Embellishing a cheap wreath

Hi!

I always wanted to have a huge beautiful wreath up in my mantle wall but never had the guts ( or pocket) to pay the big bucks they ask for it!

This year I found this one half price ( 17 bucks!!) at Michael's, but bare...well, just the way I wanted so I could  do whatever!!!

After some embellishments it was  perfect for me! Very convenient also that they were all 50% off at Michael's!

From dab...

To fab...

Take one ugly cheap skinny wreath

Take one old garland

Some wire

I wrapped the old  garland I had to the new skinny wreath to make it fuller and bulkier. Just tied with the wire, no hot glue necessary at all. It looks better already!

 Some new 50% off embellishments (ah, the pine cone smell soooo  nice, cinnamon scent...)

 

The embellishment garlands I wrapped using the  wreath own  boughs

I used hot glue to attach the pine cones and small ornaments

 The bow is a simple one made with wired ribbon ( sorry, forgot to take photos)

And my living room smells wonderful as well, love it!
------------
Dec 20 : I just added a  new touch to it...check it out! a cheep small wreath to the centre, so festive!Not bad for a (former) skinny and ugly little thing !

Toilet Paper Rolls Mini-Gift Boxes / Activity Calendar

Hi!

This year, part from the Advent calendar we do with Sofia, I also had a kind of "activity"Christmas calendar as well. Following my "love"for re-using toilet paper rolls and after seeing THIS at Crissy's Craft blog, I had this idea:

Make little gift boxes out of the rolls and fill them with treats, Scripture passages, crafts to make  and things to do.

Well, needless to say it has being a hit!

Here what I used:

1. Toilet paper rolls (25)

2. Glue, scissors

3. Scrapbook paper or wrapping paper

4. Cut out or printed numbers (1-25)

After the paper are cut to fit the rolls, just glue it to the roll. I could have "mod lodged" the whole think for a more finished look, but I did not bother as I knew they would last just a little while anyway, and would be opened in a rather hurried way by the anxious little hands. Sofia helped me during the whole thing...fun!

 They sure  look cute already, not a resemblance with toilet rolls, uh?

 I rounded the corners to make it easier to close it. But this is optional, works the other way as well, just harder to close 

 With my Cricut I cut numbers 1-25

 She looks forward to open them and see what is inside:

1. Crafts :

-Make paper snowflakes

-Make ginger bread man

-Write Christmas cards for my family

- Make a tree ornament

-Colour Christmas pictures

2. Good deeds/things to do:

 - Call grandma and sing Jingle Bells

- Take food to food bank

- Save money to Salvation Army bucket

- Go see the Christmas lights in the neighbourhood

- Take silly photos using a Santa hat

3. Bake a birthday cake for baby Jesus

4. Watch a Christmas movie with mommy and daddy

5. Sing Christmas Carols after supper

6. Scriptures on Jesus birth and simple questions as: What would you have given to Jesus as a gift? Would you follow the star like the wiremen and the shepherds?

FUN!

Twelve days of Christmas

Hi! 
I was  in LOST or what??!? 
Preparing some fun activities for Sofia during Christmas ( will post here) I came across this excellent advent calendar at Just for fun magazine  that shocked me ( in the most pleasant way I must say!) . 
Did you know that there is a (deep) meaning behind the song "Twelve days of Christmas"? 
Well, maybe many of you out there knew and will laugh  at me, but I did not have a clue! (maybe because I am not originally from North America and did not grow up listening to this song).
 Oh, well. 
I had to copy and paste the whole thing here, for it is so nice...
(Just4fun.magazine.com)
"According to popular tradiiton, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly from 1558 until 1829. During that era this carol was written as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember:
1. "The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ. A partridge often feigns injury to draw attention to herself and away from her young to protect them from danger. Because of its self sacrifice the partridge was used to represent Christ. 
2. "Two turtle doves were the Old and the New Testaments. Because they have one mate for life turtle doves represent enduring relationships, such as the unbreakable bond between the Old and the New Testaments.
3. Three french hens stood for the Holy Trinity-Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. 
4. The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 
5.The five Golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament. 
6. The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation. ( eggs representing new life). 
7. The seven swans a-swimming represented  seven gifts of the Spirit (prophecy service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership and mercy). 
8. The eight maids a-milking stand for the eight beatitudes which Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount to spell out blessings for the meek and lowly. 
9. The nine ladies dancing represent the fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self control.
10. The ten lords a-leaping stand for the law and leadership symbolized by the Ten Commandments. 
11. The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven disciples  who remained faithful to Christ.
12. The twelve drummers drumming represented the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed. 
I tried to explain to Sofia ( maybe she is to young to grasp all of it, but it is ok).
I loved to know the meaning of the song. We sing it a lot around here and now, knowing the meaning of the lyrics, we will sing it with a renewed joy!

Featured at he Craft Barn!

Hi!

So happy! My toilet paper roll Nativity scene was featured at the Craft Barn and that is cool, isn't it? I love  being featured, who doesn't?

Thanks Jennifer!!

Nine Years Ago

Hi!

Nine years ago I married my best friend in  sunny and beautiful Rio and it feels so right AND good! It felt right then and it feels right now. God made a guy from Canada and a girl from Brazil meet , fall in love, get married, change their lives completely and make babies!! This is blessing!

We went through a lot of things together, good and bad, but all with its purpose and no doubt all in the Lord's plan.

Steve Curtis Chapman's "Love will be our home" was sang (half in Portuguese, half in English) by a beautiful quartet of friends from church back then and it was ooohh sssoo beautiful!:( too bad I can't download it here...)

 What a hunk, uh?

 Some , ahem, pounds lighter....

 My beloved "pai"

 Sooo happy!

 Thinking of him....hummmm

 HUMMMMMMMMM

 In love

 The End.....( of that tiring day, girls!)

Thank you Lord!

Happy Anniversary, DB, Eu te amo!