Natural
Where Wool Comes From
A few weeks ago we headed west to Three Creeks Farm for shearing day. It was a beautiful yet chilly spring day on the small farm.
While it was a busy day, I felt relaxed being in the countryside and I loved the sense of community with the other folks who came to help.
We all brought food to share and the girls ran free as we watched the sheep being sheared and then picked the fleece.
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Creating a Seasonal Nature Table
With each passing season, a little corner in our home slowly
evolves.
As summer gave way to autumn, our nature table welcomed a little squirrel gathering acorns.
As we gave thanks for the bounty of the season, our nature table was full of nourishing food.
And, as the hedgehogs ready for hibernation, our nature table will continue to progress into winter.
To learn more about creating a nature table, and to see ours in full, please read my recent article on Bella Moon.
Bella Moon is the blog of Bella Luna Toys. And Bella Luna Toys happens to be one of my very favorite on-line shops. Owner and former early childhood Waldorf educator, Sarah Baldwin, stocks her shop with thoughtful, inspiring, and beautiful Waldorf toys.
The buying season is upon us, and as you chose gifts for your little ones, I am leaving you with the wise words of Sarah…
As I’ve tried to stress to parents over the years, choosing toys is not about “good toys” vs. “bad toys.” Rather, it’s about bringing new consciousness to selecting children’s playthings. Is it beautiful? Does it feel good? Does it leave room for the imagination? Will it inspire imitative play? If you can answer yes to these questions, you will be providing your child with all the tools needed for years of healthy play!
Disclosure: while I was compensated for my nature table post on Bella Moon, all opinions expressed on my blog are my own.
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Foraging and eBook: The Artful Year
Attention: Now is the perfect time to go foraging for nature supplies. Leaves, acorns, pinecones – they are all in abundance.
And when you come home loaded with beautiful acorns, pop them in the oven RIGHT AWAY so you don’t end up with pet bugs in your stash of
treasures. It is the best nugget of advice
I can share. And I got it from Jean Van’t Hul’s new ebook, The Artful Year:: Autumn.
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Creating a Kids' Picking Garden
This is one spot to call their own.
Full of herbs, favorite veggies and flowers.
For busy hands and feet to stomp, water, pick, and eat.
We included rosemary, mint, thyme, basil, sage, carrots, cherry tomatoes, marigolds, lavender, chamomile, daisies, hollyhocks, and sunflowers. It only took one sunny afternoon to choose, buy, and plant. Phew!
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Flower Seed Pockets on Design Mom
I've been working with Gabrielle at Design Mom on a fun spring craft. These Flower Seed Pockets are easy for little hands to make, awfully fun, and make great gifts (I'm thinking teachers, grandparents, neighbors... you get the idea).
Head on over to Design Mom for the full tutorial and check back here tomorrow for a bit of a behind the scenes in my garden.
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Little Vases
From early spring through to late autumn, my girls pick the sweetest little bouquets of flowers for me. It is another one of those perfect little girl things to do that I try to savor with all my heart as I know their beautiful offerings will not last forever.
When I found these little bottles in an antique shop last month, I knew they would be perfect for spring arrangements.
Using Martha Stewart Crafts Multi-Surface Acrylic Craft Paint, the girls painted their own designs onto the glass.
I had just read this article and it reminded me not to hover or 'help' the girls with their art. I am completely in love the dainty flowers and pretty designs that the girls made.
These little vases sit on my kitchen window sill and make me smile every time I walk by.
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How to: A Natural Remedy for Eczema Using Oats
So, today's post is not so much a craft as a natural remedy for eczema - a skin condition that bothered me throughout my childhood. The other day I noticed that Nola was scratching a little spot of eczema behind her knee. My first reaction was to reach for the oats... this is a treatment that has been passed down my family and is from my Welsh great uncle. And - it works - amazingly well.
My dad has these soft, big, cotton handkerchiefs that I used as a kid. As Eric does not own any handkerchiefs, I talked him into donating one of his old work shirts to cut a square out of. My point - any cotton will do - cut into a 8" square.
Put 3/4 cup of old fashioned oats onto the center of the cotton square.
Gather up the corner of the cloth and tie to keep all the oats inside the 'pouch.' I used a little Pink Sorbet twine from The Twinery so Nola felt extra special.
Fill a bowl with boiling water and put the oat pouch inside the bowl. Wait a few hours (or overnight) for the water to cool down. Take the pouch out of the water and gently squeeze the water out. A very light, watery paste will appear through the cotton as you squeeze the oats.
Dab this paste onto the eczema and let dry. Repeat every few hours. You will see improvement the next day. We used pouches for 2 days and then made a new one. The eczema usually went away in a few days.
Please note: I am not a medical doctor and this is not medical advice, simply a natural solution that helped me (and now my daughter) feel a little more comfortable.
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