DIY: Adoption Nest Egg

Sometimes, an adoption can take place in a whirlwind.  Everything falls into place and you know it's just a God thing.

Other times, the journey to adoption can be agonizingly long.  Raising the funds needed to even begin the process can be a struggle, and the couple longing for their little one needs a lot of encouragement.  {And just because it takes longer certainly doesn't mean that it's any less of God's plan}

A few months ago, I wanted to get an adoption-themed gift for dear friends who have been waiting to adopt for a very long time, and I was surprised by the lack of adoption gifts out there.  Don't get me wrong, there are lovely, beautiful, heartfelt adoption gifts in Christian bookstores, on Etsy, and via various retailers on the web.  But they're almost all adoption baby shower gifts for families who have already brought their little one home, or at least are on their way.  Not gifts that say, "I know this is a long road, but I'm praying for you," or "I have faith that God will bring your sweet baby soon."

Every once in a while, that's what your friend-in-waiting needs to hear.

When I couldn't find a gift that matched what I was hoping to find, I decided to make one myself.  And instead of spending a lot of money on a knick-knack, Handsome Man and I chose to put the money we would have spent inside of the gift and let our dear friends know that it was money to go towards the adoption.

Every little bit helps, right?

This is what I came up with:  a little adoption nest egg.

What you need:
♥ scrapbook paper (I used a blue that was textured like a robin's egg)
♥ pretty fabric for the top
♥ cotton batting, a scrap of fleece, or anything to make the lid look a little more soft and plush
♥ twine
♥ skeleton leaf (I bought a package of them forever ago at Michaels, but you can also make them using Amy's tutorial here at The Idea Room)
♥ wire nest charm (using Sarah Ortega's tutorial)
♥ wide-mouth mason jar

I rolled a cylinder of the scrapbook paper, glued it in place, and set it inside of the mason jar.  I placed our "nest egg money" inside of the jar and closed the lid.  Then I glued some batting to the top of the lid, placed a circle of fabric on top, glued it in place, and then tied it down with twine.  I made the wire nest charm and glued it carefully to the twine.  Finally, I took a skeleton leaf, and traced a piece of cardstock to match the size and shape.  On the piece of cardstock, I wrote, "Fly home soon, Little Bird," and then glued the skeleton leaf on top of it to add a pretty texture to the leaf-tag.

It didn't take very long at all for me to make this, but when my friend opened it, 

she knew that the gift was heartfelt.