communion quiet book

To be honest, I didn't think I was a "quiet book making mom".  I had seen them and they're very cute and all but I just didn't think it was "me" to spend the time making one and I didn't really think that my efforts would turn out very well if I did try.  Paper and I get along much better than fabric and I.  :)  

But as they say "necessity is the mother of invention".  

David has started coming into "big church" with us and I was looking for ways to teach him more about communion.  

As I often do when I am seeking out ideas, I sent an e-mail to several friends asking what they do.  My sweet friend Vanessa encouraged me to make something with felt that he could hold and that would be a tactile way of learning about Jesus on the cross, the empty tomb and Jesus now in Heaven.  

My friend Tamara is great at making quiet books so a trip to Joann's and a phone call to Tamara later, I knew what I was going to do today.  

After having read Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts this summer I knew I wanted to focus on the Lord's Supper as being a time of thanksgiving.  David is already used to saying things that he is thankful for and praying thanking God for things so I wanted this to tie in for him in that way.  

I didn't want to take the time to cut "thank you" out of felt so I printed it on cardstock and attached it to the cover with brads.  I have no idea how long it will last but it will be simple to repair if it tears. 

The letters for "Jesus" are felt glued to thin cardboard with velcro on each one so he can put them on and take them off. 

I made a page with Jesus on the cross and this Jesus doll is attached via velcro too and can be taken off and attached onto the next two pages as well.  

Here is the tomb.  I really liked this gray textured felt that Joann's had and thought it would be perfect for the tomb.  The flowers are brads that I got at a garage sale once upon a time and I just clipped off the backs with wire cutters and hot glued them on (to avoid the backs of the brads showing on the back of this page).  You can see the spot of velcro to the right of the stone where the Jesus doll can be affixed.  

And the stone can be pulled back to reveal the empty tomb.  

This page depicts Jesus in Heaven.  I wasn't quite sure how to visually represent Heaven but I went with a blue sky, clouds and a street made of gold.  

The pom pom balls are also attached with velcro and can be taken on and off.  

The last page I have so far is the grapes and crackers page.  

The crackers are not yet attached because I want to go and buy some snaps so that he can practice snaps.  The grapes are made of buttons and little round pieces of felt with slits cut in them that can be "buttoned on".  He does not yet know how to button so this will be good practice too I think.  

He is very curious about the book I was making for him today and I plan to only bring it out at church so that it's novelty will not wear off too quickly.  I think it will give him a way to be engaged and also help him learn about communion and it's meaning to us as Christians.  

Oh and I should definitely say that the *only* thing I sewed were the buttons for the grapes.  Everything else I used the glue gun or brads to attach.  There is no way this project ever would have gotten done otherwise.  I have no idea how it will hold up but I am not interested in perfect here but in done!  

Also, I am thankful for other friends also chiming in with ideas of how to talk to kids about communion.  I have really great friends.

Kelly