Saturday 11 April 2020

Magnificent Butterfly Resurrection Easter Bonnet

Although PanPanic ensured there was no Easter Hat Parade at school this year, they still held an Easter Hat Slideshow.

And we did our own parade at home.




Why we made the Butterfly Resurrection Easter Hat

As always we take the opportunity to both learn about Jesus' sacrifice and develop faith-sharing skills. I think it is important to practice sharing your faith from a young age. There are too many who shy away from proclamations - but I want to make sure Tahlia grows up to be bold and unashamed of the Gospel.




This year our Easter bonnet featured an empty tomb with a myriad of butterflies. Butterflies have long been a symbol of the resurrection because caterpillars seem to die in their cocoons and emerge shortly thereafter possessing a far superior body. We included so many butterflies as Jesus' resurrection gives us the reassurance that He is able to do the same for anyone who places their hope and trust in him.




Inside the tomb we see what Mary saw described in John chapter 20. I have heard that the angels sitting at either end of the stone where Jesus had been laid are supposed to remind you of the Ark of the Covenant which had two angels on top with their wings touching each other. On top of the ark between the angels was called the Mercy Seat and this was where the Shekinah Glory of God's presence shone. We tried to emulate this in a way, but the light was also supposed to give the impression of angels rejoicing and reflecting the angel-party mood I imagine was going on in Heaven despite the disbelief and grief on Earth.

How we made the Butterfly Resurrection Easter Hat

Two of my favourite butterflies


This video gives the basic gist of how we made the base of our butterflies from pipe-cleaners, although we did make a few changes. Next we wrapped the wings in lace and secured it with hot glue. We also added beads to the ends of their feelers. I knew we would need a lot, so we started making these well before Christmas, but even so we did get a bit of help from some friends to make so many. Tahlia hot glued all bar one of the little ones in place and did an excellent job don't you think?


by One Little Project


We had one little one left over so she did wear it as a ring.




The large butterfly on top was also made from pipe-cleaners and wrapped in lace.




We started the layers from the outside edges first so that each layer overlapped the next without getting in the way.




This hat is the third in a series where we have re-used the same paper mache hat we made in Kindergarten.  After removing last years beautiful felt flowers we gave it a quick vacuum to remove the dust and debris.




This year we enclosed the arch/doorway from the last two years to form the empty tomb. We marked where we wanted the tomb to go to and used plastic shopping bags to pack the space to be filled. Then we covered that section with three or so more layers of paper mache before removing the shopping bags and covering from the inside as well.




We also marked the edge of the entrance to the tomb on paper and formed a base for the stone out of cardboard cereal box. This got covered with layers of paper mache too.




The tomb and stone were painted inside and out in white by Tahlia, and I touched up the sky and grass after the damage done by removing the felt flowers from last year.




I had been hoping to find a frosted plastic box in a jewelry store but had no luck. Happily, and perhaps Providentially, we attended a wedding a few weeks before the hat had to be finished. The wedding favours came in a perfectly sized white box with a transparent lid. I managed to take a photo for you with one chocolate left in there before they all got demolished. Each box had two chocolates inside originally!




After removing the divider, three LED rings fit exactly inside the box - we bought this 6 pcs LED Rubber Rings from AliExpress (not an afiliate link). I bought extra in case some did not work and I'm glad I did as all the rest broke very quickly. The box is fixed in place with blu-tak so it can be removed to allow the rings to be turned on and off.




The angels were bought from a craft store but I have seen similar in dollar stores too - they were hot glued in place.




See the other Easter Hats in this Trilogy

  1. Hosanna! Palm Sunday Easter Bonnet - focuses on Praising Jesus' ability to save
  2. Spectacular Spring Lamb Easter Bonnet - focuses on the first Passover and the Cross
  3. Magnificent Butterfly Resurrection Easter Bonnet - this one!




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I would love to see and share your Christian themed Easter Hats!

Thursday 26 March 2020

Psalm 28 - Shepherd Them Quiet Book Page

Psalm 28 was written by David and praises God who rescues him when he puts his trust in the LORD.


Memory Verse: “Save Your people,
And bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
And bear them up forever.” Psalm 28:9 NKJV. 

Materials needed to create the Shepherd Them quiet book page:

  • A4 felt background sheet - I used tan
  • Betty Lukens Felt book 01 Bible Stories available at Koorong
  • sewing thread to best match the page
  • scissors!
Cut out all the pieces for this page and the page itself from the Betty Lukens set. The Betty Lukens FAQ section has posted a cutting tips PDF.

Sew the Betty Lukens page onto the background felt along three sides, leaving the top edge open to form a pocket. Pop the pieces inside the pocket (or better yet - play with them)!

Finished!




Difficulty Level = Easy, plus No Sew version.

A very easy quiet book page!
Just use hot glue wherever sewing is recommended for a no sew version.

Key Learning Areas and Skills

  • Psalm 28 - Praise God that He is willing and able to hear our prayers, save and shepherd us
  • Imaginative Play - make the lambs play and eat the grass, play the harp with David
  • Fine Motor Skills - all quiet books encourage fine motor skill development
  • Hand-eye Co-ordination - all quiet books encourage hand-eye co-ordination




Read the Chapter

Psalm 28

Devotional

We all know that we don't deserve to have the Master of the universe listen to our beck and call. And yet this Psalm is all about praising Him because He hears us.

The sole reason given in this Psalm that God answers our prayers is that we trust Him. He loves to come through for us because of that.



Psalm 28:1-2,6-9 Song
"To You, I Will Cry, O LORD"
(Esther Mui) Christian Praise Worship Lyrics




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Have you asked God to be your shepherd - will you trust Him to lead you?

Thursday 12 March 2020

Easy Peasy Jellyfish Counting Quiet Book Page

It's been a while since I did an Easy Peasy page - but who doesn't like it when a quiet book page comes together quickly?




Don't get confused with an octopus quiet book page where there should only be eight tentacles - jellyfish can have lots! I must have a little obsessive compulsive disorder because it really grates on me when a counting page only goes up to eight. Admittedly I did make one that only goes up to eight, but in my defense that wasn't the primary purpose of the page - see Genesis 28 - Jacob's Ladder Quiet Book Page.

My jellyfish is a simple semi-circle. I used one of the rows from my Malachi 4 - Sun of Righteousness Quiet Book Page template and lined it up along a straight edge of felt and only cut around the outside edge.





Then I cut lengths from a 3mm white ribbon and threaded beads on (1-10). I made a card to stick the lengths of ribbon to so they would be evenly spaced when I went to sew them.




Then I pinned and sewed down the ends of the ribbons using zig zag stitch and angling in the two at either end so they would fit under the head of the jellyfish.




Finally, I sewed down the head of the jellyfish covering the ribbon ends and trimmed it with double gathered lace. This adds a touch and feel element to the page.

I am not sure I am a fan of the look with the looped tentacles... what do you all think? Although I don't think the ribbon would be thick enough when knotted to keep the beads on if they weren't.

Some variation ideas include:
  • Touch and feel tentacles made from various ribbons and trims - these can be curled using a hair iron or wet and let to dry around a pencil etc
  • Beads inside mesh tubing - If you look closely at this pinterest pin, Elena Rihsi has threaded the beads onto a thin cord before inserting them through the mesh cord. That way if the mesh breaks, the beads don't go anywhere! Genius.
  • Inserting a squeaker under the jellyfish head
  • Making a button/bead maze in the jellyfish head
  • Jellyfish swimming in reversible sequin fabric - comes with a beautiful free template from teenytinymom





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Have you made a jellyfish quiet book page? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

Thursday 27 February 2020

Psalm 29 - Enthroned Above The Flood Quiet Book Page

Psalm 29 reassures us the God is both powerful and in control. He sits enthroned above the flood.



Memory Verse: “The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever." Psalm 29:10 NIV


Materials needed to create the Enthroned Above The Flood quiet book page:

  • A4 felt background sheet - I used blue
  • a Noah's ark and animals image - I used this printable from the article Sharing Time: The Prophet Will Tell Us in the LDS kids magazine Friend
  • felt in white, green, red and as close as you can get to gold
  • Kam snaps
  • ric rak
  • 30cm of 2mm round elastic
  • wooden cloud buttons - I bought these from AliExpress (not an affiliate link)
  • dotted mesh material
  • 40mm wide rainbow ribbon - I bought this from AliExpress (not an affiliate link)
  • gold pleather
  • clear craft glue if using pleather to make sewing easier - I used polyacetic acid & ethylene resin based glue
  • decorative beads
  • a throne template - I modified this Colouring page Saint Nicholas' throne from edupics.com
  • hot glue gun and glue

Firstly, get the Noah's Ark and animals transferred onto white felt by the sublimation printing and heat press method - see my post on Sublimation Printing on Felt - Test. Cut out the ark and animals and sew the ark onto the background page along three sides leaving the top open to form a pocket for the animals.

Prepare two wooden cloud buttons by threading 15cm of the elastic onto each and tying a knot to create a loop of elastic. Slide the knot to the back of the button and hot glue in place. Cut the ends short.




Cut your mesh material to size to fit inside your page with extra length (and width if you want to finish the edges first - I didn't but I wish I had). Fold the top over itself a couple of times and pin and sew along the top edge as shown above, placing the elastic of the buttons underneath at either end. Make sure the end is poking out the bottom so you can pull it up and over the buttons to hold the rolled up mesh in place later.




Measure your ground and make a few layers of grass for the animals to sit in. I used ric rak to edge the top of the grass as there would be too many layers of felt along the bottom if I doubled the felt as I usually do. Use kam snaps to attach the grass to the page. At the back, use small squares of spare felt to strengthen them and prevent them ripping a hole when being pulled.




Cut a length of rainbow ribbon to fit your page and melt the edges - see my post on How to Stop Ribbons Fraying. I rounded the edges, but you don't have to. Mark where the button holes should be on the ribbon, then sew and cut.




Use the a colouring page as a throne template to make your throne. Simplify the lines by joining some together and rounding off the top.




Before sewing the pleather, I used the glue to attach the pleather to a sheet of felt. My pleather was stretchy which makes it very difficult to sew. Allow the glue to dry before sewing in place. Then sew the red felt on top and cut out the front section of the throne. Decorate with beads at the top.




Make a slot for threading the throne onto the rainbow ribbon by doubling a piece of felt and sewing onto the other half of your sheet of felt. Make sure it is slightly wider than your rainbow ribbon to allow it to pass through easily. Hot glue the throne to the sheet of felt with the slot facing out and centered at the back. Cut out the throne once again.

Thread the throne onto the ribbon and button it on, or store in the ark pocket.

Complete!


Difficulty Level = Intermediate.

Pleather can be difficult to work with.


Key Learning Areas and Skills

  • Psalm 29 - God is in control even when it might seem like He is not
  • Rolling - roll up the rain, and roll it down again
  • Buttoning - secure the rain when it is rolled up with the elastic and cloud buttons, button on the rainbow ribbon
  • Threading - thread the throne onto the rainbow ribbon
  • Colours - learn the colours of the rainbow
  • Tucking - tuck the animals into the ark
  • Using snaps - snap on and off the ground to make it appear to flood
  • Fine Motor Skills - all quiet books encourage fine motor skill development
  • Hand-eye Co-ordination - all quiet books encourage hand-eye co-ordination




Read the Chapter

Psalm 29.


Devotional

Maybe you feel like everything is out of control, but God assures us that He's got it. Sometimes trouble is what we need to wake us up and turn our course. When trial comes are we willing to listen to instructions and build an ark? Or do we insist on our own way?

This Psalm speaks about God twisting the oaks and breaking the cedars. Trees are often used as a symbol of men and strength. So the strength of men is nothing to God. Therefore, why worry about what man can do to you? Rather worry about pleasing God.

Not only does God rule over the kaos of The Flood, but He caused it.


Psalm 29 - HeartSong



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Have you made a Noah's Ark quiet book page? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

Thursday 21 November 2019

Matthew 1 - Baby Jesus Quiet Book Page

Matthew chapter 1 lists Joseph's genealogy and records the birth of Jesus by the virgin Mary.


Memory Verse: “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”” Matthew 1:21.

Materials needed to create the Baby Jesus quiet book page:

  • A4 felt background sheet - I used white
  • Betty Lukens Felt book 011 Life of Jesus as a Boy available at Koorong (not an affiliate link)
  • sewing thread to best match the page
  • scissors!
Cut out all the pieces for this page and the page itself from the Betty Lukens set. The Betty Lukens FAQ section has posted a cutting tips PDF.

Sew the gates onto the doorposts by the sides.

Sew the Betty Lukens page onto the background felt along three sides, leaving the top edge open to form a pocket. Pop the pieces inside the pocket (or better yet - play with them)!

Finished!


Sew the Betty Lukens scene onto your page along three sides
to form a pocket for piece storage


Difficulty Level = Easy, plus No Sew version.

A very easy quiet book page!
Just use hot glue wherever sewing is recommended for a no sew version.

Key Learning Areas and Skills

  • Matthew 1 - Learn about Joseph's lineage and how Jesus was born to the virgin Mary
  • Imaginative Play - put Baby Jesus to bed
  • Fine Motor Skills - all quiet books encourage fine motor skill development
  • Hand-eye Co-ordination - all quiet books encourage hand-eye co-ordination

I left the wise men out of the cover picture as they are not mentioned till
Matthew 2 - didn't think about it until after taking the photos that
actually the shepherds are not in this chapter either!!



Read the Chapter

Matthew 1

Devotional

I often think about the fact that without sin entering the world you and I would never have existed. Should we be grateful?

In everyone's lineage there is going to be some kind of sexual sin... I'm not sure about my lineage, but with almost 6000 years of history there has got to be quite a lot.

Adam and Eve could have had children without sin entering the World - but would WE have existed, or someone else... there are so many eggs and sperm around with slightly different DNA. If everything hadn't gone pear shaped, there would have been different combinations made, and plenty of people, but not specifically me.

When I explain my view to people, they often think I am saying that sex is wrong or bad or something. I don't mean that at all. God created intercourse to be beautiful. But we are all descended from people who have resulted from sexual sin. Everyone has prostitution, adultery, rape or something in their ancestry at some stage. Even having multiple wives like Jacob did is something I can't see happening in a perfect world. Not to mention all the children from Levirate marriages whose first child was considered the child of the father's brother/relative (the woman's first husband who died childless).

Would you have been born if sin never existed? Would your great great great grandparents have slept together? And then would you have been created?

Jesus Himself would have never needed to be born in the flesh either. If sin never existed, there would be no reason for Him to bother. Matthew goes out of his way to mention all the unmentionables in Joseph's lineage. Tamar (who slept with her father-in-law by deception), Rahab (a prostitute), Ruth (from a despised race), Bathsheba (an adultress), and Jeconiah (who was cursed). If you want to read about the Curse of Jeconiah and the different explanations for the differences between Matthew's and Luke's genealogies the following article is a fascinating read - The Two Genealogies of Jesus, the Curse of Jeconiah, and the Royal Line of David posted on the website The Jesus Question.

So there are plenty of scandals in Jesus's family ancestry. He even wears the (assumed) shame of His own birth. People who did not believe Mary's virgin birth story assumed that Jesus was a bastard - Joseph's son conceived out of wedlock. And it's understandable. God had to send an angel to Joseph personally to convince him to continue past the betrothal and marry her. Until that point, Joseph had decided on divorce (a legal requirement of betrothals, unlike engagements today). He must have been so hurt by Mary's appearance of unfaithfulness.

If you are feeling the guilt of sexual sin in your own life or family history, take this record in Matthew as encouragement, and remember, none of us today would have been born without sin including Jesus.

I tried to think of a good song to include with this devotional - it seemed like a tough topic to find a song about. But God had it covered. This song popped up in my random Spotify feed that day, and although it was written as a love song, like a lot of love songs it can easily refer to God.


Selah - Bless The Broken Road (with lyrics)





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What do you think? Should you be grateful for sin because ultimately you wouldn't exist otherwise? I'd be intrigued to read your responses below in the comments.