My daughter's love for sunflowers is truly heartwarming. It all started when she was just a little girl, and she was immediately captivated by the vibrant colors and the sheer beauty of these flowers. As she grew older, her fascination only deepened, and now, sunflowers hold a special place in her heart.

Every summer and fall, our home is surrounded by a sea of sunflowers, creating a mesmerizing sight that never fails to bring joy to our family. The field behind our house transforms into a picturesque landscape, with the sunflowers swaying gently in the breeze, their golden petals glistening in the sunlight.

One of the most fascinating aspects of sunflowers is their unique behavior of tracking the sun's movement. Witnessing this natural phenomenon is like observing a dance choreographed by God Himself. From dawn till dusk, the sunflowers elegantly follow the sun's path across the sky, ensuring that they receive optimal sunlight for photosynthesis.

As the sunflowers mature, their focus shifts from sun-tracking to pollination. It's incredible to think that these flowers have a strategy to attract pollinators like bees. By orienting themselves towards the east, sunflowers not only maintain warmth but also make themselves more visible and appealing to bees, ensuring successful pollination and the continuation of their lifecycle.

In our home, the presence of sunflowers symbolizes not just beauty but also resilience and adaptability. They stand tall and proud, weathering the changing seasons with grace and poise. My daughter's admiration for these flowers goes beyond their physical appearance; it is a reflection of the beauty and wonder of the natural world that surrounds us.

Check out this short video.

It's truly incredible to observe the intricate beauty of these humble flowers and how they have evolved to thrive, adapting to their environment to ensure their survival and propagation. Just like these flowers, we can draw inspiration from nature's wisdom to navigate our own paths towards growth and strength, learning to overcome obstacles and flourish in our own unique ways.

Moreover, the analogy extends to our spiritual journey as well. Just as the flowers follow their natural instincts to bloom and spread their seeds, we are called to be faithful SON-followers, embodying the teachings and values that guide us towards a life of purpose and fulfillment. Psalm 113:1-3 reminds us of the importance of praising the Lord throughout our daily lives, from the moment the sun rises to when it sets, acknowledging His presence and grace in all aspects of our existence.

It is a profound and transformative practice to keep Jesus at the forefront of our thoughts and emotions throughout the entirety of our day. By beginning and ending our days with a focus on Him, we set the tone for a life infused with faith, gratitude, and spiritual connection. This continuous awareness of Jesus's presence serves as a guiding light, shaping our perspectives, decisions, and interactions with others. When our hearts and minds are aligned with the teachings of Jesus, we cultivate a sense of peace, purpose, and hope that sustains us through life's challenges and triumphs. Embracing this constant communion with God not only deepens our relationship with Him but also enriches our own spiritual growth and understanding. As we strive to keep Jesus in our thoughts from dawn till dusk, we invite His love and wisdom to permeate every aspect of our existence, bringing us closer to the divine and illuminating our path with grace and divine guidance.

Are you a SON-follower?

(Credit for the original thought behind this post goes to a Pinterest pin by forgethimknot.com)

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This week's craft is a Son-follower wreath. It was inspired by this sunflower wreath by It's Always Autumn, with a few changes of my own.

Supplies Needed: For the Wreath and petals: 12-inch wire wreath form (you may use a larger one, but you will need more bandanas for that) 10-golden-yellow bandanas (or 5 each of two different colors- entirely up to you) Scissors Spray Starch (Can be found in the laundry section of most grocers and Wal-Mart type stores) Iron and ironing board 40 4-inch zip ties (mine came from Wal-Mart) glue gun and glue sticks For the center: 1/8-inch-thick plywood at least 10-inches square (don't worry about exact dimensions as we will be cutting it down) Table saw with a fine blade pencil ruler drill and very small diameter drill bit thicker piece of wood - at least 1/2-inch thick and larger than your 1/8-inch piece (All of the above supplies for the center maybe replaced with a 9-1/2 to 9-3/4-inch wooden circle.) Dark Brown Acrylic Paint (I'm using Espresso Bean by Crafter's Collection) Polycrylic Sealant Sponge Brush Heavy Duty Stapler with 1/4-inch staples 4 4-inch zip ties For the Wording: Stencil film vinyl or Permanant vinyl in any color Transfer Tape Cricut (or similar) vinyl cutting machine Son-follower Wreath Cut file (available free when you sign up for the Mandy Creates Newsletter!) Acrylic paint in orange and yellow (I used Crafters Collection in Pumpkin and Straw Hat) Sponge brushes The wording can also be done in vinyl if you prefer. For instructions on this, see my blog post titled "Heavenly Fall Charcuterie Boards," although, I would recommend using the Polycrylic Sealant for this project.

Step 1: Cut and Iron Bandanas

Cut each bandana in quarters so that you end up with 4 squares (a total of 40 squares).

Spray each square with spray starch and iron on cotton setting until they are dry. You want to thoroughly cover each square with starch, but don't over saturate them or you may get a flakey white film. I found that my iron had a tendency to stick to the bandanas. Covering them with a piece of parchment paper from the kitchen fixed this problem. You just have to lift it to check for dryness. (My bandanas had a white tag sewn into the seam. I just cut it off with scissors so that it wouldn't show.)

Step 2: Make and attach the petals to the wreath

First, loop your zip ties around the outermost ring of the wreath form, putting the tail through the clasp only until it starts to click. My wreath form had 5 sections, so I put 4 ties in each section.

Repeat this step for the innermost ring of the wreath form.

To form the petals, fold the bandana squares into triangles with the right side and hemmed edges facing up. Starting in the middle of the folded edge, pinch up a small crease between the thumb and forefinger of one hand. Using the other hand, begin gathering the folded edge in small creases, holding each with the first hand, until you reach the corner of the triangle. Turn and repeat gathering on the other half of the fold.

Attach the petal to the outer ring of the wreath form by stuffing the gathered edge through one of the zip ties. Pull the tail of the tie to the back of the form and tighten the zip tie as much as possible, making sure that the entire edge is through the tie. (This can be a little tricky. I had a few petals that the centers came out from under the zip tie when I tightened it. If that happens to you, just clip the tie off and replace it, regather the petal and try again.)

Continue adding petals all the way around the wreath.

If you can't get the zip ties tight enough to prevent the petals from falling backward, don't panic. As long as the bandana is secure, you're in good shape.

Adjust the shape and position of the petals until you are happy with the way it looks. Carefully flip the entire wreath over. Put a good-sized glob of hot glue across each zip tie, making sure that you get it on the metal ring as well as the bandana. Once the glue is dry, cut the tails off of the used ties and set aside. (Don't throw these away. We will be using some of them later!)

Check that all of the petals are now secure (not flopping to the back) and add more glue to any that may need it.

Using the same process to form and attach petals, add petals to the inside ring of the wreath form. I did not feel the need to glue these to the back, but you may do so, if you wish.

Step 3: Cut the center wood circle

There are many ways to cut a circle from wood. A quick Google search will find several solutions. However, my father spends his days creating all kinds of things from wood. So, when I asked for his advice on the best and easiest way to accomplish this task, the following was the result:

We first determined what the diameter of the circle would be by measuring the distance across the smallest ring of the wreath form (mine was 8-3/4-inches) and adding a little (1/2-inch) to make sure it would fully cover the ends of the bandana-petals. This gave us a 9-1/4-inch diameter circle. So, we cut our 1/8-inch plywood into a 10-inch square to give us plenty of wood to work with.

We next found the center of this piece of wood by drawing a line, using a ruler, from the upper right corner to the lower left corner and then from the upper left corner to the lower right corner. Where these lines intersect is the center.

A hole was drilled using the smallest drill bit we had right through the center mark. Another hole was drilled about an inch into a thicker piece of wood at exactly half the diameter (4-5/8-inches) from the edge using that same bit. The bit was then removed from the drill and inserted in the hole in both boards (with the thinner one on top).

The thicker board was fit between the blade and fence of the table saw and the blade was raised just high enough to cut through the thinner board as it sat on top.

(Please ignore the markings on the wood!)

The remainder is easier explained by video of the process as it was performed.

It sounds complicated, but it was really quite easy and only took a few minutes!

Step 4: Paint the wood circle and prepare it for attachment

Using the Espresso Bean by Crafter's Collection (or other dark brown) acrylic paint and sponge brush, paint the wood circle on one side and the edge.

Once the paint is dry, apply a coat of Polycrylic Sealant and leave to dry.

Now, we are going to hot glue those zip tie "tails" we saved earlier to the back of another zip tie (see pics). (I know I don't have to say this, but hot glue is HOT! Be careful not to burn yourself!) We are going to prepare four zip ties in this manner.

Now, use the heavy-duty stapler and 1/4-inch staples to attach these zip ties to the back of the wood circle - one at the top, bottom and on each side. Make sure you are placing the staples over the part we just glued on. This will keep the staples from going all the way through the board.

The odd wing shape is from a failed laser project! I will reuse any and everything!

Step 5: Cut and apply word stencil and paint

Download the cut file for the I'm a Son-follower Wreath and upload it to Cricut Design Space (or the software required for your vinyl cutter). Size the design appropriately for your project. Mine is 9.5-inches wide and tall.

Be sure to attach everything together using that handy dandy "Attach" button at the bottom right of the screen and then cut out your stencil.

Unlike weeding other vinyl, you are going to weed out the parts that you want to paint on to your center board. So, you will remove the letters and the outlines of the flowers, leaving the vinyl around the outside of the design and the details in the center of the flowers.

You will then use transfer tape to shift everything over to the board itself. Go over the stencil film gently, but thoroughly and ensure that every edge is firmly stuck down.

Apply desired color paint to the appropriate areas of the stencil using the sponge brushes. It's best to pour some paint on a paper plate and dip the brush in it rather than pouring the paint directly onto the stencil. For the first coat of paint, "pounce" the paint on by bouncing the brush along the areas you are trying to color - DO NOT BRUSH the paint on as this may cause bleeding around the edges of the stencil. Once the first coat is dry, apply a second coat using very gentle brush strokes. This will help even out the color as well as any stippling texture caused by the initial pouncing. A third coat may be applied, if desired, once the second one is dry.

When the final coat is mostly dry, remove the stencil. Start with the largest piece first and then remove the smaller inside pieces using your vinyl weeding pick just as you would weed vinyl. Be careful when using the pick as it can easily scratch the painted areas. Allow the paint to fully dry.

Step 6: Attach center to Wreath

Place your center board on top of your wreath and center it as well as you can visually. Reach under the wreath and grab the tail of one of the zip ties you have stapled to the back of your center board. Wrap the tail under the inner ring of the wreath form and up between the inner and second rings. Push the tail through head of the zip tie just until it clicks. repeat with the zip tie directly opposite the first.

Now, adjust both ties until they are snug, and the board is centered in that direction (left to right or up and down).

Repeat with the remaining set of ties.

I chose to leave my wreath as is, but you may adorn it as you like (A nice fall colored bow might be attractive!). Either way, have a fun and blessed crafting time!