Emma's Necklaces

It's fun to live out old childhood hobbies again with your children.  For many years, some of the best gifts that I got were Lisa Frank craft kits.  The neon colors, the funky animals, the stationary, the stickers, the beads... I loved them.  I hoarded them.  I wanted to make sure I made the PERFECT craft with them because birthdays only come once a year, you know, and I didn't want to run out of supplies!  I decided a while ago that craft & art supplies were something we would always replenish, so she never would be held back in her creations by the fear of running out of something.  It's been a fun rule.  :)

Last summer when Zoey was a newborn, we spent a lot of time in Emma's room playing quietly while Zoey slept.  One of our favorite games to play was bead/color sorting.  I had colored plastic rings, and she sorted the correct bead color inside the rings.  It was great fine motor skill activity.  She eventually kind of outgrew it and because more interested in what the beads were made for ;) so for her birthday she got several bead kits, and some kind of passion exploded within her, because Emmabelle is my little jeweler!

Above is a picture of her bead box, all decorated in her special Lalaloopsy stickers.  Inside are all kinds of beads, including many that were mine when I was little.  Right after her birthday party she wanted to play with one of her new toys, so I asked if she wanted to make a necklace.  She beaded it herself and then gave it to me.  It's one of the best gifts ever.  and it didn't stop with me, she has gifted many people in our family with their very own necklaces, men included!  There is a girl her age who is battling cancer and she goes to my sister's church.  Emma wanted to make her and her mommy each a necklace.  It's really special to see my girl ministering with her art.  :) I love it.

(I'm wearing a necklace she made me here!)

Emma came down with a fever Saturday night and had been getting pretty sick.  She wasn't symptomatic but when her fever spiked over 103 this morning we took her to the doctor first thing.  She has strep throat and an ear infection!  She hasn't complained about her throat or her ears a bit, but I am glad that we have some medicine for her now and she will be feeling better in no time.  She took the time this afternoon to make a couple more necklaces for some special people :) it's something I just love doing with her.  I think she's the coolest ever.