Dollar Store Advent Calendar

This project started out as one of those cute mini-muffin tin advents you see on Pintrest.  Unfortunately, after making all my cute little number tags, I pulled out my mini-muffin tin, only to discover that it has only a dozen muffin cups –not the twenty-five that makes using a mini-muffin tin so perfect.   
Bummer.   
After searching for three stores, I discovered that the $10 dollar price tag for a new pan was a little over my budget, since I will be making two – one for each of my girls.   
Big Bummer. 
So, I did what I always do when I need to find a cheapo solution.  I hit the dollar store, hoping against hope that they had one.   
Nothing…Notta…Zilch…Humungous Bummer.   

But then I found these….

I know what your thinking.  They are the cutest little containers ever and yes, those are M&Ms on the label.  So, feeling inspired and now craving chocolate, I quickly loaded the cart with three packages and headed to the candy aisle for a little “shopping snack”. 

This is when it got a little crazy… 

I needed something to attach these cute little containers to, you know to keep them all together and organized.  So while popping M&Ms in mouth, I may or may not have lined these little babies up on EVERY flat tray or pan in the store.  Let me tell you there are very few things that will fit 24 of these exactly.   

Trust me, I know, and I have earned “The Crazy Dollar Store Lady” award to prove it.  But there was one pan (15”x12” tin cookie sheet ) and, low and behold, it came in a set of 2, which worked great for me.  Yippee! 

Now, I had a plan.  All I had to do was find 24 (x2) items to fit into my little containers.   

So, since I already had the crazy lady award, I took out a container and proceeded to try out EVERY little item in the store to see if they fit.  After a few hours I checked out and headed home excited to put together my little project.   

  Then, I decided maybe someone else might benefit from my craziness and I could save them from stealing my “award” and spending hours at the dollar store by giving a little tutorial.   

So here it is….

Take out your cutie-patootie containers and hot glue your number labels to them.  My number labels are 2 1/2 inch squares made from scrapbook paper.

 Next, line them up in your pan.  You should be able to fit four across and six down leaving a little tiny space to peel the lid of once they are glued down.

Now, if you have little, curious, Peekers, like me, you may want to tuck some tissue paper around the edges so that they can’t see through the clear plastic on the sides.  I simply cut a two-inch strip which I folded in half long-ways. I tucked and scrunched down the sides, using a butter knife, and gluing in place to create a sort of ruffle effect.

 

As you can see, you will have a little space left at the bottom of the pan. I tucked a little more tissue paper there. That is where you will place the number 25 (the big one).  I made mine with the same scrapbook paper and placed it on a longer tag.

Now, squeal with delight, and relish in the fact that all those people who thought you had lost your noodle at the dollar store, DO NOT have one of these right now! Then, get ready to put on the finishing touches.
Grab some ribbon and cut about a 7-inch piece (don't measure, just act like you know what you're doing and cut it).  Then, hot glue that baby right on the back, smack in the middle like this...

Now turn it over and fill it with all those treats that you so carefully selected. Then hang it up and your done!!

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The Place Where I Layed Still

 I drive by it everyday. 

 

 The place at the end of the street where He so   

 sweetly spoke to me in the middle of it all.     

 It was summer, and the kids were free to play outside as long as they stayed on our small little street.  They had gotten off to an early start that morning and then Ella had come running in the door to say that Claire was hurt and she needed help.  Ed went out first.  I remember throwing some clothes on (I wasn’t even dressed yet), making a mental note of where I had unpacked the Band-Aids and then I started out the door and down the steps to check on her.  At the end of the street, I could see my Claire on the ground, laying still.  My walk became a run as I made my way passed the two houses to the end of the street.  It took forever and as I watched my baby lying there, all I could do was whisper “Jesus”.   A crowd of neighbors had starting gathering and as we approached, I knelt down on the pavement. She was very still, her brand new glasses lay crooked across her little face and her eyes were closed.  I reached down and placed my hand on her and said “Claire, Mommy and Daddy are here.” She opened her eyes, but she remained still, frozen in place, As I searched to try to understand all that had just happened, a lady began to explain.   

  She had seen it.  She didn’t know Claire- not like her father and I know her, but she had been watching her when she fell.

SHE had seen her riding a bike.

 I KNEW this “riding bikes thing” was new for her.  

SHE had seen her fall while trying to manage a turn on the bike.

 I KNEW she was trying a new bike (mine, in fact)-bigger than the one she had ridden before

SHE had seen her lying on the ground shocked at the fall. 

I KNOW my Claire is afraid of falling and she sometimes takes a moment to recover.

Concerned by her fall and slow recovery, the lady had informed her that she might have broken something and not to move.  I sat there unsure what to do as the situation became clear. 

Claire had fallen.

Someone who didn’t even know her—really know her - had seen her fall. 

They had said she was broken.

She believed them.

They had said she should not move.

So she stayed still.

In my heart, I knew she was not broken.  She was just bruised, but very afraid now.  I wanted to tell her to just get up and she would be okay.  I hesitated not wanting to appear like an unconcerned parent in front of all who stood around us. 

Then I watched as her Father reached down to her and said “Claire, where does it hurt?”

 It was her knees – they were clearly skinned up by the pavement –more than she had ever experienced, but not beyond what could be healed by a little cleaning up and ointment.

He reached down and gently sat her up, reassuring her that she was okay.

He dealt with those “who were concerned” which now included   

paramedics and He thanked them for their concern but let them know  

that He would take care of it.

Then He turned his attention to her. 

He carried her in His arms and gently, ever so gently, cleaned her   

wounds. 

He applied his oil and he bandaged them up.

He reassured her that she was NOT broken.

    That she could still ride the “big bike”.

    That He would help her with the turns,

    and if she fell again, 

    He would be there to help her up. 

She is smiling again now.   

She is riding too.

Unafraid and reassured that she will not hurt beyond what can be healed 

and that He will not let her lay there

                                          ...in that place

                                                       ...in that fear of being broken.

 "He is the healer of the brokenhearted. He is the one who bandages their wounds." 
                                                                                              Psalm 147:3 (God's Word)

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