2015 Primary Theme Posters: FREEBIE

I know--- a long time, no blogging. I needed to focus on the other aspects of my life (including my most recent pregnancy) before I could come back. This pregnancy happened to be the most difficult and to finish it off, I had the baby five weeks early.

I don't know how much I'll be able to keep up, but it is a desire to do so.  I haven't stopped making things, just stopped writing about it. Hopefully, I'll be able to finally share my Gospel Quiet Book templates with y'all, as well.

Plus, my sister and partner-in-crafting, Megan (the Mule of our Mule 'n Nag) is now serving a mission for our {Church} in Hong Kong. So, she's not posting for another year, or so.

Anyway--- I come back with a freebie!

The children's program in the church, the {Primary}, has a church-wide theme which changes each year; each month also has a different theme under the general yearly theme.  I made posters to go with each of the monthly themes and I wanted to share them with y'all.

A couple years ago, I discovered this amazing woman, Heather, and her blog {Simply Fresh Designs}. She's made these posters for the last few years, but hasn't had the chance to make ones for this year yet--- so I thought I'd make some inspired by her.

My family prints off the poster as the small size and we display it on our pantry door for the month.  It helps our kids practice monthly theme or scripture, if they have it, and sometimes we use it to focus our {Family Home Evenings} to be the same as what they talk about in Primary.

If you download, I just ask that you {LIKE} us on Facebook and continue coming back when I'm able to have a few minutes to share something new.

Download the posters {HERE}.

Freebie: Live Through Him Printable

So, I made it!  My project was the Cliptastic Carrying Case and I'll put up a tutorial in the next few days.  Starting in January, I'll be competing on {So You Think You're Crafty}. I'm super excited and currently trying to figure out my project list.  Thanks for voting and keep doing so throughout the season--- so excited for it to start! 

However, that doesn't mean I want to skip over December and Christmas.  I love this time of year.  Our kids are full into countdown mode; taking full advantage of all three of our Advents.  Including the freebie from last year, a {scripture-a-day book about Christ}.  It's not too late to make one for this year!

Since I love creating printables, this year, I created one to use on our Christmas card.  It's from {1 John 4:9}.

8x10

5x7

Click on the picture, until you get the largest size, then save it. Print it through your favorite store--- personally, I go with Costco.  I'm also using these as neighbor gifts this year.

If you use it, all I ask is that you follow us and let others know where you found it.

Happy Holidays & Merry (early) Christmas!

Story of Easter Countdown

I love Easter, but not for the 'normal' reasons.  I absolutely LOVE the fact that there is a holiday centered around the resurrection of {Jesus Christ}.  He lives--- and because He lives we will live again--- how fantastic is that?!?!

Anyway, I enjoy the bunny, candy, egg-boiling/dying/hunting/deviling part of Easter too, but we try to focus on the Savior.  That is why my {Easter Subway Art} is focused around the reason we have Easter.

With that said, we (Mr. Nag & I) wanted to do something to help our family remember Christ as we approach Easter each year.  Enter the fabulous idea of The Story of Easter (through Eggs) Countdown--- I really need to work on the title.

I saw this idea last year, in multiple ways and places around the blog-o-sphere and worked on ours just in time to finish for Easter day, so I didn't want to post about it until y'all had the opportunity to create your own.

Gather It:

• 12 plastic eggs
• Something to put the eggs in
• vinyl or permanent marker to label eggs (if you have a silhouette, I'll email you the file)
• The daily symbols
• scriptures for each day

 Create It:

Scripture Cards--- Print these out :)

1. Our local grocery chain (shoutout to HEB goers) has clear egg cartons.  I thought it would look great to use those, so I took my goo-gone and went-to-town on all the 'These are eggs, in case you didn't realize it' stickers.  This was honestly the most time consuming step, which wasn't too bad.
2. Using vinyl (or permanent marker), label the eggs 1-12.  You can also label the container too, if you so desire.
3. Print & Cut out scriptures for each day.  The picture is a 5x7 (you need the individual cards to be able to fit in a little plastic egg)
4. The top of the scripture cards, tell you which symbol to put in the egg with it.  So, now your job is to scrounge around for each symbol.  I found all of mine lying around the house (except for the sacrament cup, which I had to remember to keep--- being a Mom of little ones, it was hard to get one of these to survive the whole meeting block).
5. Put the scripture & symbol in the corresponding egg.

Using It:
Starting on March 28th (for the year 2012), open one egg each day, leading up to Easter.  Read the scripture associated with the egg and talk about the symbol.  At minimum, we'll read the bold scripture and *IF* the kids sit still, we'll read the others.


I hope this adds a little bit more to your Easter celebrations!

St. Pat's Subway Art: FREEBIE

Happy Leap Day, everyone!  I hope Leap Day William came to see you!  Anyone a fan of 30 Rock?  Seriously funny show.

Since I'm in a festive mood, I thought it was about time for me to share my latest holiday subway art... just in time for March:  St. Patrick's Day!

It's 8x10 or 5x7 (if cropped right) size.  Click on the picture to save.  My favorites on this one are the little leprechaun clip art and the Irish Blessing poem I found online (isn't it great?).

As always, we love to share printables, but remember to let others know where to get it.  And, if you're not a follower, yet, please do so, before you save your freebie!

The Greatest Thing: Free Printable

One of my all time favorite chick-flicks is {Moulin Rouge}. I love everything about it: the music, the theatricality, the romance, Ewan McGregor's singing, the immorality... okay... maybe not everything...

I absolute LOVE the line: "the greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love & be loved in return."  I love it so much, Mr. Nag & I hung it up in our bedroom.  Seriously, what a way to sum up how we should live!

Since it's the time to share LOVE, I wanted to show my love for our readers & create a printable with this fantastic saying!  Bonus:  I made multiple versions  (they are 8x10).  If you don't have a place to put it, this would be a great wedding gift (that's what I did for the last wedding we went to).

cream

blue

grey

pink

purple

red

Enjoy!  Share the love & don't forget to follow us!

I link up {HERE}.

Attaining Your Goals: FREEBIE

At church, I have the responsiblity to help plan & execute meetings to help the women in our congreation.  I have a few creations from the recent future that I want to share with you.  It's up to us what we want to talk about & this month we decided to focus on GOALS.  It always seems to be the topic of choice for this time of year.

I researched & researched because I really didn't feel like blowing it in front of a group of women whom I respect & revere.  So, I found LOTS & LOTS of information & attempted to gather it into one coeasive book & a couple goal-making worksheets.

We wanted the women to realize making & keeping goals is really easy (okay... who's still reading?) as long as you keep them SMART.  Resource {HERE}.  So, I made a booklet gathering all of the sticking points of the SMART system & combined it with quotes I found from some of our Church Leaders, & highlights I kept on seeing when researching.  I also used AMAZING printables I pinned on my {quotes pinterest board} for extra words of motivation.

Click {HERE} to download the book.  Remember to print it like a book. (not speaking from experience at all... when the book appeared upside-down on one side... yikes).

After you know WHAT kind of goals to make... then you make them!  Write them down using these FREE to download creations--- all I ask is to follow Mule 'n Nag, get us known, please!

Yearly Goals: break down goals into these four catagories and put this somewhere you will see it ALL THE TIME. FYI:  it's meant to be a 5x7 (or 4x6--- can't remember) size, so remember than when printing out. ;)

Monthly Goals:  THEN break down the yearly goals into easy to reach monthly goals (you don't have to work on all four yearly goals every month--- that's why you have all of the months in front of you--- to plan it).

Goals Breakdown:  I got this design/concept/idea from {Buttoned Up}.  I absolutely LOVED how it was laid out, however, I wanted something with a little personal flair & less words on the top.  Break your monthy goals into weekly tasks--- so you can check them off even more.

Even if you don't reach your goals--- you tried--- the journey is worth taking!  Tara over at Tales of a Trophy Wife is spending this whole year doing a {40 by 40} list, she's inspired me so much that I am going to write (and post-- and update) a 30 by 30 list.  I may not get all of it done, but I'm so excited for the challenge!

I link up {HERE}. 

FREEBIE: Forever Family Printable

FYI: There are a couple typos in the advent calendar--- it's hard to find ALL of the footnotes at midnight! I got them & re-uploaded (if that's even a word) them. Sorry!

Need a last minute Christmas gift?

It's so hard to believe how FAST December has gone by, my in-laws are coming in town in two days, so I've been working my tail off to get prepared. (It's also the first time anyone is coming to visit OUR house for Christmas, so I'm trying to not freak out too much).

Anyway, I, like a lot of you, have been doing a bunch of gift-making. One of the gifts was inspired by something I found on {pinterest}-- serious addicted to that site-- sheesh!

I loved this & knew I could recreate it with my computer skills for simple Christmas gift.

It's sized for 8x10. Print it out anyway you want & grab a frame to go with it. And you're done!

Merry week-of Christmas! Enjoy it all!

Stories of Jesus: Advent Calendar (Freebie)

I'm a stickler for advent calendars. I made {two} a couple years ago. I love watching my kids get so excited to pull another activity down or move Joseph & Mary closer to Bethlehem.

Updating the title on the second one was the first thing I did with my Silhouette last Christmas.
Last year, a woman from church shared with us the advent her family likes to use, click {HERE}. It basically gives a scripture story from the life of {Jesus Christ} tells you to find the corresponding pictures with the story.

I REALLY liked the idea of having a scripture advent, so I printed off the provided diagram. Upon printing, I discover two things: 1. I couldn't read the print out, 2. Since the publication of this calendar, the numbers for the pictures have changed, so I couldn't find the pictures. Then & there I vowed to make the advent into a book before the following Christmas. A book that would contain the scriptures & pictures for each day all in one place.

It is now the following December, and I made my deadline. Barely. :)

The picture on the cover is called, Gentle Christ by {Del Parson}. LOVE it.

I absolutely LOVE it. For the month of December, this will be our family scripture study. Now, since it's Christmas & I'm so excited about making this, I'm sharing it with y'all. Consider it an early Christmas gift. Just, do us a favor, and follow us. ;)

Since I can't redistribute the pictures, I just included the background of those pages. I used {THIS} page & {THIS} to find most of my pictures. The only story that I couldn't find a picture for was the Three Wise Men page, so I googled it & found one I liked.

Gather It:

• Created documents-- {scriptures} {picture backgrounds}
• Scissors
• Laminator (or your nearest copy center)

Create It:

1. Print. Don't forget to find the pictures!
2. Cut off the white trim---optional
3. Laminate. Use your own or go to your nearest copy center (FedExKinkos, Office Max, Office Depot, etc.) & have them do it. IMPORTANT: When you put the pages together, make sure the scripture & picture are on the same page. Then you can read it like a tradition book or fold it over so the whole family can see the picture while the reader reads the story.
4. Bind it. While you're at the copy center, get it bound together, so your family can use for years to come. Be sure to get a spiral.

This is my favorite page:Oone of my favorite scriptures about Christ with my favorite picture of Christ; it's called Christ's Love, also by Del Parson. I love the happiness in His eye's and the gentleness of His smile. I hope He gives me this look one day.

Enjoy.

FREEBIE: Thanksgiving Subway Art

Happy first of November! I hope everyone had an enjoyable Halloween. We went all out this year and hopefully I can get some pictures up later in the week. I'm in the midst of planning my daugther's Minnie Mouse party for next weekend, so that's why I say 'hopefully.'

My son kept asking me if we can have Halloween again.. yeah, buddy, in 364 days :)

In honor of the grateful season, I come to you with another FREE subway art printable! This time it's Thanksgiving!
It was made to be 8x10 or 5x7. Click on the picture, until you get the largest size, then save it. Print it through your favorite store--- personally, I go with Costco.

If you use it, please let me know. Send people back here, help us get more followers!

Happy Thanksgiving season, everyone!

In case you missed: {Halloween}{Easter}

Linking {HERE}

FREEBIE: Halloween Subway Art

So-- I've been spending most of my time prepping for my church's annual crafting Saturday. We are doing a 'year-round holiday' theme. Every craft has to do with a holiday.

For our super-easy craft, I made (and found some favorites--{Eighteen25} is a GREAT source) Subway Art. The women can either paint a frame or use their own. Like I said, super simple.

One that I designed was the Halloween one. I LOVE how it turned out. Since I loved it so much, I thought I'd share it with y'all.

It was made to be 8x10 or 5x7. Click on the picture, until you get the largest size, then save it. Print it through your favorite store--- personally, I go with Costco.

Happy Haunting!

Click on the link, if you missed the {Easter} one. We included that as one of the Subway options too.

Linking up {HERE}

Mother's Day? = Everyday and a FREEBIE

Getting back into the blogging habit may take some time, but I'll figure it out. I'll just blame the whole directing a HUGE production thing for getting me out of the habit. Luckily, I started creating things again and, with luck, I'll be able to show y'all what I've been up to.

Onto to Mother's Day... I know it's a month late and Father's Day is a couple days away, however, I may argue (being a Mom myself) that you don't need a holiday to give Mom's a gift. Here's a list of what I made for Mother's Day:

Let's start off with a FREEBIE I made, I found this poem somewhere on the blogosphere. Since it was anonymous, I copied it to use as a Mom's gift for friends. If you ever have a friend who has a bad day, this would be perfect to share.
We made Handprint Flower Magnets for all the grandmothers (greats included). Found it {HERE}. Really simple all you need is: fingerpaint, laminating materials, E6000, glue gun, clothespins and the tongue depressor/popsicle stick. Make the prints, let them dry, laminate, glue stem and flower together. Then, glue in this order: stick, clothespin, magnet. IMPORTANT: let the glue dry between each step. I loved these so much, we made a set for me for Mother's Day! ;)

My MIL is really into gardening so we made her {THESE} plant markers.

(The picture is from the website I completely forgot to take a picture of the ones I made). Really simple, we even made her a strawberry marker since she LOVES to grow strawberries (she is Californian after all).

My other MIL (yes, I have TWO) enjoys her coffee so she got three new {coffee cozies}.
Really simple and really personal. Just click on the link to get a picture (because I forgot... again).

We went to Disneyworld with my parents shortly after Mother's Day(it.was.awesome.), so I made my Mom a tote to take with her. I basically cut out fabric Mickey ears, sewed them on and the {freezer papered} the writing onto the bag.
A few of them got this tile...
Oh boy, do I love my {silhouette}. It's just a 5x5 tile with vinyl adhered to the front. If you have a silhouette, I'd be more than happy to email you the document.

And I may have gone a little crazy making a bunch of {these} bracelets.

Some for me, my daughter, friends, and my mom; because everyone deserves new bracelets now and then. {HERE} is a video tutorial for you visual learners. ;)

Now, I know Mother's Day just passed, but I think any of these presents will excite 365 days of the year.

FREEBIE: Easter Subway Art

With Easter coming up, I've been thinking a lot about {Jesus Christ} and His Resurrection. I also happen to be directing a play with the same subject matter (2 weeks to go)--- that might be the bigger reason why I'm constantly thinking about Him.

In our house, we have very few Easter decorations because we don't want to put more emphasis on candy, eggs and baskets, then on the Savior of the World. Don't get me wrong, we still celebrate Easter, but the biggest thing we celebrate is that Jesus Christ LIVES!

So--- this morning, I dove into a popular decor medium right now, Subway Art, and created subway art to focus on the Savior.*Made to fit 5x7 and 8x10* I printed mine off at Costco and it looks great!

I just might print off wallet-sizes as a gift for my cast and crew. For all their hard work.

The scripture in yellow is {John 20: 29}

And--- because I wanted to continue to share--- I share with you, our small reading base, in hopes that we all remember who made Easter truly great! ;)

More Silhouette Giveaways

So---As I stated in {this post} I didn't get one of these amazing machines for my birthday--- the funds just weren't there. :(

BUT--- there are a few sites out in the blog-o-sphere ready and I'm crossing all fingers and toes... praying that I win ONE of these... check them out....

{V and Co}
{Sugardoodle} The one I was just featured on! :)
{Dollar Store Crafts}
{Tidy Mom}
{Infarrantly Creative}
{The Idea Room}
{A Soft Place}
{Mom Advice}

Check them out and enter yourself... or just think lucky thoughts for me. :)

Missionary Work Bookmark

So, now that you have a reminder for yourself to {write a missionary} it's time to make something for the Elder!

I used President Thomas S. Monson's "The Five M's of Missionary Work" as the framework for this bookmark.
Print out, laminate, and send to a missionary! It's that easy!

Remember, if you use this or like this--- link back to me!

Write a Missionary Reminder

On Wednesday, our little brother reported to the {Missionary Training Center} to serve a two-year mission for our church, {The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints}. I know I can speak for Megan, when I say we're going to miss him, but super excited for him to serve the Lord and preach the gospel to the people of Ohio.

I made a couple of things I thought I'd share with y'all.

First, I wanted our family to have permanent reminders to frequently write him while he's on his mission. So, using {THIS} article as a guideline, I made this:

I laminated them and taped our on the fridge, some place I knew we'd see every day, so we have a daily reminder to write a missionary.

Feel free to take this and share with family and friends who also have missionaries, BUT please link back and DO NOT use it in any way, shape, or form to sell. Thanks!

Next--- something for the missionary...