Family Connection Collection: 3-day Projects
The process and the projects…
In our classes, and in our time with our own kids, we have learned, through much trial and error and more than a few sighs and tears, that less is more. Less time in one fell swoop, less instructions all at once and less forcing the crafting hand, equals more understanding, more connection, more fun and more satisfaction all around – both in the process and the projects.
How we used to do it…
Before our lessons learned we would find the cool project online or in a groovy craft book or make it up ourselves. We saw the pictures of the immaculate studios and the engaged kids and the patient moms and the perfectly completed product at the end and we pictured ourselves there too – in all its family perfection and order. We imagined how fun it would be to make it, to have it and spend that crafty time with our kids. We envisioned a spacious, fun-filled family weekend with everyone fully immersed for hours on end and even imagined us all participating at the end in a studio clean-up so that we could, voila, do it again the next weekend! And so we would begin, with this vision in mind, and our plans for creating and completing said craft would come crashing down into an unsatisfying and halfway finished Sunday night. Discouraged, disinterested and disheveled – and it was time to get ready for school again. And we would spend Monday morning cleaning up the mess while the kids were back in school studying the industrial revolution and writing reports on the woman who invented the sewing machine.
Family-friendly, bite-sized crafty chunks…
But no more. Now we know how to match our intentions and ideas with our reality of family time. In these projects we will share our lessons learned by bringing you these projects broken down into 3 bite-sized family-friendly segments. Each one just over an hour or two on day. We have them written out for easy weekend completion – even with all the other family happenings such as ball games, birthday parties, errands and good old fashioned free time. In each phase you’ll find materials needed, prep required, estimated time allowance and simple steps for working with older or younger kids.
Our intentions…
Our intentions are to allow the whole family to fully realize some good connection and crafting time that leaves everybody coming back for more. Because whether you are a super seamstress (like Kathie!) or just a willing, simplistic crafter (like Bernadette!) there are definitely tricks involved with keeping family craft time satisfying and keeping it from crashing down upon you.
Getting started…
So set aside a little time this weekend for crafting with your kids. Set some of your own intentions for how you want things to flow. Then check out our first project below for making stuff together. We’re calling them the Family Connection Collection because that’s what we hope it will bring you.
And leave a comment if you could…
…because we’d LOVE to know what you think.
1. 3 day Prayer/Wish/Hope Flags
2. 3 day Bean Bag Toss and Juggling Bags
