Advent Study - Angels

Now that Thanksgiving is over, our Christmas celebration is is full swing!  We do so many fun things during the month of December, that the kids really get to appreciate the "Christmas spirit" for a full 25 days (not just on Christmas Eve and Christmas day).  In fact, when I asked Millie what her favorite part about Christmas is, she responded with "the feeling I get in my heart during the Christmas season."  I love it!

This year, we're doing the Wee Folk Art Advent Celebration.  It kicked off with an "angels" study.  So, that's what we did yesterday and today.  We made a few changes to fit our needs (well, to fit our supply closet, really).

Here's what we did:

In the morning the girls got a note in their advent quilt saying that school was cancelled for the day, and that we'd spend the day doing angel crafts instead.  I had a bag on the table with our supplies in it, for them to look through while I slept in.

The first thing we did was read The Littlest Angel.  I'll be honest, we didn't really like this story.  It was about a four year old that died, and became an angel.  He didn't fit in in heaven, and was lonely, dirty, and annoying.  I guess I don't believe anyone that goes to heaven would be lonely :(  While I read, I gave the girls a challenge to build something with the theme "angel" out of Legos.  Elise didn't participate, but Millie made this cool angel sculpture.




Afterwards, we made wool roving angels.  I bought this roving from Amazon, and found that it was enough to make two angels.

I didn't originally think it'd be enough to make two angels, so I picked up some additional roving at the farm.  Since we didn't need it, Millie tried her hand at wool dying with tea.  Next up:  wool dying with coffee.

Then, the girls used fabric crayons and drew pictures of angels that we then transferred onto quilt squares.  By the end of this study, they'll each have 4 quilt squares that they can sew together to make a little blankie for themselves.  Since Millie drew her angel with a harp, we decided to listen to some harp music while we colored.

We ran out of time, but the next day we made angel bites.  They smell so good while "cooking."  Here's the recipe:

Angel Bites

2 egg whites, room temperature

1/2 t. cream of tarter

2/3 c. super fine sugar

1 t. vanilla

1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350.

Beat the egg whites until foamy.  Add half of the sugar, a little at a time.  Then, add the vanilla and the rest of the sugar.  Beat until stiff (this will take a long time.  Don't give up!). Fold in the chocolate chips.  Drop 1 t. at a time onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Place in the oven, turn the oven off, and let them sit in there UNDISTURBED for at least 6 hours.  

Enjoy!

And just for fun, here's a picture of the girls meeting with Santa last weekend.  Elise wants a barbie castle and a car for her stuffed animals, and Millie wants a mermaid tail and a puppy.

Check out other holiday craftiness, here!