Christmas Crafting

I have made so many Christmas crafts in the past few weeks!  I just haven't had the time to upload all of the photos yet.

I made a fabric dolly for my niece, and worked out a pattern (including her dress) to share.   I finished 8 paintings for my immediate family (I love morguefile's free reference photos!)  I made 30 beaded stars ornaments to sell, as well as 18 personalized bauble ornaments .  I am working on a Christmas card design, but I'm not in a hurry since we won't be sending those out until January (when we get our family pictures printed.)

I worked out a simple ornament tutorial for making beaded icicles with children (my four year old made some absolutely adorable ones for his grandparents.)   He helped me in the kitchen, and so far we've made 6 batches of cookies and 20 hot chocolate sticks.  I figured out how to hack a dollar tree icecube tray into a chocolate mold using my dremel.

I think that I have everything ready, except for my husband's present (which is about halfway completed,)  and some more baking.  We still have alot of activities, not to mention a roadtrip to Grandma's house, so it will probably be Jan before I can post those tutorials (especially since I don't want anyone stumbling onto a photo of their present.)

But, in the business of the holiday season, I thought that I would take the opportunity to pause,and remember the incarnation.  Granted, Christmas is a pagan holiday that has been both "Christianized" and commercialized, but it is nonetheless good to be reminded of what Christianity is all about.  Almighty God enfleshed Himself in a human body, and took upon himself the penalty of sin, that He might redeem sinful man.  Don't let this year slide by without considering the state of your soul.

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. "  Galatians 4:4-5