Spring has sprung

The weather has given us a slow march to spring, so we have had to create a little of the spring magic on our own this year.  We begin with the shedding of the beard.  Ivie gets to help cut the first layer. 

After working on her outdoor fairy garden, Ivie left out some treats (dried fruit and pink lemonade) for the fairies to enjoy on the Spring Equinox. 

 

They showed their gratitude by leaving a sweet pendant in her shoe for her to find the next morning. 

 The easter bunny’s helpers worked so very hard making bunnies for baskets this year. 

The hand puppets are based on the tutorial by Purlbee.  The sachets are from Craft Passion.   The knit bunnies are from Little Cotton Rabbits.   The plush bunny is based on the pattern from Chez Beeper Bebe.   The applique on the t-shirt is just the simplest  bunny silhouette that I could find on google images. 

We were even prepared for the cold snap in late March with new fleece ponchos.   What fun at Fabric World!

Inspired by the lovely eggs I saw at Blue Girl, I made some egg pouches for Grade 3.   While they do look cute on their own, all piled together gives them what I call the ‘Enchantment Shop effect’.  If you make 25 of most anything, it looks good! 

The final school event before Spring Break is the annual Grandparents and Loved Ones Day.  Ivie proudly shows off her main lesson books to her Grandma. 

Spring also gave time for me to make my first and ninth bib for Craft Hope’s project 20: Hope for China. 

So now the Nature Table Spring flower fairies are enjoying a bright spring break bounty!

HAPPY SPRING!!!

© rw 2013

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Brigit – Imbolc – Candlemas

To get us started, we read Brigid’s Cloak which is a close rendition of the play the children performed last year in their study of Saints. 

Of course, we could not go a year without reading a family favorite story of the Goddess Brigit from Circle Round.   The Well and the Flame is a great story that weaves in caring for people and caring for the earth. 

We have rolled lots of candles at our house, but this year was our first go at home candle dipping.  We invited a sweet friend to join and had a marvelous time! 

The candles turned out great and made a good addition to our ‘sun’ cakes on Imbolc morning!  Even though our GA groundhog predicted 6 more weeks of winter, we see the sun growing stronger! 

© rw 2013

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our holiday season 2012

St. Nicholas left a little lavender doll and a clementine.

Santa’s helpers busy sewing ornaments.  I found a great santa pattern at revoluzzza. 

My angel in the grade 3 class play at the Waldorf School of Atlanta.

 The sun greeted us as we celebrated the winter Solstice. 

We so appreciated all the hard work that went into making our nativity characters last year. 

A cold and windy day on Arabia Mountain.

 The wise men followed a star, we followed a line of cars to the ABG Holiday Lights. 

And as soon as school started back, I finished my contribution to the Craft Hope Project 19. 

I had initially thought of writing this post about all the things we missed having the flu/cough over the holidays, but after looking through these photos, I realize that we indeed had a full holiday season!  I’m grateful! 

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©rw 2013

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Martinmas preparations at Grade 3 Waldorf

To say I’m behind on posting is such an understatement!  We have had an unwelcome cold/flu/lingering cough visitor in our home for the past 2 months.  All 3 of us have had it.  So please bear with me as I try to catch up. 

Oh how lovely is the evening!   

I had been using Ivie’s violin lesson as a 30 minute knitting of finger puppets.  So when I saw the little lantern children from the Lothians on pinterest, I thought I could adapt my finger puppet to the table doll. 

I walk about with my Lantern

I made one for the Grade 3 class, one for a neighbor and one for us to keep.  I used recycled sweater felt for the capes and it seemed to work fine. 

Glimmer lantern Glimmer! 

I’ve been collecting lantern ideas for months and finally settled on a style that somewhat resembles the tin lantern in Farmer Boy.   Our teacher agreed and so I set about collecting 25 of the bit #10 cans.  Thanks Ava! 

High and blue the sky

The children drew designs on their cans and then I filled the cans with water and froze them.  The ice provides support and makes it easier and safer to nail holes. 

Rise up oh flame!

It took 2 sessions to get all the lanterns hammered — and the second session was a cold, rainy morning.  But the children persevered and Grade 3 proudly carried their sturdy lanterns through the woods on our Lantern Walk. 

Dona Nobis Pacem

A girl, a doll and their lanterns!   We couldn’t resist making a lantern for the doll as well, but she uses a “pretend” votive candle. 

© rw 2012

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Fall leaves, Halloween and Day of the Dead celebrations

Fall at our Waldorf school is a busy season, this year with a grade 3 camping trip and sweet potato harvest has been especially active.  However, we have made time for the important things of celebrating fall holidays, spending time with friends and frolicking in the leaves.   You can see a peek of my kid’s red shirt.  

And at Lil’s annual pumpkin carving, our skills are definitely getting better as she handles a more complex carving. 

Fred grew both the pumpkins we carved this year.  The white one made for a nice face . . . tilted a bit though!

After a night of Trick or Treating and distributing candy Ivie selected 8 pieces to keep (one for each year) and left the rest out.  The Switch Witch left 3 Ore Gnomes as a gift for the bowl of candy.   The trike was a thrift store find that I’ve been saving for the right occasion.  The ore gnomes seem perfect for it. 

I fell in love with these ore gnomes and am grateful that Christine was so generous to share the pattern in the Fall 2010 Living Crafts magazine.  look mom, no hands!

For Day of the Dead, we joined in an altar creation and celebration at First E and then enjoyed a sweet story in English & Spanish with friends.     

©rw 2012

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Marionette puppets in my mailbox

 I’m a little slow in posting, but I have had a busy mailbox recently.   I was fortunate to swap marionette puppets with 2 lovely puppet makers. 

I received the one on the left from Glori.  See her tutorial at  http://stracciepupazzi.blogspot.it/2012/08/jeremy-mouse-la-nascita.html?m=1 .  And the needle felted head one from Kelly in PA. 

These Jeremy (and possibly a Jemima Mouse) puppets are a part of the Puppet Swap I co-hosted over the summer with Margaret at We Bloom Here. 

These 2 mice will join a Tiptoes marionette for my little puppet loving Tiptoes fan for a holiday gift.  Hmmm, with 3 puppets, maybe we should make one of those cool racks on pg 130 of Toymaking With Children for what I’m certain will be a growing collection. 

©rw 2012

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Michaelmas week in Grade 3 waldorf

In my daughter’s class, families take turns bringing in flowers or greenery each week.  I signed up for Michaelmas week because I thought it would be fun to send in a dragon-looking Bird of Paradise flower and that it would pair well with my first transparency. 

I’ve seen so many beautiful transparencies in books and on pinterest and I’m thinking they would make good use of the stack of beautifully colored tissue paper that is overflowing my shelf.   I looked for a transparency that relied more on the cardstock thinking it would be sturdier for my first try.  So I decided to model this Michaelmas transparency from crunchy family rising for my first venture into this form. 

The flower will continue to open this week as the class prepares for their special grade 3 dance presentation at the school Michaelmas celebration this Friday.   Hopefully this Michaelmas transparency will enjoy hanging out in a sunny window in the grade 3 classroom. 

I have plans for a light box and many more tissue paper ‘drawings’ to come! 

©rw 2012

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Tiptoes Marionette going in the mail

A Tiptoes marionette puppet is on its way to a new home!  This sweet fairy will join Kelly’s family in PA as a part of the puppet swap we organized this summer.   Watch for some amazing Jeremy Mouse photos coming up soon! 

© rw 2012

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Knitted Finger Puppets

I’ve gotten a little hooked on knitted finger puppets.  I remember thumbing through The Children’s Year, which was my first Waldorfy craft book.   I never imagined that I could be able to master making these much less that they would become one of my go-to items.

I made some to swap

I made some for the Easter Basket

I made some for birthday gifts

I am making some now on vacation

What a great little project that fits easily into a small basket.  I can start & stop without losing my place because there is really nothing to count.  OK, if you really space out and make a 3″ tall head, you might be in trouble or have to get creative with a hat. 

Enjoy!

©rw 2012

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Last Day to Join Puppet Swap

The last day to sign up for our Puppet Swap is Tuesday, July 24th.  All the details and a timeline are listed at the Swap Invitation.   We hope you will join in the fun and look forward to seeing your interpretations of these characters! 

© rw 2012

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