Bath Packs

 So These are Kealins Bath packs for his younger brothers. Last week he was sick from school and we had a chance to sit down together and research some ideas. The face cloths were originally a hand puppet idea. I told Kealin i had some toweling and we could make them into bath toys, (my kids LLOOVVEE face cloths) so the decision was made. Kealin cut everything out even the spikes on the dragons but mumma did the sewing. We just made up a shape and i made sure the eyes were on very securely. For the sponges i just bought cheapy ones from the supermarket and Kealin drew the pictures and cut them out. I had him think about and practice what he was going to do first so that we knew it would fit on the sponge, and you could tell what the picture was when it was cut out. And Then He choose to put them into a clear plastic bag i had spare from sheet sets i bought, (i keep all these things) one for each pack. Maybe if we have time, and i can find borax we will make soaps to go in them.

Photo Cube

So i suppose the beauty of having young kids that cant craft for themselves yet is that you  get to do it for them. Unless you don't like crafting therefore it would be a thorn in your side but then you woulnt choose these activities if that was the case...Anyhow this is a picture cube for my dad, i wrote on there "for Poppy" so i suppose it can come from one of the little ones. These are featured a lot on the net there are tutorials all over. But i have two words for you MOD PODGE ha ha see how easy that was. Pick some pictures and some decos and mod podge away.

Felt Books

Jackson can create too

So Jackson has been busy making these felt books for his baby brothers. It was his idea and i think they turned out great, these will be a keeper for sure. So he layered a selection of colours together 6  i think in total. These pieces are A4 size and so he cut the lot on half and what do you know he had two books. Mumma sewed a colourful spine on them using a bias binding method, and then he did the rest. He has some pretty awesome little pictures in them. In Tytys he did shoes and suns and in the Bays one he did shapes and bolder pictures. So he really used his brain!! Love it

Stuffed Dinosaur

 Another gift my talented daughter has made, was this dinosaur. She used the same method  used for the stuffed bear. We drew the "best" dino we could onto some scrap paper cut it out and then found some cute fabric, pinned down the dino, cut around the dino. Then Charna drew a long line of the spikes and sewed them. Tthen with the help of mummy we pinned the spikes into the dino and then sewed it up leaving an opening at the belly to stuff. Mumma sewed up the opening and attached the eyes Whalla! a present for TyTy

Hand Made Jewelry

 Ok don't be surprised when i tell you this.....But Dean (my husband) made these fine pieces above. I took him to spotlight the other night to get supplies for our hand made Christmas. And he was inspired to make necklaces for the kids as his present this year. I think his exact words were "man i didn't know they had all this here" and mine were "that's because i only ever take you to the fabric section dear". He stayed up well past the hour he should have to make these last night. And he had loads of fun. I think there has been a spark lit in him. There are plenty of men who make inspiring beautiful jewelery everyday why not my man : )

So these wonderful specimens were made by myself and Charna. On Her list of Christmas gifts to make she had written down earrings for nan. So another night of crafting with my daughter produced all the earrings and sitting next to my husband watching him have so much fun produced from me, the necklace earring set, and bracelet necklace set. : ) Now how to make them..... Go to a store you know that sells jewelery supplies and take a stab in the dark!! We did, we read the labels and we looked at stuff i had already. One of the messages written on the back of one of the packets of stones we bought was written, You are only limited by your imagination! Need i say more?

Stuffed Teddy Bear

 So this is a teddy Charna made for one of her little brothers. It stands about 40cm high and was so easy to make. She even sewed on the nose and mouth. I helped her with the eyes as "they can be tricky" : )

To make the bear we researched stuffed bears on the internet and decided that this shape would be best. Mummy free hand drew the shape and then cut it out. Charna chose the fabric and we layered them right sides together. Then we pined down our pattern, cut around it, and sewed it closed with a 1/2 inch seam, leaving a 3 inch opening on the leg and then Charna stuffed it!. How easy, it took her an hour and I know the baby will love it.

The Corona Christmas

Well I am writing to have a complain!! I am very tiered of the media telling us what we have to buy and what our children will love to get at Christmas, even the whole stigma of receiving a gift from some one and feeling we have to give back (even though you cant afford it or you forgot), or just the whole multi present per child thing, WHO INVENTED THAT IDEA!. Seriously no one knows our children like we do and if you feel they would hate it to miss out on these things then your wrong!. I went to a Stake relief society activity just last month and i felt very moved when i was watching a slide show of our Saviors life, Which in fact is WHY WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS. I was touched so deeply that i a balled, and my heart ached. So it sparked a conversation with my husband who did not like my idea of giving the children Nothing!! material for Christmas this year. (Childhood hang ups i suppose).... So ..... I did what i always do, and i hounded him by relating the fact that last year we spent well over 800 of his hard earned dollars on things the kids don't play with, don't wear or are broken all for the sake of saving face with them and with other people (well actually we wanted to at the time as well). Soooo this last Monday it got to me, as i write this it is getting to me. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! its time to take control of my Christmas and teach my family what I want them to learn from this Christmas season. Even though we always read the birth of Christ story to them every Christmas eve and do service etc there is more.!!

So as per normal we had our Family Home Evening and my husband quite surprised me. He said "kids i love you and your mother and i have done you an injustice. " By the way i would like to mention that i have remarkable children they were already good about the whole chritmas pressie thing, and i make them carol every year!

Then my husband read to them D&C 88:63

Draw near unto me and i will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.




Then he told the kids that they would be recieving no store bought presants this year. They were to have a budjet of 10 dollars each to buy the supplies they would need to MAKE a presant for each family member.


Silance



Ok




And then they got to it. I  love my children they are the most wonderful people. I love my Savior for the sacrifice he made for me and i love my Husband for without him and his wisdom we would not be who we are shaping to be!

And by the way last night i helped three of my kids start making presents and the pride they felt and the feeling in my home held the spirit of my elder brother.