matcha and miso

Wonderful weekend

2010-04-05T21:03:00.003-03:00

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Easter. With the weather so warm, it was lovely here. We went downtown on Saturday for some last-minute Easter shopping. Then Sunday I took the kids to Church. They decorated (more) eggs and ate way too much candy. After lunch, we all drove to the park and walked along the waterfront and in the woods. Here are some pics:

Emma and Rowan climbing one of the parks many rocks. On the other side of that bluff is the seaside! Not nice swimming water, though. I don't let my kids near that water--so very, very gross!

I'm up on that bluff, now, and looking to one side. There are two beaches here. This is the second one, and is (obviously) rocky. The other side (behind the camera) is sandy. Again, yucky water. I don't let the kids pick up much beach debris. Last year the water was much cleaner.

All there is to find are mussel shells, sea urchins, and the odd crab leg. And yucky stuff (won't mention what, but this is a city beach, so you can use your imagination).

Even a yucky-water beach can still be very pretty.

This picture reminds me of Elsa Beskow's Children of the Forest. On one of the last pages, spring has come and the streams are full of meltwater. The forest children are busy paddling and playing. But there is no risk of getting wet, cold, and sick, for "no child of the forest ever catches a cold" (or something like that). Rowan, on the other hand, is very susceptible to getting sick.

And Rowan picking coltsfoot flowers and a red-squirrel.

Today we went to another beach, but my camera was dying so I left it at home (no pics, sorry!). It was so warm, there were children running about in their bathing suits! This beach is clean with white, imported sand. But there weren't any shells to collect. We'll have to take a trip to a beachcombing type beach this summer. I love collecting beach glass!

Good Friday at the park

2010-04-02T18:46:00.002-03:00

It was a lovely day here. It was warm enough for the kids to run around the playground in thick sweaters, though I kept Ben's wool hat on him because he's still recovering from a nasty cold.

The kids started off by kicking a soccer ball around the field. Then off to the playground:

Rowan is rarely without a found stick. Above he is using the playground structure as a xylophone.

Rowan found a piece of concrete. He was fascinated by all the rocks buried within it. He spent a good part of our time outside trying to get them out. He pounded the rock on the granite boulders until the concrete came apart.

This picture shows one of the treasures found inside. It was a rock.

Tree climbing...

Then we checked to see what was growing in the community garden.

Then the walk back home led us past flowers and buds.

It was wonderful getting out after being nearly shut-ins during weeks of illness. I was happy every day it rained, because then I didn't feel I was missing out so much. But now we're almost all healed, spring is upon us and the days are warm. These are beautiful days and not to be missed!

new etsy finds!

2010-03-29T15:02:00.000-03:00

I'm wasting time again...

But look at these beautiful finds! Sorry, no photos--you'll just have to be surprised!

beautiful prints and postcards

wall decals

scrabble-tile pendants

So much more, too. But now I've got to build a box to ship some bunnies. Great fun.

month's end

2010-03-28T15:00:00.000-03:00

I know I haven't posted in a while. Sorry...

We've been keeping busy. Today I took Emma and Rowan to church (Ben has the worst cold of his life, so he stayed at home with Daddy), and there were presenters from USC Canada. The presentation was about seed diversity in the various regions in which the group operates. It was very interesting, and I brought home a map--The Seed Map, which you can find in PDF form on their website. I've taped it up over our regular world map for now.

I've been felting a lot. I finished up some more bunnies for a friend in Ontario, and I just finished making a ball with pretty pink flowers. I've only just begun to realize the difficulties imposed by CPSIA's tagging regulations. For now, I am unable to send anything specifically for kids south of the border. For a little while I was seriously considering giving up my Etsy shop entirely.

We had our weekly Waldorf playgroup at my house this Friday. It didn't go well, but it has prompted my husband and me to do a thorough spring cleaning/de-cluttering, which is a positive result. So far we've eliminated 100 books and 4 garbage bags of clothing/toys/kitchen/craft supplies. And the purge is still underway! I am loathe to actually throw away the enormous amount of Playmobil we've accumulated. I actually like Playmobil. But it's a little embarassing having it strewn all over during a Waldorf playgroup. We do have other toys more appropriate, such as a Plan dollhouse and farm set, playsilks and hand-crafted creatures, dress-up clothes, a (very small) wooden kitchen. LOTS of wooden blocks. But when kids come over the plastic wins hands-down. So the Playmobil has been put away. We kept our Easter bunny set out for now (what with Easter next week!) and plan to rotate themes. Perhaps next week the Playmobil knights will come out for a visit.

What else have we been doing? Rowan and Emma had two homeschool art classes each this week at AGNS. I love these classes because the gallery's cafe has wonderful coffee (with a free refill), and it's great to talk to the other homeschooling moms. Then they learned about vermiculture at the Discovery Centre homeschooling workshop.

So, sorry about lack of photos and posts. I hope you are all enjoying the sunny weather!

SPRING!

2010-03-21T16:09:00.000-03:00

Yesterday was the first day of Spring, and it showed. 20 degrees celsius, and we were stuck inside because a) Rowan's still not the best and b) it was Emma's 8th birthday party.

Not only did I not have an outside party on such a beautiful day (for shame, but given our usual not-so-springy weather this time of year I can hardly be blamed), but I DIDN'T TAKE A SINGLE PHOTOGRAPH!!! It was a lovely party. Wonderful food, wonderful friends, wonderful gifts. I'm so sorry about the lack of pics. Really, I am.

Anyway, with the birthday prep and stress out of the way, it's time to make way from Easter planning. Eggs. Bunnies. Not that I haven't made enough bunnies...I'm actually making a new one, too, for Etsy.

Here are some hen egg warmers I'm putting on Etsy. They're crafted from pure wool felt, with wool stuffing in the heads and bead eyes. In this photo I've included a way too big egg, and they're eyeing it in...discomfort. I will actually be selling the eggwarmers with three smaller needle felted eggs. Check out my Etsy shop to see!

Wilderbeats at the Library

2010-03-17T15:34:00.000-03:00

We are very fortunate to have this wonderful local musical group for kids--The Wilderbeats! We first heard them play on Emma's second birthday at Halifax's Museum of Natural History. They've changed a lot since then, but are still wonderful. They've been performing at local libraries during March Break, and we decided to take advantage of this and go listen. We own one of their CDs and they played almost all our favourite songs.

You can go to their website and stream or download their best songs. They're songs about nature and are really very good.

The photo to the left is from their website--I forgot my camera today. They were dressed in green for St. Patricks's Day today and sang a rendition of "Whiskey in the Jar" they'd reworded themselves--"Cookies in the Jar." They also sang "Here come's the Sun" to celebrate the seemingly early beginning of spring!

Goodbye Grandad

2010-03-15T18:00:00.000-03:00

This isn't a long post. My grandfather passed away earlier today. I just wanted to post a photo of him from a far happier, healthier time. This is him celebrating his 60th wedding anniversary.

Lots of love, Grandad. I'm going to miss you.

Homeschool time at the park

2010-03-14T17:43:00.001-03:00

A friend of mine created a new playgroup this past Friday for us homeschoolers. It was a surprise, really. I'd been invited out to a local park for what I thought was a playdate. But no, it was the beginning of something really wonderful. A large group of homeschoolers (twelve or so children, all friends) had gathered with us for stories, crafts, and a good time!

Here are some pics from Friday morning. Thank you so much, Dulseigh--you are wonderful!

On the left are the birdfeeders that the kids made. They were made without peanut butter (Emma's allergic).

Emma spreading margarine on a pinecone scavenged from the park.

Rowan dipping his pinecone in bird seed.

Hanging up the finished feeder.

Storytime!

Making a flying bird.

Everyone had a wonderful time. And it is to become a regular (biweekly) homeschool event! We are very excited. This is exactly what I wanted homeschooling to be.

On a sad note, today was not so fun. We travelled to my grandparents' nursing home to say goodbye to my grandad. He is dying, and it was very hard to see him so weak and having such trouble breathing. I am really going to miss him. It was his birthday today, and there was cake and balloons, but it was a very un-cheerful day.

Bedtime cleanup

2010-03-10T21:14:00.004-04:00

We have way too many toys. Too much Playmobil and Lego. Too many books, wood blocks, toy cars, engines. You name it, we have too much of it. Especially for a two-bedroom apartment!

Sure, toys can be great sources for imagination and creativity. Like these Lego people Rowan made this evening. Each one has a name to match his constructed 'personality.'

The one on the far right, for example, is 'eye-y eye'. There is 'Mister Yes/No,' 'Mister Think-y think.' Etc. Rowan's in bed right now, but I'm sure he would still remember all their names.

But all that creativity comes at a cost. A GREAT BIG MESS!!!

And the mess extended well past the bedroom, I'm afraid. As usual, I tackled the kitchen while Robert helped the kids with the toys. Even with help and lots of time, the task is tiring. Rowan wanted to keep playing! Here he is, very very unhappy I'm afraid. Lots of tears.

But don't worry--he went to bed happy. His daddy went in and played shadow puppets with him, and I read him "The Ugly Duckling" (his new favourite). Still, I have to think about how to make bedtimes more calm. Something isn't working. Perhaps toys shouldn't come out after dinner? I'd love to have routine clean-up times spread through the day, but I hate interrupting play to do this. I would love to hear any suggestions!

Sometimes I wish we had only a few toys...that would solve the problem rather quickly--"Come on, children. Put your toy away. It's bedtime." :-)

Playground!

2010-03-07T17:05:00.002-04:00

What a beautiful day. It is warm. It is sunny. Emma, Ben and I went to enjoy ourselves at the nearby playground. It's quite a wonderful playground, since it has many trees to clamber upon and around, rocks to climb, sand to dig in. There is a public field and sledding slopes (also good for rolling down). There is even a community garden.

Ben fell asleep on the way over, so I read a few chapters of Momo by Michael Ende while Emma found and played with a new friend. Ben eventually woke up and got to play, too. Here are a few photos documenting the day's fun!

Rolling down hills

The community garden hasn't woken up yet.

Ben's getting too almost too big to carry!

It's too bad that Rowan still had a bad cough and couldn't join us. It was warm enough to remove hats and mitts for a short while (such promise of spring!), but he's only just recovering. The final chill of winter will be gone before too long, and then we'll forget what cold is for a time. I should read The Tomten one last time before retiring it until Winter '11.

"Winters come and winters go,

Summers come and summers go,

Soon the swallows will be here"

--from The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren

Supplies

2010-03-05T18:52:00.001-04:00

I needed more brown wool. My last supply was the remnants of my spinning Coopsworth (natural brown shade), and it is all but used up. I needed brown right away, too, because I've had another request on Etsy for a brown bunny.

It was so cold today, not so spring-like after all, but Ben and I made our way downtown to The Loop Craft Cafe to buy more. They didn't have any of the brown Coopsworth, which was okay because it didn't really felt all that well. I bought a grey/brown mix of (maybe) Shetland. I hope it needle felts! It's in roving form, rather than top. I'm learning more and more about fibres right now.

I also picked up two new fine felting needles. Then, I went to the tobacconist (!) and bought natural pipecleaners. These are for forming the inner frameworks for needlefelting figures. I normally sculpt my creatures without a framework, but am game to try something new.

Crafts with the kids

2010-03-03T16:06:00.003-04:00

We got out the glitter and glue today. Part of the incentive was a notice from "our friendly local library" that one of the books we have out--Usborne's Things for Girls to Make and Do--is due back soon. Here are the results of our crafty endeavors.

First we made a princess in a tower. After that, I made a crown for Rowan, inspired by the crowns in the book, but not following the instructions particularly. Emma was jealous, even though I'd helped her a great deal with making the princess tower. She stuck some feathers in her dress-up headband and refused all offers for me to make her a similar silver crown with sparkles, glitter, etc. I took a lovely picture of her angrily sticking her tongue out at Rowan, but I decided to leave that off the blog!

Happy Birthday, Ben

2010-02-28T16:51:00.004-04:00

Our "Benjamin Bunny" celebrated his second birthday today. We had a Peter Rabbit party for him. Here are some photos from our day...

Ben was given this beautiful stroller (from Nova Natural) for his doll, Ollie. Sorry Ben's out of focus...he was unable to stand still for this shot! He was given this a week before his birthday, when it arrived in the mail.

"Reading" his Peter Rabbit birthday card.

A cutout Peter Rabbit set-up.

Blowing out the candles.

First signs of spring

2010-02-27T17:35:00.006-04:00

I'm so excited! On our way home from the library today we saw shoots of spring flowers poking up through the soil. And it's not even (quite) March!

Also, the buds are getting larger on bushes and trees.

Winter goodbye,

You may no longer stay,

Springtime is on its way;

Winter goodbye,

Winter goodbye.

(traditional German)

Fit for a Queen

2010-02-26T11:58:00.002-04:00

Emma and Ben were playing tea-party this morning. Also, Emma pretended I was a Queen and set up a 'high tea' for me, complete with throne.

I love how the table looks with the silks covering it, and with the natural light coming through the window. If you look carefully, you might see how much rain is on the glass. It seems as if our Spring rains have come a bit early.

Modelling after a long day

2010-02-25T19:38:00.002-04:00

I'm tired. I had my parents-in-law over for lunch, took the kids to a homeschooling science program (wonderful), and then shopped a bit with some of the money I made selling my bunny!

Then we got locked out of our apartment. I called Robert at work and he said he'd walk to meet us half-way. Part way down the street, though, I found my keys in my pocket! I quickly called Robert back before he'd left work. All the while, Ben's diaper needed to be changed. He was very stinky!

After a hasty but yummy supper of sardines, berries, and homemade bread, I took out the plasticine I'd bought the children today. Modelling is such a great way of letting them get out their experiences from the day, and to help them make sense of what goes on around them. Here are a few pics of them at work and play. The one above is of Emma imprinting her ring onto the plasticine.

Needle Felted Bunny

2010-02-24T10:27:00.001-04:00

I'm loving needle-felting right now! After finishing King Winter, I made Ben a bunny for his birthday. But that's supposed to be a suprise, so you'll have to wait. THIS bunny is the last thing I made, and I finished it last night. I decided that more people are interested in spring themed things right now, and I have to put more things on my Etsy account. So, here is a little Easter bunny that I've put up for sale.

Etsy

2010-02-22T16:35:00.004-04:00

My Etsy account is now active, and King Winter is my first item for sale. Now I just have to get some traffic... If you would like to visit, the URL is http://www.etsy.com/shop/matchaandmiso

Thanks!

King Winter

2010-02-22T15:52:00.001-04:00

I finished my needlefelted King Winter yesterday, using some of the fleece that came in from Bear Dance Crafts. Making him took up almost all of my ice blue, but it was worth it. He's the reason I bought that colour, anyway. I did find he was too, well, blue. So I added other winter colours and to make almost a watercolour effect. I'm opening up an Etsy account and he'll be my first item. I'm not sure who's going to buy him, now that winter is almost over!

Finger painting

2010-02-20T11:18:00.001-04:00

We had fun painting yesterday. Here are a few photos of the kids busy at work.

Snow!

2010-02-17T21:08:00.005-04:00

A snowstorm hit us in the night, and we woke up to a lot of fresh snow. Schools were all cancelled, so we called a homeschool cancellation, too. Not that learning stops when it snows...It just gets more fun!

I showed them how to build a snow shelter. Emma was amazed at how warm it was inside.

Emma helping with her shovel.

Pouring hot syrup onto fresh snow.

Next time I'll pat the snow down a little more before we pour the hot syrup onto it.

Sewing again

2010-02-16T19:43:00.003-04:00

Crepes for supper and sewing all day! I managed to flip a few of the crepes, too, all the while singing Christina Rosetti's "Pancake" poem (sung to Judy Collin's melody from Baby's Morningtime). My poor husband had to be away from the supper table, so he missed out. I've saved him two crepes, but it won't be the same. Hey, it wasn't the same without him, anyway.

Today I finished up the blouse I was sewing for Emma. The pattern comes from Carefree Clothes for Girls by Junko Okawa. These are beautiful outfits made from unbleached cotton or linen, thrifted lace and mismatched buttons. A lot of the edges are left unhemmed, in order to naturally unravel a little. I wish I could make more from this book, but the largest size is 7 and the clothes simply wouldn't look as cute on larger kids.

I still need to make a button loop on this blouse, but I'll do that after the kids are in bed. Oh, and I played around with the sizing again, this time in the pattern stage. I made size 5 width, size 7 length. It worked perfectly. The cotton came from a second-hand bedskirt and the doily was found at Salvation Army.

Here's a close-up of the detailing around the collar. This was the first time I made my own bias-binding for the neck and arm-holes. The neck edge is embroidered with tiny gold stitches. I should have made them further apart, like in the book, and thus saved my arthritic thumb!

And here are Emma and Ben with their dolls and makeshift baby-carriers. Rowan was wearing one, too, with a polar bear toy inside, but it didn't photograph well. I'll have to make him a doll very soon.

Valentine's Day Walk

2010-02-14T17:01:00.003-04:00

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! We had our party last Wednesday, so today we relaxed by making a few extra crafts and by taking a short hike in the park. Enjoy the photos!

This is a little spring and waterfall. It was the only water not frozen (apart from the sea).

Finished arm-warmers

2010-02-13T12:02:00.001-04:00

I finished knitting Emma's arm-warmers last Friday night. I worked on them during the car ride to my parents house and darned in the ends before bed. In the end, they only took one ball of Patons Kroy. I think I'll use my second ball to make either kids socks or knit a pair of 'babylegs.'

Old photos--1

2010-02-12T11:03:00.001-04:00

I was looking through old photo files on my computer, and I found this picture from winter 2005. Back then, I was working and Rob was a stay-at-home father. Emma was three years old, and Rowan eighteen months.

Drawings on the window. You can see how Emma used to draw people. Her style stayed the same until she was about four and a half.

We no longer have the brass candleholders. I regret that, as they frame the window perfectly. They offer a promise of warmth, even with the candles unlit. Perhaps I gave them back to my parents. I'll have to ask...

An early Valentine's gift

2010-02-11T11:53:00.008-04:00

My husband had many surprises waiting for us when we got home yesterday from our mini-vacation. One, my order had come in from Bear Dance Crafts! He had that waiting in the car, and I had a peek at all my new rovings, felt, Ben's new book, posters, etc.

At home, we all had presents waiting. Rowan had a new hobby-horse and a new toy car. Emma had a brass-mirror with a unicorn decorating it. I think Ben was supposed to share the hobby horse. I had a new shawl from one of the fair trade shops. Rob had bought a bird-cage from 50 Hats; this is to house the Wee Folk that I had made the children for Christmas.

But best of all, Rob had drawn this picture. It is of our children playing outside what might one day be our home. It's also a bit of a 'find-it' picture, and you can see some of our treasured and defining possessions. See what you can see! You can click on the above picture to enlarge it.

Winter Fun

2010-02-10T22:15:00.002-04:00

We've been away visiting my parents in the country. It was nice to get out of the city for a while, and the kids got to go sledding and play in the snow. The temperature warmed up from way, way below freezing to an unseasonable warmth (a few degrees above freezing). We all had a wonderful time. Here are some photos I took one particularly beautiful day.

Here I tried to capture some of the natural beauty of the day. My father keeps a large garden and this is one of his grapevines. I like the tendrils coming off in this picture.

A near miss for Emma? (The kids were being very careful, really).

My mother had home-made hot cocao ready to warm us up when we'd tired ourselves out from all the climbing up the hill. Thanks, Mum!

Mending Lucy

2010-02-06T10:15:00.000-04:00

Lucy is my daughter's doll. I made her when Emma was only 3 1/2 year old, and she has been very well loved. Sadly, she has become rather 'ill' of late, with her fabric running in places. Her hair has worn thin, no longer fluffy as in the picture to the left, which was taken when Lucy was 'born.' Her face, arms and legs are no longer pink, but a murky beige. She is a dingy, sad looking doll.

But is she ever loved. When I first gave Lucy to Emma, she was just another doll. There were others, and Lucy was forgotten more often than not. To help her bond, when we moved one time from the Maritimes to Ontario (a long, two day trip), we packed up all the other toys for the moving truck and Lucy was the only toy Emma had for the next fortnight. That was the beginning of a long and beautiful friendship, and Lucy has become a full-fledged member of our family. But she is in sad shape, and so I've begun mending her. This is Lucy's hand before and after; really, I should be ashamed that I let her get in such bad shape!

Emma's not too pleased at the ridges that my mattress stitch made. I wish I had my grandmother's mending skills. But Emma still gave Lucy a terrific hug when she was given her back!

Block sanding

2010-02-05T15:00:00.001-04:00

We had a playdate yesterday with Rowan's best friend. At one point, I offered the kids some sanding paper and they worked at sanding a few unfinished wooden blocks I had found at a yardsale last May. They really enjoyed smoothing them and left small piles of fine wood dust to sweep up. Maybe at a future playdate we can get out the beeswax polish and finish them so that they are really smooth.

Here's Rowan working on a large, thin block. What I like most about these blocks is that they are scraps from a woodworker, and thus all odd shapes and are more conducive to play than our regular unit blocks. Also, I would love to make some tree-blocks in the near future.

Wonder Book--Candlemas

2010-02-04T15:00:00.005-04:00

Still inspired by Candlemas, I told the children a bedtime story about an old woman who lives alone, her only friends her chickens, her cow, and her bees. She collects honey and wax from the bees, and then she dips candles to last her through the dark winter. Though the sun is returning come Candlemas, she still needs her candles to lead her to bed and to help her in the early mornings.

Before we turned off the light, Emma and Rowan set their Wonder Book out for the Rhyme-elves (we have been reading the Seven-Year-Old Wonder Book). Last night the Rhyme-elves came and made a new poem about the old woman and her candles. The first picture is the woman dipping candles. The others are of a beehive and (you can't see this) of a candle lit in front of a starry window. I wonder how the Rhyme-elves come up with these poems?

A late Candlemas

2010-02-03T20:41:00.002-04:00

We meet almost every Wednesday afternoon with friends for a Homeschool Waldorf Playgroup. It's nice to be able to talk to other moms who have similar parenting/schooling philosophies to myself. But best of all, the kids get to play with their friends and immerse themselves in imaginative play.

Today, playgroup was in my home. Since Candlemas was only yesterday (a sunny day, but where we live a long winter is always expected), we had decided to have a mini-celebration today on our regular playgroup day. I supplied the Stockmar decorating beeswax and everyone came with their own candles. Our guests had all brought beautiful and sweet-smelling beeswax candles. My old beeswax pillar was, unfortunately, burnt very low and previously decorated. I gave my own children regular emergency candles to decorate and they worked just as well. And the next time there is a power failure, we'll be able to remember how much fun we had today! Here is Rowan decorating his candle.

And here is the candle being decorated by some of our friends.

Next year, I think we might try making our own candles, either by dipping or pouring the candles in a mould. This year I was worried that most of the children were still too young, and we mothers with babies had our hands full! Give it another year and it will be a more manageable craft.

Waiting to needle felt again

2010-02-02T13:57:00.002-04:00

I've put an order through to one of my favourite Canadian Waldorf suppliers, Bear Dance Crafts. I've asked for a few posters by artist Eva-Maria Ott-Heidmann and I managed to buy their last copy of Elsa Beskow's Pelle's New Suit for Ben's birthday. But, mostly, I bought a lot of crafting supplies. In particular, I'm stocking up on their very reasonably priced wool roving.

One wonderful way to use wool roving is to give small amounts to children to play with. It is the perfect natural toy. They can fashion into small treasures of their own, or use as is for pretend food or animals on a playscape. My children have used small tufts of white, for example, on a green playsilk to make sheep. Mostly, the wool gets stuffed into a pot and 'cooked' for supper!

The wool in the basket above is nearly the last of my fairy-wool that I bought years ago. This time, though, I bought regular corriedale in specific shades, as well as a pound of white roving for the base work and toy stuffing.

Here are some items I've crafted in the past few years. First, my 'mother and baby.' This red and blue doll represents me holding Ben. When I made it, he was about this small (in relation to the mother doll). It's hard to imagine, now...

The doll in green is what I've made in anticipation of Spring. It is Candlemas today, but the sun is shining so it looks like my doll won't be visiting the nature table for quite some time.

In the meantime, my snowman will have to stay out. He was easy to make from three balls of wool felted on top of each other. The eyes and buttons are teensy tufts of dark brown wool; the nose is carefully made with a whisp of orange. I think I need to scavenge some tiny twigs for arms.

I've been scouring the internet for ideas on how to use my new roving. Here is a site I found today that is full of wonderful ideas. I would love to make a playscape for my children's wee fairy folk (I'll have to do a post on these sometime soon). Here's another website that gives a tutorial on how to make a playscape.

Where to put it all: Part 1

2010-01-30T16:05:00.003-04:00

I wanted to share one of the central design elements within our home: the tops of our bookshelves. When five people share a small apartment, and especially when several of these people are the tiny, grabby sort, the placement of collectibles or other treasured possessions sometimes has to be rethought. So, when storage space is limited, go vertical! (Within safety limits, of course).

Here's the top of one of our tall bookshelves. Don't worry, it's been checked for stability. I think you might notice that one of our collections is old books. I bought the old clock today at a nearby antiquities shop called "50 Hats." Rob thinks he might be able to get it going again.

And another bookshelf top:

Inside the jars are memorabilia from places we used to live or treasures from vacations, complete with the sealed air from that time. One jar holds a dried four-leaf clover. The tins hold collections of crystals and buttons. Again, Rob's old books reach up like Rapunzel's tower. But the shelf is very safe, really. It not about to fall on little people (or me).

Rob had originally left this bookshelf top nearly empty, leaving it uncluttered and highlighting the mirror. But I decided it looked odd next to the other bookshelves in the room. Anyway, I like the way the books on top offer a contrast to the mirror. It's no longer the central focus. I'm not too keen on the magazine holders, but decor is generally a work in progress. They can (should) be moved.

What you're not seeing are the bottom shelves, which are similarly loaded with books. With the first two bookshelves, these are mostly kids books. We also have two other bookshelves in bedrooms, but I wasn't so happy with how the tops of these are being used and didn't want to share!

How are the tops of your bookshelves being used? Maybe we're not the only ones with strange storage options...

Woodland Elf Hat

2010-01-28T11:28:00.013-04:00

I found a cute pattern in a book I have out from the library: Bend-the-Rules Sewing. It's a woodland elf cap! For the material I used a green wool sweater I bought at my local thrift shop. I felted it in the washer/dryer, and then followed the relatively easy cutting and sewing instructions.

And finally, here is the finished project, modelled on Rowan's head. The hat was meant for Ben, but he's very particular about which hats he wears, so he just kept pulling it off.

Sad, happy day

2010-01-27T21:23:00.009-04:00

Yesterday was a sad, happy day. My father picked Ben and me up and drove us to my grandparents' old apartment. They've both moved into a nursing home, so they had to say goodbye to many of their belongings. I was the happy recipient of many of these items, many of which are absolutely beautiful.

This is one of my favourite things I was given. It's a soup tureen. It's almost hideous, really. But I still love it! It reminds me of hobbits. When I see it, I think earthy flavours such as a mushroom bisque or potato and onion soup.

I couldn't even begin to list everything I was given--and for the record, most of my grandparents possessions are immediately lovely. I have a brand new sewing kit, many craft books, more knitting needles, a beautiful Native American box loaded with embroidery floss. It's very sad that my grandmother cannot use these anymore, but at least they'll be used well and appreciated (by me). And they're so full of memories. My grandmother was a very careful person; every needle, every measuring tape, everything is put away so carefully. I'm not by nature so fastidious, but I will try to treat all her cherished things with the care she would have given them.

Wet felting

2010-01-25T16:31:00.010-04:00

It's cold and drizzly outside, almost cold enough to snow. I prefer snow over rain in winter, because then you have the chance to brush it off before it melts and gets you wet. But raining it is, and we came back from our playgroup somewhat chilled. So we plunged our hands into dishes of very warm water and tried wet felting. We got warm and made something pretty!This is a very easy project. I followed the instructions in Heaven on Earth: A Handbook for Parents of Young Children by Sharifa Oppenheimer. I wish I had thought to take photos at the beginning of the project, but rest assured that it was very easy!

The children simply laid clean, carded white wool in one direction of my pan, then laid coloured wool the other way. Add some hot and sudsy water, then begin the felting! Start gently to prevent the wool from wadding all up. As the wool felts into a pad, you can play with it a little more vigorously. It takes a while for it to be durable enough for play. Here's what we ended up with.

Sewing bug

2010-01-24T15:56:00.016-04:00

The sewing bug hit about the same time as my cold bug. I've been working on a summer dress for Emma. Here's the skirt pieces, ready to be pieced together, along with the finished bodice.

I finished it this morning. The problem with sewing, for me, is getting the correct size. Emma is tall but very, very thin. According to the pattern back, Emma is a size 3 chest size, and size 8 length. So, I cut out a size 7 and lengthened, as a compromise. It still ended up way too large through the chest. I had to tuck in 2 1/4 " in either side of the zipper, and it's still loose! For my next go, I think I'll try to make size 4 width, but size 8 length all-round (including the bodice).My sewing has inspired the kids. Emma made dresses for her paper dolls out of fabric scraps while I was sewing, and I gave Rowan a piece of material with a threaded needle secured to it. Here he is busy at work.And here is the finished project. Rowan wasn't sure what it was, but I think it's a ball.

Under the weather

2010-01-23T17:57:00.008-04:00

Two nights ago, I felt unreasonably tired. I'm a night owl, so I knew something was wrong when I was exhausted by 10 pm. Then yesterday, I developed the sniffles. Today my cold has finally arrived, and there is no denying it. So I've stayed put and gently puttered inside.

I've taken several doses of fresh garlic to help me ward off this cold. Garlic has natural anti-viral properties, so it helps our bodies fight against viral infections. I usually mince a small clove of garlic and swallow with (soy)milk, though I may try making an oil preparation as described on page 96 of The Way of Herbs (1990) by Michael Tierra, C.A., N.D.

For my sore throat, and also to help fight the cold, I boiled up a strong ginger tea. Tierra's recipe is simple: grate one ounce ginger root and simmer for about 10 minutes in a pint of water; serve with honey and lemon! This tea also relieves nausea (Tierra 95).

Knitting arm-warmers

2010-01-21T16:50:00.009-04:00

We went to our library for a homeschoolers group today. Some of my friends, who had also brought their children, had their knitting with them. I had considered bringing my own knitting along, but I knew my toddler wouldn't give me much chance to sit and work on it. Also, I'm working with four needles right now, which isn't all that easy to transport (at least not when I'm also bringing home several backpacks full of books).

So, I thought I would post a photo of what I'm working on here. It is the first of two arm-warmers for Emma.

I 'm using a self-striping sock yarn (Patons Kroy; 75% wool, 25% nylon) and 2.75 mm needles. I cast on 44 stitches over three needles and k1p1 for 1 1/2 inches. Then I work in stocking stitch (straight knitting) until I reach the length I need, making sure to leave enough yarn for the end ribbing, which will again be 1 1/2 inches of k1p1. Cast off (weave in ends, etc.). Then I'll make another one. Easy! It would probably go faster if I'd used slightly larger needles with fewer stitches, but these are what I had on hand. I'll post another photograph when they're finished. Happy knitting!

Winter Books

2010-01-19T22:12:00.019-04:00

After New Year's, we stash away all of our holiday picture books and pull out the winter ones. These are the stories we go to when we need a pick-me-up when winter seems oppressive. I wanted to share some of our favourites with you.

Many of you will probably already know this one--The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren. The opening words and pictures show a hushed, snow-covered homestead. In the dead of night, the Tomten roams the farm, tending and speaking to the farm animals, and promising them that summer will return again. The story is very reassuring, especially to those of us in a Northern climate!

The Mitten by Jan Brett is a beautifully illustrated rendition of a Ukranian folktale. A lost mitten becomes a cosy den for first a mole, then a rabbit, hedgehog, owl, badger, fox and bear. The mitten is already overfilled by the time a mouse arrives, but still it climbs in upon the bear's nose. The bear, tickled by the mouse, sneezes and all the animals go flying. The mitten is found, though is rather stretched. This book is eye-candy, and I cannot take in enough details. Like many folktales, it inspires creativity. Last year, my children created beeswax animals and a mitten to enact the story.

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson is more fun than anything. The rhyme is dead-on and onomatopoeic. A bear snoozes in his lair, and while he sleeps he is visited by a number of woodland creatures: a mouse, hare, mole and badger, a wren and a raven. They feast on tea, popcorn and honey-nuts. As mouse seasons the stew bubbling over the fire, a fleck of pepper lands on bear's nose, causing him to sneeze (this sounds vaguely familiar!), and BEAR WAKES UP! After he is done growling, he begins to cry. He missed the party! The illustrations (by Jane Chapman) of the lair are warm and inviting, a distinct contrast to the pictures showing the cold, dark forest in the opening image before the title page.

Days of the Blackbird is Tomie dePaola's story of how Le Giornate della Merla (The Days of the Blackbird) came to be celebrated in northern Italy, and also about the loyalty of a dove (la colomba) and of a daughter. The text is sprinkled with Italian phrases and culture, similar to dePaola's Strega Nona books. It is especially nice to read this book in late January during the Days of the Blackbird--the coldest days of the year.

Martin Waddell's Let's Go Home, Little Bear is probably my favourite of all these books. Big Bear and Little Bear have been walking through the snowy forest. When it is time to go home, Little Bear keeps hearing things, such as plodders (their feet in the snow), ploppers (snow falling from tree branches) and the like, which make him pause to listen. A warm den is waiting for them once they finally make their way home, but not before Big Bear has to pick Little Bear up and carry him the rest of the way. I like this book because, as anyone with small children will agree, it can sometimes be difficult to coax children (and bears) to come along home.

I know there are lots of other books I should have mentioned; this is just a list to get started. Please let me know your favourite winter book, too!

Playing Outside...

2010-01-19T14:04:00.011-04:00

...is important. Yes, even when it's cold. It can be really hard to get the kids outside in the winter, but I find that if my kids don't get outside for free play, we all suffer for it. My daughter, Emma, wanted to stay inside today, to rest, read, and stay warm. I understand, since that's what I want to do as well. But I eventually coaxed both Emma and Rowan outside, where they immediately began playing and enjoying themselves. I know that they both will come in cold but happy, refreshed from their time outside in the fresh air. Then there will be hot chocolate and fresh muffins waiting for them. That's the time to settle down with a good book!

There are plenty of books brimming with ideas for outside play. I prefer, though, the play that develops naturally when children are engaged with nature. Cynthia Aldinger (from LifeWays North America) has written a wonderful article, "Children and Nature."

A fire in the gnomes' cave

2010-01-17T16:42:00.001-04:00

This is a part of our nature table. It is a gnomes' cave, now covered with snow, but a fire burns and brings warmth. Deeper within the cave is a sack of gems. I wonder what treasures these might be transformed into in the cold weeks ahead.

In our home, too, we are using this icy time to bring forth inner warmth and forge new promises and begin to bring them about. Before we know it, this seemingly neverending winter will be past and this quiet time will come to an end and bring forth the a busy spring. It is so easy to wish the snow and slush away, as it can damper even my children's desire to play in nature. I have to remind myself that this time is important, too, and can help us grow and mature (yes, me too!!) in unimaginable ways.