Renamed, improved and on PayPal !!!

We are very happy to announce that this blog has been renamed Creative Catholics. It was formerly known as The Creative Catholic Centre.

Why? Well, one, I think it sounds better. Also some people spell centre (British style), while others spell it as center (the American way) so I thought I'd just eliminate the word. Spare everyone the confusion (not to mention lost traffic - just in case there was a verbal recommendation).

And that's that...

GONE INTERNATIONAL

I thank my God each time think how He sent some of the most unexpected orders my way. So far, I haven't really promoted this blog and most of the orders come from people who know me from church and my blog was just a catalog for them to check out how my knotted Rosaries look like.

A month or two into its existence, I started receiving orders from the foreign students studying here, who serve in Lifeline, our youth ministry. Before I knew it Cradle Creations has made its way into Indonesia.

Then, there's my very good friend Mama C, who left for New Zealand to spend Christmas there. She ordered 10 Rosaries and Crosses from me as presents for her nieces and nephews who live there.

(These are the 10 pieces of my latest creations in NZ)

I was already very happy ... never dreaming of my handmade pieces ever leaving Malaysian shores... then out of the blue, I received an email from a New Yorker....

That blew me away. This Catholic from Warwick, St Stephen's parish wanted to order my Rosary Wrist Bands - Garden Of Roses and the Christmas+Easter. I was so excited. However, I felt so ill prepared as I have not learned much about transacting money online.

God sent him to teach me something new and indeed He did. Somehow God even sent me a short 1-day FREE internet marketing course along the way - within my research time.

To cut a long story short, I finally settled on setting up a PayPal account and finally transacted with my new friend in NY. Thanks for your patience RL ;-)

With baby Mary in my life now (read my main blog if this information seems like Greek), time is indeed a priceless commodity, but I'm sure God will open up time for me in this new area of my life...

I will soon feature the other creative catholics and their products and services - in time for Christmas I pray.

So keep coming back...

God bless
Hazel

Come Celebrate St Thomas More feast day this Sunday!

In conjunction with our parish's very first feast day celebrations, I have made a limited edition St Thomas More keychain.

Red is used to signify More's martyrdom.

This design is a combination of plait and knot.

It can also double up as Rosary wrist band for those who fit.

Price: $10/pc

Sad news is all my martyrdom series and those designs with red (Colours of Christ and Blood of Christ) may have to discontinue if I can no longer find this chilly red nylon twine.

I pray the stock will arrive. According to the sales girl at one of the DIY shops, it is very unpredictable.

I shall storm heaven, please pray with me.

Great Things Come In Small Packages

Indeed, great things come in small packages. Small Rosaries when prayed, can drive evil away. When you buy a beautifully handmade Cradle Creations Knotted Rosary, your precious "weapon" is wrapped in little brown envelopes.







You can also buy our little packages to wrap other gifts. These little brown envelopes (with a recycled paper feel) is also handmade.

Price: $1/pc.







I have also made little packages with mini Chaplets. If you would like to have one of these for your gifts, you have to pay an additional $2 for it.

It's actually the price for the mini Chaplets. I thought it's quite cute on the little brown envelopes.
So far, I've only made four.
Red (1pc), Yellow (1pc) and Whites(2pcs).

Update: No longer available. Made upon request.
















When your purchases are above $30, we wrap your Rosaries in these Cradle Creations organza pouches.

If you just want to buy the pouches ...
Price: $3/pc. Available.

Happy Shopping, while helping to build our church - Parish of St Thomas More, Subang Jaya, Amen!

Rosary Wrist Bands

Wearing wrist bands is now a trend to make a statement - fight against cancer, hunger, and recently in our parish, even to encourage Catholic youths to be proud of their faith.... taking that cue, these Rosary wrist bands are made to remind Catholic youths to be proud of the identity the Rosary gives us.

We always know another Catholic from the Rosary that hangs on their car rear view mirror... so how about from their wrist bands as well?










From top clockwise:

White Band/Keychain ($ 8) sold out (made upon request)
White+Yellow Band/Keychain ($ 9) sold out (made upon request)
Garden Of Roses Band (Blood of Christ colour combo - $ 15) sold out (made upon request)
Colours Of Christ Band/keychain ($ 10) sold out (made upon request)











Garden Of Roses with the Christmas+Easter Band
Christmas+Easter Band ($ 15) sold out (made upon request)







Close-up of the Christmas+Easter Band









Plain Cross Band for Christian friends who may not be comfortable with a Rosary ($ 10) sold out (made upon request).











More shots of the Garden of Roses Band.

Update - this design is one of Cradle Creations' bestsellers.

The Crucifix + Centrepiece Collection

Crucifix has the 4 main Roman Basilicas, while the centrepiece is about the Fatima Apparition (behind is a little soil from Fatima - framed).

Price: $40. Sold out. Made upon request.

If made with Cotton Cord then price is $45. Made upon request.







Crucifix is John Paul II's staff, while centrepiece is papal (JPII and Benedict XVI)

Price: $40 (thick cord), $45 (cotton cord)

Made upon request.




Crucifix is of the Holy Trinity, while centrepiece is a Jerusalem cross.

Price: $38 (made with thin cord, used for the St Thomas More Rosary)

Made upon request.



Crucifix is of Risen Christ, while centrepiece is Divine Mercy and Our Lady of Gudalupe.

Price: $48 (double cord, thin)

Made upon request.






Please note: Purchases above $30 comes with a FREE Cradle Creations organza pouch.

Colours of the Liturgy

Since I became aware of a thing called the Liturgical Colours of the church sometime end 2007, early 2008 (so late in my Catholic walk, right?), it has been my "little mission" to help others appreciate its role and beauty in our faith life.

The changing colours helps me to feel the different moods of the worship we experienced from Advent to Christmas, Ordinary Time into Lent. And after Lent into Easter and back into Ordinary Time, leading o a new Advent.

Having the full range of the Liturgical Colours, can help you pray in the right mood and frame of mind during the Liturgical Year.



From right :

Green (Ordinary Time - $18). Made upon request.

White (Feast Days - $10). Made upon request.

White+Yellow with crucifix only (Christmas+Easter Day - $35). Made upon request.

Red (Passion Sunday, Pentecost, Feasts of Martyrs, $10). Made upon request.

Purple+Pink (Advent+Lent - $22). Made upon request.

The Advent/Lent Rosary is subject to the availability of the Chinese Colour Rope (is the most expensive cord used in my collection so far)

I've recently received an order to fix a crucifix + centrepiece for this colour combo. Charges for that order is $60.

If you would like to fix a crucifix + centrepiece for the Ordinary Time Rosary, charges will be $50.

Double + Trinity Cord Collection

Blood of Christ
I experimented with two cords when knotting this piece and it turned out great. My artist friend Christine Das and her husband now owns it. Hope she'll let me feature her in this blog. Her artwork is comtemporary and beautiful.

Here's a bible quotation that gives meaning to the double cord Rosary.

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10 says:
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn't have another to lift him up.

Red = Blood of Christ
Brown = Cross of Christ
Price : $15 (made upon request)

Cross of Christ

After the success of the double cord, of course I went for three cords... thank God it was another success. This piece now lives in Kuching. I'm sure in the hands of a good Catholic man....

Ecclesiastes 4: 12
If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threehold cord is not quickly broken.

This Reading is often used for weddings and marriages. Good as a wedding or anniversary gift. Can be packed in His+Hers packaging (refer to my organza pouches earlier).

Price: $20 (made upon request)