Easter Animal Napkin Rings

Above are the finished versions of the simple fabric napkin rings for Easter dinner.

This simple sewing project may be ac-
complished in one or two afternoons prior
to a party by a child as young as 10
or 11 years old.

       It's important for parents involve their children in both the presentation of a family party and also in the execution of a party, especially if they are old enough to help out. Young people can easily decorate a table setting for a holiday event with things like: floral displays, name place tags and napkin rings.

        I've included here a sewing project that would be simple enough for a preteen to put together for their family Easter table. The felt bunnies and chicks came from a Hobby Lobby and the fabric from a local Joanne's store. Both items together did not cost me more than five dollars.
       The craft takes a little advanced planning. You will need to probably color coordinate your fabric selection with the dishes you plan to use. Let your child take a sample plate to the fabric store and hold it up next to the fabrics in order to choose something appropriate. Give him or her several days to complete this sewing project, if they have never attempted to sew before. Their stitching doesn't need to be perfect but you should give them time to practice if they are to attempt it to completion without parental help.
       Cut the fabric into strips measuring approximately 3 inches wide and 5 inches long. Allow for a seam of about half an inch. With the right sides together, sew around the perimeter of the strips after folding these in half and leave one end open in order to turn the finished tube inside out. Whip stitch the ends shut and then stitch both finished edges together with a blanket stitch. Iron or glue the felt animals onto the napkin rings. Insert pastel colored napkins (fabric or paper) and set the Easter table for company.
       If your youngsters enjoy this kind of project, why not assign the responsibility to them every year?

More Easter Crafts for the Family Dinner:

• Easter Flower Arrangements - by Patty Roller Designs
• Easter Bunny Vase - by Rittners Floral School
• Kids can design an Easter garden for the table
• How to make Easter bunny folded napkins
• A folded rose napkin tutorial 
• Folding swans from napkins 
• Easter Table Setting by Christy Rost Cooks 
• Fast and Fun Easter Centerpieces from the Supermarket

Easter a Day of Spiritual Joy

      Easter should be a day of spiritual joy, a day for celebration of the resurrection of spirit, a day in which spiritual considerations should be more prominent. Any secular or civil activities that interfere with pure spiritual observance of that day should be discouraged. Jesus Christ announced the important truth that the glory of his resurrection was the fruit of his Passion--I mean the accidental glory incident to his humanity, not the essential glory inherent in his divinity. While two of his disciples were going from Jerusalem to Emmaus, discoursing in the crucifixion, Jesus, in the guise of a stranger, joined them, and they said to him: "We had hoped that Christ would redeem Israel from gentile bondage and would reestablish the kingdom of a grander scale and rule as a conqueror. But our hopes are shaken, for he died a shameful death on the cross." And Jesus said to them: "Foolish and slow of heart to believe in all things which the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so enter into his glory?" If he had not trod the path of suffering and humiliation he would not be the Messiah foretold by the prophets. Cardinal Gibbons

"The Emmaus Road" by Steve Green

Heaven - Not Far Away.

Oh, heaven is nearer than mortal's think,

When they look with trembling dread,

At the misty future that stretches on,

From the silent home of the dead.

The eye that shuts in a dying hour,

Will open the next in bliss,

The welcome will sound in the heavenly world

Ere the farewell is hushed in this.

We pass from the clasp of mourning friends,

To the arms of the loved and lost;

And those smiling faces will greet us there,

Which on earth we have valued most.

Yet oft in the hours of holy thought,

To the thirsting soul is given,

That power to pierce through the mist of sense,

To the beauteous scenes of heaven.

I know when the silver cord is loosed,

When the vail is rent away,

Not long and dark shall the passage be,

To the realm of endless day.

The Savior Rose Today

Savior Rose Today

by Margherita Arlina Hamm

The lilies whisper to the bees;

The palm-leaves murmur to the breeze;

And birds in roundelay

Repeat the message high in air,

Until it echoes everywhere,

"The Savior rose to-day."

Full well the swaying blossom knows

How loving spring dispels the snows;

And songsters half behold

A truer life within the breast,

When newer life invades the nest

And mingles with the old;

It may be that a hidden sense

Reveals to their intelligence

The presence and the sway

Of Him who notes the sparrow's fall,

So that in gratitude they call,

"The Savior rose to-day."

Who, looking over time's long scroll

Cannot but see a master soul,

Behind the dross and clay

And realize that in the good

Which brought the world beatitude

"The Savior rose to-day."

The earth brings forth both bud and flower

By some unfailing subtle power

Which baffles all decay;

When into being sprang the world.

The flowering of mankind occurred,

"The Savior rose that day."

From ugliness new beauty springs;

From death life soars aloft on wings;

And evil dies away.

A splendor dissipates the gloom

And fear lies dead within the tomb,

"The Savior rose to-day."

An old hymn with a new chorus. "Christ the Lord is Risen Today"

"The risen saints exultant cry" coloring page

 

Description of Coloring Page: An angel sends prayerful thanks to God for sparing the souls of the faithful in Christ, wings, crosses, patterns, choir robe, halo and verse:

 

"The Angel' Welcome sounds on high

The risen saints exultant cry.

In holy strain

With glad refrain

Alleluia! Victory!"

 

Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

Shine On, Most Glorious Light

Shine On, Most Glorious Light 

by Kenyon West.

Shine on! Shine ever on, most glorious Light!

Reveal Thy majesty and splendor bright.

This Easter morning as of old arise!

Make glad the earth as with a glad surprise.

By magic power, as of old, change night

Into the benediction of the dawn,--

With promise to us of the darkness gone!

Shine on! Shine ever on, most glorious Light!

This Easter morn arise! arise!

Give saner vision to our sin-dimmed eyes;

To hearts that wait and watch for Thee, come near!

Thy miracle of wondrous love make clear.

Make cold hearts glow; make weak hearts strong.

Dispel our grim despairs, our sense of wrong.

From doubt's stern thraldom grant us Lord, release!

Give freedom, faith and Thy surpassing peace!

Thus only can we hope to live:--

Health, healing, blessing, --give! oh give!

Song "God's Glorious Light" - Michael O'Brien and Thomas Miller

How to craft paper doily butterflies

      These little butterflies are easy to craft. All you will need are a few pom-poms, wiggly eyes and paper doilies. I hand-colored my doilies for the blue butterfly and left another set white for the second version of this craft.

      You will need to accordion fold two paper dollies and glue four pom-poms on top of each other and let these dry over night before assembling the butterfly. Use a very tacky white glue for this project and it will prove far less frustrating to complete. You could use a hot glue if you'd like, but this glue is not safe for little ones to handle.