Gingerbread House Kit

 

Matt was working with a family during his first Christmas season in Seattle and was looking for ideas of things to help build their relationship with the little kids.  I had just stumbled upon some Gingerbread House kits while I was at IKEA (love that store!) and because I'm lazy busy during the holidays I had picked up a bunch for the kids to use.  Check THAT little tradition off my list of things to do!  They never eat the gingerbread anyway.  Actually, I think these are their Pepparkaka ginger cookie not gingerbread...even better.  They are delish!  Anyhow, I think they were $3 for each kit.  How could I NOT?  I thought this would be a great Family Home Evening activity for them to do with this cute little family.  Nothing better than bonding over FOOD, right?

 

I picked up a bunch of candy and some powdered meringue* to use for the Royal Icing so that it didn't need to be refrigerated because of the raw egg whites.  Mixed up a large batch and put it in a Ziploc bag.  Threw in a couple of frosting tips along with some instructions and a piece of foil covered cardboard and voilà!

 

*Note:  You can purchase meringue powder anywhere cake decorating supplies are sold.  The recipe is on the container.

 

 

click here to download the Gingerbread House package topper

 

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree - Simplified

I discovered that there are a lot of busy ladies out there and a lot that don't feel too confident in their sewing/crafting skills. My sister, Katherine and I decided to come up with a simplified version that would require nothing but straight zigzag stitching - I think that's an oxymoron.  It is so easy and with the two of us working together it only took us about three and a half hours to make four of them.  It was probably a bit faster for us because we kind of tag-teamed it - I would pin and she would sew while I was pinning the next one. Jackie's is oh, so pretty and ours is cute. They both work great and our two missionaries certainly won't care.  Here's what we did:

Materials Needed:

old white sheet or 1.5 yards white fabric for the background

(I used one sheet cut in half width-wise for each tree)

1.25 yards of green fabric for the tree

(this amount will do three trees, you could also turn your fabric the other way 

and have a smaller tree which would use less fabric, see photos below)

.25 yard or a fat quarter of yellow fabric for the star

.25 yard or a fat quarter of brown fabric for the trunk 

.25 yard of 2 coordinating fabrics for the two packages

(or you could just use the same fabric and have both packages match and just get .25 yard)

5 yards trim for the tinsel

1 yard coordinating ribbon for the two package bows

(.50 yards for each package)

coordinating thread
2 sticky back Velcro dots or squares
(for pocket closure - or you could use buttons and make button holes)

BACKGROUND:  I used an old twin sheet cut in half.  Cut off the top wide hem then fold the remaining fabric in half width-wise and cut.  Give your cut sides a hem by pressing under one inch all along the side then fold the cut edge in to meet your pressed edge.  Now you should have two pressed edges which you can fold together and then stitch.  It's much easier to stitch after the hem has been pressed in.  This is called a double half inch hem.  You are essentially folding in, one half inch then folding again.  Gives you a nice pretty hem that will sit nice and flat.  You shouldn't need to hem the top and bottom of the sheet unless the factory hems aren't in good shape.  My sister used white on white fabric for her background.  It was so pretty.  Her missionary is a girl.  My missionary is a boy. He doesn't care, so I used what I had.

TRUNK:  Cut a piece of brown fabric to measure 6"x 10". Lay your hemmed sheet on a flat surface and then place your tree on top.  Make sure the right side is up! Place the star and the trunk in place and adjust so they are centered left to right and top to bottom.  Pin your trunk in place then remove the tree and star.  Using brown thread, sew around the outside edge of the trunk using a zigzag stitch. Your entire zigzag stitch should be on the edge of the fabric and not overlapping onto the white background.  Hint:  It is not necessary to have the same color thread in the bobbin.  I used white on the entire project so that it matched the background when the project is viewed from the back.

TREE:  Here are a couple of diagrams for cutting your tree.  If you use 1.25 yards, you actually have enough fabric to cut out three trees.  (see diagram #1)  OR you could just purchase half a yard of unfolded fabric and use the entire width of the fabric for your tree.  This gives you one slightly smaller tree but you won't have fabric left over.  (see diagram #2)

diagram #1

diagram #2

Lay your background on a flat surface and then place your tree on top centering the tree over the trunk.  Place the star and make any adjustments so they are centered left to right and top to bottom. Remove star and pin the tree in place.  Using green thread, sew around the outside edge using a zigzag stitch.

STAR:  Jackie made a Star of David using two triangles.  I just Googled 'country star' and clicked on images.  I wanted it to be a bit funky.  There are quite a few options but you'll have to weed through a few Brad Paisley's and  Carrie Underwood's to find them. When you find the one you like just cut and paste it onto a document and make it into your desired size.  Lay your project back on a flat surface, place your star and pin in place.  Mine overlapped onto the tree a bit. Using yellow thread, sew around the outside edge using a zigzag stitch.

TRIM:  Jackie used some RicRac that belonged to her grandmother and that's what I thought I would do as well...but...that stuff is hard to find (because it's so popular at the moment...somebody must have Pinned something really, really CUTE on Pinterest) and it's pretty pricey.  I found some trim at the fabric store that I could buy by the yard.  It is gold and kind of, I don't know...tinsely?  It had a great price point at $1.09 a yard.  You will need almost exactly 5 yards.  I tried 'swagging' it like Jackie did but it didn't look great.  I decided to just keep it geometric.  Pin it in place and using coordinating thread, just zigzag right over it.

PACKAGE(S):  IF there was a difficult part of this project, this would be it.  It's not rocket science though...just follow the step by step instructions, and IF I can explain it clearly, you will be just fine. Here goes:

1. Cut two pieces of fabric measuring 7"x 21"

2.  Using a pencil, lightly mark the fold lines on the wrong side of the fabric.

3. Fold and press 1/4" on the short sides of both packages making a small hem. 

(see photo below)

4. Using coordinating thread, stitch your pressed hem in place.  I was too lazy to change my bobbin thread to match so I flipped my fabric over and stitched on the right side of the fabric so the white stitching didn't show.  (see photo below)

5. With the right side of the fabric facing up, fold the left side over on the marked fold line.

6.  Now fold the right side over on the marked fold line.  Pin.
The two side hemmed edges should meet.  (see photo below)

7. Stitch down both sides of both pockets using a 5/8" seam allowance.

(see photo below)

8. Turn right side out.  Using a pair of scissors (closed), gently push the corners out.  Be gentle, you don't want to cut through the fabric, you are just trying to make a nice point on your corner.  Do this on all of the corners.  Press.

(see photo below)

9. Fold the top (smaller fold) closed and press in place.

(see photo below)

10. Cut the yard of ribbon in half, giving you 1/2 yard for the bow on each pocket.  Fold one piece of ribbon in half and press with your fingers just to mark the center.  Place the center mark of the ribbon about one inch from the top of your pocket and pin in place.  Make sure that you only pin through the pocket flap.  Open pocket flap and sew in place as shown in the photos below.

11. Tie ribbon then trim the ends.

(see photo below)

12.  With the flap closed, lift up on the front flap and center one half of the Velcro centered on the pocket.  Repeat on the other pocket.  (see photo below)

13.  Now place the other half of the Velcro on top of the Velcro that you just adhered.  This is MUCH easier than trying to center it on the top flap so they line up correctly.  Close the top flap and press firmly.  I tried to sew through the sticky back Velcro but the glue just gummed up my sewing machine needle.  Just press firmly.  The glue will take 24 hours to cure and then it's on there pretty good.  (see photo below)

14. Lay your background on a flat surface and position the packages on either side of the tree.  Remember to lift UP the top flap so you don't sew your package closed!  Pin in place and sew using a zigzag stitch and coordinating thread.  When you sew across the top of the pocket you will actually be sewing with the flap open.  (see photos below)

That's it!  You did it!

My daughter has a Silhouette Cameo vinyl cutter so I borrowed that and printed the scriptures onto heat transfer vinyl.  If your daughter doesn't have one and you would like to use the scriptures in your project you can just write it on using a fabric marker.  Don't forget to send a few push pins for them to use when hanging their tree.

The scriptures that I used were:

For unto you
is born this day
in the city of David,
a Savior,
which is Christ
the Lord.
Luke 2: 11

and 

...and his name
shall be called
Wonderful,
Counsellor
The Mighty God,
The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

I cut out a bajillion ornament shapes at my local craft store using my own paper and their die cut machine.  Our family will work on their ornaments this weekend and I will put the ornaments in the pockets along with some mini gold safety pins.  At our family gathering this Thanksgiving everyone will have a chance to decorate their ornament and write notes to our family missionaries.  The ornaments will be mailed randomly during the Christmas season in each family's Christmas card.  For an idea on how to do that, click here.  

Don't open until Christmas!

Matt and I had an "understanding" this Christmas.  He was to open every package that came to him from me.  If the contents were wrapped then he was to put them under the tree to open on Christmas morning. If the contents were not wrapped then he could take them out to enjoy during the holidays - like Christmas treats and decorations, etc.  I figured that if I wrote 'Do Not Open Until Christmas' on the outside of the box that would be a little too obvious that gifts were enclosed and someone might nab them off his porch before Matt got back to his apartment.

I put together a stocking for Matt and his companion and mailed them separately in the medium Flat Rate box from USPS.  I didn't want to wrap the stocking but I didn't want him to open it until Christmas morning either so I made a printable to put on top. 

1)  Line your box with tissue paper.

2) Place stocking and other 'Christmas morning' items inside.

3) Fold the tissue paper over the contents.

4) Place printable on top and tape box closed.

For step by step instructions on making the missionary stocking below, click here.
Note:  The tie can be removed for your missionary to wear

Rustic Christmas Advent Calendar

Today's post is courtesy of Marcie - one of my best friends, former mission companion (Macau ROCKS!!), and a missionary mom to Hannah serving in California.  She found these adorable, rustic burlap bag advent calendars at her local craft store, decorated them, and filled them with a scripture reminiscent of the season and a coordinating treat.  They are amazing and her missionary is going to LOVE them.

 

While your local craft store may not have this exact product, you could easily make your own using burlap from the fabric/craft store OR...

...I found these little beauties online from papermart.com
Just string them together with a little jute.  CUTE!!

They measure 3.5"x 5" - which is larger than Marcie's.  On the bright side, now there will be room for double treats in the bag.  One for your missionary and one for their companion.  They are bundled in packages of 24 (Perfect count for an advent calendar!) for $12.  The same product is offered here through Amazon.com only these are bundled in packages of 50 for $16 so if you need to make two advent calendars, this would be perfect.  You probably couldn't buy burlap for that price.

 

Click on the above photo and it will take you right there...

 

Decorate your bags - if desired.

Number your bags - this is really a must...it is after all, an Advent Calendar, right?

Now you get to fill your bags with all sorts of fun things that will help bring a bit of the season into your missionary's life every day leading to Christmas.  Marcie was kind enough to include a list of the ideas that she used.  They are in no particular order but it wouldn't be difficult to put them into a specific order should you choose.  These are all spiritual based and would be a fun addition to their companionship study each morning.  Thanks, Marcie!!

Scripture Countdown: 

John 3:16
(wrapped square chocolate tied with a ribbon to look like a gift)
Doctrine & Covenants 43:34
(pack of Lifesavers - Savior)
Luke 22:44
(red jelly beans - to represent 'blood')
Isaiah 1:18
(white jelly beans - to represent 'purity')
Matthew 2:7-8
(M&M's - to represent W for 'Wisemen')
John 10:14
(candy cane - to represent the 'Good Shepard')
Matthew 2:9
(yellow Starburst candies - to represent the 'star')
Matthew 2:11
(gold candy coins - to represent 'gold, frankincense and myrh')
John 6:35
(animal crackers - to represent the 'bread of life')
John 6:40
(green jelly beans - to represent 'everlasting life')
Doctrine & Covenants 76:41
(cinnamon bear or gummy bears - to represent 'bear our sins')
John 14:27
(Reese's Pieces candy - to represent 'peace')
Doctrine & Covenants 133:22
(Ande's mints - to represent 'mountain')
2 Nephi 26:25
(Bit-o-honey candy - to represent 'honey')
Matthew 26:39
(mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cup candy - to represent 'remove this cup')
Luke 6:21
(mini Snicker's candy bar - to represent 'laughter')
Matthew 4:19
(Swedish Fish - to represent 'fishers of men')
Hymn 201, Joy to the World, sing all verses
(mini Almond Joy candy bar)
Hymn 214, I Heard the Bells, sing all verses
(chocolate covered bell candy)
John 15:1
(licorice pieces - to represent the 'true vine')
Matthew 11:29
(Smartie candy - to represent 'learn of me')
 3 Nephi 11:19
(Hershey's Kiss candy - to represent 'kiss His feet')
Alma 7:12
(sucker - to represent 'succor')
3 Nephi 11:11
(dark chocolate - to represent 'bitter cup')

 Notes:

 

To make tags to insert into your bag, simply cut cardstock into the appropriate size for your bags, punch a hole in one end and attach a ribbon, decorate tag, if desired with stickers, etc., and hand write the scripture reference onto your tag.  You could actually print out the scripture in it's entirety but in my opinion (for what that's worth!), it would be more effective and strengthen the companionship if they looked up the scripture and read it aloud together.  Just a thought...

 

For those small items listed above i.e. jelly beans, M&M's etc., put them into a small reclosable bag (like this, for example available from Amazon or the jewelry department of your local craft shop) or wrap them in plastic wrap so they don't fall out during the mailing process.

 



Christmas Idea #8

Remember the Christmas chains that you used to make when you were little?  And then you made them with your kids when they were little?  Every night, after prayer we would run to our chain to remove yet another link as the days slowly marched by.  It seemed like Christmas would never arrive.  Now as an adult, time seems to fly by.  This activity is a variation of the Christmas Chain that I'm sure your missionary will remember from their childhood.

I purchased the paper for the chains from Oriental Trading.  You could always cut your own strips of paper if you'd like but these were incredibly inexpensive and I've used the same pack for the last three years.  They come in two different styles - plain red and green, or candy-striped.  Each set comes with 500 pre-cut, pre-gummed strips for $5-$6 depending on the style you choose.  Moisten gummed ends to form each link.  No stapler needed. Brilliant!

  

We worked on this activity at our family Christmas party this year.  Everyone took one link and wrote a message on the inside.  Then they connected up their links making one long chain.  Our chain fit easily into a small Flat Rate mailing box.  I included a note telling our missionaries to count how many days until Christmas and remove and read any additional links.  Every night thereafter they can read a short message from home leading up to Christmas.

Christmas Idea #7

My sister Kim shared a fun idea that she did with her cute little kiddos to send to the missionaries in our family.  She was kind enough to show me before dropping it off to the Post Office.  I thought it was a darling idea to do with small children and it will really help to decorate their apartments for Christmas.

This craft is pretty self-explanatory - using green craft paint, paint the child's hand with a sponge brush and apply to white card stock in a circle reapplying the paint after each hand print is made.  Allow wreath to dry thoroughly.  When dry, add berries to your wreath using red paint and the child's fingerprint.  Make sure to have the child sign their name to their wreath.  Charming!