How to Pack and Send a Box for Operation Christmas Child

Thanksgiving is so late this year and is therefore shortening the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas music and decorations are banned from our house until Santa makes his grand appearance in the world-famous Thanksgiving Day Parade.

But, I give all of you permission to break tradition just long enough to pack a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. Pop in your favorite Christmas music, gather the family and have some good old-fashioned fun while teaching your children how to be giving, caring individuals. I am asking each reader to commit with your family to pack one shoebox filled with trinkets and treats for a child around the world.

What is required from you?

1. A box (cardboard or plastic - similar in size to a shoe box). Want to have a shoebox packing party? You can order boxes online for a donation.
2. Print and attach a label for your box indicating gender and age group of the recipient!
3. Stuff the box with goodies (more info below)
4. Drop-off your box during the 3rd week of November! 
5. Donate $7.00 per box to cover shipping costs. If you cover the shipping cost online, you are able to print a unique barcode and Follow your box around the world. If you wish to write a check, please check their web site for current info on how to do so. 

Do you have to drop off your box at a designated location?

No. You may mail boxes at any time throughout the year to this address:

Operation Christmas Child

Samaritan's Purse

PO Box 3000

801 Bamboo Road

Boone, NC 28607

Suggested Items for Boxes:

• Toys (Ideas for Boys and Girls)
• School Supplies (Don't forget the crafty supplies, too.)
• Hygiene Items
• Accessories
• Something personal from you

Sending Something Personal

I think this might be my favorite part of the box and here are some of my ideas for what you can put in the box:

• A handwritten note and photograph of your family
• Artwork made by your kids (polymer clay sculpture, jewelry, paintings/drawings, etc.)
• Something handmade by you (a zippered pouch, game, etc.)

I read on the Operation Christmas Child web site that if you include your name and complete mailing address, you may even get a response back from the child. How cool is that?

Can I still help if I don't have time to pack a box?

Yes! You can build a box online!

For additional information: OCC: How to pack a Box

FO Friday: Assembling the Minions

My younger son turned 4 last week and started preschool this past Monday. He demanded that I make him a Minion backpack for preschool. I was hesitant and we talked him into buying a camouflage dinosaur backpack instead. I kind-of felt bad for not making him the backpack, so I made him a Minion hat.

While I was working on it, he kept asking if it was his Minion backpack. And, I kept reminding him about his really cool dinosaur backpack. He wouldn't relent. A couple of weeks ago, I was driving to work when an idea came to me on how I could make the backpack.

So, I took about 5 minutes and drew out a couple of sketches:

Finishing Off Friday - an Elephant and Yoda

Before I share my projects, I have to share this photo. Wednesday marked 6 years since my sister passed on from this world. My brother-in-law has been faithful to take a dozen roses to my sister every year on certain dates. When my husband, sons, mom and I arrived at the cemetery Wednesday night, her dozen roses were sitting on top of the tombstone. My niece took a balloon to her mom that said, "Miss You".

Don't cry for us. Just pray that God continues to comfort our family and the two precious kids she left behind.

2013 Goals

Goal 1: Crochet more for Charity

Sometimes art is most beautifully shared through the unselfish act of giving to someone in need. I will crochet more for Charity. I created Charitable Crochet on Pinterest and hope that some of my great online friends will help me find more organizations and opportunities to pursue this goal in 2013. If you know of charities looking for donated crochet items, please leave a comment on this post and I'll add it to the board.

Goal 2: Rest Once a Week

Running a business can prove quite demanding when you work a full-time job. Add two kids and a husband who is a full-time pastor and you have my life. Crocheting used to be my method of relaxation. Then, it morphed into a business that has been going full-steam ahead since October, 2011. 

I need rest and it will only happen if I make it happen. This practice has been very beneficial to me and to my family since the new year began. Serving my family will always come first. I will communicate this up-front to customers and give an "anticipated" time period for the item requested. I will make sure I give myself more time than needed to complete the project, so that I don't feel rushed to meet a deadline. I crochet to relax. It will not become a stressor this year. :)

Goal 3: Always Create a Ravelry Project Page

And ALWAYS (always, always, always) take photos of items before they leave my house. Working rest into my calendar was not a priority last year, so I always felt rushed to meet deadlines and let too many amazing things go without photographing them. I always asked for pictures, but rarely received them. :(

This year, I will load all of my projects on Ravelry and I will take pictures. And, I will make it a point to share pictures on my blog and Facebook page more often.

Goal 4: Design More

I know that for a goal to be attainable and good, that it must be measurable. I would like to design one pattern per month. However, I do not want to pressure myself. Therefore, my goal is to create 6 new designs this year. Anything beyond 6 patterns this year means that I am stress-free and loving what I do.  Most of the designs I make this year will be free. 

I have an idea for a line of patterns that would be available for purchase. No one is making/selling that idea right now. I'm ecstatic that the idea for the product line came to me not long after starting Niccupp Crochet and there is still no one making/selling it. If I can hunker down and set to work on that sometime, that would be awesome. :)

So, these are my goals for this year. I don't have anything over-the-top exciting in my goals. This is my year of rest and enjoying what I do. 

10 Crochet Hats for Him

Men aren't always easy to buy for and it's even harder to make them something. Have no fear! Here is a round-up of 10 Crochet Patterns of various styles and ages that will work for the guys on your Christmas list.

Rainbow Amigurumi - Delivered with Love

Meet V. He's a sweetheart and stinker.

House Story: Our New Half-Bath

My husband and I bought our house 6 years ago. It was built in the 1800s and needed a bit of love and patience. We have slowly been working on our house and transforming it into everything we want. We just finished a project of taking dead space in our side attic and converting it into a half bath.

Pink Areas shaded to show where the side attics are located.

A few Recipes - Pintastic Tuesday 05

It's my favorite blogging day of the week!!! Pintastic Tuesday is here again.

Last week, we celebrated Independence Day in the US and this is the one time out of the year that all the family descended from Grandma/Grandpa Cupp get together. There are 37 of us who wouldn't be here without Grandma and Grandpa Cupp. This is the last picture taken of all of us together before Grandpa Cupp died. I have had another little one of my own and I think a total of eight grandkids have been added since this picture (one is with Jesus).

It was a great time to catch up with each other. One thing you will learn quickly is that we love people and we love God. We have a few pastors in our family and many who serve in their local church. I am going to venture a guess and say that half the adults in the Cupp family have been on mission trips to a foreign country. We found out for certain this weekend that our cousins, Todd and Wendy, are moving to Kampala, Uganda in October to live and minister to the people there. You can read more about their journey at The Kissing Well blog.

Now, onto the Pintastic Tuesday stuff...

It was a weekend filled with family fun. So, this weeks post is all about food!

Sour Patch Grapes (Supposed to taste a bit like Sour Patch Kids)

Source: Pinterest | Original Source: Pure Sugar

My favorite candy is sour-patch kids. Yes, I probably would crochet for payment in Sour Patch Kids. That being said, these grapes were a disappointment. I started out using Lime Jell-O to coat the grapes and it looked like boogers all over the grapes. I know, gross! So, I rinsed them off and worked with Lemon Jell-O. It worked much better. However, these do not taste like Sour Patch kids. Another thing to note...They actually were good as long as they were cold, but we were in the blazing heat and the taste of warm grapes with gunk on the outside is not the same as cold grapes with gunk on the outside. There were tons leftover, which definitely signals to me that the general consensus is that these were a bit nasty. I took the leftover grapes home and rinsed the gunk from the outside and I am now enjoying frozen grapes.

Oven-Baked Bacon and the Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Source: Pinterest | Original Source: about.com

Source: Pinterest | Original Source: Mr. Breakfast

Oh my gosh! This bacon and eggs combo was amazing! Sunday night, my brother-in-law and my sister-in-laws spent the night at our house. We sent the men out to buy breakfast stuff and they came home with bacon and eggs. I felt obligated to make the best bacon and eggs that anyone ever tasted. I consulted with Google and found the two things above. The bacon is baked! Line a shallow cookie sheet with aluminum foil, add bacon (my bacon slices were touching each other) and place in non-preheated oven. Turn over to 400 degrees and set a timer for 17 minutes. Check on bacon at 17 minutes, but it may take an additional 3 minutes for it to finish cooking. This bacon was amazing! It barely shrunk and it was perfectly crispy. 

The eggs were so light and airy! I cooked two dozen eggs and eyeballed the milk, salt & pepper. They said the key is to whip air into the eggs so the mixture is a unified color and a bit frothy. Preheat a skillet while beating the eggs. When ready, add butter to the skillet and when it is almost melted, pour in the eggs. Then, act like Martha Stewart while you cook the eggs. I am not the best egg maker and I'm not the biggest fan of eggs, but I loved these eggs! I will definitely be making them again on breakfast night at home.

So...What about you? Did you try anything from pinterest this week? It doesn't have to be a success to blog it! Join in with this fun linky party below and Happy pinning!!!