Syrendell Workshops and Lessons

Syrendell offers customized lessons or small group workshops for homeschoolers, Waldorf schoolers, co-ops and anyone who is interested in handwork, art or Wadorf curriculum. Lessons and workshops are offered at our home in Davis or at your location.  Email us if you are interested.  We now have a beautiful arts and crafts studio!


Some pictures from recent lessons in wet-on-wet watercoloring and chalkboard drawing.

Come and join us for upcoming workshops!  More information and registration at: http://www.syrendellacademy.com/.

Handwork in the Dell: Full Day Workshop
September 25, 2010
9:00am - 3:00pm
Davis, California


Open to adults who want to learn more about fiber arts and how to teach handwork to their own children in a homelearning and/or Waldorf-inspired environment. Limited space available. (Teens also welcome -- please email us in advance). Come join Jennifer & Joey Tan at Syrendell for a day of fiber arts fun!  Lunch included.  $80


Spinning in the Dell: 1/2-day Workshop

September 26, 2010
1:00pm- 3:00pm
Davis, California


Open to adults and teens who want to learn how to spin. Beginners will learn on a spindle. Seasoned spindlers will learn the spinning wheel. We will learn about fibers, how to card batts and make our own yarn! Limited space available. (Children ages 9-17 able to learn how to spin are welcome to attend with a parent -- email us in advance). Come join Jennifer & Joey Tan at Syrendell for a day of spinning!  $30

Aromatherapy in the Dell: 1/2-Day Workshop
October 3, 2010
10:00am - 12:00pm
Davis, California


Open to adults and teens who want to learn more about aromatherapy and how to use it for self, children and home. We will experience a variety of oils and custom blend an synergy oil to take home. Limited space available. (Teens also welcome -- please email us in advance). $30

Featured in Rhythm of the Home!

We have two articles featured in Rhythm of the Home Magazine Autumn edition.  One on lucetting a snail that we used for play and German lessons, and one on making a playscape for a swap.  Please click on the link to enjoy this amazing online magazine!

They are also offering an amazing giveaway...see their Facebook page for details.

Top Ten Waldorf Homeschooling Blogs

Thank you for making us one of the top ten blogs at The Waldorf Connection!

Summer Handwork Projects

Summer is the perfect time to do handwork.  We take our time to finish each project.

Ricky's clarinet teacher is about to have his first baby!  Ricky crocheted a warm blanket for the new little boy out of a thick wool yarn.  His teacher loved the blanket.

Joey found a container of "scrumbles" (aka, crocheted or knitted pieces) and crocheted and sewed them together into an artistic capelet for herself and Mommy to wear.  This style of crocheting is called freeform crochet (see more freeform at http://www.knotjustknitting.com/).

Wilson has been knitting up squares to make a blanket for the new house our of organic, naturally dyed, cotton yarn from Babetta's Yarn (they will ship...just call!).

Next, we will be felting slippers and knitting socks in anticipation of Fall!  Our Etsy shop has some new naturally dyed and handspun yarns, as well as handwork kits with yarns and needles or a hook. 

And...here is a peek at the progress on Rick's classroom for Grade 6 at Davis Waldorf! 

Summer Snippets

Nature walks to the pond preserve at the end of our street, observing egrets, geese and dragonflies.

Taking care of our new cat, Sammy, and her 4 baby kittens.

Observing interesting, new plants during our family walks.

Crocheting custom orders for wonderful customers (Joey crocheted the cashmere tan one on the bottom).

Officiating weddings!  One of our favorite things to do.

Custom spinning yarn for handwork projects and doll hair.

Reading Pogacnik's book on Elementals and attending study groups.

Trips to the library, parks, university, pool and Explorit Science Center in Davis.

Syrendell Natura Collection is Here!

Naturally-dyed, organic, wool yarns are now available in our Etsy Shop!  These yarns are 2-ply and worsted weight, which is perfect for size 10 knitting needles or size J crochet hook.

 

We also offer nice little handwork kits that contain a set of birch wood knitting needles (short or long) or crochet hook along with two of our Natura or handspun yarns in the shop.

Need help getting started with handwork?  Our handwork eBook has information, simple patterns, songs and verses for knitting, crocheting, spinning and weaving.  Our dyeing with children eBook features a variety of dyeing methods that you can do at home.  If you order our handwork kit along with our handwork and/or dyeing eBooks, we will refund you 1/2 the price of the eBooks ($4 for each eBook).  This offer is good through the end of September!

Giveaway Winners!!!

Thank you to everyone who entered our giveaway.  What fun!

Congratulations to the three winners of our giveaway:


1.  Hallie from http://www.ourbrokenroad.blogspot.com/ won The Child's Year book.


2.  Nicole Hume won the Lagoon Fairy handspun yarn.

3.  Ashley won the Naalbinding needle.

We have either emailed or posted to your blog if you won.  Please respond and let us know your mailing addresses.  Congrats!   :)

New Yarns!

Lately, we've been inspired to create soft, warm, wool yarns for handwork projects and for sale.  They work well for doll hair, knitting, crocheting, weaving and felting.  The fiber colors inspire us to spin and spin!


Auloniad (nymph of the glen)

Bohemian Fairy

Twlight Fairy

Sylph (air elemental)

Chocolate Fudge Fairy

Syrendell Giveaway!

We are giving away three items to three lucky individuals.  Each person will also receive a coupon worth $10 towards any Syrendell consultation or workshop. 

1.  The Children's Year book, by Cooper, Fynes-Clinton and Rowling.  Used, but in great shape!  Such a wonderful resource to have for your home.

2.  A skein of Lagoon Fairy Handspun Yarn, 33 yards.  Perfect for handwork projects.

3.  A handmade, birch wood Naalbinding Needle (about 3.5 in. long).  Naalbinding is an ancient Scandinavian technique the predates knitting -- a good project for ages 9 and up.  Also works beautifully for weaving projects for ages 5 and up. 

To be considered for the giveaway, post a comment here and we will put your name on a tag that will go into a bag for the drawing.  An additional entry may be earned by adding info. and a link to your blog, Facebook or Twitter (let us know if you did any of these in your comment).  Be sure to include your email in your comment so that we can easily reach you! 

Drawing will occur on Saturday, August 14, at 11pm PST.  We'll post the winners on Sunday!

Our New Home

Over the past 3 weeks, we have been slowly moving from Fair Oaks to Davis, CA.  Our new home is less than 2 miles from the beautiful Davis Waldorf School, where Rick will be teaching Grade 6 in the Fall.

Davis is a pretty town, with over 100 miles of bike paths, a farmer's market twice per week, art center, natural food co-op, and the University of California.  Jennifer and Rick met at UC Davis 22 years ago and got married on campus, so the town is a special place. And, Davis is just 20 minutes from downtown Sacramento, so we are still close to family, friends and conveniences.

The kids are enjoy riding their bikes and walking down a bike path at the end of our street to the nearby park and pool.

We took the Unitrans bus to Joey's tap dance camp this week.

Seeds and transplants from the old garden were started in the new yard right away.  Looks like we might get some pumpkins, peppers, strawberries, tomatoes and herbs!  Plans are in place to expand gardening from containers to a larger area for the Winter crop.  We will miss the garden in Fair Oaks (look at the amazing harvest picture...what a pumpkin!).

Our favorite park!

We took Grandma and Grandpa from So. California, and Auntie Jess who is in podiatry school, to a nearby park.

These strawberries were from the farmer's market.  Sooo sweet!

Kids are happy, Rick's classroom is looking terrific, and our cat Sammy had 4 baby kittens during our last night in Fair Oaks.  They are growing quickly!  We are so grateful to be here in Davis.