Craft Day

About this time last year, we got together with several other homeschool families and spent an afternoon enjoying each other's company while we worked on Christmas crafts. It was so successful that we decided to make it an annual event. This year's get-together was last week at our church.

Each mom sets up a table with her craft. I am the no-fun mom so my craft is always very simple. This year, my friend Michaela picked my craft - a tree ornament - and even supplied me with the necessary components. I didn't have to do anything but show up! Since my table was the most simple (boring) all of the the kids started their afternoon craftmaking elsewhere. Except for Liam. Thankfully, he really loves me so he was the first one to make an ornament. What a good boy!



I don't have a picture of Liam's completed project but I do have Wyatt's:


Wyatt started out at the candle making table. This is really not that hard - I think that we may even try it at home.




Dagny settled down at the clay table. She was there for a long time making little clay snowmen that had to be baked. Liam and Levi eventually joined her and, wonderful big sister that she is, she helped them make some snowmen, too.





While the clay was baking, some of the older kids decided to hang out and chat near the refreshments. Thankfully, they already had some candy canes to keep them honest...



Here is one batch of completed clay sculptures. Liam's are in the top center of the picture:


About this time, Levi tired of craft-making. He began to bring toys in from the nursery and was happily occupied the rest of the afternoon.



Wyatt, followed by Dagny & Liam, ventured over to the 'angel votive holder' table. While this is a fun craft, it is also dangerous. Michaela had to cut aluminum trays for the kids & sustained several injuries. I don't know about you but that's not my idea of a kid friendly craft. (Heck, it's not an adult friendly one either.) Despite her gaping wounds, Michaela persevered and the kids all left with nice aluminum votive holders.



Now, time for the final craft from a mom who is another self-proclaimed no-fun mom. However, whatever this mom does, she does well and once a year, she becomes a 'super crafty mom'. Her name is Beth and this year she arrived with lots of fresh pine boughs, ribbons, and cones (that she had collected during the summer - talk about planning ahead!) The kids made very nice pine decorations. And it wasn't that hard - I may have to try them at home, too.







In case you were wondering, and I know that you were, Eowyn was with us the whole time right in the middle of the action in her bouncy seat. There was so much going on that she had non-stop entertainment most of the afternoon.


During her brief moments of fussiness, there was someone eager to hold her and get her 'baby fix.'


When we were all done, the refreshments were brought out and eaten...


while the kids had time to just hang out.


I've decided that for next year's craft day, I am going to try something more complicated. I'm not sure what but it's a good thing that it's a year away. It'll give me plenty of time to prepare.