a piano banner and a prayer jar, all in the name of love.

taking care of business first. the winner of the Oreck AirInstinct Giveaway, valued at $499.99 is: da da dum... comment #115 - Lily from a Lil Story!  congrats, girl!  i know you are going to enjoy it as much as we do. 

what is free and beautiful and joyous, something you can give, something you can receive, something you can delight in, something that comes from above? L-O-V-E. it is more than just a mushy, well written Gold Crown card.  it is the best of all, more precious than any other gift.  it can melt a heart of stone, it can rip down walls, it can make you feel deeply, it can bring you to your knees, it can save your very soul.

love is in full swing this month and i'm taking the opportunity to really teach my kiddos about the Father's love for us, what it means to love others, and how we can love because He first loved us. inspired by my friend's prayer pail, i knew i had to make a prayer jar.  out of, of course, my favorite kind of jar, a mason. because to love is to pray for.  our friends, family, neighbors, are all planted in our life for a reason and one of those is for prayer.  i'm thankful to know we have friends and family praying for us; i want our family to be that for others as well.

one of the best parts about this?  it cost me $1.  i raided my single rubber maid keeper of craft supplies and determined i'd make it work with what i had (minus the $1 paper heart doilies).  it also took me five minutes or less. probably less. best kind of craft? yes. now, i'm certain you can figure this out on your own. even so, here's the rundown.

put your people's names on pieces of paper.  

if you want to be over-the-top, attach a little label with something about love or prayer or both.

fold all the paper names in half and fill your jar on up.

mix them around and draw a name. bingo!  you just found the day's prayer request.

the paper heart doily has many purposes. and they are all wondrous, i'm sure of it.

also while in the craft rubbermaid raid, i found some baby clothespins i bought in the fall for a baby shower.  they are the cutest little things and i officially want to use them in every craft i ever make (which is not really saying much, since i make two crafts/year, but still. i do. i am devoted to these things). i felt almost as genius as Sasha the Queen of Crafty, (almost. Sasha, don't be offended. please?) when i pulled together the country goodness of some twine, paper heart doilies and mini clothespins.  it kind of makes my heart pitter patter.  

i strung them across our beauty of a piano. but wait, it still gets better.

my mom was over and randomly found some pictures and put them along with the hearts. she totally gets the Sasha award.

i am pretty convinced that my piano will never again go without a banner.

so that's how we're celebrating this month of love around here. how 'bout you?