Visiting Teaching November 2017 Handout

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I loved all the talks at General Conference. For a message that would best fit the needs of the sisters I serve and watch over I picked Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk titled "Three Sisters". This talk is a good reminder for all of us that life has its challenges - why make it more challenging by having a frame of mind that makes it more difficult? We all have our moments in each of these frames of mind - but the one we want to most of our time in is GLAD, including in times of hardship.

I made an accordion fold card with quotes I felt summed up each frame of mind - SAD, MAD, and GLAD.

I included my favourite quote from this talk - the ACTION quote. It reminded my of the Visiting Teaching message from March where I referred to us as ACTION HEROES when we ACTIVATE THE ENABLING POWER OF JESUS CHRIST AND HIS ATONEMENT.

"There may be many things about life that are beyond your control. But in the end, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHOOSE both your destination and many of your experiences along the way. IT IS NOT SO MUCH YOUR ABILITIES BUT YOUR CHOICES THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN LIFE."

I love that! At my work recently there was a change in my schedule and I wanted it changed back to what it was before - and that particular day of the week at work seemed challenging. Then I thought to myself - the only thing that needs to change is my attitude. As soon as I made that decision that day of the week was great! That is easy for the small stuff. I know there are way bigger challenges than that.  It is so important that we develop this frame of mind for the small stuff so when the BIG challenges come we are trained in having the power to meet our challenges with the attitude or frame of mind that will be most helpful.

For the handout - I made a colour one, and a slightly coloured one - depending on how much colour ink you want to use.

Download the files HERE 

and follow the directions below for folding.

                                Thanks for stopping by!

Starving Student Edible Advent Calendar

I made my first "starving student" advent calendar a couple years ago when my daughter was being trained to be a tattoo artist. Starving is an exaggeration - but when kids are going to school - mom's worry about what they are eating. I made an edible advent calendar as a creative way to help her out with her food bill. I bought things like cheese, Nutella, wraps, butter (on the more expensive side). The things that needed refrigerating I put in a different package and said they need to be put in a fridge. I also had easy to make items like pasta, pasta sauce - as I knew that was on my daughters menu and she was able to make it. 

Now that she is done her training, I make her a "starving artist" advent calendar. These are the tags I made to go with the calendar last year. The first year I had some scrapbook paper with numbers on them.

What kind of things would you put in an edible advent calendar?
Thanks for stopping by!

Mother's Day Exploding Box

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I love to give creative gifts. I had an addiction last year of making exploding boxes. This was the gift I made last year for Mother's Day. It is so cute and unique. I found all sorts of clip art online and printed them out. I went with a garden theme. I adhered the cut out clip art, some directly to the box with glue and others with pop dots to give dimension. 

I loved a poem that I found which was the inspiration for the garden theme. 

A mother's heart is like a garden.

Her children are the seeds.

And as they grow, she tends to them

Fulfilling all their needs...

Wherever there is beauty

a mother's love is there.

Amanda Bradley

I added a pocket to put a small card to personally sign and a gift card could be added to it as well.

I made the basket centrepiece from a toilet paper roll that I covered with jute.

To see my other "MOM" themed exploding box with a tutorial CLICK HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!

May 2017 Visiting Teaching Message Handout Idea

Hello! Welcome to my blog! For the May visiting teaching message we get to select a message from talks given in the April General Conference to teach and uplift. I have a hard time selecting only one as they are all so inspiring. I decided to go with a growth mindset theme. I have been reading  Carol Dweck's studies about the psychology of success that she calls the growth mindset. She has done great work in studying the thought process of people who succeed and of those who don't. 

The original growth mindset is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation." Joseph Smith

"For as (a man) thinketh in his heart, so is he..." Proverbs 23:7

"And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon..."2Nephi 2:26

The purpose of this life is to progress (or grow) and become like God. There are fixed mindsets that say I was born that way I can't help it - but the gospel of Jesus Christ says you are a child of God. There are things you need to learn and improve - and you are able to do it. Applying the teachings and principles of Jesus Christ is the way. 

If you have a fixed mindset you are acted upon. A person with a growth mindset is one who applies the power to act in enlightened ways- even if the circumstances seem challenging.

The General Conference messages remind us of the path of progress and the mind set we need to apply to achieve success. I researched the talks and chose quotes that I felt aligned with the six categories of the growth mindset. I printed them out and stapled them in a booklet. The booklet was 

then placed in a fork that I used for a plant poke.

 I love the saying "you grow girl"! I thought that was fitting and made a tag that you can glue to a potted plant, or maybe even a watering can.  As we study and apply the teachings of Christ in our lives we will grow and bloom. It is so interesting how our actions are aligned with our thoughts. Applying the growth mindset of the gospel is the path to find true success. 

Find the file HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happiness is Homemade Marriage Survival Kit Take Two

Hello! Welcome to my blog! Last year I made a marriage survival kit with this same theme (CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT). I found some adorable kitchen items at Michael's but only one of the items was the same as the gift basket last year, so I needed to make some new sayings and new tags. Here is what is in the kit.

The tags are free for personal use. Find the tag file HERE. I attached the corresponding tag to each item. I put them in a box and tied lace around the box to dress it up. If you want to add the quotes - cut the quote part a little smaller and glue on the back.

Thanks for stopping by!

DIY Paper Birch Easter Basket

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I made some cute little paper birch Easter baskets. I made them out of white poster board/card stock and then wrapped them with birch wrapping paper. I purchased the wrapping paper from Winners/Home Sense. I love the beautiful paper that is found there sometimes.

You can make these any size. I liked the size that came from an 8x10 piece of poster board.

After making the box, wrap a 3" wide strip of paper around it. Adhere with glue of choice.

If you want the handle to match, wrap that with paper before gluing onto the basket. I glued my handle on before I wrapped it with paper but it would make for a cute effect if you put in on top and put a brad in there. 

They turned out pretty cute. For the finishing touch I added Easter tags FOUND HERE that I put on with pop dots.

Happy creating!

Free Easter Tag Printables

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I am wanting to make some paper birch baskets and needed to make some tags to go with them. I made some adult tags and tags that would work to give to kids as well. Come back in a few days to see how they go with paper birch baskets!! Click HERE for the pdf file. Thanks for stopping by!

April 2017 Visiting Teaching Message Handout Idea

Hello! Welcome to my blog! April's Visiting Teaching message is on The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood. For the full message 

CLICK HERE.

I created a printable that has most of the quotes that are in the message with a few additions.

For the pdf version click here:

I have these quotes in a sun because of an analogy Neil L. Anderson gave a few years ago in 

General Conference:

A man may open the drapes so the warm sunlight comes into the room, but the man does not own the sun or the light or the warmth it brings. The blessings of the priesthood are infinitely greater than the one who is asked to administer the gift.

I just love that analogy, and that talk - which teaches about the power of the priesthood. Click

here to be directed to the talk. 

I made a handout with that quote as the theme.

I saw a cute curtain card online and used that as my inspiration. Check it out HERE.

For the pdf file of the Visiting Teaching handout  CLICK HERE. Here is what it looks like:

I also love the quote:

If you want light to come into your life, 

you need to stand where it is shining.

I think this relates to this months message. Too often we stand in the shadows when it comes to the power of the priesthood because we don't fully understand it. As Neil L. Anderson said - "We sometimes overly associate the power of the priesthood with men in the Church. The priesthood is the power and authority of God given for the salvation and blessing of all - men, women and children."

We can invite sunshine into our lives as we "...expand (our) understanding of the priesthood..."

Linda K. Burton

because we will "come in possession of the privileges and blessings and gifts of the Priesthood." Joseph Smith

To make the card - after printing out the sheet you will need to fold the card into quarters, cut out the front window and make the curtains. I used double sided tape to adhere two pieces of 2" ribbon onto a thin strip of paper that I used for a curtain rod. Then I tied each ribbon at the bottom with 

some floss to give it a curtain look.

Thanks for stopping by!

Winnie the Pooh Diaper Cake Tutorial

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I was looking back in my project pictures and found this diaper cake I made four years ago before our first grandchild was born. Another grandchild will be born soon - so my mind has been on baby creations again. 

Here is how to make a diaper cake:

I decided to make a Winnie the Pooh themed diaper cake because I just love this Winnie the Pooh quote:

"The smallish things take up the 

most room in your heart."

 I made this rosette to put on top of the diaper cake.

Thanks for stopping by!

How To Make Posters or Invitations with iPad or iMac

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I don't own any expensive publishing programs for my computer or for my iPad, but I am able to make do with the Keynote app. It is the Mac version of Powerpoint. What I like about it is I can move any clip art or words to any spot I want on the page. I can even convert the files to pdf, jpeg or other options. I can also iCloud the files to be on my iPad and my Mac computer. 

I make a lot of posters and invitations and newsletters for church.  I make a lot of visuals and worksheets for my work as well. I can make them at my desk in my classroom and send them to the office through email to print. It is super easy. For a lot of the clip art or backgrounds, I just search the internet. If you are putting clip art on to a background you need them to be transparent - meaning it won't have a white frame around it. There is a way to get rid of that edge, but that is another post. I am self taught - so I am no professional - however I have been doing this for years and I do get better the more I practice. I learn new things all the time too!

This particular poster has three parts to it, plus the typing:

1. BACKGROUND

 2. CENTRE FRAME

3. FLORAL CLIP ART TO DRESS IT UP

With the iPad, one is limited to the fonts that come with Keynote - although there are apps that make the iPad capable of adding more stylish fonts if you are willing to pay for it. 

I used to be at the mercy of  pre-made invitations. Not any more. I like the 4-H motto, which definitely helped me out when it came to making things on my computer - LEARN TO DO BY DOING!

Why don't you give it a try?

Have a "Tea"riffic Birthday Gift Basket Idea

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I have a problem. I can't just give ordinary presents. They need to have a bit of a creative side to them. Sometimes I have to give in and just get a present due to time restrictions or a lack of creative juices at the moment. The present needs to be inspired by the recipient of the gift of course. I try to think of what the individuals likes and dislikes are. I have to think about it for a while. I don't always know what the gift is going to be when I go shopping, like in this case. I just happened so see this adorable cup - and I thought - tea gift set. I lucked out and had scrapbook paper that went with the cup, and the gift card. I was able to put cute tags with some of the items, and dress up the gift card holder. This is what I put in the cup:

Here is the tag I made. I glued it to a skewer and tied a lace bow on it. 

I hope this idea helps you if you like to give creative gifts too!

Thanks for stopping by!

March 2017 Visiting Teaching Handout

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I love all the visiting teaching messages - this month's message I have a passion for. The theme is: The Enabling Power of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. For the full visiting teaching message on

 lds.org CLICK HERE.  

I love the word ACTION - so that is what I feel to focus on in this message. I am continually striving to learn how to activate the enabling power of Jesus Christ and His Atonement in my life because I know I don't even scratch the surface of what is offered in this incredible gift. 

I especially love the quote from David A. Bednar included in this month's message:

“Nephi’s brothers bound him with cords and planned his destruction. Please note Nephi’s prayer: ‘O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound’ (1 Nephi 7:17; emphasis added). “… Nephi did not pray to have his circumstances changed. Rather, he prayed for the strength to change his circumstances. And I believe he prayed in this manner precisely because he KNEW, UNDERSTOOD, and had EXPERIENCED the enabling power of the Atonement. “I do not think the bands with which Nephi was bound just magically fell from his hands and wrists. Rather, I suspect he was blessed with both persistence and personal strength beyond his natural capacity, that he then ‘in the strength of the Lord’ (Mosiah 9:17) worked and twisted and tugged on the cords, and ultimately and literally was enabled to break the bands."

The message stops there but I looked up the talk that came from the talk"Strength Beyond My Own" and loved the words that followed... 

"The implication of this episode for each of us is straightforward. As you and I come to UNDERSTAND and EMPLOY the enabling power of the Atonement in our personal lives, we will pray and seek for strength to change our circumstances rather than praying for our circumstances to be changed. We will become AGENTS WHO ACT rather than objects that are acted upon (2 Nephi 2:14).” David A. Bednar “Strength Beyond our Own”

We only learn and grow when we ACT. My employment is a Life Skills Specialist at a therapy centre for Autism. I help children with many skills they need for life. One of those skills is dressing. One child had a goal of putting on socks. When a task is not able to be achieved, I ask, WHY CAN'T THIS BE DONE? Possible answers to this situation were fine motor difficulties, eye hand coordination, etc., etc. We worked on strengthening those skills, but the goal to put socks on was still not being achieved. The only thing I could think of was that the child always relied on someone else to do it for him. In other words - he was acted upon. We had to work on changing the behavior for HIM TO ACT (the student put his own sock on) instead of being acted upon (having someone else do it for him). It took a little bit of time and a lot of patience - but the child is now putting on his own socks. YAY!

I believe it is the same in many aspects in our lives. Do we have a challenge? Are we hoping for the situation to take care of itself or maybe hoping someone else will fix it for us - or, are we ACTION HEROS personally doing something about our situation? When we add the enabling power of Jesus Christ and His Atonement, then we have a super power to help us in any situation.

This reminds me of something President Monson once said :"Work will win, when 

wishy, washy, wishing won't!"

To go with this message I printed out the pictures above with the quote, and wrapped it around a package of ACT II popcorn.

Here is the PDF if you would like to make it:

CLICK HERE

 Thanks for stopping by!

The Purpose of Relief Society Analogy - January 2017 Visiting Teaching Message

Hello and welcome to my blog! A few years ago I made a handout to go with the Visiting Teaching message - The Purpose of Relief Society. The focus of the message that particular month, I felt, was focussing on the part we play as individuals in this society. This years January visiting teaching message was similar so I made this again. The first tag reads: "Chocolate chip in and do your part Cookies". I attached this to a jar of ingredients that is the start of chocolate chip cookies. 

 So here is the analogy - what is in the jar is not quite chocolate chip cookies - we need to add ingredients and do a little work before we can enjoy the fruits, or in this case, the cookies. Here is the poem/message to teach the analogy:

Here is what you need to make the Chocolate Chip Cookies in a jar:

Here are the instructions to attach to the jar:

Thanks for stopping by!

Wood Burn Garden Signs

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I made these signs for a Christmas gift. My Auntie loves to garden. I saw the saying "Trespassers will be composted" and knew my aunt had to have that in her garden.

I found some scrap wood. I didn't cut anything as my scraps determined the size of the signs. I glued two pieces of wood together with wood glue. Then secured the two pieces to a longer piece of wood with a couple screws. 

I designed the letters on a publishing program and printed them on a piece of paper. I transferred the lettering using the pencil transfer method (or you can use transfer/carbon paper. 

The fonts I used :"Color Me Purple"
 and "Roscrift Clean". 

After transferring the letters on the wood with the pencil transfer method, I wood burned the letters using my wood burner I purchased from Michael's. I found the chisel tip to be the best tip to use but I suggest you take a scrap piece of wood and practice on it to see what tip you feel works best for the sign you are making. 

Thanks for stopping by!