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Each candle represents a different theme of Advent: Hope (purple), Love (purple), Joy (pink) on Gaudete Sunday, and Peace (purple). Sometimes blue is used instead of purple. The center white candle is lit on Christmas and during the Christmas season thereafter until Epiphany. I’m sure each tradition and denomination has its own variations, so just know that I’m speaking generally here from a Western Christian perspective.

Traditionally an Advent wreath is simply a wreath with candle holders in it. However there are many creative and inexpensive ways to make your own Advent wreath (commercial ones can be quite pricey!). Here are 5 simple ways to make your own lovely Advent wreath.

As with any project I share, please use your best judgment and proceed at your own discretion.
Never leave candles unattended and do not burn them all the way down to where the flame could come in contact with decor.

Advent Wreath #1: In a Bowl

For this wreath I found the biggest ironstone bowl I had. I cut pieces of floral foam to fit in the bottom of the bowl and scraped out circles with a butter knife to hold the candles where I wanted them. Then I filled in with Spanish moss, foraged pine cones, and dried oranges.

I love all the color and texture!

Create your own!

Advent Wreath #2: Wintry Neutral

This is actually the wreath I used for my family last year. The base is a vintage mirror I painted white – I love the pretty edge details and the way the mirror reflects the candlelight. The candles are being held by a metal candle holder ring I found in the Target dollar spot a few years ago. I disassembled a small glittery wreath my mom was getting rid of and tucked the pieces around the perimeter of the mirror.

For this particular wreath I used all white candles with a pillar candle in the center. I only had 2 of each height of taper, so just pretend they’re all the same height…although it does add a little extra interest I suppose.

Wreath #3: Traditional

This wreath is the most traditional of the bunch. Into an existing wreath I tucked little baby food jars full of sugar to hold the candles and a small ironstone bowl in the center to hold the pillar candle. If you want this wreath to be easily transportable, place it on top of a piece of wood or other sturdy tray.

Wreath #4: Wood Block

This one was probably the most fun to make. I got to use my husband’s drill press for it! This little chunk of wood is from our beloved backyard tree which we had to take down several years ago. I used calipers to measure the diameter of the candles, then drilled evenly spaced holes down the center of the wood.

I had to make the holes slightly larger than the candles, so I took little bits of my kids’ play dough and put it in each hole to help stick the candle in place. It worked great. You could just as easily use stick tack or a similar substance. A few sprigs of fresh greenery, pinecones, and dried oranges give it some added interest. Personally I think just the wood block by itself could look really cool in a minimalist sort of way too.

Wreath #5: Outside the Wreath (Box)

A rustic wooden box, like this one I got from Vintage Market Days, makes a neat cottage style Advent wreath.

I filled it with faux stems from the Target dollar spot (this year, 2022), cinnamon sticks, and pinecones. The baby food jars full of sugar are holding the candles in place, and dried Spanish moss is filling in the gaps and looking rustically lovely.

I hope this gave you some inspiration to create an Advent wreath of your own this year! I’d love to hear about your Advent traditions – drop me a comment below!

Blessings,
Melissa

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I don’t know about you, but sometimes I could use a little help thinking up ideas for Easter baskets! It’s like, I want my kids to get cute stuff but also don’t want just a bunch of junk laying around my house, you know? (Little wind up chicks, I’m looking at you!)

So here is a list of 25 creative, consumable, and useful ideas to fill those baskets!

A Bible, a Hymnal, or a book of the Easter Story

Because that’s what it’s about!

1. Our favorite Bibles are The Beginner’s Bible and The Story Bible. The Little Lamb’s Bible is also a very sweet rhyming book for little ones (there’s also a Little Chick’s Bible and Little Bunny’s Bible). (We have all of those first three Bibles I listed, by the way, and use them every day, so I’m speaking from actual experience with them here.)

2. An excellent beginner’s hymnal for children is My First Hymnal (just note that this is a Lutheran publication). I know there are other children’s hymnals out there, but this is one I’m familiar with and can confidently recommend.

3. This set of 6 illustrated, rhyming books spans Palm Sunday through the Resurrection, and this board book has lots of flaps to lift as the story is told!

Healthy(ish) treats

I’m all about the Easter chocolate, but it’s nice to have tasty treats that are actually good for them too so you can more readily say “yes” when they want to dig into their baskets for the umpteenth time that day!

Some of my favorite healthier but fun treats include:

4. Bunny shaped snacks like Annie’s Bunny Fruit Snacks, Annie’s Bunny Grahams, or Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies

5. Homemade trail mix – dried fruit, nuts (for older kids), cheerios or similar cereal, chocolate chips or candy pieces

6. Applesauce pouches in varied flavors (my kids don’t get these too often, so it’s a treat!) – We like GoGo Squeeze

Gardening Supplies

Gardening (even on a small scale) is such an enriching experience for kids! You could put together a little kit for starting some flowers or veggies! It doesn’t take much – just some seeds and maybe some pots, but to make it more fun, here are a few extra ideas:

7. From Seed to Plant Book – great for an early science lesson in how plants grow! (We actually have this book)

8. Kids’ Gardening Gloves

9. Flower Pot Painting Kit

10. Watering Can

11. Kids Gardening Tools

12. Gift Cards

Probably best suited for older kids, but who doesn’t love a gift card? Make it to their favorite store, restaurant, smoothie place, ice cream shop, iTunes, or a bookstore.

13. Fun Accessories

You can go more Spring and Easter specific for fun or more generic for year-round use! Here are a few very cute ones I’ve found!

Meri Meri Bunny Necklaces (My little girl is getting the blue one!)

This bunny pigtail set is adorable and this carrot bow tie is very fun!

Outdoor Toys & Summer Gear

The weather is getting nicer and Summer is right around the corner, so fun outdoor gear will get plenty of use! Things like:

14. Bubbles (I found some cute carrot-shaped bubbles at my local grocery store – these are a similar idea)

15. Sidewalk Chalk – like this Easter Sidewalk Chalk

16. Jump Ropes

17. Velcro Ball & Catch Set

18. A Kite

19. Swimsuit

20. Flipflops

21. Pool Toys

Art and Craft Supplies

Art supplies definitely get used up around our house, so I usually don’t feel bad about buying more!

22. Stickers – Resurrection Sticker Scene, Faith Stickers

23. Cute notebooks, like this adorable bunny notebook or this Bible quote notebook

24. Rainbow Scratch Paper (my kids love this stuff)

25. Craft kit – like this Make a Bunny Friend kit

I hope you’ve enjoy these ideas that aren’t chocolate rabbits or jelly beans!

If you found this helpful, please be sure to share!

Pin it!

Blessings,
Melissa

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

A little hymnic reflection for this Christmastide:

“See, amid the winter’s snow,
born for us on earth below,
see the tender Lamb appears,
promised from eternal years.

Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

“Lo, within a manger lies
He who built the starry skies;
He, who throned in height sublime,
sits amid the cherubim!

Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

“Say, ye holy shepherds, say,
what your joyful news today;
wherefore have ye left your sheep
on the lonely mountain steep?

Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

“As we watched at dead of night,
lo, we saw a wondrous light;
angels singing ‘Peace on earth’
told us of the Savior’s birth.

Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

“Sacred Infant, all divine,
what a tender love was Thine;
thus to come from highest bliss
down to such a world as this!

Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

“Teach, O teach us, Holy Child,
by Thy face so meek and mild,
teach us to resemble Thee
in Thy sweet humility!

Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

A blessed Christmastide and a happy New Year to you all!

Somehow as one grows older, it seems, the magic can begin to fade with each passing year as rationalism, skepticism, and the responsibilities of life take hold. Christmas may even become a burdensome list of to-dos, a reminder of financial strain and broken relationships, or even a stressful challenge to outdo oneself from the year before.

And yet, if we pause…really pause…and reconsider our perspective…what is it really all about? I’m not looking to give you a Charlie Brown Christmas moment here. I’m looking for you to let this sink in and apply to your life:

The very God of the universe came to earth to become like us, to live like us, to suffer like us…to fulfill all the promises and laws given by God throughout the history of time…to bear the punishment of every single sin every person would ever commit…to miraculously rise from death as only God can…all for YOU – for me – for all of us.

Take that in for a moment.

It’s not just about a sweet baby in the manger – it’s about Almighty God coming to earth to begin His mission to save YOU. The shadow of the cross was already looming over the manger the day of His birth – He was here for a purpose – one He fulfilled perfectly and fully.

As we live in that awesome reality, a different kind of Christmas joy emerges – not one of magical twinkling lights (though they are pretty) – but one of holy awe. Christ would do all this for ME? Yes, because He loves you more than you could ever grasp, however undeserving you may feel.

This Christmas I pray you stand in awe, in true peace and joy, and in an excitement that does not die out after the Christmas season is over – because this joy is eternal.

Botanical prints shown are available as a free download here.

No matter what Thanksgiving Day may look like for you this year, I invite you to first remember why we have this day: To give thanks to our Creator and Provider for the blessings He daily and richly provides, and most of all for the salvation He has granted to us through faith in Jesus Christ.

Regardless of your dinner plans, I hope this meaning-filled Thanksgiving table may provide you with inspiration as you read the captions and hymn meditations below.

Candlelight

There is nothing quite like candlelight to bring a sense of coziness, warmth, and peace to a space.

“Light of Light, O Sole-Begotten
Radiance of the Father’s face,
Word made flesh, who lived among us
Full of truth and full of grace,
Shine upon our human darkness;
Pierce the night that shrouds our race.”
– Stephen P. Starke

“Give Thanks Pumpkins”

These easy DIY pumpkins are covered in old hymn pages and adorned with “thankful” hymn titles. The tutorial video can be found in the story highlight “Give Thanks Pumpkins” on my Instagram page.

“Now thank we all our God
With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done,
In whom His world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms
Has blest us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today.”
– Martin Rinkart; tr. Catherine Winkworth

Fresh Rosemary & Pinecones

What better elements to add to a Thanksgiving table than items found naturally in creation? Gathered pinecones and rosemary trimmings add visual freshness and a lovely scent to the table. The napkins are tied with simple white kitchen twine.

“For the beauty of the earth, 
For the glory of the skies, 
For the love which from our birth 
Over and around us lies.
Christ, our Lord, to Thee we raise 
This, our hymn of grateful praise.”
– Folliott Sandford Pierpoint

Thrifted Plates & Ribbon

The large plates (by Hearth & Hand), the small ironstone plates, and the lace ribbon were all found at thrift shops. I love to buy second-hand pieces – not only does it save my family some money, but it can help to reduce waste and support the charities that run the shops.

“Father, providing
Food for Your children,
By your wise guiding
Teach us to share
One with another,
So that, rejoicing
With us, all others
May know Your care.”
– Albert F. Bayly

Gifted Items

The crystal water goblets and silver flatware were wedding gifts to my husband and me. The ceramic cake stand was given to me by my mother-in-law one Christmas. I enjoy using these generously gifted pieces not only because I like how they look, but because they bring fond memories and thankfulness for our family and friends.

“For the joy of human love, 
Brother, sister, parent, child, 
Friends on earth, and friends above, 
For all gentle thoughts and mild,
Christ, our Lord, to Thee we raise 
This, our hymn of grateful praise.”
– Folliott Sandford Pierpoint

Whatever Thanksgiving Day may look like for you this year, I pray it is a day filled with reflection upon all that has been given to us and thanks to the Provider of all good things.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” – James 1:17

“Even so, Lord, quickly come,
Bring Thy final harvest home; 
Gather thou thy people in, 
Free from sorrow, free from sin, 
There, forever purified, 
In Thy presence to abide; 
Come, with all Thine angels, come, 
Raise the glorious harvest home.”
– Henry Alford

So I did.

Immediately what popped into my head was the famous Luther quote, “Here I stand…” which is totally punny for a doormat but also deeply meaningful.

“Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”

It is debated whether or not Luther actually said these words – some sources include it and some do not, but ultimately it doesn’t matter. Luther was convinced that we are saved by Grace, through faith in Christ alone, and refused to go against what he knew to be true.

How true it still is for us, as we going through challenging times, facing all sorts of falsehood and opposition to truth. This door mat, for me, is more than just a funny pun (although I enjoy the humor of it too) – it is a reminder to myself, a statement to others, and a request to God that I may always hold fast to the Truth:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Tutorial

Below is the tutorial for this mat, and I’ve included the files for my design. However, you can totally make your own design to say whatever you’d like! No circut machine needed!

If you do have a cricut machine, consider yourself blessed. But if you don’t, like me, this is the old fashioned way.

Supplies:

1 Coir Doormat – this is the one I got from Target. This one from Amazon is similar. Mine is 23 x 35″

Digital Design File – download below or design your own

Card stock or printer paper

Printer

Scissors (Love my Scotch titanium precision scissors!)

Ruler

Masking Tape

Black Sharpie

Small craft paint brush (don’t use your favorite – it’ll never be the same)

Black Acrylic Paint (or Fusion Mineral Paint Coal Black – that also worked well!)

Flex Seal Spray, Clear (optional)

Directions:

1. Print letters on card stock or paper. Cut out with scissors. If you use my files, they are scaled for use on a 23 x 35 inch mat. If your mat is a different size, simply adjust the scale (percentage) in your printer’s settings when you print. You may have to experiment to see what size works best for your mat.

2. Use a ruler to find the center of your mat and lay out the letters roughly where you want them. (Can you tell my printer was about to run out of ink?!)

3. Once positioned, use pieces of masking tape rolled up (like little tubes – so the entire outside is sticky) to secure your stencils to the mat. Make any final adjustments to placement as necessary.

4. Trace around each letter with black sharpie. You will have to “dab” at the mat to make a mark – just running the sharpie around the letter in one stroke won’t leave a dark enough line.

5. Using your craft brush and black paint, fill in all the letters up to the edges of your tracing lines. Work the paint down into the coir as much as you can to make the lettering as dark as possible.

6. Let mat dry completely. You can use it as is, or seal it with the flex seal spray for added durability.

My parents and in-laws both want one now, so I’m working on making more of them!

I hope this has inspired you to create your own personalized door mat!

After finally finishing our major renovations in 2018, 2019 was a spending-spree. Our house had been under renovation for pretty much three solid years – bathrooms (hall and master), kitchen and dining rooms, the nursery, our boy’s room, paint and baseboard throughout the house…add in having a baby in there…now I could finally take some time to decorate!

I bought second-hand furniture to refinish and fill our empty space, pictures to fill the blank walls, and rugs to cozy things up. I bought curtains, seasonal throw-pillows, baskets to organize, faux-flowers for vases…and on…and on…

I would buy things without a real plan for where they would go, and when they didn’t work out long-term they would get stuck in the closet or basement. I didn’t buy just enough to fill the space – I would buy more than I needed “for later,” or because I “liked both and couldn’t decide.” It was ridiculous.

Having recently had a second baby, I also bought lots of new clothes to better suite my body and style. I frequently went thrifting with the kids just to get out of the house. I usually ended up buying all sorts of “treasures” I really didn’t need, as well as toys for my son as his little treasure finds. Many of my treasures sat in the basement, unused, and are still there. I bought way too many Starbucks’ lattes in my sleep-deprived desperation as we drove to the thrift store or to Homegoods.

One could argue that a few of those purchases were justifiable – it’s good to have properly fitting clothes after having a baby, furniture for one’s house, and so on. Our budget and our storage space, however, were the worse for wear by the end of the year.

I felt guilty, embarrassed, and burdened by “stuff.”

My husband was tired of reminding me about the budget and wondered where all the stuff was going to go. It all felt out of control.

While some of the shopping and spending were necessary, it was a habit and a way of coping with a challenging time of life. I was overwhelmed by figuring out how to deal with a toddler and a baby and to be honest, I was dealing with postpartum depression as well. Shopping was an escape – a way of temporarily removing myself from a seemingly impossible reality – even if the budget, housework, and my relationships suffered.

I finally reached a breaking point. I won’t go into detail, but just know I was in the depths of despair and something – anything – had to change. With encouragement from my family, I made changes, sought guidance, and things began to improve. I was not as reliant on shopping and Starbucks runs to put me in a better state. Even though it was no longer therapy for me, however, I was still very much in the habit of buying things…

Then along came Covid-19 and stay-at-home orders – shopping trips came to an abrupt halt. Uncertainties about the economy ceased online spending. All unnecessary purchasing stopped completely. The spending spree was over…

…and it was surprisingly freeing.

That reset of just a few weeks changed my habits and my perspective.

Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy shopping and Starbucks, but my reasons for doing so have changed. It is no longer mandatory “therapy” for this [still-sometimes-sleep-deprived-and-stressed] mama. I got the assistance I needed, I broke my habit, and found other outlets. Instead of constantly spending, I focused my efforts on blogging, photography, and creating content and printables. I started an Etsy shop to sell my creations and perhaps earn back a little of what I had spent. I learned to better use what I have – to be more creative or to simply do without (that’s okay too in a lot of circumstances!). Plus I learned how to make my own iced coffee and lattes at home.

Our house is pretty well filled now and there is no reason to purchase more furniture, wall hangings, or rugs. Spending has become pretty much necessity only, with the occasional thrift store outing thrown in, and those are kept within budget.

It’s amazing how much creativity flourishes when we are forced to work with what we have. It’s beautiful how one’s contentment can change when we realize it’s okay, perhaps even better, to do without certain things.

Limiting one’s resources brings forth solutions otherwise not imagined.

Shopping one’s own home results in finding long-lost items or seeing objects in a new light and with new potential. No longer harboring the guilt of over-spending or the burden of being weighed down with more “stuff” is liberating.

So is it wrong to have things? Not at all! The good things we enjoy in this life are gifts from God. They are to be used for our good, the good of others, and to God’s glory. We are thankful for the good things we are given. However, when those objects take over our lives and hurt our relationships, those good gifts have turned into burdens or even idols.

I encourage you to be honest with yourself.

Are you over-buying and over-spending? Has shopping become more than just fun? If yes, dig deeper. If you feel your spending habits are just that – a habit – try going on a spending-free break for a few weeks.

Ask a friend to hold you accountable, remove shopping apps from your phone, remove your credit card information from sites like Amazon (if you have it saved) so you can’t just push “buy now.” Intentionally schedule other activities to fill your time – go on a walk with a friend, sign up for a community service activity, cook a fun new cuisine you’ve never tried. Check out free parks and places around town that you’ve never taken the time to see. Stop putting off organizing your sock drawer. Start cleaning out your closet and basement and make a donation pile. Take it immediately to the donation center. Be sure to use curbside drop-off so you aren’t tempted to shop inside.

Give it several weeks and see if that doesn’t change your perspective and habits. You just might find other interests you never knew you had. You might discover that long-lost stash of fabric in your basement and take up sewing again. Who knows?!

If you feel your behavior has a deeper root – psychological or emotional – please seek assistance. It is well worth it. Medical and psychological treatment are also gifts. Depression, addiction, trauma…the list goes on…are all real issues that need attention and treatment, whether that be therapy, medication, or a combination of things. There is absolutely no shame in seeking assistance. No one would neglect a broken arm or persistent chest pain, and no one should neglect mental and emotional health either.*

Through this all, I was also brought to the realization that I had neglected time in God’s Word and prayer. It’s not that those hadn’t existed at all, but they had taken a backseat to other things and I definitely think God was using all of this to show me what I had been neglecting. Not only was I using shopping as an escape from life, but I was using it to try to fill a void that only Jesus can fill.

I hope that if you are going through something similar that you find encouragement in this post. Stuff is just that – stuff. The newness and thrill wear off in time. Stuff cannot make us truly happy, treat our underlying medical issues, or fill voids that we have inside of us.

Bad habits can be broken. Perspectives can change. Healing can take place.

Seek the assistance and support you need. Ask God for guidance, forgiveness, and strength through it all. Break that habit.

We can do without things. We can work with what we have. We’ll be even better off for it.

Live in Simplicity and Gratitude.

Let Creativity thrive in this newfound Freedom.

* I am not a medical professional. Anything written in this post is purely my opinion from personal experience only. The content on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

A few months ago, a friend and former choir member at church who follows my blog asked me an interesting question:

“Where are the hymns?”

I must have seemed confused because she explained, “Hymns & Home – I’ve seen a lot of the home part, but where are the hymns?”

I explained that I chose the name “Hymns & Home” because I felt it well represented two major parts of who I am: a church musician and a wife/mom/homemaker. The blog was really just intended to be about home decor & DIY.

But it got me thinking… Why not?

Hymns and their rich, meaningful texts are such a big part of my life and who I am that surely there is some way they could be included here. Well, with all this pandemic stuff going on the last few months, my mind has been drawn over and over again to a particular hymn text: “I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus.” Let me share a few stanzas with you:

I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, Trusting only Thee;
Trusting Thee for full salvation, Great and free.

I am trusting Thee to guide me; Thou alone shalt lead,
Ev’ry day and hour supplying All my need.

I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus; Never let me fall.
I am trusting Thee forever And for all.

– Frances R. Havergal

This hymn speaks of the many ways Jesus provides for us and how we can fully trust Him to: grant us salvation, pardon and cleanse us from sin, guide us through life, give us His Holy Word, uphold and sustain us in this life and the next.

As much as this hymn has stuck in my head, I thought it fitting to create a FREE PRINTABLE for you all, just in case it would be of comfort and assurance to some of you! Just click one of the links below to download it. I am making this available to anyone – you don’t need to be a subscriber to get it. (For personal use only, please – no selling or modifying.)

God does not promise we will not encounter hardships in this life, but He does promise to be with us all the way. Most importantly, He promises us eternal life through the saving work of His son, Jesus Christ. I pray that wherever you are in the midst of this chaos that you would find peace, joy, and assurance from the One in whom we can fully trust.