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Make a Paper Chain. Book Launch Countdown!

November 18, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner 11 Comments

Paper Chain Countdown

My sister and I made paper chains to count down to any exciting occasion. Gracie Lee and her little sister made paper chains, too. With so many things to count down, including lots of family birthdays, I decided it was high time I reinstitute the paper chain countdown. I’m starting today and counting down to the launch date of The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee.

January 28, 2016 is only 71 days, y’all!

This chain is fancier than the regular construction paper ones my sister and I made. Cooler paper choices = one of the benefits of being an adult in 2015 compared to a child in the seventies. I was a little bit ecstatic to use all the paper scraps I’ve been saving.

And now for a small sermon…

We live in an instant gratification society, right? Unlike Gracie Lee’s day, kids no longer have to wait until Saturday morning to watch cartoons. I record The Voice and watch it whenever, skipping right through all the commercials (not that I’m complaining). But bottom line, learning to wait for things isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Watching for things. Counting down to things.

Making a paper chain is a simple, visual way to enjoy the journey.

All that’s needed is paper, glue, and scissors. You can fancy yours up with embellishments (more on this later) or not.

make a paper chain!

Cut strips into uniform sizes. My strips are six inches long. Tip: If young kids are doing this craft, I recommend longer strips for easier handling.

I loosely arranged my strips, color coded by months. November = fall colors; December = Christmas colors; January = fun/modge-podge of colors for Gracie Lee. (Turquoise is her favorite, but oddly enough, I didn’t have much by the way of turquoise paper…)

What would Gracie Lee do? she'd countdown to book release!

I used tiny clothespins to keep my links together until the glue dried. (Scrapbook paper is heavier than regular construction paper and the links wanted to pop apart.) You could use a hot glue gun as well, but I went old school with Elmer’s. There’s just something fun about getting dried glue all over your fingertips.

I added embellishments to special days. The next few weeks are full of occasions in our family. Thanksgiving, Momma’s birthday, Kelsey’s birthday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, John’s birthday, New Year’s Eve/Day, wedding anniversary, BOOK LAUNCH!

Make a paper chain to countdown to book launch and other special occasions!

I used part of my manuscript for the final link which coincides with my book launch date. And I added a smiley face because that’s what Gracie Lee would do.

Are you counting down to a special date?

See the sand in my grasp
from the first to the last
every grain becomes a memory of the past.
Life’s an hourglass.
~Mindy Gledhill

The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee - preorder for Christmas!

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

p.s. Soon you’ll be able to preorder, and although you won’t have the book in your hands by Christmas, you can count down and wait for it, right?

[tweetthis]Make a paper chain and countdown to the good things in life. It’s what #GracieLee would do. #NewRelease #DebutNovel [/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:
Mindy Gledhill, Hourglass

 

Filed Under: Crafts, Memories, Simple Pleasures Tagged With: book launch, Gracie Lee, NaBloPoMo, new release, paper chain, SYP Publishing, Talya Tate Boerner novel, The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee

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Comments

  1. Dorothy Johnson says

    November 18, 2015 at 9:23 am

    Your sophisticated paper chain makes me want to bring out my craft paper and join you. I love the color coding and embellishments for special days. As always, creative.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      November 18, 2015 at 9:58 am

      Thank you Dorothy! Would love for you to join me:)

      Reply
  2. Barbara Tate says

    November 18, 2015 at 9:25 am

    Love paper chains! I really loved my “bat link” on your paper chain. Enjoyed this post very much, as I, too, am counting down the days till The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee comes out. Let’s just skip Thanksgiving, birthdays, Christmas, New Years, and get right on to the launch party ( No, we can’t do that.)

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      November 18, 2015 at 9:58 am

      No. The journey is a huge part of the fun!

      Reply
  3. Colene says

    November 18, 2015 at 10:18 am

    I’ve enjoyed sharing this journey with you. Love your paper! I know Gracie will be worth the wait!

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      November 18, 2015 at 10:29 am

      Thank you Colene. I appreciate you!

      Reply
  4. frances creecy says

    November 18, 2015 at 10:25 am

    Looking forward to Miss Gracie Lee’s story.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      November 18, 2015 at 10:30 am

      Thank you, Frances:)

      Reply
  5. Katharine says

    November 18, 2015 at 10:03 pm

    Paper chains are so useful. My kiddos learned to alphabetize by arranging words on links. In Sunday School the students made a chain printed with names of people we were praying for, to decorate our classroom. Such a sweet harvest to paint answered prayer links with glue and glitter. And my daughter entertained a small child she was babysitting by the two of them making a chain long enough to drape all around her 20×40 bedroom/study. Lots of links, there…
    Never thought of marking time that way, though. I love that idea.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      November 19, 2015 at 8:20 am

      Thanks Katharine. It’s a tradition in our family:)

      Reply
  6. Rachel says

    November 19, 2015 at 11:13 am

    That is the prettiest paper chain I’ve ever seen! I’m officially inspired! 🙂

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (Now Available!)

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