Every year crafters work endless hours making the special items they hope will bring joy to others. On their own, they may not seem like such investments in time, but when added together into a collection, the magnitude of effort is revealed.

This year, I have decided to designate a decorated box for each of my children as a place to collect the items I am making with them in mind. It not only works as a way to stay organized, but it has the added advantage of becoming a treasure chest of sorts. Each item added, while on its own might seem simple or small, will become part of a collection representing the love I have for the recipient, and a reflection of the joy I experienced in the making of gifts.

There will be an added gift in the treasure box – a gift that I will receive. If fatigue or doubt threaten to dampen my seasonal joy, I can simply open the boxes one by one and see the result of my efforts. It will be a reminder that my fatigue is the price I have chosen to pay in order to make gifts, gifts crafted from love, for my children.

I discuss this treasure box idea in this week’s video. Plus I will share how I have used patchwork and printables to create ornaments for my Christmas tree. You will find below three downloadable files with patterns/templates for a few of the projects I share this week. I hope they bring you as much joy as they did me.

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