Praying that you all had a wonderful Feast of the Holy Family on Sunday. We are ever nearing the approach of the Lenten Season but while we are still in the Christmas season I thought I would share today a few of our Christmas related projects.
Some where in the internet world there was a blog post about creating Christmas ornaments throughout the year on each of the Feast Days so that when it came time to decorate the tree there were many ornaments featuring Catholic subjects(wish I could give credit where it was due but I've long forgot the location). I thought it was a wonderful idea and so we started a few here and there and hope to keep it up this year with even more to add to our tree. The above ornament is of St. Anne, featuring three different images that were found on the internet. I traced the outline of one side and scanned the image, placing it over the internet image I found online so that it would fit properly when cut out. I then printed as many as I needed and cut them out. A little trimming needed as each paper mache ornament I used was different. Then I used Modge Podge to glue them on and two layers of the top to make it shine a little and protect it from any handling or storage issues. With a glue gun I put lines down the side and poured glitter over the top which gives it a more finished look and extra shimmer. They were pretty simple to make in the end and lots of fun. I have more of these paper mache ornaments stored away for making more this year.
Some where in the internet world there was a blog post about creating Christmas ornaments throughout the year on each of the Feast Days so that when it came time to decorate the tree there were many ornaments featuring Catholic subjects(wish I could give credit where it was due but I've long forgot the location). I thought it was a wonderful idea and so we started a few here and there and hope to keep it up this year with even more to add to our tree. The above ornament is of St. Anne, featuring three different images that were found on the internet. I traced the outline of one side and scanned the image, placing it over the internet image I found online so that it would fit properly when cut out. I then printed as many as I needed and cut them out. A little trimming needed as each paper mache ornament I used was different. Then I used Modge Podge to glue them on and two layers of the top to make it shine a little and protect it from any handling or storage issues. With a glue gun I put lines down the side and poured glitter over the top which gives it a more finished look and extra shimmer. They were pretty simple to make in the end and lots of fun. I have more of these paper mache ornaments stored away for making more this year.
The ornaments were purchased at Micheal's Craft store and you may still be able to find them but they were hit and miss during the Christmas season. I did find some more options here online that are a little more expensive but it gives an idea of what was used in the one above.
To the right is another (forgive my poor photography!) of the paper mache one's that we did. My 7 year old son did St. Patrick, which is his patron Saint. He cut out the pieces that were printed and glued them on and put the finishing coat on. After it dried over night I added the glitter as the glue gun requires fast hands. Several others were also made as Christmas gifts as part of our trying to make more hand made gifts this year.
To the right is another (forgive my poor photography!) of the paper mache one's that we did. My 7 year old son did St. Patrick, which is his patron Saint. He cut out the pieces that were printed and glued them on and put the finishing coat on. After it dried over night I added the glitter as the glue gun requires fast hands. Several others were also made as Christmas gifts as part of our trying to make more hand made gifts this year.
There were a couple of these ornaments of St. Linus (2nd Pope) on our tree this year which we made back in September on the Feast of St. Linus. Another Patron Saint in our family. This one was another print out Modge Podged onto a wooden coin that the boys collected from some event we were at. They also added glitter around the edge of this one too and tied it up with a ribbon.
Here is another that the boys made on the Feast of St. Nicholas. They used a print out from the St. Nicholas Center and then cut it out and colored. It was then taped or glued to a Popsicle stick that they colored green and wrote their name on. There are lots of and lots of ideas at the St. Nicholas Center as well as other places for making ornaments of the real St. Nicholas. A great addition to the Christmas tree and fun to make!
This one was made when we were studying about St. Brendan and his discovery of America. We read the book Saint Brendan and the Voyage before Columbus, this was one of the activities we did to reinforce the book. St. Brendan's Cross was free handed onto some thick coordinated cardboard and then cut out with an Exacto knife. Then painted on both sides with gold acrylic paint. Next lots of glue and lots of glitter added to make it sparkle!
There are lots and lots of ideas that can be used for adding Catholic ornaments to you tree while making them here and there throughout the year.
How about saving all the fronts of your Christmas cards and coming up with a creative way to recycle them into Christmas tree ornaments? Some of the images may even be the right size for the paper mache ornaments. Ornaments can be made for school subjects such as historical studies, Catechism subjects and so forth. Here is a sort list of days throughout the year that could be used for an ornament theme:
January
Epiphany
Baptism of Our Lord
Most Holy Name of Jesus
Holy Family
Our Lady of Good Success
St. John Bosco
February
Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Candlemas
St. Valentine
Our Lady of Lourdes
Ash Wednesday
March
St. Patrick
St. Joseph
Annunciation
Palm Sunday
April
Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
St. Leo the Great
St. George
St. Catherine of Siena
May
St. Joseph
Finding of the Holy Cross
Ascension
Pentecost
Coronation of Our Lady
June
Trinity Sunday
Corpus Christi
Sacred Heart of Jesus
Sts. Peter and Paul
July
Most Precious Blood of Our Lord
Visitation
St. Mary Magdalen
August
Transfiguration
Assumption
Immaculate Heart of Mary
September
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
Most Holy Name of Mary
Seven Sorrows
October
Guardian Angles
Our Lady of the Rosary
St. Raphael
Christ the King
All Hallows Eve
November
All Saints Day
All Souls Day
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin
St. Andrew
Advent/Jesse Tree
December
St. Nicholas
St. Lucy
Immaculate Conception
Jesse Tree Symbols
O Antiphons
Holy Innocents
St. John the Evangelist
Nativity
There are lots and lots of ideas that can be used for adding Catholic ornaments to you tree while making them here and there throughout the year.
How about saving all the fronts of your Christmas cards and coming up with a creative way to recycle them into Christmas tree ornaments? Some of the images may even be the right size for the paper mache ornaments. Ornaments can be made for school subjects such as historical studies, Catechism subjects and so forth. Here is a sort list of days throughout the year that could be used for an ornament theme:
January
Epiphany
Baptism of Our Lord
Most Holy Name of Jesus
Holy Family
Our Lady of Good Success
St. John Bosco
February
Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Candlemas
St. Valentine
Our Lady of Lourdes
Ash Wednesday
March
St. Patrick
St. Joseph
Annunciation
Palm Sunday
April
Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
St. Leo the Great
St. George
St. Catherine of Siena
May
St. Joseph
Finding of the Holy Cross
Ascension
Pentecost
Coronation of Our Lady
June
Trinity Sunday
Corpus Christi
Sacred Heart of Jesus
Sts. Peter and Paul
July
Most Precious Blood of Our Lord
Visitation
St. Mary Magdalen
August
Transfiguration
Assumption
Immaculate Heart of Mary
September
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
Most Holy Name of Mary
Seven Sorrows
October
Guardian Angles
Our Lady of the Rosary
St. Raphael
Christ the King
All Hallows Eve
November
All Saints Day
All Souls Day
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin
St. Andrew
Advent/Jesse Tree
December
St. Nicholas
St. Lucy
Immaculate Conception
Jesse Tree Symbols
O Antiphons
Holy Innocents
St. John the Evangelist
Nativity
