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Marg’s Marvelous Floor Mats: you can make them too!

This is a wonderful project to tackle in the summer! Let the kids get creative with acrylic paint on canvas…and adding a couple layers of clear varnish, it becomes a sturdy, colorful floor mat for your home!  I’m thinking about doing this to my Feetprinting canvas for St Peter’s Feastday…now that I have 5 sets of prints! Our really cool cousin Marg is a great artist.  She and Eric have hosted our family for so many great events at their wonderful place in the woods, including workshops creating floor mats! The floor mats are usually about 2’x3′.  Marg paints the canvas white, folding (maybe ironing?) the edges over on the back for a clean hem.  We spend a wonderful day painting and visiting, munching and painting.  She then covers the (dry) painted surface with a couple layers of varnish, allowing for plenty of drying time between each coat. The above picture is our first floor cloth, created by Emily, Kelly, Marg and me.  We painted this before we had little Adam (what was life like before Adam!?), so each of the 6 puzzle pieces represent our members of the family at the time. My Mom and I created a floor cloth for my Mom, with little Bridget who was about 3 at the time. Mom is a piano teacher, so we again included a keyboard.  Bridget’s favorite part was adding her handprints, playing the keyboard. A year later, Emily and Kelly created a floor cloth with cousin Marg. They continued the puzzle piece and music theme. Next, was Joseph’s turn! Joseph made a floor cloth with cousin Marg and we think he did a great job! It looks great in his room! Can you tell that Joe likes superheroes? I hope cousin Marg doesn’t mind me showing off a little of her work…check out Marg’s website! read more...for Equipping Catholic Families!

Goodbye Google Reader

Google Reader is GOING AWAY FOREVER on July 1st, 2013!

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Feetprinting for St Peter and St Paul!

  June 29 is the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul!

St. Peter is the patron saint of foot trouble.

Years ago…I took a 4’x4′ canvas and let my kids make footprints with paint.  Actually…it was 1999!

I only had two kids then…they were 31/2  and 1…and they had really cute feet.

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Top 100 Catholic Blogs…

Want to discover some Catholic Blogs for summer reading?

100 Totally Awesome Blogs by Catholic Priests

Top 100 Blogs by Catholic Sisters and Nuns

Over 500 Awesome Catholic Blogs at the Catholic Blogger Network

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my funny kid quotes: from calendar to Quotebook!

Up here in Canada…we are just finishing school and our summer is just getting started! I hope to use a more relaxed schedule to highlight our family activities and traditions showcased in the Ordinary Time section of A Treasure Chest of Traditions for Catholic Families. These posts will become part of the Family Fun section on this site and will also include our “At-Home” Birthday Parties posts (and printables) and other traditions and routines that are not specifically Catholic, but bring our family together in some way. My Dad wrote down the funny things that my brother and I said when we were little…and I have done the same for my five kids.  I do have a little hardcover journal book for each kid, but I find it most convenient to write the funny quotes on my Mom’s Fridge Calendar…as they happen, because even though I think I’ll remember who said what and when, I have learned that the details get blurry. It’s amazing how their antics can blend together! The fridge calendar is easy to access and it already captures our family events, milestones, trips, medical appointments and phone numbers…so I find calendars useful for reference, years to come!  Every once in a while, I transpose the little dated moments into cute little dollar store books: one for each child.  I have recorded first words, dates the teeth came in or out and monumental “firsts” including Sacraments. Just ask me…(and I can look it up!)…which kid said “to da-vity and beyon’!” (quoting Buzz Lightyear), who challenged potty training “Mommy, your job is not my problem!” , who sang “ring around the rosary”,  who was my only kid to fall asleep on the toilet and who made the biggest mess… necessitating more than a couple impromptu baths in the sink.

Anyone want to share any favorite moments or quotes from their family? Share in the comments!

Build a Family Journal of Firsts & Family Events or create your own Kid Quotebooks!

You’ll find these and other ways to fill your Family Treasure Chest in

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Sneak a Peek at our Office, while we’re at IHM!

Welcome to Equipping Catholic Families! We are currently attending the Immaculate Heart of Mary Conference in Fredericksburg, VA.

We hope that you will subscribe to Equipping Catholic Families and “like” our facebook page for quick and easy access to FREE craft and activity tutorials and our newest FREE Catholic Printables!

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WINNERS announced for Catholic Survival Kit GIVEAWAY!

Congratulations to the THREE WINNERS of the Catholic Survival Kit GIVEAWAY:

1. Jessica

2. Dan/Janet

3. Bonnie

These THREE winners have been emailed…so please check your email (and spam, sorry!) if your name is Jessica, Dan/Janet, or Bonnie!

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Last Day for Catholic Survival Kits GIVEAWAY!

Our Catholic Survival Kits GIVEAWAY ends Tuesday June 18 at 11:59pm!

You can WIN one of THREE Editions: Basic, Spanish or Kids.

Learn more…

about the Catholic Survival Kits!

Read my

Review of the Catholic Survival Kits.

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Playtime with the Saints

In 2012, I painted quite a few wooden dolls into saints.

I came up with a few fun ways to use the Wooden Saint Dolls…like the Saints-To-Go in an Altoids tin…for travel!

I decided to dig them out again…and once again find things my kids love to do…and add the Saints!

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