Empty Tomb Craft

Easter is just a few days away. During Bible time this week we have been reading about the last days of Jesus' life. The boys often surprise me with what they remember or want to discuss. One of my sons wondered aloud early this week why we call it "Good Friday" when it's the day something bad happened to Jesus. My eight year old answered him and said something along the lines of "Well, it was good for us!".

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

For Christ died for sins once for all,
the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
1 Peter 3:18

While Good Friday is about Jesus' death, Easter is about His resurrection! He isn't dead anymore! This week we have been singing (off key, but heartily) Low in the Grave He Lay. Here's the chorus:

Up from the grave he arose;
with a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
he arose a victor from the dark domain,
and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

After our reading and singing today we made an Easter visual aid. We made one last year too, but I guess I never posted it to the blog. It's quite easy and if you have little kids they will enjoy it!

Mix up a batch of salt dough (2 cups flour, 1/2 cup salt, 3/4 cup warm water) until smooth. This year I added a few drops of black food coloring to the water to make the dough more rock colored. Last year I just left it.

Place a glass (oven proof) bowl upside down on a cookie sheet. Spray it with non-stick spray. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness or so then carefully place the rolled dough on to the bowl to make a tomb. Cut away a door. Reshape the door as more of a rock (or just lay it down on the cookie sheet as is).

Bake in a warm oven (the lowest mine goes is 170) for several hours. The original recipe I saw said two hours but it's never done after only two hours in our oven. When it's dry and cool, remove the tomb from the bowl.

Last year (see below) we made a little salt dough plaque to write a Bible verse on. This year I just wrote it on the piece of cardboard we are using to display the tomb.

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.
Come and see the place where he lay.
Matthew 28:6

A Sneak Peek

Here's a sneak peak into some of our Christmas decorations, I didn't go all out this year. We are leaving shortly after Christmas and want to get things put away before we go. So missing from my usual decorations are the "kid's tree" in the basement, my little Christmas village, most of my snowmen, and almost all of my kitchen decorations. Okay, enough about what I didn't get out! Here's what I did!!
I have had this wreath for several years. It was a hand-me-down from my mom. Speaking of my mom, this wreath looks much better this year than it did last year thanks to her. She bought some new balls for it and and gave it a mini-makeover for me. Thanks Mom! It looks great!
Below the wreath and above the fireplace are the stockings I was frantically sewing last year at this time. They are one of my new favorite decorations.
Right as you come in the front door, on the front hall closet door, I have a ribbon hanging where I pin all the Christmas cards we receive. I've added quite a few cards since I took this photo. How do you display your Christmas cards? What do you do with them when Christmas is over. I put the photos and letters into a Christmas "binder" to keep them. If I scrapbooked I would do something a bit fancier but this works nicely for me. It's fun to go back and look at how much everyone's kids have grown.
Here's our Jesse Tree. Only 4 ornaments left to hang! Hard to believe. If the tree looks a little lopsided that's because it's been knocked off the small table I have it on in the kitchen a few times. I did take time to laminate the ornaments this year hoping that will help them last a bit longer. I have new Jesse Tree ornaments on my "to do" list but I haven't decided if I want to cross stitch them or make salt dough or something else.
A few years ago I got rid of almost all of our Santa related decorations. I want our Christmas decorations to reflect more of what we are celebrating, that's is why I like decorations like this table runner. My mom found it for me and I put it as the centerpiece on the kitchen table with the advent wreath. The kids request that we light the candles more often, but flames, hot wax, and little boys don't mix real well, in my opinion, so we've only lit it a few times.
This little pillow sits on the wooden bench by the front door year round. Almost each month, but sometimes just seasonally, I change the slip cover. I sewed all the various holiday fabric covers several years ago. I have two covers for Christmas that I alternate. This year it is the Nativity fabric. The other fabric is more of a "country" Christmas with various decorated trees.
I made this wreath (sorry this photo is so dark) with a dollar store wreath and an ornament I got on clearance. After gluing the ornament in place I just added a few cinnamon sticks, buttons, and tied fabric scraps to finish it off.
These little light jars have been around for a long time. They make a great gift! I keep one in each of my bathrooms during the Christmas season. They are great little night lights and the potpourri smells so nice.
Here is this years Christmas tree. My oldest helped put it up when she was home from college a few weeks ago. The boys helped so the ornaments are all over the place. Some of the ornaments that should be in the back of the tree (you have those type of ornaments too, don't you?) are in the front this year. I swear the ornaments get moved around daily by all my little helpers, so this is what the tree looked like today. No promises this is what it will look like tomorrow, but at least it's still standing and for that I am truly thankful.

Just for fun I thought I'd share a "Christmas" cookie recipe. I don't know why I only make them at Christmas time. They are so easy to make, I should really make them more often!

No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
1 stick margarine
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
6 T. cocoa powder
2/3 cup chunky peanut butter
3 cups oats
1 t. vanilla

Melt margarine in a large pot. Add sugar, milk, and cocoa then bring to a boil.
Boil for 3 full minutes, stirring frequently. Take off heat and
add peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Mix well.
Spoon "cookies" onto wax paper.
Let set and enjoy!

Did you write a post about your Christmas decorations? I'd love to see it if you did! (Leave me a link.)

Merry Christmas!!

Sew Cute Part Two: Fold Up Fabric Kitchen

Here is the final piece of my little guy's Christmas gift. I'm really kicking myself that we sold the little plastic kitchen a few years ago. But we had boys... and I didn't think they'd want to play with it all that much. Stereotypical? Yes. I know.

Well, this will solve the problem of where he can "cook" his play food and yet doesn't take up any space. I could seriously fit this in a manila envelope and mail it to you! One of my other boys kept asking me if I thought the little guy would share with him. I assured him it will be more fun if everyone plays together!

I'm calling it a Fold-Up Fabric Kitchen. I saw the original idea here but modified it a bit and made it my own. Here are the details for those of you who are interested...
The entire thing is made of fabric. It measures about 30 inches by 15 inches. The main fabric pieces are flannel, yellow on one side and blue stars (not pictured) on the other--for most of it I just used what I had. The details are all felt. Again I just used the cheap felt sheets you can get at Wal-Mart or any craft store. Most of the details were blanket stitched on by hand but I used the machine for some of the work too.

On the far left are two "burners" with the controls and a clock. I made it so the fabric kind of folds over and will hang off the edge of a table to make it more dimensional.

I really need to work on my embroidery skills. I can't stitch words (or numbers!) very well at all. In the center is the "sink". I have a little droplet of water that I have yet to sew on by the "faucet". Below the sink is a handy little towel rack with a removable towel!
On the right is a "cutting board" which could also double as a dish drainer if needed.
The whole thing would cost around $5 to make even if you have to buy fabric. Assembly took just a few hours. I did most of the blanket stitching while on the phone with a friend (Hi Theresa!). If you are going to do that, let me suggest using speaker phone. My neck is still kind of sore from holding the phone under my chin. :)

If you are lucky enough to have a blanket stitch on your sewing machine assembly will go much faster. Or you could even skip the blanket stitch and just sew it on with the machine, but I liked the look of the blanket stitching.

Now I just have to finish the little stocking ornaments I am crocheting for the kids and I'll be done with my Christmas crafts for this year. Four down, two to go. They don't take much time at all to make so I shouldn't have any trouble finishing them. Did you make any crafts this Christmas??

Sew Cute: Felt Food!

Since my youngest doesn't read this blog I think it'll be okay to show you what I've been making him for Christmas. Shhh! Don't tell him about it!

Several weeks ago the boys and I went to the library while my hubby went to a political meet and greet. My little guy played almost the whole time with some little dishes and play food. We haven't had play dishes since my daughter was little! We have had plastic play food before, but it has slowly gotten smashed or turned into outside toys, so when I saw some felt food on a blog not too long ago I knew I had found a new project!

That little felt food was just so cute! So I looked around and found a free pattern for a sandwich. I didn't have much luck finding free patterns for any of the other foods but there were plenty of pictures and it's not rocket science so I winged it!

Everything came out even cuter than I expected. I just used the cheap felt you find in the craft section of any craft store. I used the sewing machine for most of the stitching but enjoyed a little hand stitching on some of the pieces too! I already had the embroidery floss and the felt costs a mere 20 cents so basically this cost me next to nothing... except for my time, of course, which is almost more precious than money these days. Almost.

So, are you hungry? How about a bologna and cheese sandwich on white?

Or would you rather have peanut butter and jelly?

Need something a bit more sweet? How about some milk and cookies? Or donuts?

No. You like more healthy food. Okay, how about some fruit?

Skipped breakfast? Here's a hearty breakfast for you...

Need a protein boost...

This food is all that and a bag of chips...

Here's a shot of everything:

I didn't get a picture of the swiss cheese or the sesame seed hamburger bun which were still being worked on when I took these photos. Too late to take a picture now though, I already packaged up the whole set and wrapped it.

We got him a little set of plates and pots to serve up his food. To top it all off I'm making a little fabric stove top similar to the one shown here so he can "cook" something if he feels like but we don't have to worry about a real play kitchen. I hope my little guy enjoys it and if he doesn't... well, I'll play with it myself!

Crochet Edge Around a Fleece Blanket Instructions

This is one of my favorite gifts to give as a new baby gift or at a baby shower. But this blanket is not limited to baby gifts! Fleece comes in an amazing number of patterns these days. You could make one of these blankets for anyone!

If you know how to crochet it's very easy to make and works up quickly. I am by no means a crochet expert. I taught myself out of book a few years ago. I still have trouble reading patterns so I hope these instructions make sense! If you make one of these blankets I'd love to see it! (Send me a picture at nolongerconforming*at*gmail.com)

If you don't know how to crochet and would like to learn there are some great instructional videos on YouTube. Just borrow or buy a crochet hook and some yarn and sit by your computer for an hour or two learning a few basic stitches. If you can chain, single, and double crochet you can make this blanket!!

1. Find some fleece that you would like to make into a blanket. I like to get enough to make the blanket square but you can make it any size or shape you would like. I make my blankets with only one piece of fleece, but you could use two pieces sandwiched together (similar to making the fleece blankets that you tie).
2. Buy yarn that compliments your fleece. When I make a baby blanket it ends up being about 58 inches square and one skein is more than enough.
3. Prepare the fleece. There are several ways you can do this. You can blanket stitch around the entire piece of fleece. You can use a serger to serge around the piece and then crochet in the serger stitching. Or you can go through and make holes around the edge of the fleece. This is the method I use. I use a ruler/tape measure of some kind and washable marker to make marks 1/4 inch apart about 1/4 inch in from the edge around the entire blanket. If you have a small (1/16) hole punch you could use that to make the holes. I use a seam ripper and just poke it through the fleece at every mark. With this method as you are crocheting you'll occasionally come to a hole that has closed up (or that you skipped) and you'll have to punch it again. I don't know why this happens, but it does, so just keep the seam ripper handy so you don't have to wander off to go find it and realize you have dishes to wash or something! :)
4. Now comes the fun part!! Once all the holes are ready. Single crochet into each hole all the way around the fleece rounding the corners by putting 3 single stitches in each corner. There is no need to count and when it comes to the second round you'll be fudging the numbers a little to get it to come out even. Chain three when you get to the end to get up to the next row.
5. The second row will be: double crochet, double crochet, chain one (repeat). Your chain will count as the first double, then double crochet again into the single crochet below it. When you chain, skip a stitch on the single crochet row so you get a little space between the two doubles. (Is this making sense?) For corners: 2dc, ch3, 2dc. These spaces make a great place to weave in a ribbon for an extra special touch. Chain one to get up to the next row after you've gone around.
6. The third row is the hardest. This row makes a cute, little bumped edging. Single crochet in the first double below then in the "hole" or space you created in the second row make one single crochet, chain two, and another single crochet. Repeat. So it will be *sc, sc, ch2, sc, sc* repeat around the outside edge. For the corners: sc, ch2, sc, sc, ch 2, sc. When you get all the way around finish it off. If you have to add a few stitches or skip a few to make it come out even it won't matter. Just play around with it a bit until it looks right.

Fold up your blanket, tie a ribbon around it, and give it as a gift. Who wouldn't want a cuddly, made with love, blanket?!

[Click any of the picture above to enlarge if you need to see better. If you have questions feel free to leave a comment or email me.]

Inexpensive (Christmas) Gift Ideas

Want to save some money this Christmas? Try making a few gifts yourself this year! If you want to make a few things, you better get started soon so...here are a few ideas to get you thinking!

Bible Verse Name Frame
This could be for a first or last name. Pick several verses that reflect the person or family you would like to give this to and print it off on nice paper in an appropriate font then place the printout in a frame. Dollar Tree has quite a selection for $1. Here is an example of one I have made in the past:
Family Recipe Book or Box
Put all your recipes in one place! Type them up and put them in a binder (or put them on recipe cards in a box). While you're at it make a couple copies to share with a daughter, sister, or friend. I love tried and true recipes! My sister still uses the recipe book I made for her many years ago. Which reminds me...I should really update it for her since I have found many good recipes since I put that book together.

Photo Calendar
My favorite gift for grandparents is a photo calendar. They are available online at sites like Shutterfly or Snapfish. I make mine using iPhoto on my Mac and then take the .pdf file to Office Max to print out.

Or you can just bring in 12 photos of your choice and they'll do everything for you. Last year they were about $10 each which was the lowest price I had ever paid! I usually call the week after Thanksgiving and they have some kind of special going.

Books!
Make a book for a toddler/young child by getting a blank book and writing a story yourself. If you aren't a writer, make it a book of favorites (colors, food, etc.) or educational (numbers, letters, etc.). You can get blank books at Bare Books or at a local teacher supply type store. Or join Paper Back Swap! List some books you don't want anymore and get some to give.

Can you crochet? If not, it is easy to learn! Really! Google instructions or watch You Tube if you are a visual learner!

Fleece Blanket with crochet edge
I made this as a baby gift, but it could easily be modified for anyone depending on the fleece and yarn you choose. It is a fun twist on the no sew fleece blanket. Don't want to make a blanket? Check out the Lion Brand Yarn website for free patterns. There are so many cute things to crochet. I really like the Amigurumi patterns for little animals and play food. I am making this one right now (only in blue and cream):
They don't take much yarn so if you have a few left over skeins this would be a great way to use them up! If you need a simple gift for an adult they have a pattern to crochet a towel topper. If you bought a towel with a cute design and cut it half you could make two very inexpensively and quickly.

Dishtowel Angel
This is made from a towel/washcloth/potholder set. I got this one from a friend of mine a couple years ago. You can get these matching kitchen sets at many stores. (Watch Walgreens for a sale or check the dollar store.) I haven't made one myself but here are instructions.

Potpourri Light Jar
I have made many of these and everyone loves them. A mason jar stuffed with potpourri and a short string of (20 count) lights. Let the cord hang out and cover the top with a piece of fabric cut in a circle tied with a ribbon.
Potpourri and lights are usually available at the dollar store and check thrift stores for mason jars if you don't have any on hand.

Little Wreath
I made several of these a couple years ago using dollar store (again!) wreaths. A simple ornament in the center with some fabric scraps and buttons hot glued around the wreath as well. You can make little cinnamon ornaments or use cinnamon sticks as well on these. Which are cute and make it smell nice too.

Washcloth Lolly
How about something sweet? But not to eat! I made these for a baby gift as well, but again you could use a regular size washcloth. Maybe with a cute shaped bar of soap. Which is another idea... make soap in fun shapes!Gifts in a Jar
These are always nice. I like that you use them and they are gone. No clutter! There are several recipes available online. This site has recipes for layered baking mixes, brownies, cookies and bath salts. There are also several recipes for mixes on this site with printable tags included.

Gifts in a Mug
This is a twist on the above. There are many recipes for hot chocolate or spice teas online. Put a bag or two of one of these mixes in a mug. Maybe with a plastic spoon dipped in chocolate to stir! Or how about these recipes for cake in a mug...a great gift for a single person or college student!

Dish Towel Apron
A dish towel is the perfect size to make an apron for a small child. I have made a few with a towel (from...you guessed it...the dollar store!) and bias tape trim but this pattern makes it easier. A larger towel would make a larger apron for an older child, teen, or adult. If the dish towel is too long for your little one fold up the bottom and make a few pockets.

Ornaments
We have a family tradition of giving each child an ornament every year. My mom did this for me and now I have all the ornaments from my growing up years on my own tree. Instead of buying an ornament this year...make one! The dollar store (wow...again!) usually has little cross-stitch ornament kits that are quite cute. I found a nativity scene kit a few years ago and made several. (I would post a picture but it's packed away.) Here are several free patterns. Most of these would just take an hour or two to stitch.

Can't cross-stitch? How about these?

Get a package of old style clothes pins and make a snowman or angel. These are super easy...even the kids could make them! And they are unbreakable which is the only type of ornament we had on the tree last year. :) Fill your tree with several and as you have guests throughout the Christmas season give them an ornament off your tree!
If you are feeling a bit more ambitious try these light bulb ornaments. I got the instructions out of craft magazine several years ago. They take a bit more time but are really fun! Here is a similar pattern for a snowman and a penguin. Actually I think these are cuter...I might have to make more...

Well, I hope that gives you a few ideas. If I come across any more in my internet searches I'll try and post links to share! Feel free to share any ideas you might have in the comments!