Artful Friday~ Mercy Crosses, Lenten Wreaths, Rosary Making, Music Lessons

   

                                               Good morning friends!

As you know, I've devoted blogging on Fridays to our endeavors 
within The Arts in our homeschool.
 This week, I've a few more Lenten projects, as well as progress in our music study.

If you'd like to read my  previous posts within The Arts,  I'm happy to 
re-share them here:
Everything You Need for a  Cezanne Study
The Arts in Our Homeschool This Week
 ( knitting, winter crafts, the theater and piano)
 Lenten, Valentine and Papal Crafts

We had a pretty busy and enjoyable week; nothing gets the creativity going like  a liturgical season! Here are a few more  artistic/spiritual endeavors within our Lenten study:

Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy Crosses

                    We began with simple foam cross cut outs as well as a package of  foam-y flower stickers. Easy and time saving during a busy week.   Both items obtained at The Dollar Tree.  Love The Dollar Tree, don't you? 
                                              

The kids glued a cross on each of two  pieces of pastel card stock. 
They then  wrote key words  from the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, after an in depth discussion of ways that, as a family, we could endeavor to accomplish as many of  the Works as possible during Lent. And of course, during Ordinary Time as well.

 There's a great explanation of the Works of Mercy at this site. 

Every time they/we accomplish a Work of Mercy,
 they'll stick a flower on the cross;
 by Easter, hopefully, the crosses will be covered!

Not an artistically challenging project for either of my kids, as they are 10 and almost 13, BUT the faith and  the service meaning behind the project is, of course of utmost import and will serve as a tangible  and visual reminder of living the way of the Cross this season.

                                                                       ~Creating~

                                                             

            The finished crosses. 

                   A bowl of stick-on flowers, below, on a table.

Lenten Wreaths

Here's a  simple, no -frills but extremely lovely decoration to remind and instill  

in us all to 

"PRAY, FAST, GIVE ALMS" 

which I found at A Blessed Journey.

Above, are the items needed to create the wreath.

 Again, all were purchased at The Dollar Tree. 

As you can see, you start with a

simple wreath (about 10 inches in diameter), purple ribbon
 (  I picked up dark and light  shades for my kids to choose.) and purple card stock.

About to wrap the ribbon around wreath:

Adding letters to the card stock "mini banners."
I love the "Sticko" brand. 

And here, affixing the card stock "mini banners" so they 

hang from the center.

                                       
                                Here's T's wreath hanging from the den doors:
                          He decided after all, that he didn't want the ribbon on the wreath.
                              K just did not get to work on his as of yet.....perhaps today!

                                     
And here's K's lovely wreath:

                                 

Rosary Kits
My kids literally collect rosary beads. They have a thing for rosaries, seriously. Some go in backpacks on trips; a couple stay in a pouch in the car; some have special origins
 ( communion gifts, etc) and stay tucked away in memory boxes when not being being used. They even have glow-in-the-dark rosaries for the tent, when we camp, too.

Despite the abundance,  this liturgical season, I wanted to make  rosaries with the boys while we read scripture and just talked about our Lenten "progress."

There are so many lovely spots on the web from which to purchase kids'  rosary making kits. So many.  I choose this one because of my family's special affinity for  Our Lady of Guadalupe and the fact that this particular site features easy to make OLG kits.
 The home  schooling mom  who runs the business was lovely as well. We had a long chat a few weeks ago when I called to order the kits.

K created this absolutely beautiful OLG rosary:  The variety of colors for the heart beads represents St Juan Diego's Aztec nation.

And here is a beautiful diagram he made, just for fun,  which explains the rosary:


Shown here, is a beautiful set, which was my Mom's. K took the picture, then digitally described  the prayers.  Isn't it well done?

  T, meanwhile, made the St Benedict rosary: The black heart beads represent the habit of the "Black Monks" of St Benedict's rule. Legend has it that when St Benedict made the sign of the cross over a poisoned goblet of wine, the goblet shattered. The purple heats of the third decade are symbolic of the wine and  this miracle.

                                                       



Even though it was not Our Lady's feast day,  we  read the Tomie dePaola classic on Our Lady while making the rosaries. Couldn't resist.

By the way, do you know this book? We used this constantly when my kids were younger. It gives a decade by decade, mystery by mystery explanation in graphic novel format, really grabbing the kids.

                                                              


Not Lenten related, but "art"-related:
Piano study

As for our family piano study, there are  a variety of resources I'm using to  teach the the kids, which I link  here.  and here. ENJOY!

                           


Thank you very much for  stopping in, friends, to share out work and fun in "The Arts" this week!

If you are looking for papal resources/crafts, here's a post I wrote with a few ideas.

Have a lovely weekend....

Until next time,

~Chris