Handmade Love: Class Valentines

Handmade love is a beautiful, almost redundant phrase. It's also what we decided to do with Tucker's kindergarten class valentines this year. In the past we have tried to purchase earth-friendly cards. That was a somewhat expensive and impersonal (even if really cute) way to go.

This year I was determined to do something handmade for a few reasons. 1. Budget. 2.Handmade is the general direction in which we are trying to aim our family activities. 3. This allowed Tucker to practice his cutting, handwriting, and thoughtfulness skill as he created them.

My idea came from Family Fun. I selected 4 of the ideas offered. We used recycled colored cardstock purchased at a local office supply store, a red pen, scissors, and some carefully selected candies.

They came out really cute. Tucker is proud of his creations and excited to share them with his friends. I think this is the best valentine option we have explored yet, but still far from perfect. Neither the cardstock ($8, with leftovers for other crafts) nor candy (which had to be bought in large bags to get the right kind, the rest of which was donated to the classroom) were cheap. I am not a big fan of giving kids even more packaged candy. Unfortunately, I haven't come up with a brilliant better option around the school's rules yet. Perhaps next year we will be more clever in our messaging and give pencils or erasers or some more useful thing.

But for this year, these are splendidly fun, cute, tasty, and certainly handmade with love. What are you doing for kid's valentines this year?

Next time I will share our Valentine's Day teacher gift creations.

Winter's Gift

Winter's greatest gift in my book is the time for reflection. This week Mother Nature layered the cool breath of winter over much of the country and granted me that gift. For two days I did not leave my home. I stayed in my pajamas, changing only to go outside briefly and engage in the childlike joy of outdoor play with my boys.I read many books. I thought long and hard. I prayed over what to do in many areas of my life, including Green Gracious. In my prayer I asked for the clarity to be a blessing and be blessed. What I was given in answer is that there is still a place for those of us who want to make a difference, but perhaps that space is not best honored by link parties. Perhaps there are those of us who are ready to embrace and enjoy a simpler lifestyle, but are also ready for a deeper thought and conversation on what that means sometimes.If I am honest with myself, that is what my heart has been calling out for. A conversation and a community willing to explore a new frontier where simple living meets deep thought. Because living simply does not mean giving up the search for something greater, quite the opposite, I believe. Living simply, means you are willing to pare down life's chaos in order to hear the whisper of the divine; in nature, in the beauty of glass jars of preserves lining pantry walls, in each other.

I am leaning into this space for myself, but if you have been yearning for such a place, I hope you will join me in creating it here.

Hmmmm...

Hmmm...

That didn't go very well. So...I guess we aren't ready for that link party stuff around here. But, honestly, the party's failure put me into a little bit of a blugging funk. So I am going to take a few days and think and regroup. I'll let you know what I come up with. I hope you are all safe and warm.