it plain.

Step Four:

Insert the candy cane from the back in an "over/under" pattern as shown below.

 

Step Five:

Delight friends and family with a sweet treat. :)

(and take photos so I can see!  I love it when ya'll send me photos of the projects you've made with my patterns and tutorials--

Hey, I was just thinking, maybe I should start a flickr group for all the photos you guys are always sending me?  I will work on that tonight & post when it's done!  I did it!  We have our own flickr group now, so if you make the angels go an upload them there--or if you've made flowers or turkeys or any projects featured here upload them to share with us all! yippee! I'm so excited!  Here is the link:

Pink Paper Peppermints -- Readers Get Crafty

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We're on our way to a *very* busy Christmas-y weekend of decorating and church activities and visiting and a ladies Christmas brunch...

{I'm teaching the ladies how to make a little fabric ornament that I'll show you next week.}

Sneak Peek:

Have a wonderful and blessed weekend!

Grace & Peace this lovely Christmas season,

♥ Melissa~
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"May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the LORD."
-Psalm 104:34

a super fun kids craft -- make a scrapbook paper, thanksgiving turkey, place card favor-wahoo!

We've been making turkey place cards and favors over the last few days and having so much fun that I thought I should share.

 
mama's scrapbook version

 
Little O's paper plate version

It looks a little complicated at first, but it's really simple once you make one and they go together pretty quickly so you still have time to make some for thanksgiving! 

Here's what you need to get started:

turkey pattern (download here)
scrapbook paper (I used almost all Elsie's from her adorable Zoe collection.  It's double-sided so my turkey looks just as cute from the back as it does from the front! The brown paper is Over the Moon Press)
paper plates or construction paper
plain white paper
scissors
adhesive
ribbon
crayons

Step One

For little ones who are using a plate you'll want to draw a square in the center of the back side of the plate that is about 2.5 x 2.5 inches.

Then draw lines from the corner of each square, out to the edge of the plate. These are your cutting lines.

If you're using scrapbook paper or construction paper for your turkey then you'll need to trace the paper plate on the back of your paper first and then create the cutting pattern.

Step Two

 

Next, cut your paper or plate on the four lines, stopping when you get to the square.

Step Three

(I'm switching to patterned paper  in the photos for better visibility but the steps are the same for paper plate or construction paper)

Now fold and score each section of paper on the square lines as above.

Step Four

Next you'll want to fold and score each of the four sections in from the corner of the square as in the photo above.

It should look something like this when you're finished:

Step Five

 

Now begin to fold the sides up to form the cup.  The right and left side flaps should be inside the cup.

 

The front and back flaps should be on the outside.

Use your favorite adhesive to attach the back flaps to the inside of the cup.

The front flaps will only be attached on the inside to create wings.

Step Six

Now cut out and trace (or color) and glue your feathers, face etc.  (well not *your* face, I mean the turkey pattern face...heh-heh)

I have to say, I especially fell in love with these turkey legs because it looks like he has the word "art" tattooed on his thighs, heh-heh.

My little guy created his own design on the feathers and plate and then colored them.

(we're learning about the five senses right now, so that's the mat you see under his work surface)

I found with the feathers, that it was easier to lay them out, arrange them, glue them together and *then* glue them to the bird rather than trying to glue them individually.

Step Seven

Now you can make name cards and attach with ribbon...

Or make a little sign with a favorite Thanksgiving scripture or quote for him to hold:

The cup is fairly large and could hold candy corns or snacks (maybe line it with plastic wrap first) or napkins or any number of things you might want on your Thanksgiving table this year.

You could also just make one and use it as a centerpiece.

I think these would be really cute made from felt or fabric too and then you could save them to use each year!

Have fun making these and send me links if you post photos!

Grace and Peace,

♥ Melissa~

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"...singing a song of Thanksgiving, telling of all Your wonders."
-Psalm 26:7