 Isn’t Christmas wonderful? I love celebrating the birthday of our Savior and decorating for it! Every family decorates a little differently. Some use bold color schemes, while others use green and red. Some put up Christmas ladders (it’s a real thing), other families like the tradition tree. It really doesn’t matter how you decorate. If it’s your family’s style and it says holidays to you, that’s good enough! So take that last bit of advise into consideration as you read the rest of this blog post. I’m going to give you some awesome decor ideas for your bedroom, but feel free to tweak them so that they feel right for you. Let’s get decorating! Ready? Before you start decorating, determine how much your willing to do. Ask your parents how much you are allowed to decorate your room and get their permission before you do anything major. Note: All of the ideas I will be giving you are not permanent. They can be taken down and packed away after Christmas. Set? Before you start any craft or decorating project, always make sure that you have ALL the supplies you need before you start. You don’t want to be in a pinch and have a half decorated room. Decorate! Finally, the moment you have been waiting for! Below you will find my list of spectacular ideas!  1. Mini tree
One of the most common ways to decorate a bedroom is with a mini tree. You can get mini real trees, or mini artificial trees. I recommend an artificial tree if you have carpet in your room, or a budget. Real trees are extremely fun, but you have to replace every year and they can shed needles which can get stuck in carpet. Wrap the tree in lights and decorate it with ornaments that match your room and personality. 2. Pillows Grab the all the decorative pillows on your bed and store them away. Find some beautiful Christmas pillows that match your room and put those on instead. Another option is to buy or sew pillowcases that can go over your current pillows. 3. Window lights You can get some simple, white LED lights that are perfect for going around your windows. Get a separate string of them for each window you want to decorate and wrap them around your window frames. These are super cool because after Christmas you can still use the lights to decorate your room! 4. Garland This idea can work for any room. Christmas garlands come in such a variety, such as pom-poms, snowflakes, evergreen, rope, lights, and holly. Get a garland that suits your room and drape over a baseboard, headboard, mirror, dresser, or bookshelf. It will add a really nice touch to an empty space. 5. Spray frost Whoever invented spray frost was really smart. You can get a can of it at most stores this time of year. Follow the instructions on the can of spray, and put a little around the edge of your windows. It will make it seem like there is frost all winter long! 6. Pine scented sticks If you go with an artificial tree, or you just want your room to smell Christmassy, get a package of pine scented sticks. They look like little pine branches and they smell like you just cut down a tree. Put a few in your artificial tree, or hide them around your room. You can put them in drawers, on bookshelves, or put them in a lidless mason jar to create a cute decoration. Have fun decorating your room and keep it true to you! -B
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11/28/2020 0 Comments 4 Easy ways to reuseI’m all about reducing, reusing and recycling. Today, I’ll be telling you about 4 ways you can repurpose basic items and make them into something new. Are you ready to get started? Fabric Scraps Into Stuffing If you sew, you probably know that sewing projects result in a lot of little fabric scraps that are too small to be used for anything else. Rather than throwing them away, I’ve discovered that you can chop up these scraps into small pieces, put them in a bag and then eventually use them as stuffing for a stuffed animal or pillow. How cool is that?  Paper Towel Tube Pen Holder
In a previous blog post, I showed you how to make a really fun pencil holder using empty paper towel tubes! Paper Clip Jewelry Looking to accessorize? Look no further than your desk drawer! You can turn paper clips into unique, casual bracelets and necklaces super easily. Plus, when you need a paper clip for an assignment, just slide one out of your necklace! Paper Scraps into New Paper Use up your small bits of paper by turning them into new paper! While this is a rather involved process, it’s a lot of fun and produces textured, unique paper perfect for gifts and craft projects. Love, A 11/19/2020 0 Comments How to make a holiday recipe box! I LOVE holiday get togethers. Seeing loved ones, sharing gifts, and tasting all the delicious dishes that everyone brings. Unfortunately, a lot of holiday parties are cancelled this year, so those beloved holiday foods won’t be piled high on my plate. Fortunately, I have invented a solution for that! So while you are on Zoom with Aunt Sue, you can also be eating her famous holiday salad. Grab the supplies listed below and meet me at your work table.
Supplies you need: * Index cards * Markers, pens, pencils, etc. * Recipe box * The device you are using to read this blog post 1. Start by grabbing an index card and turn it over to the blank back side. Make a cute sign that says “Holiday Treats”, “Christmas Recipes”, or something to that extent. Add snowman, Christmas trees, and snowflake drawings to the sign to make it look festive. 2. Send an email or text to all your friends and family, asking them for their favorite holiday recipes. Write them down on index cards and put them in your recipe box. 3. Come Thanksgiving and Christmas, make the recipes you were given. If they don’t turn out the same as when your loved one makes it? Try again! Ask the giver of the recipe for their tips and tricks. Did you have fun with this project? I hope so! Comment below to share some of your favorite recipes. -B P.S. Try making holiday recipe boxes for your friends and family. Wrap them up cute and give them as gifts! 11/12/2020 1 Comment DIY confetti bookmark It's party time! This fun bookmark makes opening a book feel like a celebration. It is a great, fairly quick project to make whenever. Let's get started!  You Will Need: - 1 Piece of cardstock that is 2 inches wide by 6 inches tall - Small pile of hole-punched circles in various colors - Small dollop of glue - Paintbrush How to Make It: 1. Spread a thin layer of glue on your white piece of paper. 2. Slowly sprinkle the hole-punched circles/confetti over the paper. It will fall rather irregularly - that's ok.  3. After you have used all of your circles, or your bookmark looks the way you want it to, pick up the bookmark and very gently tap it on the table to remove dots that didn't stick. Re-glue those on if need be. 4. Wait about 1 hour for your bookmark to dry. 5. Laminate your bookmark using a laminator/laminating pouch OR apply a thin layer of mod podge/glue to the top of your bookmark (you could add a sprinkle of glitter to your mod podge/glue for an extra fun touch). All of these options will help lock your confetti dots into place so that they don't fall off while you're in the middle of your book. 6. Wait about 1 hour for your bookmark to dry. If you'd like, you could add a cute tassel to the top of your bookmark at this point!   Thank you for crafting with me! I hope you enjoy your super-fun confetti bookmark!
Love, A PS. Want more creative bookmark ideas? Check out this post. With Christmas close by, your bloggers at Faith, Fun & Fridays have created a complete list of the best Christmas gifts for tween and teen girls! Whether you are a girl looking to fill out your list or a parent or grandparent trying to find the perfect gift for your girl, we hope you enjoy this post!  Photo courtesy of katherinewoodfine.co.uk The Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine The Clockwork Sparrow is one of our absolute favorite book series'!  Photo courtesy of kohls.com Indoor Snowballs No snow? No problem! Indoor snowballs mean you can have snowball fights year-round.  Image courtesy of arunaproject.com Scrunchies Cute, comfy & colorful scrunchies have made a comeback! The gems pictured above are from Aruna Project.  Photo courtesy of Barnesandnoble.com The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia Nobel  Image courtesy of target.com Fuzzy Socks Warm up with a pair or two of fuzzy socks!  Image courtesy of pbteen.com String Lights Colorful string lights are a great way to brighten up a girl's bedroom! We found these on Pottery Barn Teen's website.  Image courtesy of annieskitclubs.com Annie's Creative Girls Club A subscription to Annie's Creative Girls Club is the gift that keeps on giving!  Image courtesy of Anniefdowns.com Perfectly Unique by Annie F. Downs This gorgeous, inspiring book is the perfect gift for girls who are 12+!  Image courtesy of Barnesandnoble.com Adorable Journal There are so many incredible journals out there! Pair one with a pen set for a great gift.  Image courtesy of Bestbuy.com Instax Mini Camera Photography is fun - especially with a cute mini camera!  Image courtesy of Usborne.com The Usborne Creative Writer's Handbook This inspiring book makes the perfect gift for a girl who loves to write!  Image courtesy of target.com Pop Sockets Pop Sockets are so popular and make great stocking stuffers!  Image courtesy of target.com Bath Bombs There are so many fun colors, shapes and scents available. These relaxing macaron-shaped bath bombs are from Target!  Image courtesy of hobbylobby.com Fake Succulents This adorable potted succulent is from Hobby Lobby! With different sizes and pots, there are succulents for everyone!  Image courtesy of walmart.com Monopoly Deal Game A fast and fun game that makes a perfect stocking stuffer!  Image courtesy of target.com Wireless Headphones Give the gift of music on the go with wireless headphones! Thank you for reading! Love, A & B 10/29/2020 1 Comment Vote For your favorite Since us tween and teen girls (yep, I said it. Don’t tell your English teacher) are too young to vote in this presidential election, we will be hosting our own election. Faith, Fun & Fridays needs your help filling the following positions: Best Chocolate Best Fruit Best Activity Our candidates are going to have a debate. Read the commentary here: Best Chocolate
Best Fruit
Best Activity
Now that we have completed our debates, in the comments below, tell us who you are voting for. Don't worry, we won't judge (too much.)
Are you team Milk or Dark? Team Apple or Banana? Team Reading or Crafting? We will announce the winners in the comments later. Thanks for playing along! #Fun Love, A 10/23/2020 0 Comments Election day poster With Election Day drawing near, I thought it would be fun to create an election poster to use on November 3rd. It’s a great way to learn about politics and geography! Let’s get started and I will explain how to use the map later.
Supplies you need: * Computer * Printer * The link below * Markers 1. First, download the coloring page on the link below. https://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/print/united-states-of-america-coloring-page/ 2. After you download the coloring page go ahead and print it off. While it’s printing, grab your markers. 3. As the news announces what candidate wins, color that state the color of the winning party. Keep coloring in the states until they all have voted. Tally up each candidate’s points and determine the winner! I hope you have a bit of fun on Election Day with this poster. Elections can be stressful, so try to relax and use your creative side. -B 10/16/2020 0 Comments All About journaling Fun fact: I love to journal. It is my favorite part of my Bible study time. I write out prayers, copy my favorite Bible verses, add worship song lyrics that resonate with me, make lists, and write about struggles I’m going through. If you are a writing-minded person, committing your thoughts to paper this way might be very beneficial for you. Today, I’m going to share the basics of journaling with you (though there is truly no write or wrong way)!
Why Should I Journal? Because journaling is way for you to see where you’ve been spiritually and personally. It’s a way to learn from your past and see how your hopes and prayers are being fulfilled. It’s a space to record the verses, lyrics, and quotes that matter to you and the lessons you’ve learned from the people around you. Your journal gives you a safe space to vent, work through problems, and share your private stories without anyone judging you. How Do I Journal? Grab an empty notebook or journal. Now open the journal. Pick up a pen or pencil. Write something. Boom, you’re journaling. Seriously, though, it’s nearly that easy. Some people opt for different kinds of journaling, like bullet journaling, where you can use hand lettering, colored pens, and doodles to decorate the pages of an unlined journal (I love the look of bullet journals, but I’m not artistically talented to make one!). Others choose Bible journaling, a gorgeous art form where you illustrate and hand letter verses and jot thoughts in the margin of your Bible. What to Journal Unsure of what to journal about? Here are some ideas that I love!
Other Considerations
Are you a journaler? What tips do you have? Love, A 10/9/2020 0 Comments Top 5 best Movies for Rainy Days Now that the weather is starting to get a little colder, I start to get into the movie mood. Especially when it’s cloudy and rainy on top of cold. So when it’s yucky outside grab a blanket and hot cocoa, then curl up with one of these great movies!
1. Mary Poppins / Mary Poppins Returns I am a HUGE fan of these movies, so what is better than watching them back to back?! It’s really fun to be able to compare the similarities in each one, and catch references to the original one in Mary Poppins Returns. Mary Poppins Returns is NOT a remake of the original which is part of why it is so great! 2. Sounds of Music When it’s gloomy outside, why not let “the hills fill your hearrrrt, with the sound of music”? Sound of Music is a beautiful classic that never gets old. The story is awesome and the music is too. 3. The Chronicles of Narnia I had to put this series of movies into the Top 5 BEST list because it really deserves it. Rarely do I like the movie just as much, if not more, than the book but The Chronicles Of Narnia movies are AMAZING! Almost the entire book series has been turned into a beautiful and heart stopping film. Watch Aslan roar, see Peter, Susan and the rest jump through the wardrobe, and witness all the magic unfold. I can’t promote these movies enough. 4. Moms’ Night Out Sometimes moms get stressed and so sometimes they just need a break. That is the story and theme of this movie. It’s got good clean humor that I really enjoy. 5. Faith Like Potatoes Based on a true missionary story, Faith Like Potatoes is really good. Just a warning: it starts out a little slow and it gets a little sad, but just ride it out and it is totally worth it! It teaches great truths and perseverance, all while watching an incredible movie! I hope you found a movie you like. I recommend giving them all a try! -B 10/2/2020 0 Comments What to do on a Sunday Ah, Sundays. I love having these special rest days to take a break from life, be with my family, and spend time with God. Some weeks, my family’s Sundays are all about togetherness, and we spend time playing games, taking walks and drives, and talking. Other times, everyone is tired, and we all curl up with a book after church. There isn’t a right or wrong Sunday style, as long as it involves rest, as God commanded. Here are some of my favorite renewing and refreshing Sunday activities!
Sleep In Missing some sleep? Try sleeping in a bit or going to bed early on Sunday to get a head start on Zzz’s. Journal Sunday afternoons are my favorite time of the week to journal, pray, and discuss tough stuff with God. Having a larger, school-free chunk of time makes it easier to focus, and it can help you fill up your spiritual cup for the week ahead. Write Cards or Letters Is there someone in your life who could use some encouragement? Write a card or letter to them on Sunday so it’s all ready to be mailed on Monday morning. Even better, pray for that person as you draft their note! Serve at Church While you’re at church on Sunday, find ways to serve there! Check out this post for lots of ideas on ways to serve at church. Read Have fun while filling your brain up with inspiration and knowledge by reading a book (or three). If you need recommendations, we’ve got dozens over here. Have Conversations Make time to have real conversations with the people you love. Call up a grandparent and chat about their life when they were younger. Or, sit down over cookies with a parent and talk about the stuff going on in both of your lives. Take Care of Yourself Try giving yourself an at-home facial or using some of our 2-minute self care activities to take care of your body. While you’re at it, bring a mom or sister in on the fun. Make a Craft Pull out your craft supplies and make a wreath, pencil holder, bookmark, canvas tote, hair accessory, or magnet. What does your typical Sunday routine look like? Love, A |
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