Star Christmas Candles Project

Here’s a fun little project for Christmas.

It’s easy enough that kids can help!

The Basic Idea:

Put star stickers on a jar, paint, then peel off the stickers.

Tuck a candle inside the jar and, ta-da… 

let the light shine through the star shaped holes.

 We used:

Random clear glass jars

Star shaped stickers

White spray paint

Candles

Small gravel

 A few notes:

Make sure the jars are clean and free of any labels or smudges.

I cut taper candles down since my jars were skinny,

and held them upright with small gravel in the bottom of the jars.

If your jars are wider, you could use tea lights

 and not need to worry about the gravel.

 There are some times when you’re glad your daughter’s a pack-rat.

She pulled out sheets of star stickers from somewhere in her stash!

 Having a small dog may or may not help crafts go well.

May each of you know the True Light this Christmas! 

“The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

a light has dawned.”

Isaiah 9:2

Christmas Wreath Project

Christmas time seems to make the creativity levels perk up a bit.

I actually want to quit school for the entire month and just MAKE THINGS.

I’m resisting that urge, but I am taking some time to do some creating this month,

and I’d like to do a few posts in December that might be inspirational

if any of you are feeling the same way!

 Living in Virginia means it’s possible for yesterday’s weather 

to have been in the seventies,

but today the rain is drizzling down in thirty degree temperatures.

So today I’m at my computer looking at yesterday!

I’ve been wanting to make a wreath to hang above our mantle

 for the Christmas season.

We use our woodstove right below the mantle, so a live green wreath wouldn’t work.

I wanted to use things that were already dry or would dry well.

I’m not an “elegant” person, but I was thinking something a little nicer

with the natural glitteriness of the Money Plant pods would be nice for Christmas.

 Everything in this wreath is just things I went out and collected around our house.

Magnolia leaves, Money Plant pods, Golden Rain Tree pods, Pine needles,

dried Hydrangeas, Ornamental Grasses, and Beautyberries.

I literally found myself walking around clipping things in my bare feet

with a goofy grin on my face.

It was that warm… yesterday.

I set up makeshift table of a board on top of a trashcan

 so I could work in the warm sun!

 For the base of the wreath I used an old circle of wire I found in our garage.

I wired clusters of the greens and trimmings 

onto the wire base with florist’s wire as I went.

 Here’s the finished wreath hanging on the garage door.

And here’s the final hanging spot for the wreath.

No, it’s not above the mantle.

It turned out to be a little Too Big.

So now it looks nice all by itself on the wall.

Projects don’t always turn out the way you were originally thinking.

But it’s not always about perfection, but about the joy of creating something. 

“But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” 

Isaiah 64:8

Family Photography -- Tim and Rachel

My friend, Rachel, asked spur of the moment

 if I’d consider taking a few pictures

of their family a couple of weeks ago. 

The morning turned out to be COLD. 

But the kids were happy and they only wanted

a few pictures – mainly one with the whole family,

so we went for it in spite of the chilly weather.

Ava, Josiah, and McKinzie.

 Rachel, my friend, you are so beautiful. 

And it comes from the inside to the outside.

 When kids are this cute,

who can help but take pictures?!

 We got more than the “just a couple” that

we were hoping for.

 Ahhh.  SO handsome!

 And before you finish photos in the fall

there should definitely be a big leaf rumble!!!

 I love how these children ADORE their Daddy. 

He’s an awesome father – you can tell

by the way his kids love him.

I love all of you and enjoyed so much

taking your photos!