Homemade Kindness

Card Inserts to Gift a Handmade Card

11:12 AM

I ❤️ to send cards and allow the receiver to #sharehomemadekindness by sending it to the next person!

Here’s how that works! You put this nice little printable along with a folded envelope into the card. The printable explains it all! It says, “Share @homemadekindness. Remove this label and send the card to the next person! “ That’s it! Pretty easy and a nice lil way to #sharekindness. AND of course the #freeprintable is downloadable below! 💓🎀

I print off a couple of copies at a time (there’s 4 per a page) and just keep them in my desk or in my love basket for when I want a sweet handmade card to be a gift (more on my “love basket” later).

Downlod horizontal copy here.

Download vertical copy here..

DIY Project

Easy tie-dye butterflies

11:22 AM

Supplies:

Coffee filters (napkin or paper towel would work well too)

Markers (washable works best)

Eye droppers (I’ve used a spray bottle and that works too)

Clothes pins

Pipe cleaner

Buttons (or what you would want for eyes)

Glue

Instructions:

1. Color the coffee filters with markers of choice. More color the more saturated it will look.

2. Use droppers and bleed the color.

3. While filters are drying, color your clothes pins, wrap pipe cleaners around it, coil for Atenas and glue eyes on.

4. Once dry fold accordion style on both wings. For bottom wing we folded wider. On the top wings we folded tighter.

5. Finish by clipping both wings.

Faith

Faith is like a Seed

7:25 AM

I made this fun visual when I taught Sunday school for the youth a couple of years ago! Super easy with colored paper and a laminator. The visual helped facilitate a great discussion on faith, the ways to help it grow and the ways it can be attacked!

Faith is like a seed! If we plant it, it will grow!

What does a seed need to help it grow? Sun. Rain. Soft soil. Those are the simple answers. But I also included fertilizer! As well as things that stop a plant from growing big. Like wind and bugs! And a force filed(insecticide) to protect the plant!

How can we start our little faith off well? (Soft soil)

What things try our faith? (Wind)

How do we grow stronger? (The roots)

What things attack our faith? (The bug)

How do we nourish our faith? (Sun and water)

What kind of things are ultra boosts in our faith? (Fertilizer)

Discuss this with your family? What answers did they find!? Everytime I bring this visual out I discover new answers!

Here’s my thoughts on faith for the time being!

Soil

When we use the small smidgen of faith we start off with we need to have a willingness to act (soft soil). My faith has grown as I have acted on that willingness to follow what is required as I continue that faith. Many people say they want to learn and grow in faith but are only willing to go so far in sacrificing and changing(rocky soil).

Wind

My faith has been tried throughout my life. Which has caused me to lean even more on Christ and his doctrine. It has allowed my roots to grow strong and deep. Most recently our struggles with infertility have tried me... hard. So many questions of WHY and WHEN! To be honest it shook my faith and to the core. In “hindsight” after the initial 4 years of questioning... I see my roots stronger than ever. I now lean harder into Christ and trust in His plan for me and my family!

Fertilizer

I’ve receive ultra boosts of faith as I have made covenants with God through baptism and the sacred ordinances in the temple. Another huge fertilizer was my mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as I dedicated ALL my time and energy in serving others.

Insecticide

I am deeply grateful for the Holy Ghost that protects me from Satan’s attacks. Warns me when evil is present. Whispers to turn around when danger is present. Comforts me when I am struggling! What a wonderful gift from our Heavenly Father.

Sun and Water

Prayer and the sacred scriptures are a must in helping me grow. Have you ever felt like your faith was a wilted dying plant! Yea! Me too. I often find my silty self when I lack in my essentials to growth which are prayer and scripture study! They are as vital to us as the sun and water are to a plants health.

recipes

4th of July Cake: Best Cake Ever

7:48 AM

A poke hole cake but so much more! This is the best cake ever and I don't even like cake. In fact, a lot of other haters (in the cake hating realm) will make the exception for this one! It is even requested for birthday cakes all year long.

INGREDIENTS:
1 package white cake mix
1 (4-serving size) package Strawberry Jello
1/2 cup boiling water
1 (4-serving size) package Instant Vanilla Pudding & Pie Filling
1-1/2 cups milk
3 cups whipped topping, divided
1 cup blueberries, divided
1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries
2 bananas, sliced
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:
1.) Prepare cake mix according to package directions in 13×9x2 pan. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely.
2.) Poke holes in cake at 1-inch intervals.
3.) Dissolve Jello in boiling water, and slowly drizzle over cake, allowing Jello to seep into the cake holes. Refrigerate 1 hour.
4.) Prepare pudding according to package directions using milk. Fold in 1 cup whipped topping and optional 1/2 cup blueberries. (I don't put the blueberries in they are not my favorite.)
5.) Split cake horizontally in half. Use long knife and cutting board to flip the top part off. Spread pudding mixture on top of the first cake half, then replace 2nd cake half on top of the mixture.
6.) Spread remaining whipped topping over top and sides of cake.
7.) Arrange remaining blueberries, strawberries and bananas on the cake to resemble a flag. Place marshmallows around the edge.

We have done this cake for as long as I remember since childhood. My mom always used the recipe cut from an 80's magazine. These are the pictures I have collected from years passed.

2007- on my mission in Puerto Rico

2010- engaged

2013

2016

2017

2018 - before the deck

2019- Someone dug in before we got a picture

2020- At the lake house again! We recreated 2016!

DIY Project

July 4th DIY WindStock

4:20 PM

This was such an easy craft and the perfect activity to get me back in the to craft room after a lull. No sewing and just a few items necessary.

Items Necessary:

Embroidery hoop or other hoop. (Get creative, you could make your own from heavy duty card board or a plastic carton. Think out of the box )
Ribbons in red, white, and blue. ( I had most of mine already and bought the lace here on amazon and the red ric rac here. )
Twine.

HERES HOW TO MAKE IT

Tie a tight knot around the hoop, pull across the diameter using a generous amount of twine to the other side. Tie on other end. Cut. Now tie again crossing the diameter. You will then have a VERY loose cross. You want it to be loose for the next step.
With extra twine, both sides together and tie a loop at the top.
Cut the ribbons long enough to be doubled and to hang the length you want
Loop the ribbons in the middle(ish) and pull the ribbon through the loop. I didn't make the ends hang the same on the bottom, that's why i said "ish"
Disperse the ribbons according to the color patterns you desire.
I used a 3M hook for outdoor wreaths to hang the completed windstock on the corner roof.