Make it Monday

Today is a BIG day!  It is my first time participating in the Close To My Heart's Stamp of the Month Blog Hop (say that five times fast), and my HUGE launch party for the New Idea Book (here at my house and on my blog)!  But so as not to disappoint my faithful followers I am still posting a Make it Monday project.

I love flowers and love love love gardens.  In past years I have been so proud of the gardens I have designed, the beds I put and the flowers I carefully plant.  This year has been an exception to that!  We did not mulch this year and when I look at my gardens I'm not sure if I have flower and vegetable gardens with some weeds or weed gardens with a few flowers and vegetables!  However my kids and I still took a walk around the house and cut some flowers to bring inside.  If you don't have flower gardens you can pick some from your neighbor (please ask first) or go to your local flower shop and purchase some greens and daisies (they are usually pretty inexpensive).  You'll need flowers, cutters, vases and water.  

Yes I am aware that if there was a tag on these it would say "not for children under the age of 5"
but I teach and allow my kids to use clippers and scissors under supervision

Once we were done with our selection we brought them all inside because it was way too hot to work outside (under normal circumstances I would recommend putting together your arrangement outside).  I played around with the idea of making a grid for the boys over their vases with floral tape or wire but it just wasn't working.  I worked in a flower shop for a few years after high school and love flower arranging.  My husband said I should post some of my arrangements and wedding work so maybe I'll get around to doing that sometime but for now I'll just show you what my kids made.

After this we cleaned up all the clippings and threw them off the back deck (I do believe this was the favorite part of our craft for my boys!).  Then we sought the "perfect" place in our home to display them.

My four year old's arrangement (please ignore the HUGE mess on the dresser)

My three year old's arrangement

My arrangement

This is a lot of fun and you can even just pick "weeds" if your garden is like mine to put into a vase.  You can use canning jars, cups, even cut off flower heads and float them in bowls of water.  The kids will have fun (even boys enjoy cutting things up).  Hope you have a wonderful Monday - let's make our week count!

And in keeping with the graditude list:

1. The hummingbird outside my kitchen window
2. Air conditioning
3. My kids laughter
4. Little one's curls and the way she walks
5. A reminder in the morning of God's faithfulness
6. Good friends who encourage and love well
7. The Word of God in my own language - the freedom to read it everyday
8. Songs that remind me of what really matters - focusing me on real reality and not my perceived reality   

May Love make a difference in your Monday - Go make something!