Store on "Vacation" Mode

My website clayrosaries.com is going to be on "Vacation Mode" until mid May.  Thank you to all who have so generously supported Clay Rosaries with your patronage this season.  The month of April has been the busiest month ever for Clay Rosaries and I've sent out a record number of rosaries, chaplets and jewelry this month. Now, I need to restock my bead supply!  I will be blogging about two remake beads- the monstrance bead and the angel bead. I am very excited about the new designs I have in mind for them, so stay tuned!

I'll also be blogging about the two upcoming First Communions, a confirmation and a baptism happening in the next couple weeks.  And you thought vacation mode meant sitting on my butt mode!  We are going to be visiting family in Maryland and Minnesota before I come back to make more beads. 

On a side note- if you are confused about seeing my password protected pages on my website, it's because that is the only way my website lets me hide pages when when I am on "vacation mode" and  I don't want people to buy things.  I know it's kind of confusing, but it's the only way I can keep from accepting orders when I cannot fulfill them.

God bless you all and Happy Easter!

Crayon Butterflies Craft for Easter Season/Spring

What better way to celebrate the Easter season, which lasts 50 days after Easter, than to melt away all those old crayon stubs! This activity was as fun for my kids as for me.  Warning: cover iron with old town/cloth before melting wax (I learned this the hard way).

A butterfly is a symbol of the resurrection, which makes this craft perfect for Easter cards.  Even the butterfly's life has a resemblance to the Easter story.  The caterpillar is like Jesus while he lived on earth.  The chrysalis (or cocoon) resembles the tomb where he was buried.  Then finally, the butterfly represents the resurrection into a glorious new life and our new life with Christ in Baptism.  Here's a bible verse that I found from from this website.

 
The Butterfly symbolizing the Resurrection:

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)

For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:52b)

FYI: don't ever buy dollar store crayons.  They break like twigs and you'll end up with your very own box of these: Broken Crayons

What you'll need:

1. Iron
2. card stock paper
3. old crayon stubs
4. something to cover the ironing board- like an old town or sheet

Analee's favorite activity day or night: peeling paper from crayons. It's a wonderful way to irritate mommy by leaving crayon peelings all over the floors

Steps:

1. peel off paper from crayon stubs
2. Chop crayons into small pieces
3. Fold one piece of card stock paper in half
4. Place crayons in a half butterfly.  You don't need too many crayon pieces- they will just make a mess or crack off if you have too much wax
5. Fold paper over top of crayon butterfly
6. Place iron onto folded paper for about 10 seconds or until you see the wax melting 
7. Carefully open your butterfly- it will be hot! Set it open as flat as possible to cool- it only takes a few seconds to cool.  
8. Beautiful butterfly!

Chopping crayons

Place crayons in butterfly shape

Butterfly Crayons

Another butterfly crayon

How cool is that?!

Don't forget this step: Place baby in high chair away from hot wax

Don't forget this step either: put something on the iron board to catch the crayon wax! Now on my to do list: buy new iron board cover

Top Recommended First Communion Rosaries

Here's a "someone thinks I'm special moment".  While scrolling through my google analytics for the first time in ages, I found a random website that was referring a good number of customers to my website.  Naturally, I checked it out and found this nice article. 

You have received your first communion invitation and now need to find an appropriate gift for your young friend. What to get? You are not limited to the same-old rosaries, prayer books and frames of the past! Take a look at these unique takes on First Communion gifts.

When you give a gift to a child, you want them to like it now and when they are older. You want to give something unique AND worth saving. These unique variations on rosaries make the grade.  Our favorite, a beautiful, hand-crafted clay rosary will capture the child’s interest now, and remain a keepsake for later.     Click here for the rest of the article

 Now you know you it! For all it's worth, Sarah's Clay Rosaries is the top recommended First Communion gift (by a very obscure and random website called Sundaepaper.com).   This might be why I'm having to hire babysitters to finish all my orders on time this month.  But I will proudly say, I'm not picking up bead today since it's Sunday. I learned my lesson from last year and I'm am trying not to overwork myself (hence babysitters on Saturdays! and a few other days my husband works).  However, just like last year, I have been telling myself over and over again: next year, I will be more prepared for First Communion season, next year I will be more prepared for First Communion season...

Maybe next year, I'll be so prepared, I will be able to home school my kindergartner (now preschooler) in the month of April! Today as I was naming off all the fun things we can do today (since I'm not working today), Liam said to me, "yeah, and we can do home school lessons!" Wow.  Yes, he is a preschooler. 

Seriously, though, I am so grateful to all my wonderful customers who have so generously supported me and my family by buying handmade products.  There really is no better gift to give than a product that was handmade with love (and prayers).

Making Catholic Baptism Invites

Here is an easy and inexpensive way to create personalized and authentically Catholic Baptism Invitations.  I think these would also be great for birth announcements.

1. Buy super cute wedding invites on *clearance* from Micheal's craft store (or where ever).  They always have such beautiful DIY invitation kits and very often they have a few that are on clearance (you may have to look in the back of the store for clearance items).  
2. Order Saint Medals from an online Catholic store
3. Print your invites. I included a picture of my son and I copied the wording from a different Baptism invitation I found online. 
4. Assemble according to the directions, adding your medal when inserting the ribbon.  If the invites don't have ribbons, you can always punch some holes and put on your own ribbon and medals.
5. Lastly, use the matching rvsp cards included as Thank you cards.  Include a picture of the Baptism on the front with the words: Thank you! 

I was able to buy this 30 count kit for only $15.00. Now I have an ample amount left over for a friend or future event- awesome! 

Giveaway!

Lamb of God Necklace with 16" Sterling Silver Necklace

Lamb of God Necklace with 18" Chain

Melody is giving away two of my Lamb of God necklaces in her Easter Gratitude Giveaway- along with other great stuff! Head on over and enter to win! And while you're at it, become a follower of her blog. It's one of my favorite blogs to read because she is so well spoken and always has something good to say.  Good luck and happy reading!

Back in Stock!

Girl's First Communion Rosary with Pearl Glass Beads

The First Communion Rosaries were a hit and I quickly ran out stock, but they are back now!  The girl First Communion rosaries now come in pearl or white (while supplies last) glass beads.  Also, on the girl's First Communion rosary, the new crucifix is slightly different than the old one.

   On a side note, I will closing my shop from May 2 to May 16, so if you need a rosary in May, please be sure to order early so I can get it out to you in time.   Thank you and God Bless!

Optimism

Optimism

I have sworn off gardening after two botched gardening attempts in the past three years.  My husband, however, hasn't tasted the bitter fruit of gardening failure and decided to give it a try this year- starting with two small tomato plants.  Liam was thrilled to help and I am thrilled to have a hot new gardener to flirt with (yes, that would be my husband!)

Sunday Sweet Pics

Jude's thinking: Someone should really mow this lawn.  Either that, or we need to get a herd of hungry rabbits over here to devour these clovers.  

Jude is almost sitting up on his own.  I snapped this quickly before he started toppling over.

 

 

 

 

Jude Five Months Old