Safety Pin Angel

Advent is the four weeks leading up to Christmas. Each week has special meaning and as a child each week a different family in the church lit a candle on the Advent wreath and read a scripture that would help us to prepare our hearts to celebrate the Lord's birth. Christmas is probably my favorite holiday, I think it is so special that we celebrate the birth of the one person whose death has allowed us to live!

I have decided that for the rest of the Advent season Wednesdays on Anna-Lisa Smile will be dedicated to some sort of craft, recipe or idea that reminds me of my childhood. I think that these timeless traditions are fun to revisit and are also great to pass down to others.

I was a 4-H nerd as were many of you, and turns out 4-H nerds stick together because my roommate and most of my friends were actively involved in 4-H as well! I strive to live the 4-H motto each day pledging "My head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service and health to better living." The great thing about 4-H is that not only did we learn a lot about livestock and agriculture, and gain immeasurable amounts of leadership and personal development opportunities, but through 4-H I was able to learn many life skills that will help me to be a better wife and mother.

One club that I was very involved in was the home arts, we did things like knitting, baking, sewing, floral arrangement, cooking you know girl kind of stuff. On Sunday night my roommate Amanda and I decorated our house for Christmas and went back in time to a 4-H type craft while we watched You've Got Mail... Classic! So I wanted to tell you about this little gem of a craft that you can do with your children or if you are single nerd like me you can make them with your roommate!



This is a very easy craft. All of the supplies come in a package that you can buy at WalMart for $1.87. There are even instructions included.



My advice to you is to separate the beads into piles according to size. You will appreciate this hint when you are trying to tell a 10 mm bead from a 12 mm bead. Follow the directions! It will be great!




Rumor has it you can even enter these little babies in the county and state fairs! Hope you enjoy! I'm looking forward to Food Friday this week!

Until We Meet Again,

Anna-Lisa