Yup…this is a doozy of a post! You might want to make some popcorn…and get out a notepad while you’re at it cause I think you’ll like some of these ideas!!
Do you remember the peach and plum abundance this summer?! Well we’re reveling in it again…this time with apples and pears. It’s marvelous! My father was an apple grower for much of my life…and my father-in-law has been studying and working with fruit trees (mainly apples) for most of his life…so our little family is used to fresh produce being around…in abundance…and very consistently. It’s a blessing that we are aware of and very grateful for.
So right now on the porch are bushels and bushels of apples and pears!! It’s beautiful to look at so much crunchy, healthy goodness! But every single bit of that goodness has to be processed…sliced, diced, sauced, and canned…! Yikes!!! Blessings with stipulations…still blessings!!! 
Today we sauced. Which was perfect because it is a very forgiving process in regards to interruptions…which were constant I tell you!!! 
::We use a very basic process. -wash –chop into sixths –cook in large stew pot filled with water until soft –drain water – run fruit through squeezo (big food mill) –pour into jars – can in steam canner. *our sauce is eaten by very little children so we don’t use any sweeteners on the batch…cinnamon and sugar are added by taste when eaten.
And while momma was working on sauce little hands were very busy making wrapping paper for Christmas. (Littlest hands were blessedly sleeping!!!) It is a priority in our family to teach our children how to do things. Instilling the knowledge that there is a value and lasting effect from making something with your hands that lasts longer than the item or activity itself. Buying wrapping paper for gifts isn’t going to break the bank…but this is very green, very worthwhile, and very fun!!!
Printed Wrapping Paper
Materials: Large roll of paper*
Apples and Pears
Acrylic craft paint
Cookie sheet
*Nearby there is a small printing factory that prints brochures, pamphlets, maps, etc. The enormous rolls of paper used for printing are only used until ~98% gone. Which leaves a large amount of beautiful paper (well…at least large for home use) on the roll that is useless to them as the machine can’t feed it through. The point…they recycle it…and are happy to give it to away!!! Our family has gotten so many rolls over the years. It is invaluable to have unlimited amounts of paper at children’s disposal. So check out your yellow pages for a printing company that may be able to hook you up!!!
Step 1. Cut the pears lengthwise, and the apples crosswise…making sure you make a very flat cut.
Step 2. Depending on your little ones age and hand size you might want to cut little notches to make it easier to hang on to the fruit.
Step 3. Pour a generous amount of paint onto your cookie sheet.
Step 4. Rub the cut side of the fruit onto the paint until it is completely and evenly covered.
Step 5. Print once on a scrap paper then print on the wrapping paper repeatedly in a random or planned design until the print becomes too light.
Step 6. Rub the fruit in the paint again and repeat the process.
Step 7. Allow to dry.
You now have beautiful wrapping paper that was a joy to make…is a joy to give…and will be a joy to receive!!!
Printed Happiness Cards
We used the same process as used for the wrapping paper and printed cards to be given as sets for gifts. It is something that can be made almost entirely by little hands…which made the little hands in this house very happy!!
We cut 4 1/4” x 10 1/2” papers, folded them in half and printed a single pear on each. There is something so perfect about the shape of a pear… I wonder why we don’t like it when we are shaped like pears…ah well!!!
We weren’t picky with placement on the card…though we tried to center them…the irregularities in placement and printing add so much to their charm though.
Allow to dry and write “Happiness…” underneath…or anything else that suits your fancy. I thought having something written underneath would work better compositionally, and “happiness” seemed to leave things open enough that the card could fit many occasions. And the prints make me happy…but maybe that’s because I’m the momma!!
Super easy, super fun, and just darling!!!
Bundled with envelopes and tied with twine, string, yarn, or a bit of fabric I think they will be lovely gifts from a lovely little girl.
I hope you are enjoying lots of wonderful apple and pear days in your homes as well!!!
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