"Joy to the World" Jar {with Free Printable} by Megan from One Willis Family

It's almost Christmas; are you so excited?  We have family coming to visit in just a few more days, so we're really excited about that.  And the Christmas lights, choir programs, cookie making—it's a great time of year.

And we're almost done with the "Sew a Song of Christmas" series.  Today's project is by Megan, who blogs over at One Willis Family. She designs a lot of printables, some free, some for sale at her Etsy shop.  She also has tons of free digital scrapbooking paper packs—I love this black and white pack!  I'm very happy to have Megan sharing with us today.

~~~

My choice of song for “Sew a song of Christmas” was Joy to the world:

If you remember all the lines, they are as follows:

Joy to the world! The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing

Joy to the world! the Savior reigns
Let their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

No more let sin and sorrow grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make
His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as, far as the curse is found

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of his love
And wonders of his love
And wonders and wonders of his love

How can one possibly capture the majesty of this song or really understand quite how joyful it is that our Lord has come. Each Christmas my family and I try to really celebrate the meaning of the season. We try to remember our savior’s birth, and life, and mission here on the earth. Although this can be difficult at times with the excitement over the presents there are little things we do each year to remind ourselves of Christ’s life. We read Christmas stories and I usually cry…of course, we read the nativity story in the scriptures; we give gifts, and the like. 

This year we have really been brainstorming how to gain more insight into the meaning and importance of our savior. 

Here is just one little thing we’ve done.

“Let Every Heart Prepare him Room” Jar

This is super easy to make. Just print out the jar wrap, cut around the edges, and tape it on.

Then you’ll want to make the paper curls. This is pretty easy too. You all know how to curl ribbon when wrapping a present so you’ll just that with the paper.

First take a strip of wrapping paper and fold hamburger style…then fold once more hotdog style. Then you’ll cut the edge off. 

Second you’ll want to cut strips. After you have a few strips you can curl it with the scissors. (The paper is more likely to tear so I go pretty slowly)

After you have the papers curled there are two ways you can “prepare room in your heart”

Prepare Him Room Option 1

Think of things you can do this Christmas season that would help you be more open to the savoir and more likely to receive him.  You will write different ways to do so and put them in the jar. Then each day you will draw one out and either do the activity or prepare everything and set the date in which you will do it. (For example for things such as caroling you might need to plan things in advance to actually do it.)

Some examples might include:

Service Ideas (When I serve others I feel closer to my Savoir): 

Take treats to neighbors and friends

 Write personalized Christmas cards with your testimony in them, 

Visit the elderly or sick, 

Seek out opportunities to serve as they come, 

Saying a kind word to a spouse, 

Call up someone you haven’t talked to in a while,

Organize or participate in a caroling group

Pondering (Pondering the savoir is a great way to help my spirit feel closer to him)

Read and study the birth of Christ: Luke 2:1-20, Look at Cross references

Read Christmas stories

What some of the movies about Christ’s birth: http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/the-nativity?cid=HPFR121313253&im=true&lang=eng

Write down all the blessing you have received in the last month. Think of ways you can bless the lives of others.

Start a spiritual journal where you write down impressions and promptings or your goals to come closer to the savoir. Keep writing in it.

Any other ideas or things you think would be beneficial to you and your family.

“Prepare him Room” Jar Option 2

In this option you won’t write on the curls until after you do something that brings you closer to the savior. You can watch yourself or if you are doing this as a family and you notice someone else doing something good and kind. When you see someone o yourself do something that opens their heart you write it down and put it in the jar. Then at a determined time such as Christmas eve or Christmas afternoon you pull out the jar and read everything.

It’s fun to watch the jar fill up and it helps us keep our focus on Jesus Christ.

Hope you enjoy

Megan 

 Onewillisfamily.blogspot.com

~~~

Thanks, Megan!  That's a great idea; I think we'll be adding that to our family Christmas traditions.

Only two more posts in our Sew a Song of Christmas series!  Here's what we've done so far:
"I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" Tulle Wreath
"O, Christmas Tree" Glitter Ball Ornaments
"What Child is This?" Mini Quilt
"Blue Christmas" Simple Holiday Skirts
"Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer" Ornaments

"Let It Snow" Mitten Ornaments

"Away in a Manger" Nativity Set

"Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" Subway Art

I really like all the subway art I see as I stalk Pinterest.  (Who doesn't?  Love subway art, I mean, but who doesn't love stalking Pinterest, too?)  So I thought I'd give creating subway art a try.  I'm very much not a graphic designer, but here's what I came up with.

What do you think?  I think the first version is easier to read, but the second is more fun and happy.

If you like them, I hope you'll leave a comment.  And feel free to download either image and print it out.

Thanksgiving Puzzle Blocks (Free Printable!)

{Looking for the flower clip giveaway?  Click here.  Remember, it ends Friday!}
{This giveaway is now closed.}

Thanks to my cousin who came up with this idea!  She wanted to make Thanksgiving Puzzle Blocks, like the Pumpkin Puzzle Blocks I did for Halloween.

Just print, cut, and decoupage onto nine 2" x 2" wood blocks.

No, I didn't forget to upload a picture.  The sixth side is for a family portrait!  

Happy Thanksgiving!

And happy crafting!

Pumpkin Puzzle Blocks!

That's it:  It is officially autumn.  The leaves are turning red, our garden (tiny as it is) is, well, about done of life, and my mom and I finished bottling applesauce this afternoon.  (Homemade applesauce is totally worth it, but, whew! what a job!)

Anyways, now for my favorite craft from the Craft Night:  Pumpkin Puzzle Blocks!

The original idea for these blocks was to cut six pictures of your family into 2x2 inch squares, and mod podge the pictures onto little 2x2 inch blocks, so you have a cute puzzle of your family members.

But I thought, It is October--wouldn't it be cute to make a Jack-O-Lantern puzzle?  What if you could have different faces, and be able to interchange the parts...

Maybe put three different mouths together...

Or have one eye have two pupils, and the other have none...

Yep, I wanted to do it.

Ready to make one, too?  You need:

to print out my pumpkin designs.  Or make your own.  If you make your own, be sure to have the points where the features cross the cut lines match on all the pumpkins; that way, each block will line up with blocks from other faces.  (Great idea, Mr. MadeIt!)  My pumpkin designs are at the bottom of this post.

nine 2x2 inch wooden blocks

Mod Podge (or water-down regular school glue to a nice paintable consistency)

 foam paintbrush

something to pour the Mod Podge on

Cut the Jack-O-Lanterns on the cut lines.  I did one face at a time for ease of organization.  And because I was running back and forth from one craft to the other as I waited for each side's Mod Podge to dry.

Coat one side of your first block with Mod Podge.  Help me out, experienced Mod Podgers--should it be a thin or thick coat?  Because I sometimes had to squish down ripply paper regardless.  Another lady there did say that you could use a library card, etc, to carefully push out bubbles, but I didn't try it.  (Why?  Well, mostly because I was hurrying, trying to get all three crafts done that night.)

Anyways, after your thin-or-thick coat of Mod Podge, carefully put on one of your pumpkin squares.  You have to get it where you want it pretty quickly, while the Mod Podge is still really wet, because once it starts to dry, the paper's not really going anywhere.

Put another coat of Mod Podge on top of the paper.  Make sure to get the edges really well, since that's where these blocks will take the most beating when they get played with.

Repeat with one side of each block.

Take a break while that side dries.  (If I'd been at home when I did this project, I totally would have taken a hair dryer to it--I'm not much of one for waiting for things to dry.)

And just do that for each side.   Be sure to have the same feature always on the same block.

Like so.

Now you can put together your jack-o-lantern however you'd like!

Um, that's not what I meant, Boo, but why not? 

Happy crafting!

{Here are the jack-o-lanterns to print out.  Remember that each pumpkin needs to be 6x6 inches, so make sure your computer doesn't try to scale them when they print.}

(Right click, "Save to Downloads" or similar command)

"Forget Not" Printable

Every year, the women of my church have the opportunity to attend a special meeting specifically for us.  It is always a wonderful experience, and this year, my favorite talk was by President Uchtdorf.  He talked about the little forget-me-not flower and how the five petals can remind us of five things we need to "forget not."  (I don't think the full text of the talk is online yet, but here's another summary.)

First, "Forget not to be patient with yourself."  We tend to compare our weaknesses with other's strengths.  (I know I do.)  But no one (except Christ) is perfect, and that's okay.  As long as we are trying to become better, we're doing alright.

Second, "Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice."  Some things are worth sacrificing for, and some are not.  Are we spending our time and effort on worthwhile things?  I think that is an important thing to remember; we can't do everything, so we must choose what is most important and just not worry about the rest.

Third, "Forget not to be happy now."  Sometimes we think, I will be happy...when I've graduated...when I get my dream job...when my baby is sleeping through the night...  (Ah, the joys of a full night's sleep.)  But we need to remember (to "forget not") to be happy even before these things happen.  President Uchtdorf said, "The lesson here is that if we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses, we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget-me-nots that are all around us."

Fourth, "Forget not the 'why' of the gospel."  We are busy.  That's a fact.  It is hard to get done all the things we need to do.  But the gospel is intended to make us happy, not stressed; if we remember why we're doing the things the Lord asks of us, we will be happier.

And fifth, "Forget not that the Lord loves you."  Always, always remember that.

And now for the printables, to help you "Forget Not."

(11" x 14")

(8.5" x 11")

(Right click-->Save Image to Downloads or some such command)

I hope you like them.

Happy crafting.

Perpetual Calendar Tutorial

I like to-do lists.  Mostly, I like checking things off of a to-do list.  I have been known to write something I've already done on my to-do list just so I can check it off.  It makes me feel productive.

Checking things off a a to-do list:  fun.  Writing the same things on the to-do list every day:  not fun.  So I decided to make myself a perpetual calendar, with my daily things already written on it.  I made this with materials I gathered up things from around my house, so this project was free!  (My favorite kind of project!)

I started off with a 11x14 picture frame I already had that wasn't being used.  (I picked that size so I would have plenty of space for writing, but you can use whatever size you like.)  I like the clean look of a glossy white frame, so I spray painted the frame with paint I bought for another project, but haven't used yet.

(Oops!  My cardboard didn't catch all the overspray!)

Next, I drew out a calendar grid on some scrapbook paper from a pack of paper that will eventually become a scrapbook for Boo (I'm not really a scrapbooker...) and wrote in all my to-do's.  Man, this took forever!  I don't think I'll write it out by hand next time.

So I made a couple of calendar blanks for you to use (and me, when my calendar needs to be updated).  I made them up in two sizes, regular printer paper size and legal paper size, if your printer can print at that size.  Or you could have it printed at Kinkos, or some such place.  (Just right click and save your chosen calendar to your computer.)

Next, I cut my 12x12 scrapbook paper down to 11" tall, and I cut a couple of strips of a different scrapbook paper to add to the sides to make my calendar 11x14.

I used the cardboard back for the picture frame as a guide for how large my calendar needed to be.

And there it is!  I have all my regular to-do's, plus weekly events like Scouts on Wednesdays and Date Nights on Friday.  (Hurray for that!)  And since the calendar is behind glass, I can use a dry erase marker to write in the month and dates and unusual things like doctor's appointments, birthdays, and the like.  Now I just need to hang it up.  Maybe I should write that on my to-do list calendar...

"Love Beareth All Things" Free Printable

Browsing the blogs I follow, I found this Free Valentine's Printable at Humble Homemaking.  I was so inspired that I stopped what I was doing to make one of my own.

This will look great in a black frame!

We always could use a reminder of what love is really about, even after Valentine's Day.  I hope you enjoy this printable, and be sure to check out the Humble Homemaker's original version!

(Just right click on the picture and save to your computer.)