Make Stuff Together

I love getting packages in the mail. Even when I know what's in them, it's still a thrill to open a newly arrived box and say "Yay! It's here!"

Which was the case last week when this came to my door:

(in a box, obviously. this is after I opened it.)

It was a heap of crafty goodness sent to me by the lovely Colleen at Wiley Publishing as a prize I won at their book launch party in Houston during QM, but couldn't fit in my suitcase (did that sentence make sense?).

Anyway, I won it. She mailed it. It arrived. I squealed.

Let's break it down:

Included in my pretty little heap was a signed copy of Make Stuff Together by Bernadette Noll and Kathie Sever,

a kit of all the needed materials to make a Hope Wish Prayer  flag banner (a project featured on Future Craft Collective- Bernadette and Kathie's website), 

and a stack of burlap coffee sacks to use in making projects from the book. Now, we haven't gotten to the book project yet, though I've picked out the one I want to do first- the Blessing and Sharing Pouch- but we did make our Hope Wish Prayer flag banner today and I wanted to share. 

But first, I'm going to ramble a little. That's the risk you take when you read this blog. 

Can I just say that I love this concept? I do. 

This idea of families coming together and making things out of...whatever from around the house...things that sometimes have meaning and sometimes really don't. Sometimes it is the experience of creating that has the most meaning. You, my dear readers, know how strongly I feel about children learning through doing, and making 'stuff' together is one of the best vehicles I know of to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge that is both practical and necessary, yet deeply character-shaping and nurturing at the same time. ie: they may learn how to sew on a button or how to cut along an outline or how to use a hammer and nails, but they're also learning how to envision something and follow through with their creation....how to wonder 'what if' and find out...and, if Mamma and Dad are paying attention, staying patient, and truly listening, little ones will learn how to share their ideas and how to give and receive acceptance and encouragement and love. 

So here's our  flag banner:

With tomorrow being Thanksgiving, it turned into more of a Gratitude Hope Prayer banner than anything else, but that's also part of the beauty of making stuff together- you see what's on each other's minds, and your creations reflect that.

This weekend definitely holds more making of stuff for our little clan. 

I don't know that we'll ever get enough.

Happy Thanksgiving

xo

p.s. What do we think of free shipping for Hobby Horse orders placed on Black Friday? Yeah, I think it sounds good...let's do a code: BF2011. Spread the word :)