Sunday, October 27, 2024

Paint a wooden flat squirrel ornament

Painted wooden squirrel flat.

       This little wooden flat of a squirrel is painted in a very abstract way using a dry brush and sponge technique. You could just as easily choose to paint him by the same methods using grey colors instead.

Supply List:

  • orange, white, red, yellow acrylic paints
  • tiny acorn and cap
  • hot glue gun and hot glue
  • a wooden squirrel flat, unpainted
  • soft sponge, tiny brush, medium sized brush all three for application of paint

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Sponge the entire front face of the wooden squirrel one color; a rusty brown is good, if you're squirrel is to be a red squirrel.
  2. While the paint is still wet, dry brush in some lighter oranges, reds and yellows.
  3. After the surface is dry, paint eye and nose details in black. 
  4. Go back with a liquid of soft, pale whites for the high-lighted areas.
  5. Hot glue on the real acorn and cap just beneath your squirrel's paws.
  6. Use the tip of a pin to add a high-light in the critter's eye.
  7. Mod Podge the finished surface once you are satisfied with the results.

Assemble a pipe cleaner doll for your vintage Christmas tree...

A vintage girl shaped using chenille stems
and felt scraps.

        You can assemble this adorable little Christmas Miss using felt and tacky fabric glue. I believe she dates back to the 1960s or 70s. Make a whole series in any color to match your tree trimmings...

Supply List:

  • two sheets of craft felt, one navy and the other teal
  • gold braid rick-rack
  • olive green velvet ribbon
  • velvet pink flowers
  • tacky glue for fabric
  • white lace
  • gold embossed paper trim
  • a wooden bead for the head
  • acrylic paints
  • two chenille stems
  • gold twine for the hanger
Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1. Cut two lengths from the chenille stems: one five inches long and the second, seven inches long.
  2. Cut and roll felt rectangles to cover both the arm stem, five inches and the leg stem, seven inches. Glue down the edges using tacky fabric glue. let dry
  3. Twist the dry arm and leg stems together at the center of both. Pull the longer legs down and the shorter arms lengths above the legs.
  4. Pinch the arm lengths in the center up approximately 1/2 inch up and glue inside the hole of the wooden bead for the doll's head.
  5. Paint this wooden ''head'' bead using acrylics. Paint the hair, and facial features using a tiny brush for details. let dry.
  6. Now cut a half circle for the doll's dress from felt. The half circle should measure approximately ten inches across it's length.
  7. Next cut two more circles from the felt. The first smaller circle should be 1 3/4 inches in diameter to shape the doll's hat. The second circle should measure 2 inches in diameter to shape the doll's collar.
  8. Decorate the right side of the largest felt half circle prior to attaching it with tacky fabric glue just below the wire arm stems. Use notions like: lace, rick-rack and other gold trims seen in the photo above.
  9. Attach the felt skirt beneath the wire arms using tacky fabric glue, also gluing the shorter sides of the felt skirt together.
  10. Loop a hanger for the doll from twine and thread it up through the backside of the circular hat. 
  11. Glue this to the wooden head with the knot underneath and the loop for hanging above. This hat should be allowed to dry before proceeding to the next step.
  12. For the collar, cut a slit through the felt only to the center of the circle. Then twist the collar beneath the wooden chin of the doll, covering the arms and skirt waist and glue it in place.
  13. Tie a green velvet ribbon above the collar.
  14. Now glue flower trims to the hat and additional felt boots and gloves if you like!

Pine Tree Gift Tags

        The following gift tags have been altered and colorized by kathy grimm for our visitors to print, cut and stick onto gifts for the holiday season! Do not resale or distribute these from any other website they are the freeware property of our belsnickle blog.

Christmas gift tags in red and green for all your wrapping needs this season, 2024.

Saturday, October 26, 2024

Craft a Cotton Batting Frog on A Lily Pad

       A cotton batting ornaments of a frog seated on a lily pad. You could give him an additional crwon to make him a prince if you like but I prefer to keep him all-natural. His flesh is painted but his sharper features are drawn on using a permanent ink pen instead. You can always repaint ornaments like these if the lights on your tree fade the colors out.
 
The painted cotton batting frog from three angles.

        To make a frog ornament similar to this one you will need the following craft supplies: masking tape, tissue paper, white school glue, cotton batting, acrylic paints, and a permanent black ink pen.

Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1. Shape the tissues into a frog shape first. See the detailed photos below for guidence.
  2. Shape a simple lily pad for the frog to sit upon. See the photos below.
  3. Tape a long wire in it's center securely to the bottom of the lily pad so that this ornament may be twisted to a flat Christmas tree branch. This wire should be painted to match those colors of the branches you wish to attach him to. Paint the wire white for a white tree or green for a green tree. This will help to hide the attachment.
  4. Fray out a small stack of cotton balls.
  5. Using the white school glue and the cotton layer small sheets of the cotton onto all of the surfaces to cover the masked frog. This will take many layers to ''flesh out the frog.'' Be patient and allow each layer to dry before applying more glue and more cotton batting as you proceed. 
  6. Once you have fleshed out the shapes with batting apply a final heavy coat of glue and paint the frog using acrylics.
  7. After the paint dries use the permanent ink marker to color his eyes and lips.
  8. If the paint fades in time, it's o.k. to repaint the frog.
The frog shaped using masking tape and tissue paper; as seen from three sides.

The masking tape covered lily pad is taped to the frog and a wire underneath is taped on to allow
the ornament to be attached to a tree branch from underneath. Four different viewpoints are 
photographed above. Click to see all pictures larger.

Sunday, October 6, 2024

Longing For Home

 Longing For Home

Come away! come away! you can hear them
calling, calling,
Calling us to come to them, and roam no
more,
Over there beyond the ridges and the land
that lies between us,
There's an old song calling us to come!

Come away! come away! for the scenes we
leave behind us
Are barren for the lights of home and a
flame that's young forever;
And the lonely trees around us creak the
warning of the night-wind,
That love and all the dreams of love are
away beyond the mountains.

The songs that call for us to-night, the have
called for men before us,
And the winds that blow the message, they
have blown ten thousand years;
But this will end our wander-time, for we
know the joy that waits us
In the strangeness of home-coming, and a
faithful woman's eyes.

Come away! come away; there is nothing
now to cheer us--
Nothing now to comfort us, but love's road
home:
Over there beyond the darkness there's a
window gleams to greet us,
And a warm hearth waits for us within.

by Edward Arlington Robinson, "The Wilderness." 


Celtic women sing "Going Home''

Saturday, December 23, 2023

Messiah has come for us all . . .

They journey over the hills of Palestine
 to find a baby King in Nazareth...

Christmas

OVER  the  hills  of  Palestine
The  silver  stars  began  to  shine;
Night  drew  her  shadows  softly  round
The  slumb'ring  earth,  without  a  sound.

Among  the  dewy  fields  and  rocks,
The  shepherds  kept  their  quiet  flocks,
And  looked  along  the  dark'ning  land
That  waited  the  divine  command.

When  lo!  through  all  the  opening  blue,
Far  up  the  deep,  dark  heavens  withdrew;
And  angels  in  a  radiant  light
Praised  God  through  all  the  list'ning  night.

Again  the  sky  was  deep  and  dark;
Each  star  relumed  his  silver  spark;
The  dreaming  land  in  silence  lay
And  waited  for  the  dawning  day.

But,  in  a  stable  low  and  rude,
Where  white-horned,  mild-eyed  oxen  stood.
The  gates  of  heaven  were  still  displayed
For  Christ  was  in  the  manger  laid.

 

"Messiah" sung by Francesca Battistelli

A Feel In The Christmas Air

A Feel In The Christmas Air
James Whitcomb Riley

THEY'S  a  kind  o' feel  in  the  air,  to  me,
When  the  Chris' mas  time  sets  in,
That's  about  as  much  of  a  mystery
As  ever  I've  run  agin! -
Fer  instance,  now,  whilse  I  gain  in  weight
An'  gineral  health,  I  swear
They's  a  goneness  somers  I  can't  quite  state-
A  kind  o'  feel  in  the  air.

They's  a  feel  in  the  Chris'mas  air  goes  right
To  the  spot  where  a  man  lives  at! -
It  gives  a  feller  an  appetite -
They  ain't  no  doubt  about  that! -
And  yit,  they's  somepin' - I  don't  know  what  -
That  follows  me  here  and  there,
And  ha'  nts  and  worries  and  spares  me  not -
A  kind  o'  feel  in  the  air !

Is  it  the  racket  the  children  raise?
W'y,  no! - God  bless  'em! - no!
Is  it  the  eyes  and  the  cheeks  ablaze-
Like  my  own  wuz,  long  ago? -
Is  it  the  bleat  o'  the  whistle  and  beat
O'  the  little  toy  drum,  and  blare
O'  the  horn?  -No!  No! - It's  jest  the  sweet -
The  sad  sweet  feel  in  the  air.

Sunday, December 10, 2023

The Christmas Play Coloring Page

Description of Coloring Page: children dressed in costume as Mary, Joseph and an angel with a trumpet, Christmas play for school or church, Nativity, a doll plays baby Jesus, shepherd staff, paper stars, theater curtain

"The school play tells the story
Of the very first Christmas day.
Each actor's in his glory
And he knows just what to say!" 
 
Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

Friday, December 8, 2023

Craft Vintage Inspired Cone Figures

Finished vintage inspired, cone angel figures.
       Tiny cone figures were frequently produced by mass industry at the end of the 1940s, primarily by the Japanese or in Germany for the North American market place. Catalogue companies like: J. C. Penny, Wards and Sears sold cone figures by the thousands through the mail, while five-and-dime stores like Woolworth's and made small fortunes by supplying the same kinds of factory made, inexpensive holiday ornaments directly from store displays and shelves.
      My vintage inspired angels are made the old-fashioned way, by hand. Factory made ornaments became popular after the first and second World Wars. Prior to that time, most ornaments were either made at home or supplied by various cottage industries throughout Western Europe and The United States, wherever Christmas trees were most popular. I've posted some examples of these manufactured angles below.
       To make cone shaped angels, your will need the following supplies: cotton batting balls (for heads), decorative papers (tiny Christmas designs), scrap cardboard, trim for bottom of skirts (lace and rick-rack), acrylic paints for heads and arms, thin wire for arms, tiny novelties for angels to hold (see pictures), white glue and hot glue.

Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1. Roll heads from cotton batting and white glue. 
  2. Cut out skirts from patterned Christmas papers. 
  3. Shape and paste the paper skirts into cones. 
  4. Glue the head on top. 
  5. Stuff the cone shaped skirts with acrylic batting. 
  6. Glue a cardboard disk to the bottom of the cones.
  7. Glue the pom pom features to the top of the head(s), one or two.
  8. Wrap the string around the pom poms and above the forehead areas to make the hair design.
  9. Cut the wings from decorative papers and glue these on.
  10. Wrap cotton batting around thin wire and let dry.
  11. Cut small pieces of that wire for arms and attach these with hot glue.
  12. Hot glue tiny gifts for angels to carry: holly and berries, bows for presents, snowflakes, bottle brush trees etc...
  13. Smear on touches of white glue and sprinkle angle wings with glitter.
      Left, roll heads from cotton batting and white glue. Center, cut out skirts from patterned Christmas papers. Right, shape and paste the paper skirts into cones, glue the head on top. I stuff the cone shaped skirts with acrylic batting and glue a cardboard disk to the bottom of the cones.
Left, tiny cone angels hold: holly, bow and snowflake. Center several have bottle brush
 trees. Right, one has wings cut from a doily... and many have transparent glitter stuck
  to their wings.
Left, my tiny vintage cone angel ornaments. I hang these on my feather tree every Christmas. Right, old catalogue page shown. Elf-like figures. Pine-cone dwarfs, Santas, angels, snowmen. Cotton felt. Stand or hang from tree. Set of 15. From Japan. Shipping weight 12 oz.  
Close up of a tiny vintage cone angle from the 1960s. This tiny angel has a metallic paper skirt and embossed gold wings. She carries two candles in her small chenille stem armature. Her head is made from cotton batting. She has a beaded collar and hair made from tinsel.
Close up of a tiny pink vintage cone angel from the 1960s. Her dress is made from painted pink cardboard sprinkled with silver glitter. She has white chenille stem arms and holds a tiny sprig of green to represent a tree. Her wings are embossed and pink, her head is a cotton batting ball and her yellow hair is made from a silky strand of yarn.

Left, are miniature angels with tulle skirts playing harps. Right the very same hold lights, seen in catalogue.

Pattern for making a cone angel and one version of wings.

More Examples of Vintage Figures from The 1960s:

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

DIY a cotton batting spider and web!

       One of many Christmas spiders that hang on our trees during the holidays. This one is made from wire and cotton batting and a tiny bit of paint. The face is modeled from Sculpey pressed into a factory made mold. I'm not sure whether or not one of these may be found just anywhere... So crafters may need to paint a small wooden bead and attach it to their spider's body for a head.

This cotton batting spider hangs on a white 
Christmas tree ordinarily, however, this 
year she has been hung on a woodland 
themed tree in our study.

Supply List:

  • Sculpey (oven-bake clay)
  • thin wire or chenille stems
  • acrylic paint
  • white cotton balls
  • white school glue
  • hot glue and hot glue gun
  • white thread
  • transparent glitter.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1. First, cut long lengths of a thin wire or chenille stems to wrap with cotton batting. If you are using chenille stems, trim off excess fuzz, before wrapping these stems.
  2. Unravel several white cotton balls and dap on the glue to the surface of the wire.
  3. Twist the cotton fuzz around the sticky surface of the wire. You can roll the wire between the palms of your hands to get the cotton to adhere evenly.
  4. Now shape the spider's web twisting and trimming off ends as you go. Hang the web and let dry.
  5. To make the spider, cut eight short legs for the arachnid and wrap or glue these to a oval shaped bead. 
  6. Glue on a head, I molded one from Sculpey.
  7. Cover the surfaces of the spider with a bit more cotton batting and glue and then attach the spider to the web using thread or hot glue.
  8. Paint on a few details if you like. I painted stripes on this spider and highlighted eye-brows.
  9. Brush more white glue on the entire surface of the spider and web to sprinkle on transparent glitter.

Left, the spider prior to painting. Right, the painted version.

The spider get a shower of glitter after painting.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Preserve Cherished Ornaments

Give a gift of memories on a Christmas wreath this year! 
See this collection before it was wired to the wreath.

       Last year, my older daughter assembled this vintage wreath using dozens of cut felt leaves and her grandmother's collection of turned, wooden ornaments. Smaller collections that once hung on family Christmas trees can be displayed and preserved for future generations on wreaths. This display lends opportunity to appreciate vintage trinkets that ordinarily might get lost in jumbled shoebox collections fit only for rummage sales. What looks broken and uninteresting to folks digging through unwanted items, takes on a new purpose to those who have an eye for designing new displays. Wreaths may be adapted in size and design for far less expense compared to an entire Christmas tree display. They also make elegant, meaningful gifts for those confined to smaller living quarters, such as: retirement homes, tiny apartments, office spaces etc...

The Christmas Holidays

 The Christmas Holidays by D. M.

The snow lies thick upon the ground,
The leaves have dropped from off the trees;
Of woodland songs we hear no sound,
For ice-cold is the bitter breeze.

The singing birds are silent now,
With mournful look and drooping wing;
Starving of cold and hunger, how
Can they with mirthful music sing?

But winter has its charms for those
Who live in happy homes. Our boys
Our girls, who know nor grief nor woes,
Ah! winter has for them its joys:

Its happy Christmas holidays,
When home, so dear, seems dearer yet;
With mother's kiss and father's praise,
Ah! who such joys can e'er forget?

And then the Christmas visit paid
To Granddad in his country home;
Where many a merry boy and maid
Will cry, 'Granddad, we've come, we've come!'

Dear youthful days, how bright they seem
To happy-hearted girl and boy!
In after years they're but a dream,
But still, a dream of love and joy.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

The Legend of The Christ Child

        I want to tell you to-night a story which has been told to little children in Germany for many hundreds of years...

       Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, on the night before Christmas, a little child was wandering all alone through the streets of a great city. There were many people on the street, fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, uncles and aunts, and even gray-haired grandfathers and grandmothers, all of whom were hurrying home with bundles of presents for each other and their little ones. Fine carriages rolled by, express wagons rattled past, even old carts were pressed into service, and all things seemed in a hurry and glad with expectation of the coming Christmas morning.
       From some of the windows bright lights were already beginning to stream until it was almost as bright as day. But the little child seemed to have no home and wandered about listlessly from street to street. No one seemed to notice him, except perhaps Jack Frost, who bit his bare toes and made the ends of his fingers tingle. The north wind, too, seemed to notice the child, for it blew against him and pierced his ragged garments through and through, causing him to shiver with cold. Home after home he passed, looking with longing eyes through the windows, in upon the glad, happy children, most of whom were helping to trim the Christmas trees for the coming morrow.
       "Surely," said the child to himself, " Where there is so much gladness and happiness, some of it may be for me." So with timid steps he approached a large and handsome house. Through the windows he could see a tall and stately Christmas tree already lighted. Many presents hung upon it. Its green boughs were trimmed with gold and silver ornaments. Slowly he climbed up the broad steps and gently rapped at the door. It was opened by a tall and stately footman, who had on white gloves and shiny shoes and a large white cravat. He looked at the little child for a moment, then sadly shook his head and said, " Go down off the steps. There is no room for such as you here." He looked sorry as he spoke; possibly he remembered his own little ones at home, and was glad that they were not out in this cold and bitter night. Through the open door a bright light shone, and the warm air, filled with the fragrance of the Christmas pine, rushed out through the door and seemed to greet the little wanderer with a kiss. As the child turned back into the cold and darkness, he wondered why the footman had spoken so, for surely, thought he, those little children would love to have another companion join them in their joyous Christmas festival. But the little children inside did not even know that he had knocked at the door.
       The street seemed colder and darker to the child than before, and he went sadly forward, saying to himself," Is there no one in all this great city who will share this Christmas with me?" Farther and farther down the street he went, to where the homes were not so large and beautiful. There seemed to be little children inside of nearly all the houses. They were dancing and frolicking about. There were Christmas trees in nearly every window, with beautiful dolls and trumpets and picture books, and balls, and tops, and other nice toys hung upon them. In one window the child noticed a little lamb made of soft white wool. Around its neck was tied a red ribbon. It had evidently been hung on the tree for one of the children. The little wanderer stopped before this window and looked long and earnestly at the beautiful things inside, but most of all was he drawn towards this white lamb. At last, creeping up to the window pane he gently tapped upon it. A little girl came to the window and looked out into the dark street where the snow had now begun to fall. She saw the child, but she only frowned and shook her head and said, " Go away and come some other time. We are too busy to take care of you now." Back into the dark, cold street he turned again. The wind was whirling past him and seemed to say," Hurry on, hurry on, we have no time to stop. 'Tis Christmas eve and everybody is in a hurry to-night."
       Again and again the little child rapped softly at door, or window pane. At each place he was refused admission. One mother feared he might have some ugly disease which her darlings would catch; another father said he had only enough for his own children, and none to spare for beggar brats. Still another told him to go home where he belonged, and not to trouble other folks.
       The hours passed; later grew the night, and colder blew the wind, and darker seemed the street. Farther and farther the little one wandered. There was scarcely anyone left upon the street by this time, and the few who remained did not seem to see the child, when suddenly ahead of him there appeared a bright, single ray of light. It shone through the darkness into the child's eyes. He looked up smiling and said, " I will go where the little light beckons, perhaps they will share their Christmas with me."
       Hurrying past all the other houses he soon reached the end of the street and went straight up to the window from which the light was streaming. It was a poor, little, low house, but the child cared not for that. The light seemed still to call him in. What do you suppose the light came from? Nothing but a tallow candle which had been placed in an old cup with a broken handle, in the window, as a glad token of Christmas eve. There was neither curtain nor shade to the little square window, and as the little child looked in he saw standing upon a small wooden table a branch of a Christmas tree. The room was plainly furnished, but was very clean. Near the fire-place sat a lovely faced mother with a little two-year old on her knee and an older child beside her. The two children were looking into their mother's face and listening to a story. She must have been telling them a Christmas story, I think. A few bright coals were burning in the fire-place, and all seemed light and warm within.
       The little wanderer crept closer and closer to the window pane. So sweet seemed the mother's face, so loving seemed the little children, that at last he took courage and tapped gently, very gently, on the door. The mother stopped talking, the little children looked up. "What was that mother?" asked the little girl at her side. "I think it was some one tapping on the door," replied the mother. '"Run as quickly as you can and open it, dear, for it is a bitter cold night to keep any one waiting in this storm." "Oh, mother, I think it was the bough of the tree tapping against the window pane," said the little girl, "Do please go on with our story." Again the little wanderer tapped upon the door. "My child, my child," exclaimed the mother rising, "That certainly was a rap on the door. "Run quickly and open it. No one must be left out in the cold on our beautiful Christmas eve."
       The child ran to the door and threw it wide open. The mother saw the ragged stranger standing without, cold and shivering, with bare head and almost bare feet. She held out both hands and drew him into the warm bright room. "Oh, you poor, dear child, come in as quickly as you can, and get warm! Where did you come from, and where are you going? Have you no home? Have you no mamma? Have you no Christmas to celebrate.
       The mother put her arms around the strange child, and drew him close to her breast. "He is very cold, my children," said she. "We must warm him and feed him, and give him some clothes." "And," added the little girl, "we must love him and give some of our Christmas, too." "Yes," said the mother, "but first let us warm him."
       So she sat down beside the fire with the child on her lap, and her own two little ones warmed his half-frozen hands in their own, and the mother smoothed his tangled curls, and bending low over his head, kissed the child's face. She gathered the three little ones together in her arms and the candle and the firelight shone over them, and for a few moments the room was very still. Then the mother whispered to the little girl, and the child ran (quickly into the next room and soon returned with a roll of bread and a bowl of milk which had been set aside for her own breakfast the next morning.
       The little two-year-old, who had slipped away from his mother's side, was happy that he, too, could help the little stranger by bringing the wooden spoon from the table. By and by the little girl said softly to her mother, " May we not light the Christmas tree, and let this little child see how beautiful it will look?" "Yes," said the mother. With that she seated the child on a low stool beside the fire, and went herself to fetch the few simple ornaments which from year to year she had saved for her children's Christmas trees. They were soon busy preparing the tree and lighting the candles. So busy were they that they did not notice that the room had filled with a strange and beautiful light. They turned and looked at the spot where the little wanderer sat. His ragged clothes had changed to garments white and beautiful. His tangled curls seemed like a halo of golden light about his head, but most beautiful of all was his face, which shone with a light so dazzling that they could scarcely look upon it.
      In silent wonder they gazed at the child. Their little room seemed to grow larger, the roof of their low house seemed to expand and rise, until it reached the sky. With a sweet and gentle smile the beautiful child looked upon them for a moment and then slowly rose and floated through the air, above the tree tops, beyond the church spire, higher even than the clouds themselves, until he appeared to them to be a shining star in the sky above, and at last he disappeared from sight. . The wondering children turned in hushed awe to their mother and said in a whisper, " Oh, mother, it was the Christ Child, was it not?" And the mother said in a low tone, " Yes."
       And so, they say, each Christmas Eve the little Christ Child wanders through some town or village, and those who receive him and take him into their homes and hearts have given to them this marvelous vision which is denied to others. Translated by Elizabeth Harrison from German

"Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria.''

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Age of Wonders

G. K. Chesterton from our collections
at Christian Clip Art Review
        We live in an age of wonders. Great discoveries and startling events crowd upon us so fast that we have scarcely recovered from the bewildering effects of one before another comes, and we are thus kept in a constant whirl of excitement. The heavens are full of shooting stars, and while watching one we are distracted by another. So frequent is this experience that our nerves almost refuse to respond to the shock of a new sensation. We are no longer surprised at surprises. The marvelous has become the commonplace, and the unexpected is what we now expect.
       Yet we are not to suppose that our age is the only one that has had its wonders. Other times had theirs also, only these old-time wonders have become familiar to us and ceased to be wonderful; but in their day they were marvelous, and some of them equaled if they did not surpass any wonders we have witnessed. The Great War was the most cataclysmic eruption that has ever convulsed the world, but it was not more revolutionary and sensational in the twentieth century than the French Revolution was in the eighteenth and the Reformation was in the sixteenth century. The discovery of America in the fifteenth century created immense excitement and was relatively a more colossal and startling occurrence than anything that has happened since.
       The telescope and the Copernican theory- were as great achievements in their day as the spectroscope and the nebular hypothesis are in 1919. The most useful inventions and the most marvelous products of the human brain are not the railway and telegraph after all. The art of printing, which infinitely multiplies thought and sows it in the very air and every morning photographs the world anew, is a more useful invention and in its day was a great wonder. Still farther back, hidden in the mists of antiquity, lies the invention of the alphabet that is even more useful and marvelous. It is when we get back to the oldest tools, the hammer and plough and loom, that we come to inventions of the greatest fundamental utility, and we could better afford to give up all our modern magic machines than to part with these.
       The oldest literature is ever the ripest, richest and best, and Homer and Shakespeare over, top all our modern writers as the Alps overshadow the hills lying around their feet. What modern preacher can compare in eloquence and power with Paul and Isaiah? Nature is ever full of new wonders, and yet the grass was as green and the mountains as grand and the golden nets and silver fringes of the clouds were as resplendent in the days of Abraham as they are to-day. We are the heirs of the ages, but wonder and wisdom were not born with us, and with us they will not die.
       Where must we go to find the greatest wonder? Not to the scientist's discoveries and the inventor's cunning devices: the greatest marvel is not material but spiritual; and to find it we must not look into the present or future, but go back to the first Christmas morning. On that morning the Judean shepherds had a story to tell which all they that heard it wondered at and which is still the wonder and song of the world. The birth of Jesus is absolutely the greatest event of all time. Whatever view is taken of him he has become the Master of the world. Christ has created Christendom, silently lifting its moral level as mountains are heaved up against the sky from beneath. The coming of such a unique and powerful personality into the world is an infinitely greater wonder than the discovery of a new continent or the blazing out of a new star in the sky. Snowden.


Third Day sings "God of Wonders" live from Farewell Tour.

The King of Love My Shepherd Is...

Child Illustration by Gustave Tenggren

The King of Love My Shepherd Is Lyrics
 
The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His,
And He is mine forever.
 
Where streams of Living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth,
And, where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth 

And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never:
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever.

Additional Versions:


 This version of the hymn was arranged by Gonzalo L. Gonzalez.
The Sheet Music, simplified Baker and Dykes Hymn.

Thursday, November 2, 2023

Santa Head Scrap Restored!

        Use this Santa head scrap for personal craft projects only folks. I've restored it from a vintage ephemera collection. Paste old St. Nick's portrait into ornaments or gift cards as you need him...

Smallest versions of antique Santa Claus scraps.


Larger versions of antique St. Nicholas scraps for crafting.

Monday, October 30, 2023

Deck The House With Green Boughs and Wreaths

Hemlock displayed over the mantle with a traditional holly wreath, with red bow, in the center.
Pine boughs are hung above the windows and picture frame. Holly wreaths are mounted on the 
window panes and a sprig of mistletoe is hung between these...

        Of the many ways in which we can give expression to the Christmas spirit there is none more lasting than the attractive decoration of the house. The pleasure of exchanging gifts is soon over, as is the enjoyment of each of many festivities, but the home decorations remain throughout the holiday season, always reminding us that it is Christmas and of what the season means.

Mistletoe sprigs are nailed above the door frames and wreath. The wreath is 
made using bay leaves and dried cranberries. Two hardy laurels are on either
side of the hutch. Lovely formal red ribbons adorn the plants.

       On this post are shown a few simple suggestions which can be inexpensively carried out. Holly wreaths are always identified with Christmas, but in connection with them very effective use can be made of other evergreens, such as hemlock and laurel. Why not try to make the home more Christmas-like this year than ever before?

Above is a long pine garland draped down the banister of the staircase.
Small clusters of holly and berries also between the garland. 

Festoons of Christmas greenery also decorate more mantles in this home and pots filled with
 hemlock and small conifers.

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Coming

 Coming
by M. J. Savage

When disease and want and sorrow
Are beneath thy gladsome feet,
When are broken all earth's shackles,
When as one all nations meet,

When the wide earth is a garden,
When love driveth out all hate,
When earth's once terrific forces
Like trained servants on thee wait,-

Then the God who through the ages
Did thy toilsome progress lead,
He who was and is and shall be,
Will have come in very deed!

The Taper

 The Taper by Hezekiah Butterworth

I stood in the old Cathedral
Amid the gloaming cold;
Before me was the chancel
And unlit lamps of gold.  

From the mullioned window's chalice
Was spilled the wine of light,
And across the winter valleys
Was drawn the wing of night. 

The frescos of the angels
Above me were unseen,
And viewless were the statues
Each pillared arch between.

The chancel door swung open;
There came a feeble light,
Whose halos like a mantle
Fell over the acolyte. 

And one by one he kindled
The silver lamps and gold,
And the old Cathedral's glories
Before my eyes unrolled.

The jet of light was feeble;
The lamps were stars of flame
And I could read behind them
Immanuel's wondrous name. 

The taper - light's evangel -
Touched all the chandeliers;
As if by Heaven transfigured.
Appeared the Saints and seers. 

Along the sculptured arches
Appeared the statues dim;
And pealed the stormy organ
The peaceful advent hymn. 

And as the form retreating
Passed slowly from my sight.
Eclipsed in lights it kindled
Was lost the taper's light.

One taper lights a thousand,
Yet shines as it has shone,
And the humblest light may kindle
A brighter than its own.

And if within these pages,
One touch of sympathy
May to a heart more helpful
An inspiration be,

Not vainly moves the taper
O'er life's cathedral floor,
Though it may pass unheeded
Without the chancel door.

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Christmas In The Woods

 Christmas In The Woods
by Henry Clayton Hopkins

What season can it be but Christmas Eve,
When drowsy Nature's icy fingers weave
Such pure delights in frost-bound earth and sky
As warm the heart and captivate the eye?
The sunset burns across blue-shadowed snow
And gilds the trees, all blackened, with its glow;
The azure heaven sparkles as it fades
To deeper hues that herald nightly shades.
In all the bracing air a gladness floats,
As sweet as music from the swelling throats
Of summer birds, and Nature's children feel
A witchery of concord o'er them steal
Deserting burrow, nest and hollow tree,
In fur and feathers, Little Folks in glee
Dance down the meadow path and forest lane,
And thoughts of cruel traps and guns disdain.
To many a festal tree their gambols lead,
Where stored against the barren winter's need
The golden corn and rosy apples peep
From drifts of snow in luscious, tempting heap.
In jolly circles round and round they go
In step to merry shout of Jay and Crow,
And whistle of the Red-bird, as they flash
Among the trees in many a headlong dash.
Perhaps they do not know 'tis Christmas Eve,
Nor in its vague enchantment sweet believe,
But on this day they feast without a fear,
Who live as foes thro' all the changing year,
Till stars look down with laughing eyes that seem
To send a joyful message on each beam.

The Illustrated Printable Copy Below

Lovely illustrated poem in color of forest animals.

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Our Town Library by Bailey

        What child doesn't love to visit a small town library? And... librarians are some of the kindest people I have ever known! Don't forget to take your children to the library this weekend and share in one of life's simplest of pleasures... a story read together.

A classic design for a small town library; it would look perfect in your Christmas village!

Detailed pattern and sizes for a miniature library building.

Our Town Fire Station House by Bailey

        For as many things that do change over time, this fire station is amazingly similar to those that are built today, particularly when these are tucked away in areas near homes. Many fire stations in St. Louis look just like this one! Except for the finishing on the exterior. That, has a tendency to be brick.

This fire station has living quarters on the second story and Giant "stable like doors."

 

Very detailed plans for a miniature fire station house from 1927.

Our Town Movie Theater by Bailey

       Long ago, every small American town had it's own movie theater. Now that we all have big screen T.V. monitors these are fast becoming a thing of the past. I still enjoy an occasional night out to see a movie, eat popcorn, and enjoy the company of friends, although it is getting pretty expensive for my thinning wallet...  (Bailey Town Prints, 1927)

The outside of the theater should look like this one shown above.


The inside of the theater, minus seating should look like this.


Friday, June 9, 2023

A Puppy to Color for Christmas!


Description of the Coloring Page:
ornaments, lights, stars, electric bubble lights, stars, bell, small boy and girl, brother and sister, Christmas tree, decorating, doggy bone, dog bed, puppy, a pet for Christmas

We whispered a hint to good Saint Nick,
"This year, please bring us a pet."
Under the tree we looked, quick, quick,
And saw that Santa didn't forget.
 
Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.


This Christmas rebus about the characters from Katy Keene comics 
was written and illustrated by Christina Schoenherr.


       For weeks Sis and Billy had been talking about Christmas and buying presents for friends and the rest of the gang, even Patches the poor boy down the street. At last the great day arrived! The night before Sis and Billy hung up their stockings by their fireplaces! Then all excited they ran quickly in to their beds to wait for Santa to com down their chimneys. Bright and early, Sis and Billy looked under their Christmas trees to see what Santa had brought them! Billy heard a funny little noise and what do you think he found? A dear little puppy. Sis heard a meow and there was a darling kitten. Then Billy ran over to show Sis and Katy his pet. Sid showed Billy hers too. But the biggest surprise of all was waiting for them in Curly Cassidy's barn, a lovely colt for each of them! Sis and Billy agreed it was the nicest Christmas they had ever had. The End.

Vintage coloring of children decorating the tree...

Description of the Coloring Page: ornaments, lights, stars, electric bubble lights, stars, bell, small boy and girl, brother and sister, Christmas tree, decorating

The time has come to trim the tree
And oh, how pretty it will be
With Christmas ornaments so bright
And every bough aglow with light.
 
Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

Sunday, May 28, 2023

Glory to God, The Light of The World!

       "I  am  the  light  of  the  world."  This  is  one  of  those  short, pregnant  statements  of  our  Lord  characteristic  of  this  Gospel, which  impress  us  at  once  by  their  brevity,  their  beauty,  and  their largeness  of  meaning.  Statements  of  a  similar  kind,  of  equal terseness  and  force,  occur  to  every  one - "I  am  the  good shepherd";  "I  am  the  resurrection,  and  the  life";  "I  am  the way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life."

"I  am  the  good shepherd" from our family Christian
clip art blog here.
       Sometimes  Jesus  gathers  His  work  and  nature  up  in  one descriptive  word,  and  offers  it,  as  it  were  out  of  a  wide-open  hand, complete  to  His  disciples.  In  such  a  word  all  the  details  of  His relation  to  the  soul  and  to  the  world  are  comprehensively  included. As  the  disciple  listens  and  receives  it,  he  feels  all  his  fragmentary and  scattered  experiences  drawing  together  and  rounding  into unity.  As,  having  heard  it,  he  carries  it  forth  with  him  into  his life,  he  finds  all  future  experiences  claiming  their  places  within it,  and  getting  their  meaning  from  it.  Such  words  of  Jesus are  like  spheres  of  crystal  into  which  the  world  is  gathered,  and where  the  past  and  future,  the  small  and  great,  may  all  be  read.
       What  Divine  audacity  there  is  in  such  sayings!  and  how  little we  can  suppose  them  to  be  the  sayings  of  a  mere  teacher  or prophet!  They  have  no  parallel  in  the  words  of  even  the  greatest teachers.  One  and  all  imply  something  which  the  most  powerful and  enlightened,  conscious  of  their  own  capacities  to  communicate truth  or  to  do  good,  would  scruple  to  arrogate  to  themselves. They  might  claim  respect  for  the  truth  they  speak,  and  summon men  to  attend  to  it  with  a  voice  of  authority.  But  no  merely human  teacher  would  dare  to  make himself  the  center  of  all truth,  and  the  center  of  the  world.
       It  was  indeed  a  magnificent  word,  a  stupendous  word.  It  is one  of  those  sayings  of  our  Lord  which  prove  that  never  man spake  as  this  Man.  It  is  utterly  unaccountable  and  inexplicable save  on  one  assumption.  It  either  makes  us  tremble  with  a shock  of  surprise,  with  a  feeling  of  doubt  which  we  wish  to  crush down  as  blasphemy,  or  it  brings  us  to  our  knees  in  worship,  as before  One  who  is  lifted  immeasurably  above  the  ordinary  limitations of  humanity.  There  are  only  two  possible  conclusions  to which  we  can  come  concerning  such  words  as  these.  They  are either  the  wildest  words  of  audacity  and  self-deluded  egotism  that human  lips  ever  uttered,  or  they  are  the  language  of  one  who  was Better,  far  above  all  human  criticism  and  judgment  by  His  real  and unmistakable  Divinity.  Had  such  a  claim  as  this  been  made  by the  greatest  teacher,  prophet,  or  apostle  of  the  ancient  world,  his words  and  memory  would  long  since  have  perished  in  the  scorn and  disgust  which  it  would  have  provoked ;  and  were  such  a claim  advanced  by  any  person  in  the  present  day,  there  would  be a  universal  feeling  that  mental  derangement  was  at  the  base  of  it. No  wonder  that  the  men  who  listened  to  Him  were  either  filled with  indignation  or  inspired  with  reverential  awe.  No  wonder  that He  seemed  to  them  either  a  blasphemer  or  the  Son  of  God.  There could  be  no  middle  course.  It  was  certain  that  the  person  who talked  in  this  way  would  either  be  scorned  and  hated  and  crucified by  the  world  or  lifted  by  adoring  hearts  wholly  above  the  world  in love and honor and supremacist  adoration.  And  no  middle  course has  ever  been  possible  for  long.  Men  have  never  continued  to reverence  Him  as  a  man  unless  they  have  learned  to  worship Him  as  God.  It  is  difficult  to  trust  Him  at  all  unless  we  trust Him  all  in  all.  These  words  are  either  so  extravagant  or  so  sublime, that  the  Man  who  spoke  them  was  guilty of a self-conceit unparalleled  in  human  history,  or  He  was  higher  than  the  highest human  thought  can  reach  and  not  to  be  addressed  save  in  the worshipful  words  of  Thomas,  "My  Lord  and  my  God."  We  have ever  to  make  our  choice,  and  most  of  us  have  made  it  to  our heart's  rest  and  joy.  We  are  sure  that  He  knew  what  He  was saying  and  had  Divine  right  to  say  it:  "I  am  the  light  of  the world." Hastings


Third Day sings - "Jesus Light of the World."