What's Up, Doc?

 

Remember how Valentine's Day snuck up on me?  Easter did the same thing!  Nearing the holiday I stumbled upon these darling carrot cellophane bags at Walmart.  They are SO CUTE!!  I love the green leaves at the top.  You might be able to find them at the craft store when the holiday is approaching...or...I found them online for you (click here for the link).  Just fill them with some Easter treats and tie with a bit of ribbon.  I used curly ribbon and then curled it to add to the leaf effect.  Think my missionary will catch on?  I think not.  Add a bit of coordinating tissue paper and some shredded paper if needed for filler and you're good to go.  Again, I was able to fit two into a small Flat Rate box from the Post Office.  Again, about $5 to send.  Yay!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now when someone asks what you sent your missionary for Easter you can say, "Carrots!" 

Origami Carrots

One day while surfing the net I stumbled upon an Origami Garden.  All sorts of directions on how to make all sorts of origami vegetables. When I found the origami carrot, I let out a squeal of delight!  So excited!  I looked in a couple of craft stores for orange and green origami paper.  Who knew it was so expensive? Who knew that it's impossible to find just orange or green? Sheesh!  In my imagination I found cute patterned orange on orange paper...like an adorable polka-dot...and an equally adorable green on green paper for the leaf...alas, it was not to be.  I found a plethora of scrapbook paper but deemed it all to be too heavy and stiff to use for origami paper folding.  I went to the copy shop and picked up several sheets of orange and green and cut them down to size.  Being frugal (my husband is laughing his head off at the moment, but I do try...most of the time anyhow) I wanted to make the most of each sheet so I just made each sheet an 8.5 inch square.  This allowed plenty of room for everyone to write a nice long letter...but...it was just a titch too long to fit in any of the Easter packages that I was sending so I ended up putting them all into one of the larger Flat Rate envelopes which worked just fine but wasn't near as cute as it was in my imagination, yet again.  If I were to do it again, which I probably will, I would make them smaller so they fit into a box that could be lined with tissue and green shredded paper.  Live and learn!

Easter - Candy Bottles

These little jems were so easy to put together and I just love how they turned out.  I picked up a pack of juice at the grocery store and handed them out to Maren (my youngest) and her cute cousins that were spending the weekend and told them to 'drink up'.  They were thrilled to comply! These juice bottles come in many different flavors but I went with grape juice because...well...I wanted a white lid.  Lame, huh.  After the kids were finished I washed up the bottles and peeled off the labels saving one to use as a pattern.  This kit from Scrappy Nat made everything so easy and I absolutely adore everything she designs.  You can check out her site here...

These would be SO easy to make for any occasion.  I love them!!

Contents will arrive to your missionary fresh and un-crushed.

Scrapbook elements used and posted with permission by Scrappy Nat www.scrappynat.com

TALKS: "None Were With Him"

The perfect Easter talk to send to our wonderful missionaries.  Enjoy!
click on the photo to download the talk

       

Don't forget to change your printer to print 'double-sided' to save on postage...

On my PC:  click on 'Print', click on 'Properties' tab, click on 'Finishing',

click on "Print on both sides', click on 'ok', click on 'ok' - should be good to go!

Atonement Advent Calendar

One of my most popular posts is The Last Week of Christ which I did for my oldest son when he was serving in the Ohio Columbus Mission a few years ago.  I wanted to come up with something for Matt which was spiritual as well.  I had a great time researching quotes on the Atonement from our church leaders as I put together this Atonement Advent Calendar.  I think he and his companion will LOVE it and enjoy pondering upon our Savior's Atonement during this Easter season.  Hope so!

Supplies:

Little Bitty treat bags

(mine are 2.75"x 4")

number stickers

washi tape

mini clothes pins

jute, twine or ribbon

2 push pins / thumb tacks

small Easter candy

Atonement quote cards

(see below)

#1

 Number your bags.

#2

Print the quote cards onto white card stock.  Cut out on the dotted lines.  

(click here for cards)

Note: The quotes are in no particular order.  There are 30 of them.  

Use only as many as you need i.e. if Easter falls on the 20th of the month, 

you would only have 20 bags.

#3  

Insert one quote card and two small pieces of candy into each bag - 

one for your missionary and one for their companion.

#4  

Seal bags closed.  

I used some bicycle Washi tape that I found at Staples 

quite some time ago but anything will work.

#5

Using mini clothes pins, attach your bags to jute, twine, ribbon, yarn, etc...

I used some white jute that I found at the craft store.

There you have it!  All done!  So cute...I made 2 sets in blue and one in yellow because I have three missionaries that we mail things to.  They are going to LOVE it!  Don't forget to include a small baggie with two push pins or thumb tacks inside so they can hang their banner in their apartment.

This isn't going to fit in the small Flat Rate box...and the medium size was too big for what I wanted to send so I opted for the 6"x 7" Priority Mail box.  Just ask the postmaster to get one for you.  They are usually behind the counter.  The box is free but it costs a bit more to send because it goes by weight.  If I keep the weight down it should only be $10 to send.  Don't know what I'm going to do when I start mailing packages to my niece in Bolivia...I've got a month to figure it out.  Any ideas?

I made this topper to go on the top of my package along with a little instruction sheet.  Thanks to Nat at www.scrappynat.com for the digital scrapbook embellishments!  She makes adorable scrapbook kits and it was fun to use a couple of her elements to put this together.  You really should check her out!  Happy Easter everyone!

(scrapbook elements used and posted with permission by Scrappy Nat www.scrappynat.com)

Easter FUN!!

     I sent Mason and our other family missionaries what I hope will be a spiritual journey into the last days of Christ's life but I still just have to send an Easter basket of some sort.  I don't know if you're like me or not, but I can't do Easter baskets for 19 years and then just STOP.  Can't be done, much to my husband's dismay.

     For their baskets I used white take-out containers filling them each with a plethora of candy and attaching a tag with a ribbon.  There are so many fun Easter ideas on Pinterest that are guaranteed to spark your imagination and get your creative juices flowing. 

Here's what we came up with:

Bunny Bait:

     This is so cute and SO YUMMY!  Your missionary is guaranteed to love this quick and easy Easter snack.

Shopping List:

Rice Chex

Pretzels

Popcorn

m&m's

sprinkles

Hershey's white chocolate morsels

(other brands don't work so well, trust me)

     In a large bowl combine 1/2 the box of Rice Chex cereal, with a few handfuls of pretzels, some popcorn (I just used my air popper) and some m&m's.  Combine to mix well.  Place white chocolate chips into a microwave bowl and heat on high 30 seconds at a time until melted and smooth stirring every 30 seconds.  Pour chocolate over your Bunny Bait and stir until thoroughly coated.  Pour onto a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with pastel sprinkles.  Do not mix the sprinkles in - just sprinkle on top.  Let mixture cool completly then break into pieces and place in a baggie or cellophane bag.  My daughter whipped up this cute pastel bag topper for me at the last minute.  Just print it out on a piece of white cardstock and fold over your bag and staple.  Thanks Bek!  I added a label to the back to describe the contents then tied it on with a ribbon.

(To see where I got the idea and recipe, click here.)

Missionary Peeps:

     "Spreading the Gospel to one PEEP at a time."  My daughter and I were so excited when we saw this idea on the internet.  They were so much fun to put together and really quite simple.

Shopping List:

Bunny Peeps

Hershey's white chocolate chips

Hershey's milk chocolate chips

white sprinkle

                                                                toothpicks

                                                                                  plastic sandwich baggie

     Melt white chocolate chips by microwaving for 30 seconds at a time until smooth.  Stir every 30 seconds.  Carefully dip the bottom portion of your peep into the white chocolate up to its neck making the white shirt/blouse (I used a spoon to work the chocolate up the sides of the peep to get it exactly where I wanted it.)  Place bunny on a parchment or waxed paper lined cookie sheet.  Chill until chocolate is set.

     Melt milk chocolate chips by using the method described above then dip your peep making the pants/skirt.  Place back onto cookie sheet and chill until set.

     Place some melted milk chocolate into a sandwich baggie and snip off the corner.  For the Elder Peeps: Make the missionaries tie and badge.  I practiced a little on the parchment paper first. It was a little tricky but using a toothpick to manipulate the chocolate and 'fill in' the tie was very helpful.  Place a white sprinkle onto the center of the tag for the lettering.  For the Sister Peeps:  I put a bow on one bunny ear with a round sprinkle in the center for the knot, and three buttons going down the center of the blouse and then the badge, of course.

     After your Missionary Peeps are thoroughly chilled, place them in bags and attach a bag topper.  I used the same one as with the Bunny Bait but trimmed the sides to make it fit the smaller cellophane bags.

    

     I should explain that we have three missionaries in the field - my son (see the two Elder Peeps), my parents (the Senior Couple Peeps), and my 'son's friend that's a girl but not his girlfriend' who happens to be in a threesome at the moment (the three Sister Peeps).

(To see where we got the idea and instructions, click here)

Goldfish Carrots:

     These are all over the internet as well but are mostly filled with Cheeto's.  I filled ours with Gold Fish Crackers because Mason's companion loves them.  I found the cellophane bags at my local hobby store. They are a seasonal product that is only in stock around Easter.  If you need them at another time of the year try disposable cake decorating bags.  It will be nice to have something that is not full of sugar in his Easter package AND they're adorable, don't you think?





 (To see where I got the idea, click here)



      We threw in a few other odds and ends as well - nuts, squirt guns, bubbles and a Frisbee for P-day.  I'd love to hear what you sent your missionary.  Happy Easter, everyone!



Easter - The Last Days of Christ

I wanted to send our missionaries something that would bring the true meaning of Easter into their lives during Passion Week - or the week leading up to Easter Sunday.  I came up with the idea of an Easter Advent calendar where they would have something to open each day.  There are lots of ideas floating around on Pinterest and on the Internet but Mason comes home soon and I didn't want him to think that he had to haul anything around with him for these last few months.  Totally start to freak out whenever I think about his homecoming = Aahhhhh!!! We're just a wee bit excited around here. Sorry, I'll try to stay focused...

What started out to be a fun 'little' project totally morphed into this 'thing' that has taken me literally weeks to put together.  Thinking that it would be amazing to follow along with Christ's Last Days, I came up with the idea of putting a bookmark with scriptural references inside plastic Easter eggs, each egg would represent a single day in Christ's life.  Opening my scriptures I was brought to remembrance of just how much happened that last week.  The week was full of parables and symbolism and illegal events all culminating in Christ's crucifixion.  It was plain to see that this would not all fit on a bookmark - so it morphed from a bookmark into a bookmark and a handout - which I tried to keep concise and short although you will think that Thursday and Friday are anything BUT short. 

I thought this would be so easy.  Surely someone, somewhere has put together the events of Christ's last days and I could benefit by simply cutting and pasting.  You know the story: Modern technology meets another one of my hair brained ideas.  Alas, where I could find lots of information online, a lot of it contradicted each other and I wanted to insert our latter-day perspective into the mix.  Hence my odyssey of discovery through the four Gospel's, Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage, Life and Teachings of Jesus - New Testament Study Guide Religion 211, and The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim (who incidentally was the first Jew to join the Church 1825-1889 and was a brilliant scholar).   This is NOT my own work.  A lot of it is typed just as it is found in the books and melded together into a cohesive and understandable mix.  In hindsight, I am grateful for the opportunity that I had to reacquaint myself with Passion Week.  This Easter season promises to be a special one for me.

The Last Days of Christ - There are nine eggs each representing a day leading up to Resurrection Sunday.  Inside each egg is a bookmark that has the scriptural events that happened for that particular day.  Also included is a handout representing each day in the same corresponding color as the bookmark.  Label each egg with a number representing which egg to open first.  I also included a little cover sheet telling our missionaries what to do. PDF printable links are below.  Enjoy!

Last Days of Christ - cover sheet

Last Days of Christ - bookmark/egg insert

Last Days of Christ - daily handout

Just in case you have missionaries in a foreign land where it is just too expensive to mail a bunch of eggs, I've created envelope labels.  Just print them out and glue onto the front of a business size envelope (to fit 8.5x11 inch paper).  Fill in the date that you would like your missionary to open each envelope and insert the daily handout/editorial and bookmark/egg insert and seal.  Now you won't have to worry about the added expense of a package and when you fill out those nasty little customs declarations you can just write 'letters'.  Win, win!

Last Days of Christ - envelope labels