This article will include direct links to Amazon, where I am an affiliate.
Today I'm thinking a LOT about ANGELS.
About how fortunate I am. About how blessed I am. About how grateful I am.
About my own guardian angels.
About this powerful season of Christmas.
About the power of taking action on behalf of others.
Right now, I know of two families whose little one is hospitalized with serious complications each involving their hearts. My FB page has become a place for the gathering of prayers on behalf of these two little angels in our midst. The faith-filled parents have welcomed prayers on behalf of their little hospitalized angels.
I made this image last night, to remind us to each hold them in our hearts and prayers during this holiday season. They are not related to each other, only related in that I am the common denominator to the parents.
Both Sawyer Caroline and Michael's Miracles have FB 'pages' set up so that loved ones can see the latest update on the progress being made, the concerns felt and the prayers sought.
Can you commit to carrying these two little angels in your heart this holiday season?
Their parents are so grateful for the care and concern of others.
Now you know why I am thinking about angels round-the-clock!
Surround these little fighters with the care of angels!
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This week my blog article on Authentic Art versus "Craftivity" has had a landslide of readers! What a thrill to be able to address issues near and dear to my heart and have others take note. I want every child to have the support and encouragement to create their own unique drawings, sculpture, collages and more! I applaud the original and unique and treasure teachers who support that process!
This is also the time of year when teachers scramble to find a "KEEPSAKE" suitable for gift-giving to parents. Parents search for a DIY that is meaningful for grandparents. I have an entire article with a collection of such projects. This angel 'ornament' speaks to me today. What a perfect keepsake! No, not especially 'authentic' but a treasure none the less!
Projects and formulas also have their place.
Knowing when to choose from which column is the key!
HANDPRINTS, GLITTER and ANGELS!
What could be better? Holidays call for traditions. These beauties were made in a premiere preschool here along the coastline to capture some holiday cheer. I learned that this angel is a tradition that dates back TWENTY-SIX YEARS! Yes. I said 26 years!!
For the last twenty six years, the teachers have been directing their young charges to create family keepsakes using paper plates and glitter. Here you get to see the tree topper under development.
The angel craft is created in two parts: angel body (from paper plate) and angel wings from separate piece of paper. As you can see the wings are the child's two handprints captured by covering the glue handprint in glitter!! GLITTER, I tell you! I realize that glitter is not for everyone over the age of 13, but we all know how much the littles love it!
The angel craft is created in two parts: angel body (from paper plate) and angel wings from separate piece of paper. As you can see the wings are the child's two handprints captured by covering the glue handprint in glitter!! GLITTER, I tell you! I realize that glitter is not for everyone over the age of 13, but we all know how much the littles love it!
Take a look on the classroom countertop. Here's a parade of angels, complete with pipe cleaner halos, prior to their happy faces being applied photogenically. They're marching past the candy canes! {Stay tuned for the paper plate pattern!}
VOILA!
Drying together on top of the media table is the
first flock of Christmas choristers,
complete and ready for Christmas gift giving.
What is the shelf life on glitter?
Anybody know?
How about those first angels from 25 years ago?
Any glitter left at this point in time?
You know that these are keepsakes for eternity.
OK. Here as promised is the traditional pattern.
One paper plate.
Cut away to create angel arms.
Even if your children are years apart......
every child will make their own angel as they proceed thru this premiere preschool program.
Your whole family of angels will collect as each of your children matriculate thru preschool!
Here's the image for you to pin! So you'll remember the outcome and have the pattern, too -- all in one handy image. Be a dear, be of good cheer, would you please pin from here? Your pin is an act of kindness that sends ripples out into the cyber world -- to introduce my travels to the wider world and I thank you!
My thanks to my new friends for their warm welcome!
I'm so happy to share your tradition with the wider world.
I had a paper plate Christmas tree in my earlier article this week.
It, too is something of a classic!
The perfect project for Cub Scouts or an after school craft party!
I'll get the paper plate wreath/ornament photos downloaded and share them later this weekend.
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Back to our angels.
I went on a search to find picture books featuring angels.
Not as easy as I would have guessed!
I want to feature a few from my search.
Did you know that Tomie dePaola has a book with Angels?
This is his board book version of his earlier
"Angels, Angels Everywhere" classic.
I am a board book hoarder.
I LUV LUV LUV everything about Tomie and have been stalking his webpage this morning, learning quite a lot!
Somehow I just didn't quite expect him to 'look' like this!
So jaunty for such 'folk-like' illustrations.
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| Tomie dePaola out for a sunny afternoon |
I wonder what kiddos think I look like,
before I arrive at their school for my author visit?
I'll never forget running into a PreSchooler at the grocery store.....
"Miss Debbie, YOU EAT BANANAS?"
What's not to like about Laura Bryant's loveable polar bears?
This book is one in the series of opening up to questions from young minds about God, heaven and faith. Sometimes to open that conversation through anthropomorphism is an easier entry point.
Snow Angels by ANGEL Randall
What an amazing story, that of the author of 'Snow Angels.' Written by a first grade teacher named Angel would make it amazing, right? The fact that Angel Randall battled against brain cancer in the midst of writing her picture books makes this all the more poignant. The 'story' of Angel's journey through cancer to writing her book is captured below.
I am amazed to be doing this simple research and learning about this amazing individual! Angel was not healed of cancer on Earth and here's an amazing tribute to her life in this article. Just reading of her personality from first hand comments and responses makes me want to be a better person. Life is fragile indeed.
These next two 'angel choices' are from authors that I don't suppose we'd see visiting in the same room. Did you know that both Glenn Beck and Neale Donald Walsch have children's books? Each has a unique perspective and platform on this planet of ours. I'll let you choose for yourself.
Apparently there are both a children's picture book and a 290 page novel by the same author and same name. Be sure you're selecting the version that you want.
I am on Neale's email list and get fascinating updates on his travels and insight. I was unaware of his work in on behalf of children. I'll have to check into it further at my next bookshop hop.
Did you see my RoundUP of Christmas bulletin boards?
There are dozens and dozens of ideas to inspire you.
I have included the direct link to Amazon, where I am an affiliate.
Your clicking from here to there supports my work.
Purchases you make in the future will benefit me at no cost to you.
How cool is dat?
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