Here is What We Do For Easter

I know there are many traditional things to do to celebrate Easter, so I would like to share what our family does to bring the spiritual meaning of Easter into the forefront of our celebration.

I also wanted to make something special for the table this year and here is what I came up with, it goes very nicely with my blue and white kitchen.

The reminders of rebirth are everywhere! From the cherry blossoms bursting forth and the tinge of bright green that dusts the hills and valleys of gray. To the birth of spring animals, chicks, ducks, and baby lambs. Bulbs are pushing through the long dismal winter, a necessity of their fulfillment when they bloom.

Jesus too. He was born with great and specific purpose so you and I might have new life. Oh how I love Easter time! It comes just when (here in the Pacific Northwest) I don't think I can stand another bland, gray, day! Things start showing their new life and hope is born again! "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."Prov.13:12 Jesus was given as our hope of everlasting life, oh how grateful I am for such a sacrifice of love to a sinner like me!

We usually start 12 days before Easter doing our resurrection eggs. We read the bible story of the crucufiction and resurrection of Jesus Christ each verse coincides with an egg. The kids open the egg after the scripture is read. The egg contains a symbol of what the scripture was about. The story of Christ's Death and Resurrection are explained in the 12 eggs. I have seen many versions of this idea but the one we do is special to me because the kids made this set when they were in preschool and we have used it ever since, 10 yrs. now!

Birthdays Abound!

Well, as many of you have been reading I have vowed this year to give gifts that I have made so I thought that I would showcase some of the things I have been doing since it has been a birthday bonanza around here starting with my daughters friends, sons friends, then daughter's, then son's, then husbands, then other daughter... Phew anyone dizzy yet?

Well, without further adeiu ,enjoy the gallery of some of our birhtday gifts!

My younger daughter's birthday gift: a plaque with befitting bible

passage on it for her to hang in her room

This is a piece of art I did for my Husband for his birhtday. My husband is the strength of our family, like the old oak tree.

My daughter and I made this for her friend's birthday-isn't it so cute! We used an old hot chocolate tin, cleaned it out and made a little sewing tote out of it. Using paper, lace, craft peals, material, fiber fill, silk flowers and then we made the lid into a pincusion and stuffed the inside full of sewing goodies and fat quarters-she loved it.

Tangible Art For Intangible Feelings

I have a wonderful artist friend, Laura of Layers of Color, who someday I will post an interview with but, until then I wanted to share something that she created. Wednesday's Child full of Woes Bottle! (Click on her website above to check out what she did) This piece is so like her too, full of symbolism! Her art is lovely, her piece reminded me of how important it is as an artist to take the intangible and give it form. She took her woes and shut them up in a bottle. A clever cathartic way to tangibly "put a cork in it!" Sometimes we need to don't we? I know I do and this project got me to thinking and creating. Here is my own version! This is what I came up with. I used recycled coffee drink bottles and lots of fun papers, embellishments and ribbon, of course!

Often there are times in my life when I am struggling or I am moved emotionally and I am unable to articulate my feelings about it. Sometimes, I have articulated it too much and I don't want to hear the words come out of my mouth any longer(neither does my husband:o). These are times that I need to create a tangible reminder of the thing I am struggling with to remind me of my victory or that I am still wrestling in process. Sometimes it is just good to get it out...get it out of me, quit my yammerin' and complaining and well, put a cork in it! Instead, I should create!

The bible talks in Matthew 6:21 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This is applicable to my life and I can interpret this passage a couple of ways. As a positive, My heart can be filled with the love I have for my husband and children my treasure is my family... but what if I spend too much time dwelling or allowing my heart to ruminate on a struggle in my life does that struggle then take shape and form as part of my treasure? I think it does, when we think on the struggles and negatives of life they infect other areas of my life and soon my treasure is a heap of tarnished and dingy struggle that I have learned to love and admire and hang on to, when frankly I shouldn't! I have become burdened, disappointed, frustrated and miserable but I am not going to let go of the tarnished heap of struggle why? Because it is my treasure. Have you seen Lord of the Rings? It could be likened to Scheme's Precious. Get the picture? Seems a bit ridiculous...but really how often do we do this? The bad relationship or the over indulgences and sin. We come to like the struggle or chaos. Weird!

I am here to tell you that life is much better without the tarnish. Sparkle is much more fun and freeing! So this project got me to thinking about putting those unlovelies into something and doing the same with the lovelies too, to remind us of "whatever is true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things...and the God of peace will be with you." Phil.4:8,9b The rest we can just cork!

I am going to follow Laura's example, but I think I am going to make one called woes and one called wonderfuls! Hopefully I will have more wonderfuls than woes!

The Last Girly Birthday Party

My second born daughter celebrated her 10th birthday. In our household, I have promised each of the kids 10yrs worth of birthday party extravaganza (what was I thinking?) So, with that being said, this was the last big birthday party she would be getting. So we had to do it up right. Imagine this: 8 girls 10-12 yrs. old, cucumber eye masks, dance-freeze, smoothies, pepperoni pizza, nail polish, slippers and P.J.s, and facials. Can we just say SO MUCH FUN!!!! We had such a blast (moms included!) Talk about silly, one of the girls asked if she could eat the cucumbers when she was done with them on her eyes. We all giggled at that one!

My sweet ten year old had the time of her life and I was telling her afterward that she has the sweetest friends. Each one is so beautiful and full of sweetness especially, on the inside. What is even more special is they all love the Lord. She smiled and agreed. It was such a pleasure to give this last great party to her.

I have vowed that this year I would make all my gifts. I have enjoyed this so much and I think that everyone that I have made something for has been delighted. It is so nice to get a gift that is made from the heart! This is what I made her for her birthday. I made her a plaque for her room with a bible verse on it that I think is appropriate for her right now in her life. It is:

Do not let your adornment be merely outward arranging of the hair, wearing gold or putting on fine apparel-rather let it be the hidden person of the heart. With the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is

very precious in the sight of God.

1 Peter3:3-4

I use a canvas board that is 6x12 and decoupaged a beautiful peony flower napkin to the front along with the bible verse. The bottom of the napkin had a wonderful stripey border in fuchsia, green and pink. I aged the edges with oil pastels and then embellished with silk and velvet flowers, beaded bobbles, and leaves. I trimmed it with scalloped craft pearls at the bottom and strung a beautiful striped ribbon to hang it from. Then I put on a bit of sparkly glitter.

For the final touches, I lined the back with paper and wrote a sentimental birthday wish to bless her. She has it hanging in her room in a very nice spot.

Now onto my youngest son...what do you make a pirate for his birthday?