Over the Easter weekend I went MIA here on my blog, mostly because I was trying to enjoy the holiday and it’s meaning with my family.  But Saturday night I did do a craft I want to share with you.

We have never done Easter baskets for our kids because we want it to be perfectly clear to them what Easter is about.  Grandparents usually buy them Easter gifts/baskets, leaving it unnecessary for us to get them MORE candy or gifts.  But, for some reason, this year I wanted to get them a gift.  I didn’t want to fill it full of candy or unnecessary plastic bunny themed stuff so I spent about an hour wandering Target aimlessly.  Then the light bulb went off.

I picked up those tiny painted pails they have had sitting in the dollar section (in colors I can reuse in my craft area…sad, no?).  Then I got them each a Cadbury Cream Egg (their dad’s favorite Easter candy), a pack of gum (gum is a big deal in our house since they can only chew it on Saturdays – or “Gum Day” as my kids know it) and I headed over to the stationary section.

I searched through the journals and notebooks.  I wanted just the right one.  Not too big, not too small.  Not too spendy, not too girly.  And then I found a two pack of small composition books for 88 cents.  Perfect!

I brought them home and after the kids went to bed I got to work.  I found some fabric that looked cute and broke out the Mod Podge.

First, I cut the fabric just bigger than the front cover of the composition book so I could wrap it around the edges.  Then I painted the front cover of the book with Mod Podge using a cheap sponge brush.

I placed the fabric over the front cover, pressing out any bubbles or wrinkles, and wrapped the edges around.

I glued the fabric down on the inner cover with Mod Podge and pressed it down firmly with my fingers.  Then I painted more Mod Podge over the top.

I then painted more Mod Podge over the top of the fabric on the front of the cover.  After I finished the front, I repeated those steps for the back cover.  Then I cut a small piece of plain colored fabric and wrote “Ellie’s Prayer Journal” and “Payton’s Prayer Journal” on them.  I used a fine point sharpie but, in retrospect, I realize I should have used a fabric marker.  The sharpie bled too much.  To attach the name piece I painted more Mod Podge on the cover where I wanted to place the name and pressed the fabric on firmly.  I then painted more Mod Podge over the top.  I left the books set up like tents to dry over night.

By morning they were totally dry and stiff, ready to be put into their little pails for Easter.  Viola!  Personalized prayer journals for my kids!

And there you have it.  We explained that a prayer journal is for writing to God just like we’d talk to him – you can say anything, from things you need help with to all the ways you want to thank him.  We told them they could keep them in their beds and write in them whenever they needed to.  We also (after a small argument about reading each other’s books) explained the need and purpose for journal privacy.  And they were so excited about them!  Payton took his into his room and immediately started writing.

Ellie shared with us that she wrote a prayer thanking Jesus for making her foot stop hurting.  When she said this Payton piped up and said, “Yesterday I wrote a prayer asking God to make your foot better and He did!”  I just love seeing the faith and trust of a child’s prayers…and the faithfulness of our good God.  And I love that Payton would write prayers for Ellie.  And I love that Ellie writes prayers of thanks.  Oh, so so good.

**Next time I’d use darker fabric so the cover of the composition book didn’t show through and I’d also use a larger piece of fabric for the name plate (as well as using a fabric pen).  But I was just making this up as I went.**