'Words of Wisdom' - a letter idea

This month the 'missionary moms' (and whomever else would like to join us) in our ward will hold our first 'get-together'.  Who knows how often we will meet.  We don't want it to be a stress but more of a support group of friends that meet for just an hour to share thoughts and feelings, ideas, maybe pictures and probably tears.  It was my dear friend, Jackie's idea and it is brilliant and I am so excited.

I asked her if I could bring something fun and easy for the mom's to work on while we're chatting.  It's not crafty really but I suppose it could be as elaborate as you wanted to make it.  I'm doing the preliminary preparations and each mother will bring a spiritual thought or a little message, 'words of wisdom' or encouragement, a poem, favorite scripture, faith promoting story or any kind of little thought to send to each of our missionaries.  That means that each mother will bring 16 copies of the same thing - one for each of the 16 missionaries serving from our ward.  Each 'word of wisdom' can simply be on a piece of paper (full sheet or smaller size cut apart).  It shouldn't take more than a few minutes for each mom to put together and just needs to fit inside a small 3.5"x6.5" size envelope.  Those who can't attend can still email or drop off their 'words of wisdom' and we'll put it together for them.  Should be super easy and our missionaries are going to LOVE it. 

This project doesn't have to be done by just moms!  In fact, we did something very similar at a family gathering and sent them to Mason and my parents when they were on their missions.  On the outside of the top envelope we put the family's surname using letter stickers.  We had an envelope for each family member and stacked the envelopes in order according to age (not sure why...probably just because I'm a little anal...or a lot, depending on who you ask).  You could also do this with just your immediate family or from all of your missionary's friends for their birthday or use it for an advent calendar for any holiday by adding numbers to the envelopes.  Just follow the directions below, fold the envelopes up accordion style and then tie the whole stack with a ribbon and send it on it's merry little way.  Your missionary can open the whole stack all at once or just open one envelope each day.  How awesome would that be to be able to open a letter from home each and every day?

Gather your supplies together...

patterned paper

scissors or paper cutter

ruler

pencil

small envelopes

glue or double sided clear tape

Begin by cutting your decorative paper inserts measuring 6 inches x 2 inches.  It is not necessary to fill the entire inside of the envelope because it's not visible and it will only add bulk and weight to your finished product.  I used a different patterned paper for each envelope set (so 16 different papers).  By using a coupon I was able to purchase a pad of Halloween paper for far less than purchasing individual papers...then again, I had to do a LOT.  You wouldn't have to use a different patterned paper for each envelope. They could all be the same or alternate between two or three patterns or use scraps of what you already have on hand.

Apply glue or use a small piece of double sided clear tape to adhere decorative paper to the inside of the envelope as shown above and below.

Make sure that your decorative paper is attached just BELOW the fold line of your envelope flap for ease in folding the finished product as shown above.  Continue this process until you have finished all of your envelopes.  Don't worry, it goes pretty fast...

Now you're ready to start assembling them all together...





Apply double sided tape to the areas noted in the above photo OR use a glue stick.  If you are using glue I would apply the glue to the entire flap of the envelope. 

Attach another envelope to the envelope that you just applied tape to.  This time attach your envelope just ABOVE the fold line for ease in folding them all together otherwise they won't fold nicely.  Continue in this process until you have the desired amount of envelopes.  Don't add tape to the very top one...there won't be anything to stick it to, silly! 

Fill your envelopes with all kinds of messages from home.  Here's some ideas that the moms in our group included in their messages:

a letter

favorite scripture and why

an inspirational quote

17 Points of the True Church card from Deseret Book

small candy with a scripture reference written on the outside

an uplifting Conference talk printed from the internet

a missionary story

poetry

printable

KEEP IT LIGHT!

Some moms have to/get to mail things to foreign missions which can get very pricey.

Keep it light.  Print on both sides of a page and try to keep your message

limited to a single sheet of paper or less.  Our goal for them is 4lbs. or less...

I sent a printable (3.25 in. x 6 in.) that I made in Photoshop along with a short letter from me attaching both together will a paperclip.  It turned out cute.  My first chalkboard printable.  I'm kind of in love with them at the moment...but I digress.  Click on the picture if you would like to download it for your missionary.



Whatever they/your family decides to send, make sure that everyone signs their name so your missionary will know whom each message is from. 

Now just fold them all up accordion style. 

Fold the flap over the top but DON'T glue or tape it shut!



Print out the 'Words of Wisdom' printable onto white cardstock.  Just click on the image below and it will take you to the link.

Put the cut out printable on top of your stack of envelopes and tie them all together with the bow or knot going through the center - see how I provided a nice little space for your bow?  Cute!   I picked up my ribbon at Walmart in their seasonal section for $1 a spool.  Can you say bargain?

Pop it into the small Flat Rate box with some shredded paper, tissue paper or Easter grass (click here if you don't know what I'm talking about), toss in a few pieces of candy or a protein bar and send it on it's merry way.  Easy Peasy!  Way less than the 4lb. limit for mailing overseas.  Have fun!

AND just for you - because I think you AND your missionaries are wonderful, I've already whipped up printables for November and December.  I will post additional months as I get them designed. Just click on the image and it will take you to the link.

November

(Thanks to timcoffeyart.com for the free digital sunflower stamp.)

December





Halloween Spooktacular!

 

Don't you just love this time of year?  I love sweaters and the crisp fall air in the evenings and to crunch leaves underfoot (just ask my Nursery class) and afghans with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate and soup for dinner and chopping down my peony's and replacing the foliage with tombstones, skeletons and candles.  So glad that we live in an area with seasons...

My inspiration for Matt's Halloween package came from others this year.  I am grateful that others are so willing to share their talents and inspiration.  Whatever did we do prior to Pinterest?  I love coming up with my own ideas and the excitement I feel inside when I get a sudden burst of inspiration  however...when experiencing a time crunch GOOGLE IT!!

 

Here's what we did and the links to where we found it...

 

Ghost Cookies:

1 pkg. Nutter Butter Cookies

2 pkg. White Chocolate Chips

(for best results use Nestle)

1 pkg. mini chocolate chips or frosting eyes

(can be found at your local

cake decorating store)

 

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper.  Using a mug, melt white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments stirring in between until fully melted and smooth.  Add a tsp. or so of shortening and stir until smooth.  This goes a long way to smoothing out your chocolate and helps it to flow smoothly.  Dip cookie about 3/4 of the way down making sure to cover the back as well as the front.  Let excess drip off then place on cookie sheet.  Add mini chocolate chips or frosting eyes.  Allow to fully set.  Place in a sandwich size Ziploc bag.  Apply bag topper and staple.

 

here's the link for the original post from I Dig Pinterest at idigpinterest.com

(NOTE:  Go to the end of this post for the link to the bag toppers.)

 

 

Krispie 'Monster' Treats:

1 pkg. Rice Krispie Treats, unwrapped

1 pkg. chocolate chips

1 pkg. mini Oreo cookies

Lg. frosting eyes or brown M&M's

(can be found at your local

cake decorating store)

Cake Mate Writing Icing

(found at the grocery store by the other frostings.  Comes in a set of four small tubes -

red, yellow, blue and green)

 

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper.  Divide the mini Oreo's in half keeping the half with the frosting still on.  Set aside.  In a shallow bowl, melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments stirring in between until fully melted and smooth.  Add a tsp. or so of shortening and stir until smooth.  This will help smooth out your chocolate and help it to flow smoothly.  Dip the Rice Krispie treat halfway in the chocolate.  Let excess drip off then place on cookie sheet.  Top your cookie with the Oreo cookie giving it one or two eyes as desired.  Using the red Writing Icing, apply generously to the back of the icing eye then press firmly onto the Oreo cookie.  This will allow some of the red to 'squish' out making it look like it has blood-shot eyes.  Give your Monster a wiggly smile.  You can decorate with Skittles while the chocolate is still soft which looked incredibly cute on the magazine cover (don't know which one it was...sorry) that I saw while standing in the checkout line but just looked messy when I did it.  Maybe they used larger Rice Krispie treats?  Allow to fully set.  Place in a sandwich size Ziploc bag.  Apply bag topper and staple.

 

(NOTE:  Go to the end of this post for the link to the bag toppers.)

 

Nutter Butter Bat Cookies:

1 pkg. Nutter Butter Cookies

1 pkg. chocolate chips

brown M&M's (for the head)

confetti sprinkles

(for the eyes)

or small icing eyes

(can be found at your local

cake decorating store)

toothpicks

 

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper.  Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments stirring in between until fully melted and smooth.  Add a tsp. or so of shortening and stir until smooth.  This will help smooth out your chocolate and help it to flow smoothly.  Dip the cookie about half way into the melted chocolate.  Let the excess drip off then place on cookie sheet.  Using a toothpick, drag some of the chocolate down giving your bat it's 'winged' appearance. My cute little Maren, did that for me.  Place a brown M&M in the center for your bats head.  Place icing eyes or use confetti (see Brenda's post...I actually like the eyes using confetti a lot better than the icing eyes for this project).  Adhere eyes to M&M with a little of the melted chocolate.  Use a toothpick and the melted chocolate to create ears and a dot for the center of the eye.  Allow to fully set.  Place in a sandwich size Ziploc bag.  Apply bag topper and staple.

 

here's the link to Brenda's original post from Sweet Simple Stuff at sweetsimplestuff.com

 

 

(photo is from Whipperberry at whipperberry.com and links to their site)

 

'Boolicious Halloween Treat Bag Toppers'

 

These bag toppers were a gift from heaven.  Not kidding.  I came home late from work one night and knew that I had to spend the next few hours whipping up something in Photoshop (which I am slowly learning) to go on the treats that we had made the night before.  Checked my email and...insert the sound of angels singing the Hallelujah Chorus...there they were in all their glory.  Beautiful!  I could have cried but instead I did a little happy dance.  The kids don't like it when I do that but I was alone so it was ok.  Thanks, Heather!  You're an angel!







here's the link to Heather's 'Boolicious Halloween Treat Bag' toppers from Whipperberry

at whipperberry.com

 

 

(photo is from Somewhat Simple and links to their site)

 

'Something Wicked This Way Comes' printable:

From the same Blog Hop as the bag toppers comes this little gem from Sarah at Somewhat Simple.  I love it!  I printed it out onto white cardstock and trimmed it down a bit and used it for my package topper.  Love the washi tape...but yeah, I didn't have any of that.  Don't forget to write a message to your missionary on the back.  The pièce de résistance.

 

here's the link to Sarah's free printable from Somewhat Simple at somewhatsimple.com



Thank heaven for little GIRLS!

My oldest daughter Kiri and her husband Brad, are expecting their first and MY first grandchild in March (2014).  They made the big announcement just days before Matt left on his mission and this week was the 'big reveal' to let us know what they're having.  I wanted to send something fun for Matt to let him know and get him as excited as we are and to help him feel a part of the big event.  In my mind, I wanted to send him a large box with a pink or blue helium filled balloon inside.  He'd open the box and the balloon would float up and it would be so cute.  Realistically that won't work though.  Sad day.  All his mail has to go through the Mission Home and the Zone Leaders only come in once a month to pick up packages and the helium AND the balloon would most definitely be totally dead by then. ...heavy sigh...  My husband came up with this idea and it will be just as cute and useful as well.

click here for the free GIRL printable

and just in case you're announcing a boy...

click here for the free BOY printable

Conference Journals

 

Just before General Conference I stumbled upon this little jewel from Colette at My Computer is My Canvas.  A printable Conference journal with designs for him OR her.  I love it!  I quickly downloaded it from her ETSY site and sent it off to the print shop via email.  (Don't you just LOVE modern technology?)  I asked them to copy the front and back cover onto their heaviest stock available then laminate both for durability.  The inner pages come two to a page.  I had them printed on regular stock but double-sided.  With Colette's printable you can insert as many pages as you desire.  I had them put in 25 double-sided pages for a total of 50 pages in each journal, then had them cut and spiral bound.  Finished size is 5.5" x 8.5". Total price for the 4 journals was $16 (not including the purchase from Colette's site).  Not bad.  My mission companions daughter just went into the MTC so I had a set made for her and her companion and Matt and his.  Thanks Colette!

White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

Exciting weekend around here...we received a FIVE PAGE letter from Elder Brown and a camera memory card.  PHOTOS!!.  Oh, happy day!!  One of the things that he asked for was his winter things.  Matt is a big time snowboarder so he has lots of cold weather gear and it seems that the temperature is dropping in Seattle and he's getting a bit chilly on a bike so during General Conference I whipped up this family favorite.  Double batch.  Some for him and his companion and some for us 'cause what's Conference without treats?  Good thing it only comes around twice a year...

White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

3/4 cup butter flavored Crisco

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbs. milk

1 Tbs. vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Heat oven to 375 F.  Combine Crisco, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla.  Beat egg into creamed mixture.  Combine flour, salt and baking soda into mixture.  Add nuts and white chocolate chips.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

- click here to download the recipe -

Click here and here for some ideas on how to mail cookies to your missionary.

"My Favorite Things" printable

You would think that after being someone's mother for ump-teen years that I would be able to remember what some of their favorite things are, right?  Yeah.  NOT!!  Let's blame it on the fact that I have seven kids, a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law.  Or...we could blame it on the fact that I'm now 50 (which has actually been a pretty fun thing to blame things on).  It's probably not either of those things though.  I think I'm just forgetful.

 

I have a rolodex on my desk with all my address, etc.  I have a card for each of the missionaries that I write to with their information on the front and their favorites listed on the back.  While that works pretty well, it's not very aesthetically pleasing AND requires that I fill it out myself.  I whipped up this little cutie last night.  Hope you like!

 

(click here to download the free 8.5 x 11 printable)

 

 

Brownie Cookies

Matt loves brownies.  He used to make two batches almost every Sunday.  One tray for us and one tray for his Scoutmaster.  His Scoutmaster was trying to get him to finish off the last requirement for Matt's last merit badge so he could get his Eagle and thought that having to make brownies every week would be the deal-breaker and he'd get 'er done.  Yeah, whatever.  Matt loves brownies and enjoys cooking so it wasn't really a punishment BUT we did get treats every Sunday.

Yesterday I was looking around on Pinterest for a new cookie recipe to try for Matt and when I stumbled upon this little gem, I knew it was just perfect.  This Brownie Cookie recipe comes from Pure & Yummy (pureandyummy.com) and is oh, so yummy.  I love how they stay soft and chewy in the center but the outside edges get slightly crispy just like the 'big' brownies do.  Side note:  You know how when you're taking brownies or lemon bars over to someone's house and you cut off all the edges so you can take just the nice looking center cuts to the neighbor's?  I tell my kids it's because it makes them look nicer on the tray but that's not really it...I want to eat all the edges myself.  The truth comes out.  Good thing my kids don't read my blog, eh?

Brownie Cookies

1/2 cup butter

4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided in half

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

(yield: 90 cookies*)

- click here to download the recipe -

Chop the unsweetened chocolate into pieces.  You can leave this on the paper that it comes wrapped in (the inner one not the outer packaging - grin) and just chop away.  Then carefully lift the paper off and slide everything into your pan.

Combine butter, unsweetened chocolate, and 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips in a heavy saucepan.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter and chocolate melt.  Chocolate burns easily so don't get excited and try doing this over high heat or walk off to answer the phone.  You could probably do this step in the microwave.  Start out with one minute on high, then remove and stir and continue heating in 30 second increments, stirring in between until mixture is entirely melted and smooth. Let cool completely.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer.  Gradually add dry ingredients to the egg mixture, beating well.  Add chocolate mixture and beat well.  Make sure that your chocolate mixture is completely cool or your batter will be really thin.  IF you got a little excited and added the chocolate before it was totally cool, don't worry.  It will still work, just stick it in the fridge or let it sit on the counter for a bit.  As the chocolate starts to set up again, your batter will thicken. Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips.  If your batter still seems a little thin, do NOT add extra flour.  They will be just fine.  I promise.  You could stick your batter in the fridge for a bit if it's driving you crazy but you might need to adjust the cooking time.

*Scoop dough onto baking sheets one inch apart.  (I like to line my cookie sheets with parchment paper.  You can use the same piece of paper for the whole batch of cookies.  Don't change the paper every time.  The cookies come off the paper really easy and when you're finished, you just wad up the paper keeping the crumbs inside and stick it in the garbage.  The biggest perk is...you don't have to wash your cookie sheet!  Yay!  It doesn't take much to get me excited around here, does it?...sad.)  Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes.  Cool slightly on baking sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

*I like to use a small scoop for my cookies.  Baked cookies will measure about 2 inches.

So, now a bit about packaging:

I still love sending cookies in the decorated Pringle's cans...but...is it just me?...or does it make you a little crazy that each mission is different?  With Mason I could call the mission home the day after transfers and see if he had moved and they would give me his new companion's name and his new address and I ALWAYS mailed his mail AND packages straight to his apartment.  Yeah.  Matt's mission is different.  Everything.  EVERYTHING has to go through the mission home.  Mail.  Packages.  Everything.  So I called the mission home and the cute little old sister missionary informed me that she is very good at forwarding every single stitch of mail the following day to the missionaries.  Packages however, get to sit at the mission home until the Zone Leaders come in to pick them up which is about once a month.  ONCE A MONTH?!?!  Grrrrrr......  (Hang in there with me.  My rampage is just about over and there will be a happy ending...)  So because of all that other "stuff" I've changed how I mail some of my packages.  Cookies being one of them. 

When I called the mission home, the cute sister lady mentioned to me that the post office WILL forward the 'small flat rate' boxes (the ones that are about the size of the old VHS tapes) but they WON'T forward anything larger than that.  So I've started to send a lot of smaller packages instead so Matt will get them faster.  An added perk is that they only cost $5.80 to mail.  Yup.  Jeff's smilin' at that one!  Here's how I do it:

Line your box with tissue paper.  Fold it so it will fit nicely which not only looks better but will also give your cookies a little extra padding.  Place some packing material around the outside edges with maybe a little on the bottom.  You won't need much on the bottom because your syran wrap around the cookies will be folded underneath.  You'll see.  Read on...

Take two cookies and place them flat sides together.

Using a square of syran wrap, roll the cookies up then tuck the ends under.  You could tuck one under and wrap the other end over but that wouldn't look as good and I'm into aesthetics...either that or I have OCD.  Probably the later...

Place the cookies in the box.  You should have room for six two-packs or one dozen cookies.  Because each box was so inexpensive to mail, I just mailed Matt's companion his very own box.  What missionary needs more than a dozen cookies at a time?  Place some more packing material over the top and in-between each cookie pack, then put in a letter.  Here's why...



When Matt arrived in the mission field, he was assigned a companion and they were sent to a brand new area.  No investigators.  No records.  Nada.  Their apartment wasn't even ready yet so they spent the first week on the floor of the Zone Leaders' apartment.  We at home, are busy sending lots of letters and packages. (Hey, I served a mission.  I remember vividly just how hard the first bit is.  Letters/packages from home keep your spirit's up and remind you that you are not alone nor forgotten.)  We had sent one large package to Matt and one large package to his companion.  (click here for the Greenie Package and here for the Missionary Trainer Survival Kit)  One month later we found out that neither of these missionary's were receiving any mail.  The mission home had their new address wrong!  All of their mail was being forwarded and then 'returned to sender' because of a wrong address.  I can't even imagine going that long without anything from home.  The only thing that they had received were the two large packages that I had mailed to each of them because they couldn't be forwarded and had to wait for the Zone Leaders to pick up and personally deliver.  Here's where the letter comes in...When Mason was on his mission I never, ever included a letter in his packages.  I always included a cute little package topper and jotted a few lines on the back but that was it.  Never a letter.  That was reserved for another piece of mail.  Gotta' spread out the love, if you know what I mean.  This time. This ONE time, I actually wrote a letter.  Three pages.  I did not know at the time that this would be the only actual letter that Matt would receive for over thirty days, but someone did.  I am so grateful that I included a letter with that package.  Now I always include a letter.  It's not three pages every time, but it's important, so I do it.  I encourage you to as well...

Sorry...I'm very long-winded on this one aren't I? 

Fold the tissue over the cookies and place your topper on top.  I couldn't provide a printable for you this time because I'm sure that "Cookie Monster" is copyrighted and they are probably just 'big' enough to take it personally but it was really easy to do and you could easily make your own.  Just Google 'Cookie Monster' and cut and paste one into your document.  Easy peasy and oh, so cute!  Enjoy and I hope your missionary never, ever has to go a whole month without mail.  On a side note:  Matt did receive emails just not 'snail mail.'