Equipping Catholic Families

St Patrick: TY doll makeover

March 13, 2011 by Monica McConkey 11 Comments

This is our new St. Patrick TY doll.
Check out our introduction to the TY Saints dolls at this
Equipping Catholic Families post.
These are the before and after makeover pictures.

I took creative license and chose a doll with red hair for the irish St. Patrick, even though all the pictures I have of St. Patrick show an old bishop with gray hair. I choose to believe that he was a redhead. I gave the doll a significant haircut and transplanted some of the hair for the beard and moustache. This will be a big relief to my four year old who couldn’t understand how I could pretend that a girl doll could be St. Patrick.

Filed Under: link-up, Catholic Bloggers Network

TY Saints dolls

March 13, 2011 by Monica McConkey 9 Comments

A few years ago, dollar stores were selling off
TY Teenie Beanie Bopper dolls.
My friend Lucia began collecting these dolls and turning them into her family’s favorite saints!
She told me how she found the little accessories at dollar stores and craft shops.
Her 7 kids love playing with the dolls and learning about the saints.
She even sent me one of them…Blessed John Paul 2!

Filed Under: link-up, Catholic Bloggers Network

Crown of Thorns

March 9, 2011 by Monica McConkey 1 Comment

This is our Crown of Thorns for this Lent. The toothpicks will slowly be removed and eventually replaced with flowers, as we sacrifice, do good deeds, say extra prayers …or choose not to complain. See other versions of the Crown of Thorns here. As I prayed about what I should ‘do’ this year for Lent, this is what I felt I was being told. “Choose not what you know you can be successful at, but what will draw you closer to Me.” read more...for Equipping Catholic Families!

Filed Under: #CatholicCrafts, Lent

Stepping Stones through Jesus’ Life

March 8, 2011 by Monica McConkey 8 Comments

Inspired by the Shower of Roses Jesus Tree post, I came up with my own paper version. Although I used some of the images from the kit that Shower of Roses posted, I added my own images for many of the days and formatted them into little stamps. I also added some stamps for Ash Wednesday, St. Patrick’s Day, the Solemnity of St. Joseph and Jesus’ Birth.

Filed Under: #CatholicCrafts, Lent

Good Deed Beads Bracelet for LENT!

March 2, 2011 by Monica McConkey 7 Comments

As Moms, we have all worn bead bracelets and necklaces, proudly strung by our kids.
Also not exactly formal wear, these thick cord, pony bead
Good Deed Beads Bracelet will help us
with our Lenten sacrifices too.
Inspired by St. Therese, this bracelet works similar to other good deed bead bracelets, as the beads slide and stay in place, recording each good deed, extra prayer (foregone opportunity to complain) or sacrifice.

Filed Under: #CatholicCrafts, Catholic Gifts, DIY Crafts, Lent, Saints

Celebrate the Sacraments!

February 21, 2011 by Monica McConkey 1 Comment

Journey with Jesus through the Sacraments This kit offers layouts of catechism questions (with answer keys!) and reflection questions to help teach and celebrate the Sacraments, including material based on the Commandments, Sin, the Domestic Church and the Stations of the Cross. This kit teaches and celebrates all 7 Sacraments… not just the ones your child has received, helping them to reflect on Marriage (what weddings have I been to? who married my parents?) Holy Orders (name the priest who gave me my First Sacraments, who is my pastor? my bishop? our Pope?) and the Anointing of the Sick (who are we praying for? when have our loved ones passed away?) As with all of our Cathletics Craft Kits, each kit comes with permission to photocopy for one full class for one term

or for all the kids living in your house!

Filed Under: Arma Dei Shoppe, Catholic Crafts, Printables, Sacraments

Medieval Birthday Party 2011

February 21, 2011 by Monica McConkey 3 Comments

Well, it’s Joe’s birthday again and he requested another medieval party. We have a luge run and a rink in our backyard. We had the Joust, King’s Crusade obstacle course, Ice (rink) Escape, Dragon Attack, Save the Maiden outside and the Castle Siege and Target Attack events inside… enough for everyone to get their own trophy from the dollar store. We chose to make just one big castle and enough catapults for everyone to launch their mini-marshmallows. I think next time I’ll chill the marshmallows beforehand so that they won’t get soft and gooey. Check out our directions for the castle and the catapults. I guess my camera was still a little cold from being outside. we’re done!

Jenny said…Wow, you guys know how to throw a birthday party! I’m a new follower, thanks for the visit.February 18, 2011 10:22 PM

Filed Under: birthday party, link-up, Catholic Bloggers Network

Family Traditions

February 14, 2011 by Monica McConkey 5 Comments

Love Notes

This post about a Love Letters Tradition seems strangely familiar! I have been writing these letters for years for each of my 5 kids…and a couple extra Godchildren as well. They have not yet seen these letters, describing them …sometimes from before they were born and then at least once a year (when I remember!). I write about the crazy stuff they do, their favourite toy, the funny things they say…and that I love them.
I suspect that they will be surprised (unless they read this blog=) when they receive their collection of mail.

Filed Under: link-up, Catholic Bloggers Network

First Holy Communion Scrapbooking!

February 4, 2011 by Monica McConkey 2 Comments

Celebrate your child’s Journey of Faith!

This is our Journey with Jesus through Reconciliation and Holy Communion Craft Kit.
It includes 18 already researched, illustrated and formatted templates of prompting catechism and reflection questions. As all our Cathletics Craft Kits, it comes with permission to photocopy for a whole class for one term or for all the kids in your family (who live with you) as they celebrate their First Sacraments!

Filed Under: Catholic Crafts, Hand in Hand with Jesus Faith Journal

Monthly Devotions: February is the month of the HOLY FAMILY

February 3, 2011 by Monica McConkey Leave a Comment

Isn’t it interesting that although Christmas is over and we are approaching Lent, the Monthly Devotion for February is the Holy Family?

Just when we put our nativities away, we have an excuse to reflect again on the Holy Family as a model for our own family life. We remember life with a small baby, a toddler, a child, a tween, a teen and a young adult.

Filed Under: Treasure Chest crafts and activities