Crafty Crafters: Advent Wreath

So how crafty are you?

What is your favorite religious craft you make for Advent?


Here is a craft I make with my students using their handprints:

catholicmom.com- Advent Wreath Craft~ No burn, construction paper wreath that is made with your child's handprints. (You can also add a white construction paper candle in the middle of the wreath. Do not cut out a hole in the center of the paper plate so you can glue the white construction paper candle in the middle.)



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Jennifer at catholicinspired.com is making an Easy Advent Wreath

Crafty Crafters: Samson

So how crafty are you?

What is your favorite religious craft you make for the Bible story “Samson”?


Here is a craft I make with my students using grass seed:




Introduce craft: What did Delilah do to Samson to lose his strength? Cut his hair. We are going to help Samson grow back his hair.


spoonfulcom- Plant Pals
Make Samson and grow his hair back.



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Crafty Crafters: Jonah and the Whale

So how crafty are you?

What is your favorite religious craft you make for the Bible story “Jonah and the Whale”?



Here is a craft I make with my students using a white paper bag:


Introduce craft: What swallowed Jonah? A whale.


clclutheran.org- Lunch Bag Fish (page 2) for directions



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Church Potluck Recipe: Pumpkin Harvest Cake

Here is a fun cake to make for the month of October and great for Church Potluck.

Pumpkin Harvest Cake

Ingredients:

Cake

2 boxes Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® carrot or spice cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix boxes


Frosting and Decorations

2 containers Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
Yellow and red food colors
Pull-apart green licorice twists
Betty Crocker® Fruit Roll-Ups® chewy fruit snack rolls (any flavor)
Edible glitter, if desired



Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Spray 2 1/2-quart ovenproof bowl with baking spray with flour. In large bowl, make 1 box of cake batter as directed on box. Pour batter into ovenproof bowl. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Run knife just around top edge of cake. Remove cake from bowl; place rounded side up on cooling rack. Repeat with remaining box of cake mix to make second cake. Cool cakes completely, about 1 hour.

2. In medium bowl, tint frosting with 9 drops yellow and 6 drops red food color to make orange frosting. Trim bottoms of both cakes to form flat surfaces. Place 1 cake, round side down, on plate. Spread 2/3 cup of the orange frosting over flat side of cake almost to edge. Place second cake, round side up, on frosted cake to make round shape. Frost entire cake with remaining orange frosting.

3. To make stem, cut twist of licorice crosswise into thirds. Gather pieces together and twist. Use toothpick to make hole in top of cake; insert licorice stem. Pull apart licorice to make vines. Cut leaves from fruit snack rolls. Garnish cake with vines and leaves. Sprinkle with glitter. Store loosely covered.



Hints:

• To make a nice shape of a pumpkin use a Bundt cake pan

• To fill the whole in the top of a Bundt cake so you can put on the stem, use a graham cracker and push gently just below cake level.

• To keep the licorice "stem" together, bind the pieces with a rubber band and remove shortly before serving.

• You can also use a green flat-bottom ice cream cone for a stem, placing it upside down after you cover it with the licorice. Gather the licorice pieces at the top of the ice cream cone and twist. You can also cover the ice cream cone with Betty Crocker® Fruit Roll-Ups® chewy fruit snack rolls and put ridges in it to make it look more like a pumpkin stem.

• I use cream cheese icing instead of vanilla. It goes very well with spice or carrot cake.

Sequence The Creation Game

Elaine at Commotion From The Ocean of Life came up with a new game to review the days of creation. There is a black and white version and also a color one for you to download. With the black and white version the children can color the game board and the tokens to help re-enforce being able to sequence the days of creation.

Sequence The Creation by Elaine

Favorite Bible Verse

Everyone has a few favorite Bible verses, but which one is you absolute favorite? I am forever remembering this one when I’m feeling judgmental of others:


“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7

Which is your favorite Bible verse?

Crafty Crafters: Frog

So how crafty are you?

What is your favorite craft you make for the Plagues?

Introduce craft: What plague hopped into all the Egyptian’s homes?


tlc.howstuffworks.com- Puddle Jumping Frog (pattern included)

*I adjust this craft for my students and this is what we do to make it extra fun:

Cut the frog out of dark green construction paper instead of felt. Use light green construction paper for spots on the frog’s back. Follow directions above but omit using any chenille stems. You can also use dark and light green crayons to color on the frog for that added touch. For a fun tongue tape a red party blower under the frog. Blow party blower and watch the frog’s tongue try to catch flies. (I didn’t have any poms so I just used a couple of white hole reinforcements that were self-sticking that can be put on paper. I then colored in the holes with black to make the eyes.)



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Church Potluck Recipe: Peanut Butter Balls

I know these look hard to make, but they are so much fun that even little ones can make them! It’s like playing with Play Doh! Great for Church Potluck!

Ingredients:

1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons margarine, softened
1 lb. Baker’s Dipping Chocolate



Directions:

1- Stir together powdered sugar, peanut butter and butter until well blended using mixer.

2- Shape peanut butter mixture into 1 inch balls, placing them on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper.

3- Let balls stand for 20 minutes until dry.

4- Melt the dipping chocolate according to package directions.

5- Drop balls one at a time in melted chocolate.

6- Using a fork, remove from the chocolate, letting excess chocolate drip off.

7- Place back on the waxed paper.

8- Let stand until dry.

9- Store tightly covered in a cool dry place.


Yield: 30 pieces

Crafty Crafters: Moses in the Bulrushes (Stand Up Crocodile)

So how crafty are you?

What is your favorite craft you make for Moses in the Bulrushes?

Introduce craft: What is in the Nile River that could have eaten baby Moses? A crocodile.


storyplace.org- Stand Up Crocodile
(for my little ones I cut out the mouth part prior to class)
*You can also make a template and draw the crocodile and eyes on a piece of green construction paper. Cut out and color. Use googly eyes for that added touch.



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Crafty Crafters: Noah's Ark Craft

So how crafty are you?

What is your favorite religious craft you make for the Bible story “Noah’s Ark”?



Here is a craft you can make using paper plates:


Introduce craft: Who built the ark? Noah. What happened in the story?




Noah’s Ark Craft- directions and pictures

To show the 40 days and 40 nights of rain, have the wheel with the rain showing. Turn the wheel again to see the sign that God did that promised that He would never flood the whole Earth again.


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