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I this simple craft for younger kids, but also meaningful for older kids. Simply, cut the shapes out and paste them onto the large heart. (As pictured)I recommend printing it on stock paper, but regular paper will work fine. These are available for FREE Download this craft here: Preview of some of the pages: Enjoy! ~JenMarie

I have always loved the idea of the Elf on the Shelf family Christmas tradition. If you don’t know about Elf on the Shelf, he’s a long lanky toy elf who always finds a mischievous thing to do each night when the kids are in bed. Well, our family has a bit of a crazy side and that family tradition just seems sooo fun! But my Catholic side never wanted to make an elf a big deal. Sure elves are cute, but I try not to make Santa, or his elves a focus at Christmas time. So while I loved the idea of Elf on the Shelf I didn’t like the toy being used for this fun tradition! So Yes I “Baptized” the Elf on the Shelf idea! Meet Mr. E. Shelf’s replacements: Balthazar, Melchior, Caspar, and their camel! Now these three little guys are a handful! They are on the search for Jesus! They may be small but they are on the go! Over the last few weeks they have been hunting high and low for Baby Jesus! They have managed to get themselves into few odd spots! But we know that they won’t find Jesus until the Epiphany! After our kids get up each morning, they try to find the Three Wisemen. Most days it’s easy, but some days the kids have to search for awhile! The only rule we made was that the three wise men have to find the Infant Jesus that belongs to their Nativity set. That’s just to make it more interesting, since we have many nativity sets around the house. Now their special set remained hidden in my bedroom until Christmas, but they are searching and will continue to search until the Epiphany! These three wise men and Nativity sets are from Playmobil. (sold separately – I sound like a commercial) I liked these Wisemen because they are poseable.  I do wish they were more poseable but these work fine. Because they are poseable it makes them more able to appear to be doing curtain actions. Our family has been enjoying this new tradition and we are ALL excited to share some of the photos of the places our three little amigos have searched of the Infant Jesus! So for the next week I will be posting some of the places they have searched and the adventures that have found them!I hope you enjoy seeing their adventures as much as we did!~Jen-Marie You can buy these Playmobil sets on Amazon, but they are cheaper during the “off season”. Ebay may be cheaper, too. Searching for Jesus ~ Day 1 On the first day of searching (sounds like the beginning to a song) Balthazar and Melchior team up to look into a candle. Good thing it was unlit or Melchior may have singed his beard! Caspar and the camel are spectating or are they being “back-seat searchers”! Searching for Jesus ~ Day 2 After scaling my tall basket the search came to a sad end as they peered into the basket and found NOTHING!!! So sad. They are off to a bad start! Searching for Jesus ~ Day 3 Now on this morning we weren’t sure if they are looking for Jesus or a free snack! They were caught breaking into my “make-shift” cake cover. I guess that left-over St. Lucy’s day cake looked good! 😉 Searching for Jesus ~ Day 4 Maybe they really are hungry, because at day 4 they were searching in the toaster!! There are plenty of free crumbs in there! Hope they clean it before they leave! Okay these guys are off to a bad start, let’s see if they get any better tomorrow! See ya then….. Bloggers, make plans to join us next year! Blessings! Update: I was asked the question as to why the Wisemen aren’t following a star… That is a fair question, so I thought I’d tell you all what I responded: When we first started this tradition, we thought about having the Wisemen follow a star, but it was hard to have them stay in a path. If they stayed in a path, it was hard to come up with places for them to search, while on that path. Plus the kids knew where they were going to be and the Wisemen seemed to be boring. So we changed our idea a bit: Now the Wisemen jump around the house and the kids enjoyed searching for them each morning. So we decided to played on the Bible quote: “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to adore him.”  – After reading that I figured the Wisemen were a little lost at some point even with the star to guide them. We told our kids that our house is like the city of Bethlehem and the Wisemen are searching Bethlehem for Jesus. It’s not 100% like the Bible, but we found it more interesting and fun this way. Also I wanted to let you all know: We originally were only going to do this from Christmas to the Epiphany, but the kids, my husband, and I were having so much fun with our new tradition that we stated it even before Christmas day. So that is why there are more than 12 days worth of pictures!

My youngest three girls have been learning about weather and the clouds. I created this fun little printable to accompany the projects they have been working on.  “What is the weather today?” weather tracker and our three cloud types diagram. Made from a paper plate and the download below. Download Images for the Weather Crafts: We used a brass fastener to attach the arrow. Here is our three cloud types diagram: Made from 3 cotton balls and the printable below. Enjoy God’s wonderful world!  God Bless. ~Jen-Marie

This is just a quick post to share the PDF with the images I used to make cupcake toppers for our simple Christ the King celebration. I just printed the PDF, cut them out and taped a toothpick to the back of each image. Quick and simple! 😉 Download the PDF for free: Hope you all have a great week! God Bless! ~JenMarie

Just thought I’d share an update on our original Saint Medal Tree idea….. After Hurricane Sandy ran through our area our trees were mostly bare and the beautiful colored leaves were hard to come by. I had hoped to have the Saint Medal Tree as our dinning room décor for a bit longer, maybe till Thanksgiving, but with so few leaves left I was forced to be a bit more creative. Plus, I thought this might be better for anyone out there who doesn’t have access to countless trees like I do. All you need is a few sticks and some nicely colored leaves. I found the last few red and yellow leaves that remained on a tree in our yard, I even had some help from my sweet hubby to reach the ones up high. 😉  I gathered about three dozen leaves and brought them inside. My four youngest girls covered them with Modge Podge on both sides.  We placed them on a large sheet of paper (wax paper would be best) and left them to dry.  I went back every few hours just to flip them and move them around so they didn’t stick to the paper. After they were dry, they had a beautiful shiny coating that made them feel kinda like soft plastic. We hung them with Christmas hooks on a few bare branches which were arranged in a vase. Then we hung on our saint medals. Our shiny new leaves look great with our shiny medals. The best part is I don’t have to keep changing the water or getting fresh branches!! So, Hurricane Sandy made me stretch my brain and actually made my life easier.  (Except, for the fact that we need to replace our barn roof!!) Here are a few pictures of our original Saint Medal Tree.  This is with regular “non-modge-podged” leaves that had to be replaced every three or four days….. Or you could get artificial leaves, too! 😉 Hope you are all safe this week! God Bless! ~Jen-Marie

God is an artist!  What an awesome world He made for us! From the towering trees to the smallest flower! But He doesn’t settle for JUST making a wonderful world full of stunning sights, He also needs to redecorate every three months! So once again God has put his artistry to work and is painting the trees with gorgeous golden colors! The seasons are such a joy! Personally I don’t like cold weather, but the beauty in each of the seasons is just a wonderful pleasure to see! A man once told me that if he had to chose to loose his sight or his hearing he’d rather loose his sight because he LOVES music! I had to respectfully disagree, I love to see all the beautiful things God made! But even our personal opinions are the artistry of God’s wondrous creativity!  As wonderful as God’s artistry is the seasons can show us so much more! The seasons are a reminder of the changes in our lives. While spring is a symbol of the beginning of our lives and summer the middle, fall is a reminder of our life coming to an end. So every autumn our liturgical year focuses on those who have gone before us. We pray for the souls who are suffering in purgatory and we celebrate those who have made it into the glory of Heaven!  Fall is to remind us that we will not be here in this time and place forever. We are meant to one day be a part of God’s harvest. Just as a farmer goes into his field and harvest his crops, God too will harvest us. But only the finest produce will do. Just as a farmer destroys his poor produce, God, too, throws the bad part of his harvest into the fiery furnace.  I read this little story about 10 years ago and it’s stuck with me all these years….. We are like jack-o-lanterns. God picks us from the pumpkin patch and brings us into his home. He washes off all the dirt on the outside of us. He cuts us open and takes out all the yucky stuff on the inside. He removes our seeds of sinfulness and selfishness. Then He carves us a new smiling face. He puts his light inside of us to shine for all to see.   But for God to fill us with his light we have to be willing to let Him! Our shell has to be soft. God will not cut through our shell if we have hardened it.  The saints were willing to let God do his handy work on them and so we celebrate their holy lives. We should strive to live more like they did before our lives end and God comes to harvest us.  And for those who are asking: What’s winter’s meaning? Well, winter is the season that should remind us of Jesus days in the tomb before He rose from the dead.  Those who have died in God’s Grace will also rise, as Jesus did at the Resurrection!  For the feast of All Saints Day I made a center piece for our home. I wanted to bring a little of God’s artistry inside so I collected some beautiful colored branches and arranged them in a jar filled with water. Then my daughter and I hung saint medals on the branches.  It’s been a beauty for the whole family to see!! The kids have also enjoyed playing a few games of “I Spy” as they searched through the medals hanging on the branches to find a special saint! A note to anyone trying this:  The leaves will live for only a few days. I found oak leaves live a little longer than many others. (But I never tried maple) You could buy artificial leaves, but if you want real long lasting leaves click here  to see how to make them. Click here to see how to make longer lasting fall leaves  that don’t need replaced or need water!!!! Enjoy! ~JenMarie

It’s a great craft project for the Lenten season and a great way to teach of Jesus passion before Lent is over and Easter’s here! Because it uses hot glue younger children will need adult help, but older kids may be fine on their own. It uses a tissue box, rocks, moss, garden image, and Jesus image, to create a wonderful scene of Jesus passion – The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Supplies: Rectangle Tissue box (empty) Rocks (at least one that’s about ½ to 1 inch high, for the Jesus cutout) Moss (Spanish moss, floral moss or other moss) 1 sheet of black construction paper (or black paint) Garden picture printout –This PDF is available below Jesus picture printout~ Printout on stock paper or glue to thin cardboard Scissors White Glue or Glue stick Hot Glue Tape Black Marker Other small outdoor items like twigs, evergreen branches, etc. (optional) Download Instructions and Craft Images: Instructions: Cut the top off the tissue box. You may need to tape the corners if this makes the box weak. Cut the construction paper in half longways and cut one of those halves into two halves. Use the construction paper to cover the inside sides of the tissue box. The long one is for the top of the box and the others go on the sides.  (The bottom and back will be covered later.) Bend the ends to help make the black paper fit. Cut the corner a little and bend the paper down so it covers about an inch of the outside of the box. Glue all the pieces in place with the white glue or glue stick. Or if you prefer, you may also just cover the inside-sides with black paint. Cut out the garden picture to fit inside on the box’s back. Glue it down. You may wish to use a black marker to cover any cardboard that shows between the picture and the black paper. The picture of Jesus has the extra black under him to help make him work with your individual rock. Try to decide which way the rock and Jesus look best. Cut Jesus leaving extra black under him where it is needed, so you do not have gaps between Jesus and the rock. I hot glued the cut out of Jesus to the rock from the back so the glue will not be seen.  Be sure the rock is room temperature and dry or the hot glue will not work well on the rock. Hot glue the Jesus-rock and any other rocks to the bottom of your tissue box. Now cover a small area of the bottom of the box with hot glue and have the child drop the moss onto the hot glue. They can then use a stick or clothespin to press it down.(Do not use fingers or you will get burnt by the hot glue!) Continue doing more small areas until the bottom is covered with moss. If you wish you may add twigs, small evergreen branches or other garden/outdoor items to your scene to make it look even more interesting. May you have a blessed Lent and Easter! ~Jen-Marie

What’s the point in the Easter Egg? This craft is a project which helps young children to understand the meaning of the Easter Egg and its symbolism. One of the most common things you see at Easter time is the egg!! The Easter Egg has been a Christian symbol of rebirth and new life for thousands of years. Just as a baby chick breaks out of its shell and begins a new life, Jesus broke open the tomb as he began a new life for himself and gave hope to sinners that we too can now achieve the reward of new everlasting life in Heaven through Jesus!! The Craft: This double-sided project is simple and fun for younger children and anyone who likes to color. One side of this craft is an Easter Egg with a flap that reveals a baby chick. The other side is a resurrection scene, which also has a flap that reveals the resurrecting Jesus. It has a string attached to the top for hanging the egg craft so both sides can be seen. Click on the image for a larger picture: Supplies: copy of the egg pages (Below) -printed out on stock card paper ~ if possible 6-inch piece of string. scissors glue clear tape black marker crayons Download the Easter Egg Craft Here: Instructions: Color the two eggs and the two flaps. Cut them out leaving the black outer line. Use a small piece of tape to attach the flap on one side so that it will open like a door. Be sure the flap covers the entire chick/tomb opening, but it should not stick out past the egg\’s edge. Tape the looped string to the back of one of the eggs, so the craft can be hung when completed. Cover the back of one egg with glue and stick the two eggs together, back to back. Use a black marker to color over the outer edges of the eggs were white is showing from the egg on the other side. This will make them look more seamless. Now hang up your lovely Easter Egg and have a Blessed Easter!

Pentecost Cake Topper Pentecost is the birthday of the Catholic Church. This is a cake topper for a “Catholic Church Birthday Party” cake. The apostles are like birthday candles with flames on top! Download the cake topper here:

St. Patrick taught us that the Trinity is like a shamrock; three parts in one. Here is a craft that is simple and fun for younger children to make. Older kids may enjoy it, too. My daughter, Elizabeth,  (age 6) colored and glued the one below:  Print the clover PDF (below) , color the shamrock. Then cut out all the parts. Glue God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, one on each leaf. For extra fun, tape a real clover into the middle or add glitter! Download Trinity Craft Here: Hope you enjoy it! ~Jennifer-Marie

Here’s an excellent reminder of the story in the Bible which tells of Jesus Ascending into Heaven – 40 days after he rose from the dead on Easter. This 3-D craft project is a made using only the free printables, cotton, and glue. This work of art is simple to make and a joy to see. My kids were amazed at the fun construction! It might look difficult, but really it’s not! Download the Ascension Craft Here: I hope you enjoy this craft! God bless.

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit appeared as wind and fire (Tongues of Fire) This craft is meant to help remind children of those two symbols. This spinning pinwheel was a great party favor for our “Catholic Church Birthday Party”. Plus, it’s pinless so even little kids can have one! You will need: A new pencil 3-inch pipe cleaner Paper Pinwheel- (Download is below) Scissors Hole puncher Glue (something fast-drying…glue sticks work) Download the Pinwheel Here: Instructions:  Cut out the paper pinwheel square. Cut the diagonal lines. Glue the corners with the dots to the center, one on top of the other. Hold it in place until it’s dry. Cut out and glue the firey dove to one of the pinwheels’ peddles. Create one hole through the center of the pinwheel using a hole puncher. Be careful not to crush the pinwheel. Twist the pipe cleaner around the pencil top. Make sure it’s tight. Put the pipe cleaner through the pinwheel center. Wrap the end of the pipe cleaner around itself making a ball, but leave space to allow the pinwheel to spin. Now give it a blow! This paper pin-wheel is free in our download store!