Happy October! Another month and Another craft. We are excited to make these fun, little signs. A few popsicle sticks, glue and stamps and you have a cute way to encourage someone.

Signs are a perfect way to label something. They tell you exactly what the contents are and what is expected to be inside. For some, comments and descriptions of others easily roll off the tongue. Peace maker. Encourager. Holy roller. Some you expect and still others you could never fathom. Words attached to you by someone without your approval. And sometimes it sticks. Other times it bounces.

You know, the woman with the gap between her teeth, who always seems to get lip stick on it.

And the other one, who is just a little too friendly and loves wearing pink shoes.

No, it's the one who always talks about her dog, has really frizzy hair and kind of chunky.

And the opinions of the Proverbs 31 Woman is always an interested topic.

She is the epitome of what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus.

She is not a real person.

How does she do it all? She does too much.

Commentaries and bible studies go on about it. About her. Her character and wisdom and family and work life all simplified in to twenty two verses, overflowing with goodness and purpose and drive and fear of the Lord. And how we can be like her. How you can be like her in your everyday life, doing your everyday tasks because face it, she is pretty fabulous and those labels would look great on you, too.

But you are you and in true Dr. Seuss fashion, there is no one YOUER than YOU. And you are pretty awesome, my friend, no matter how awesome someone else is.

So our hope with this craft is to dissolve the labels that others have given us, whether good or bad and will hold up ones that God has given each of us. Ones that encourage and ring truth to our souls. That allows each inhale to be our breath alone and for that to be sufficient.

Praying that you would focus on who God says you are and not what others have labeled you. Praying you would see the beauty in yourself and the way you were so carefully made.

Here is a simple picture tutorial. Let me know if you have any questions. I have been in to a neutral pallet lately and loving the simplicity but the sky is the limit to the design. I am quite sure glitter will make it to craft night, along with some paint to liven them up.

More info on Pocket Blessings here. 

Happy crafting!

The Pocket Blessings craft for March is paper bunting. We are filling teeny baskets with little bunting  with the word Hope to put inside because Easter is upon us and because of Jesus, we have hope.

There are various ways and supplies and sizes that can be used to make bunting. We are using paper and ribbon + twine to make them in triangles and flags about 3" x 1.5" and embellishing them with embossed + stamped / stickered / handwritten letters.

Here are few basic tutorials if you need some inspiration for making your own:

Paper Flag bunting

Fabric Bunting

Paper Pennant Bunting: 

Washi Tape Bunting 

Easter is about bringing hope to the hopeless. It is about celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ. We want to remind the recipients of the hope that is found in Jesus because of his death and resurrection. For surely, hope can change everything.

Hope weaves itself in to the bits of glitter in the hard times and points others to God's saving grace. Hope perseveres because of the promises and goodness to come. Hope rises past the hurts and hold ups and grudges and points to the bigger picture.

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. Romans 15:13a

God is a God of hope. He fills and gives and pours and mixes according to our needs of peace and joy and love. He is the ultimate giver.

Praying that you see God will fill you will hope as you go about Easter and that it would overflow through the power of the holy spirit. Praying that you would be a witness throughout your community of the hope of Jesus and if you have yet to put your hope in him, that you would see the beauty in the offer.

Here's to new found hope and overflowing of joy and peace.  

And of course, here's a little tag to attach to your baskets. Click to download. 

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For more info about Pocket Blessings, click here.