Alright, it's official. I'm no longer posting here...
Because I'm starting to post on my new blog!
My first post went up there today. However, I'm waiting to throw a full-blown launch party until Monday next week so that I can work out all the kinks and problems. It still does have some little quirks, so please forgive me while I work those out.
Please, please follow me there! I'll be posting in Facebook and on Twitter as new posts go up, and once I get the RSS feed working and get links to other social media hubs up and running, you ought to be able to follow me as you please.
So go and see my latest post! There's a free printable template for some really cute Valentine candy boxes. I think you'll like them!
Showing posts with label paper crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paper crafts. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Prayer Pebbles
I've been a part of our Young Women group at church for the past year. We always try to instill high moral standards and righteous attributes in these wonderful girls. They range from 12-18 in age, they attend various high schools, and have a wide variety of interests. It can be challenging to teach lessons on Sundays to these girls and have all of them really learn something, and it's far more challenging to help them plan and prepare activities mid-week that will encourage each young woman to learn a new skill, have fun, or build friendships with the other girls.
As leaders, one thing we wanted the girls to learn was to pray for specific people. There's something strong and empowering about praying to Heavenly Father for someone's welfare using their individual name, and it makes your love grow and confidence increase. I didn't learn that until I was an adult, and we hoped that we could help these girls to learn this lesson sooner than the rest of us.
After reading about some ideas and carefully contemplating what we could possibly do to encourage this, I had the inspiration to make what I call Prayer Pebbles.
I printed the names on plain paper, using colorful fonts. I included the names of all of our Young Women, those who actively attend church as well as those who don't, plus the Young Women leaders. Then I included our local Bishop and his counselors, the Stake President and Relief Society President, and The Prophet and his Apostles. Then I cut them into circles and ModPodged them onto these clear little stones. To keep them from being tacky and sticking together, after they're dry spray a coat of clear acrylic over the backs of them.
We also wanted to encourage the girls to pray for their own friends whose names aren't included. So I made two pebbles that have the question, "What friend do you know who can use a prayer?"
We keep them in a pretty glass jar in the Young Women's room, and while at church on Sundays or Wednesdays when someone stands up to offer a prayer to begin or end class, she grabs one or two pebbles and specifically prays for whoever is on that pebble sometime during that prayer.
I was the first person to do this, so I demonstrated how to pray for someone by name using one of these prayer pebbles. It was simple for me to do. But for our girls it was kind of awkward at first. The girls felt like it was weird to pray for a young woman who was in the room with them. What do you say as you pray out loud for one of the girls you don't even know, or possibly even like?
But we encouraged them to just try. Some prayers were (and occasionally still are) really quick and generic words used for the specific names drawn from the pebble jar. But as this tradition has become more established, the girls have gotten more comfortable with praying for each other. Often, they know more about what's going on in the lives of one another better than we as leaders do, and their prayers have reflected that.
They pray for each others safety, to do well on big tests at school, to do well in volleyball games, to have a successful surgery and speedy recovery, to be happy, to be comforted in hard times, and to come to church when they're not there. I get teary-eyed as I hear these sincere and heartfelt words coming from the lips of girls as young as 12. They may be prompted on who to pray for, but they decide what to pray for. It warms my heart and makes me happy to hear some of the words these beautiful young women say as they express their wishes for one another to God.
The most amazing part of all of this is the unity that's suddenly blossomed among our girls. It's not perfect, and some of them still don't get along well when they're in the same room, but they have definitely become more thoughtful of one another. I hope that this habit is slowly beginning to be used in their own personal prayers. I have a very sure feeling that it is. And I can't wait to see what these girls do with the strength, unity, and confidence they develop from something as simple as praying for others by name.
As leaders, one thing we wanted the girls to learn was to pray for specific people. There's something strong and empowering about praying to Heavenly Father for someone's welfare using their individual name, and it makes your love grow and confidence increase. I didn't learn that until I was an adult, and we hoped that we could help these girls to learn this lesson sooner than the rest of us.
After reading about some ideas and carefully contemplating what we could possibly do to encourage this, I had the inspiration to make what I call Prayer Pebbles.
I printed the names on plain paper, using colorful fonts. I included the names of all of our Young Women, those who actively attend church as well as those who don't, plus the Young Women leaders. Then I included our local Bishop and his counselors, the Stake President and Relief Society President, and The Prophet and his Apostles. Then I cut them into circles and ModPodged them onto these clear little stones. To keep them from being tacky and sticking together, after they're dry spray a coat of clear acrylic over the backs of them.
We also wanted to encourage the girls to pray for their own friends whose names aren't included. So I made two pebbles that have the question, "What friend do you know who can use a prayer?"
We keep them in a pretty glass jar in the Young Women's room, and while at church on Sundays or Wednesdays when someone stands up to offer a prayer to begin or end class, she grabs one or two pebbles and specifically prays for whoever is on that pebble sometime during that prayer.
I was the first person to do this, so I demonstrated how to pray for someone by name using one of these prayer pebbles. It was simple for me to do. But for our girls it was kind of awkward at first. The girls felt like it was weird to pray for a young woman who was in the room with them. What do you say as you pray out loud for one of the girls you don't even know, or possibly even like?
But we encouraged them to just try. Some prayers were (and occasionally still are) really quick and generic words used for the specific names drawn from the pebble jar. But as this tradition has become more established, the girls have gotten more comfortable with praying for each other. Often, they know more about what's going on in the lives of one another better than we as leaders do, and their prayers have reflected that.
They pray for each others safety, to do well on big tests at school, to do well in volleyball games, to have a successful surgery and speedy recovery, to be happy, to be comforted in hard times, and to come to church when they're not there. I get teary-eyed as I hear these sincere and heartfelt words coming from the lips of girls as young as 12. They may be prompted on who to pray for, but they decide what to pray for. It warms my heart and makes me happy to hear some of the words these beautiful young women say as they express their wishes for one another to God.
The most amazing part of all of this is the unity that's suddenly blossomed among our girls. It's not perfect, and some of them still don't get along well when they're in the same room, but they have definitely become more thoughtful of one another. I hope that this habit is slowly beginning to be used in their own personal prayers. I have a very sure feeling that it is. And I can't wait to see what these girls do with the strength, unity, and confidence they develop from something as simple as praying for others by name.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Paying It Forward
There’s a pay-it-forward crafty plan underway, and lots of bloggers appear to be joining in!
So, here’s how this pay-it-forward thing works:
I will send a surprise gift to the first three commenters on this post (and if there are more I might just send out more). The gift will be a handmade surprise by me and I will send it to you sometime in the next 365 days. All you need to do is the following:
I will send a surprise gift to the first three commenters on this post (and if there are more I might just send out more). The gift will be a handmade surprise by me and I will send it to you sometime in the next 365 days. All you need to do is the following:
- Leave me a comment and include your email address (if you profile doesn’t link back) so I can get in touch with you about your mailing address and some other information about yourself.
- To complete signing up, you MUST play along too by blogging a similar post and pledging to make a surprise for the first 3 people who comment on it.
So, do you want to play along?
Comment below, and I’ll send a thoughtful gift to the first three people who do.
Let's pay it forward to one another!
Comment below, and I’ll send a thoughtful gift to the first three people who do.
Let's pay it forward to one another!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Guestbook Tree Tags
My friend Stephanie is getting married on Saturday, and as a bridesmaid she asked me to take care of some things for the ceremony and reception. One thing she asked from me was to create her guestbook.
It's not going to be just any ol' guestbook. She asked me to make her a tree. So I'm designing a tree that will hold tags on which each guest will write well-wishes and sign, then hang on the tree. After the wedding, Stephanie will have the guestbook tree to decorate her first home that she and her husband move into. Such a fun idea!
I stamped one of the two wedding colors on the other side, either magenta seashells or "surf" colored waves.
I tied raffia loops at the top and found coordinating colored pens for the guests to sign with.
But how am I supposed to get anything done when I have this adorable baby babbling and cooing next to me the whole time?
It's not going to be just any ol' guestbook. She asked me to make her a tree. So I'm designing a tree that will hold tags on which each guest will write well-wishes and sign, then hang on the tree. After the wedding, Stephanie will have the guestbook tree to decorate her first home that she and her husband move into. Such a fun idea!
I used ivory paper with and stamped starfish all over it using an ink color named Dune.
The tags are 2" x 4" with a starfish punch out at the top.
I tied raffia loops at the top and found coordinating colored pens for the guests to sign with.
It's a wonder I actually finished making all of the tags and found a container to keep them in.
Here's the final outcome. I'm excited to see the tree filled with these cute tags.
Linked up at:
Monday, June 25, 2012
Collage Girl
My craft room is currently overrun with stuff for projects I'm working on.
The main project: decorations for my friend Stephanie's wedding.
(There will be a fun post about that in the coming weeks. I'm also altering my own bridesmaid dress. There will probably be a post about that as well.)
However, even when I can't see much of my table top, I try to prominently display my favorite item that always stimulates my creativity.
It's something I made thanks to my friend Lyssa, who is also super crafty. Often, she hosts a Crafternoon at her house and invites friends over to make a few crafts. My favorite one to date is this collage girl that I made.
I love the shapes and color scheme and the papers' textures and prints.
Lyssa has some fun mirror paint as well as some powdered copper paint. I'm absolutely in love with them!
Tutorial on this one to come!
Keep your eyes open for it.
:)
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