Boosting our Creativity - Reorganizing the Craft Room

This past month, we took all of our craft supplies outside and reorganized our craft/music room! A daunting task, but one that has freed up space and created an energy flow, giving us a "boost".

On a daily basis, we are in this wonderful room, filled with art supplies, fiber arts tools, musical instruments, and a work table that Rick built years ago.

There is even space for a silk fort!

Now, our craft magazines, music, patterns are in files. We can quickly locate yarn by color. Art supplies are organized and easy to reach. 

We can find what we need for fiber arts workshops, lessons and sales. The room has a sink and a door to the backyard...both practical elements for painting and dyeing.

To keep from spending a fortune on this endeavor, we spent $30 at the local thrift store, getting baskets and magazine holders. We pulled out old food jars and wood bowls. We did splurge on chalkboard labels from Bradens Grace on Etsy to label the nooks, baskets and jars, and love that we can reuse them over the years.

We love this hanging fruit basket that we found at the thrift store.  Perfect for little balls of yarn!

Bits of leftover roving get their own space and baskets and can be used for felting or carding batts for spinning up Junkyard Fairy yarn.

And, we finally have a place to put our works "in progress".  It is much easier and neater to grab a basket full of supplies for the doll that we are sewing or the gnome that we are knitting when the supplies are all together.  

Space for the drum set and keyboard, various guitars, as well as our work desk and computer was carved out. There was space for one spinning wheel, but not our floor loom or second wheel.  So...perhaps the ultimate room would need to be an entire house for just crafts, music and art?  

September Newsletter is Out!

Come and visit our September Newsletter, and sign up to receive our free monthly e-newsletters.  We feature resources and a coupon each month for homeschoolers, Waldorf schoolers, fiber artists and more!

Indoor Shoes - Felting Wool Slippers

Taking off our shoes at the door and putting on cozy felted slippers inside is a wonderful tradition to add to the home or school day.

We love to felt our own "indoor shoes". We make new ones or mend old ones each summer.

Three summers ago, mommy made herself an elfin sunflower pair from plant dyed wools while at a handwork conference at Steiner College. Then, Joey made herself a taller pair, wet felting and needle felting designs on them. Two summers ago, Wilson made a pair with just two layers, and they only lasted the year before getting holes.

Last summer, Wilson and mommy made a new pair with more layers. They are still in great shape, so we mended the leather bottoms and needle felted "W"s on the sides to spiff them up!

Next, we need to make a pair for Daddy for Christmas! Wet felting takes time and effort, but the end result is so rewarding. For more details on how to make these indoor shoes, click here for our Etsy shop to purchase our eBook.

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Making a Gnome Calendar

It has been a crafty summer here at Syrendell!  

We spent an inspired weekend at the Griffin Dyeworks Dye and Fiber Retreat in Castaic, CA.  Camping, spinning, teaching Tunisian crochet, weaving, dyeing, coppersmithing and so much more!  Truly a treat for all people interested in learning more about fiber arts in a relaxed setting. 

Next, we spent 4 weeks teaching, leading and assisting at the Davis Waldorf School Summergarden camp.  Week 1: Knitting, crochet, lucet; Week 2: Spinning, weaving, kumihimo; Week 3: Plant-dyeing, wetfelting, needlefelting; Week 4: Papercrafting and sewing.  Children also participated in gardening and wholesome food preparation.  


Now, we are enjoying crafting at home.  Joey is spinning yarn to earn $ for her upcoming 8th grade trip.  Her yarns are available at www.syrendell.etsy.com and by custom order (email: info@syrendell.com).  Ricky has been helping get our craft/music room reorganized (a thrilling and scary task!).  

Wilson and Mommy created a calendar with gnomes.  This was inspired by one that we had seen made by Mama Roots a while back, one of our favorite Etsy shops.  First, we ordered a wood ring from Joshua Rutherford of Honoring Fallen Trees.  He makes them out of beautiful hardwoods in different colors.  We chose maple.  Next, we selected 12 special little wood people.  We talked about the 12 months of the year, the 4 seasons, and the colors and symbols that represent the seasons.  


Next, Wilson chose colored pieces of felt for each month and matching embroidery threads.  With some embroidery assistance from Mommy and sister Joey, little gnome hats were sewn.  

Wilson painted the gnomes the color of each season and then sealed them with beeswax polish as they dried.  Hats were glued onto the gnomes.  Now, we will play games, tell stories, create math problems, and talk about the months of the year in Spanish and English with our beautiful gnome calendar!

Global Waldorf Expo!

Come and listen for free this weekend June 1-3, to The Global Waldorf Expo! Jennifer will have an audio/visual presentation on handwork. Kim John Payne, Sharifa Oppenheimer, Jamie York and more! 

Welcome Baby Linden Faye!

Welcome to the family, Linden Faye Celestra Tan!

And now you all know why we've taken a bit of a break from blogging (besides the fact that our computers were so old and were having issues with uploading pictures onto Blogger!). It's been a blissful babymoon time here at Syrendell. Hopefully people who read this blog have been staying updated with us via Facebook and our monthly e-newsletter. We promise to start blogging more, soon!

A little after midnight on October 5, 2011, Jennifer went into labor. Rick filled up the water birthing tub that was patiently waiting in our little birthing retreat in the bedroom. The children and Rick hung our tie-dyed silks on the walls, put out fresh flowers from the yard, and Jennifer set up a little apothecary of essential oils, flower essences, herbal tincture,s and homeopathy to aid in a pleasurable birth.

At around 4:00am, Ricky, Joey and Wilson were woken up and came into the bedroom. Wilson got into the tub. Rick squeezed Jennifer's ankle during contractions as Jennifer meditated and breathed (hypnobirthing techniques). After about 15 minutes of descent and crowning with Jennifer on her knees holding onto the sides of the tub, saying, "the baby is coming...down, down, down", she felt the urge to face the side of the tub and lean over the edge.  At that moment, magic happened as the baby finished her spiral dance, being born peacefully into Jennifer and Rick's hands. The children looked in awe as their new baby sister's head was gently held out of the water -- then, a little cry and nursing within the first couple of minutes.

A bit later, the amazing midwife Rachel (www.birstream.com) was called and she arrived to help with everything, including mixing up healing herbs, cleaning the tub, creating a happy birthday plate with a candle, nourishing fruit for mom, and singing to the baby.

Because Rachel did 6 weeks of postpartum check-ups for mom and baby, Jennifer did not leave the bed for a few days, or the house for a few weeks! Such an important, blissful time to just be with the baby.  Jennifer healed quickly due to staying home and using her own sitz bath herbs, Rachel's excellent herbal and manuka honey concoctions, and being surrounded by loving family.

Waldorf families brought yummy dinners to the door. Being able to relax at home during birth and beyond is an incredible experience!

Li has been enjoying being surrounded by two older brothers and an older sister.  Extended family have visited and shared their love with the baby.

Her name is made up of variations of family names.  Each of our children has 4 names that represent both sides of the family and the various ethnicities (English, Armenian, Croatian, Philippino and Chinese).
Linden:  English/Latin (graceful tree) paternal grandmother Erlinda Cerda Tan
Faye:  English (fairy) maternal Great-great grandmother Fay Wilson
Celestra: Philippino (heavenly) paternal grandfather Ricardo Celestra Tan, Jr.
Tan: Chinese paternal surname

And now, "Li" is six months old. She is truly a delight to behold as she observes us with her big eyes, scoots and rolls on the floor, and speaks to us in her special little language. We are so blessed....

Below is a little book filled with pictures of the pregnancy from week 7 on.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly photo books offer a variety of layouts and cover options to choose from.

November Enrichment Guide - On Sale!

Four Full Weeks of Waldorf Crafting, Verses, Songs, Stories, Recipes, Caregiver Meditations, Adult Inner Work and Seasonal Celebrations in the November Enrichment Guide at Little Acorn Learning! Guide features some of Syrendell's work, including an owl hat crochet pattern, Thanksgiving verses, Day of the Dead clay vessels, and star lantern instructions.

Week One, November - Fire, Remembering Loved Ones

~Read Beautiful Books that help you Cherish Loved Ones Once Here.

~Celebrate the Element of Fire this week with your Children.

~Share Circle Time Songs of Autumn, Fire and Remembering

~Make Day of the Dead Clay Vessels

~Create and Honoring Table in Memory of Those You Love

~Make Glistening Votives to Light Up your Home

~Create Day of the Dead Memorial Candles

~Enjoy Autumn Fire Poetry

~Explore the Herb of Rosemary for Remembrance with the Children

~Remember Loved Ones with This Week's Caregiver Meditation

~Bake Soul Cakes


Week Two, November - Martinmas, Living Peacefully
~Read Stories of Peace and Saint Martin
~Share Songs of Lanterns, Light and Martinmas
~Create Martinmas Star Lanterns

~Learn the Song 'I Go With My Little Lantern' on your Pennywhistle or Flute and Listen to the

MP3 Version

~Explore Herbs for Living Peacefully in Your Home or School

~Share a Martinmas Puppet Show that Older Children Can Perform
~Read an Old Tale of St. Martin's Eve
~Meditate on Living Peacefully in Your Life and Work
~Treat those You Love to St. Martin Weckmann & Afternoon Tea

Week Three, November - The Owl, Wisdom
~Read Books of Owls and Wisdom
~Share Fingerplays and Songs for Circle Time
~Crochet a Sweet Owl Hat for the Children
~Read the Wise Wild Owl Poem
~Use Sage for Wisdom in Various Ways Throughout Your Home or School
~Create an Upcycled Wool Owl out of Old Sweaters

Week Four, November - Thanksgiving, Gratitude
~Read Stories of Thanksgiving and Gratitude

~Sing Songs at Circle Time with the Children this Week
~Enjoy Thanksgiving Verses
~Create a Beautiful Thanksgiving Leaf Mobile
~Use Rose for Herbal Gratitude this Week
~Build a Gratitude Tower in the Woods
~Cut Beautiful Autumn Leaf Paper 'Snowflakes'
~Make a Grateful Branch for Your Nature Space or Dinner Table
~What are You Grateful For? Meditate on This with This Week's Caregiver Meditation

Making an Autumn Wreath - Transformation

Taking children on a nature hunt as the seasons change is a wonderful way to honor the plants and the new season.  During Autumn, we enjoy collecting acorn caps, oak balls, dried flowers and rose hips, while marveling at the changing colors of leaves and wild grasses in the preserved pond area near our home.  The landscape has truly transformed!

Once we collected a variety of dried flowers, we decided to create a beautiful wreath for our front door, welcoming autumn into our home.  A bit of Feng Shui included -- wreaths are a way to bring positive energy to your family life.

Supplies:

1.  Two gauges of wire
2.  Wire cutters
3.  Variety of dried flowers, herbs, rose hips
4.  Optional: ribbons and other embellishments (we chose to keep this wreather all natural with no ribbons)

We started off making a circle out of a thicker wire, and then cut pieces of thinner wire for wrapping.

 















Long pieces of sage were placed around the circle and tied on with bits of wire. 

Then, we added dried flowers, berries and rose hips. 

Eventually, there was enough wire wrapped so that all we had to do was stick the plants into the wreath and they would stay. 

We'll add and change out some of the plant material as ithe wreath dries over time, and as we continue on our nature hunt adventures!  

It was exciting to see the rose bushes so transformed from flowers to hips...we wonder what we will find on our next trip!