Holiday Crafting

Willy Christmas Crafting is turned up to eleven, this year.  It started when I saw this Christmas bed on Pinterest...

Here’s my “design on a dime” version. All that’s missing is....ok almost everything, but changing my sheets sure made my room look so happy and Christmasy... 

Our ward relief society activity was a super Saturday of crafting. I didn’t sign up for anything, and had mom commitments in the morning, but cut and stapled some boards together and went to the last hour to visit and put on a coat of red paint. My mom has a silhouette machine and shared her vinyl stash and we had so much fun making a few things with it. I’m stoked to hang it over my own Christmas bed!  The boys and Reese made rag trees with fabric scraps and wood craft leftovers in our craft bins. They turned out so cute! 

I saw this giant Merry Christmas sign at Kirklands, but it was a fortune. I had enough wood lying around to make myself a smaller 12x24inch version (bottom)for free. I posted pics of some crafts on Instagram and my friend, Jenni, saw them and asked me to put together some things for her shop, The Lovely Ambition Mercantile, in downtown Eureka Springs. The shop opens in January. I’m pretty excited. 

 kids painted ornaments and Corbin spent hours on  a tiny nutcracker. 

Valerie C. taught my mom and I how to make felt flowers and now we’re putting them on all the things! My mom put hers on a yarn wreath and mine ended up in a wreath but on this piece of barn wood. I love it! 

I made this advent calendar a few years ago with Katie G. Each day has a picture of Christ on the back that you flip over.  I have wanted to put a title on the top and finally did one this year. 

I embroidered names on most of the stockings last year, but once I brought Wren home, I never had free hands to finish!  I’m working on adding Mama and Dad to the last two stockings. I cried when I pulled out Wren’s stocking and was relieved I never got around to stitching his name. I would have bawled picking the letters off.   The children insisted we hang it anyway, I think partially because it feels right to put it up, and partially with the hope of having another sibling in our home before Christmas.  I assumed we would have another placement in our home “any day now” for months. We just missed out on two infants the week of thanksgiving, that were placed within minutes of receiving the texts. One went to my friend’s family (a perfect fit!) and the other call came while I was at the hospital getting x rays with Soren today (that’s another post) and couldn’t answer the phone. But Aaron saw the text and HE made the call back to accept, but baby had been placed just moments before he called. The days before Christmas also were a roller coaster of emotions when we were called back on another placement, the caseworker wanted come to our home, but after talking with another family about how strongly they felt he should be placed with them, we couldn’t accept the baby knowing another mother wanted him oh so badly. Who am I to break up that kind of connection? Lastly, on Christmas Eve Eve, we prepared all day for a little boy Corbin’s age to join us for a few weeks. We changed the bedding and filled the bookshelf by the bed with Pokémon and Star Wars. I picked up clothes and made a late night run to Walmart for Christmas pajamas and ethnic hair products.  At the last minute, a miracle, the foster home where his sisters are placed opened a spot and he was able to join some of his family for Christmas. 

I just cannot imagine one of my children being pulled away from the others, especially over the holidays. Gut wrenching. The kids still are disappointed that they “cleaned his room for nothing” but someday, they’ll understand and be grateful for the miracle.  Our part wasn’t and is never about what we actually accomplish, it’s about keeping our hearts open and being willing to love and lift God’s children any time that he asks. 

Anyway, Mama’s stocking is almost done and we still have one hanging and ready to fill with love. Our next family members will come to us when they are supposed to.