Ornaments for Primary

I have been trying to come up with something to give my primary class for Christmas this year. I've been thinking about it for weeks and nothing was working out. After searching for ideas again yesterday (Saturday) and not coming up with anything I about gave up. Then while lying in bed about to fall asleep I had this idea. That only gave me Sunday morning to make them (the only good thing about afternoon church), but I am glad I did it.

They are baby food jars turned into ornaments. I printed pictures of the nativity and mounted them on scrapbook paper and stuck them on one side, then printed out "My gift to Jesus" and mounted them and stuck them to the other side. Then I hot glued fabric and twine to the lids.

In class we talked about Christ's birth and then we talked about what we could give Jesus for his birthday. The kids had great answers. Some of them were "our love," "being a good example to others," "being kind to others," and "being good." Then we wrote on strips of red paper our gift or gifts and put them in the jars. And they took them home to hang on their trees.

Prayer rug

I teach the 7/8 year old primary class at church and yesterday's lesson was on prayer. So as a fun little extra for the class I decided to make prayer rugs. You place it next to your bed so when you step onto it before getting into bed and after getting out of bed, you rememeber to say your prayers. It is two layers of fabric sewn together and then I used my silhouette and freezer paper stenciling to paint the word prayer on it with black fabric paint.

I made eight so I would have enough for my class. Unfortunately they didn't go over as well as I had hoped. We only had a few kids show up (probably due to the holiday). And the kids that were there didn't really care about them. But hey, you win some, you lose some. And with 7 & 8 year olds it is really hard to tell what they are going to like (and it depends on the day).

For Primary

Our primary presidency has a fantastic idea for the senior primary spotlights. They are sending this bag "Valiant ME bag" home with a child each week and having them bring it back with a few items to show that tell about themselves and also with a story or something about how they have been valiant that week. I am good friends with the secretary and she asked me if I could do something to decorate it. We considered having iron-ons or applique. When I got home with it I decided to try just hand stitching. This is what I've got. Do you think the kids will like it (enough that they will think it is fun to bring home)?

Baptism Towels

These are what I have been working on the past few days. They actually took quite a bit more work than I was expecting (I don't know why I expected them to be easy). But I am happy with them. They are nowhere near perfect, but the kids aren't going to care and that is who they are for. I made them for the kids in the primary class that I teach at church. I teach the 7 going on 8 year olds and it is a lot of fun. They are great kids! And so excited about baptism because this is their year! This Sunday the lesson is on baptism. So, I found the idea to make "Baptism Towels." They are just a white towel with a CTR emblem on them. And there is a poem that goes with them:

My Baptism Towel

This baptism towel is to help remind you

Of your baptism day all the years through

When you come out of the water all clean and pure

Dry off with this towel and you can be sure

That you are clean as this towel is white

And the Holy Ghost will be with you both day and night

For the Holy Ghost is your gift after the laying on of hands

And will be a comfort and a guide if you obey God's commands

This CTR emblem will help remind you to be strong

As you continue to learn right from wrong

When your towel becomes soiled, remember that we, too

May sometimes make mistakes and we've been taught just what to do

Just as you can wash your towel so it can again be clean

The wrongs you make can be washed away and never again be seen

Your Heavenly Father loves you, remember always to pray

And He will be beside you forever and a day.

If you are trying to think of a good baptism gift I would highly recommend it.