Yesterday afternoon the kids and I finally started putting together the Stations of the Cross Grotto Kit that I purchased a couple years ago. After taking everything out of the box, and seeing just how many popsicle sticks were included, I nearly packed it up for another year… I’m so glad that I didn’t!
We started with the first station, putting it together from start to finish…
… including all the pretty little gemstones.
After that, we decided to make the rest at the same time. Each of the kids choose two stations to assemble, while I worked on the remaining five. This really speeded up the process! I did do all the cutting, but the kids were able to glue together the popsicle sticks, add the Station names and numbers, and help put the 3-D Dots for each layer of the beautiful pictures.
We worked on them yesterday afternoon, and then again after dinner, finishing everything except for the gemstones before bedtime.
The girls and I just finished adding the rest of the gemstones and I was hoping to post pictures, but for some reason I can’t get my digital card reader to work… (I’ve never had this problem, and I am hoping that I don’t need to buy a new one.) I guess I will have to come back later to show you the finished results. They turned out lovely!
Update: You can see our completed Stations of the Cross Grottos here.
They're lovely!
What a great family project!
Looks like they weren't so intimidating after all. Lots of little pieces, but they turned out lovely. That's a really neat project.
I made mine two years ago…they are really pretty.
I clipped them to a ribbon (or was it fishing line?) over the double door frame of our dining room and they attracted alot of attention.
How are you going to display them?
I need to get those out on display for this Lent!
I, too, am wondering where you are going to put them up!?! I am sure you will find a most lovely place for their display in your home!
That is great Jessica! How Fun!
great idea!
What a beautifully completed project. Everyone did such a great job. It is very inspiring indeed!
Beautiful! The children did such a wonderful job! This would add another step to already long project, but wouldn't they look distinguished if you could stain the popsicle sticks with a dark wood tone? –J.C.
those are just lovely and a good reminder to me to snatch up some good projects for "later"! I don't think mine could manage that quite yet, but soon they will. God bless you.
We really enjoyed putting this kit together!
As for how we are going to display them. . . Right now they are lined up on the windowsill and fit perfectly. I think I might just leave them there for now. We'll see.
J.C. ~ My husband said the same thing! In fact, he suggested that we just skip the gemstones all together and stain the popsicle sticks, but at that point the kids and I had already put gemstones on the First Station, so it really wasn't an option.
They look great, Jessica, and you are braver than I – – I didn't let the kids help when I made them a few years ago! Good job!!
God Bless,
Jennifer F.
http://www.homespunluv.blogspot.com
These are great – how old do you think the children would need to be to do this craft project with minimal assistance from a parent?
The kit is recommended for children age 10 and up… or for children 6 and up with close parental supervision and guidance. My oldest boys were 9 and 10 when we made this last year and they still needed supervision. This year I think they would have been able to do it completely on their own. Hope that helps!
LOVE LOVE This