Happy New Year

We are celebrating leaving 2010 and embracing 2011!

Out With the Old....

Cleaning up the yard and turning the compost pile 

 Finishing books that are partially read

Pulling out those "UFOs" (unfinished objects) to finish or recycle

Putting away holiday decorations (except these cute wood and felted snowmen from Daddy...we'll keep these out!)

In With the New....

Creating new crocheted and felted items for the Etsy shop

Blending aromatherapy sprays for the home and school

Designing the Summer garden and ordering organic seeds

Changing the nature table (pictures of the Three Kings to come!)


Have a Happy, Peaceful, Balanced, Joyous 2011!!

Handmade Holiday Gifts

Joey's Sewn Horse for Wilson

 





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This year, we made an effort to handmake the majority of our gifts for the holidays.

Scarves for aunts, brothers, cousins and great-grandma.

Herbal tea for uncles and neighbors.

Tunisian crocheted hats for the children.

Ricky crocheted gnome puppets for Wilson.

Crocheted bookmarkers from Wilson for family and teachers.







 
 
 
Ricky felted/crocheted a headband and choker for his cousin.

And...wood sprites for nieces, felted ornaments and more, but already wrapped up before we got pictures!

Hope your handmade holidays are blissful and sweet.  Merry Christmas!

King Winter Is Here!!

 Everything You Need to Celebrate King Winter's Arrival in Your Home or School! 41 Pages of Waldorf Crafting, Recipes, Stories, Songs, Verses, Poems and Activities.

http://www.littleacornlearning.com

Introducing Little Acorn Learning's *NEW* King Winter Theme Book!

Including special appearances by Jack Frost his Ice Fairies

~ A collaboration of love from Little Acorn Learning to help you celebrate the coming of Winter in your home or school


With Contributions by:
~ Eileen Straiton, Little Acorn Learning
~ Jodie Mesler, Home Music Making
~ Jennifer Tan, Syrendell


*Create a Magical Needle Felted King Winter Puppet
*Read All About How the Ice Fairies and Jack Frost Prepare for King Winter's Arrival!
*Enjoy Two MP3 King Winter Songs Written JUST for Little Acorn Learning Along with Song Sheets and Pentatonic Song Music to Use with the Penny Whistle or Flute in Your Winter Lesson Plans
*Enjoy Verses and Fingerplays in the Waldorf Tradition
*Make a Winter Solstice Wish with Your Family
*Enjoy a Bowl of Baked Winter Oatmeal and a Frozen Treat!
*Play Winter and Jack Frost Games
*Explore Ice with Your Children!
*Read a VERY Old Tale of King Winter
*Enjoy Additional Book Recommendations from Little Acorn Learning to Bring into Your King Winter Theme
 
And...some exciting giveaways!

Waldorf Watercolor Postcard Giveaway!

Please visit Jen Dimonte's beautiful blog, Ancient Hearth this weekend!  If you leave a comment, you will be entered to win one of Rick's postcards.

Tunisian Crochet Video!

Our Tunisian Crochet Video is now available through The Bearth Institute!  Come and see Jennifer show the basics of Tunisian crochet.  It is easy and fun to learn as a whole family.  Tunisian crochet is not quite knitting, and not quite crocheting.  It is easier on the hands and wrists, quicker than knitting, and uses less yarn than traditional crocheting. Fun to learn over winter vacation!  Also compliments our new Gnome Hat pattern in our Etsy shop.

Learn how to Tunisian Crochet in record time with this 20-minute video by Jennifer Tan. In the video she shows you how to cast on, crochet your beginning rows, modify your pattern, and create a scarf, muff or blanket. You will be amazed at how quickly you can finish a project with this crochet method and how easy this is to teach to children ages five and above. Jennifer tells you all you need to know in this video - from how to purchase Tunisian crochet hooks to what kind of yarn you should use. You could download this video and finish a holiday gift in less than an hour!  DVD Download

Gnomes at Home!

"The gnomes, particularly from autumn on and through the winter, in their wanderings through ore and rock, bear with them what has trickled down to them through the plants.  They are the beings within the earth which carry the ideas of the whole universe on their streaming, wandering journey through the earth."  -- Rudolf Steiner, Harmony of the Creative Word.

Gnomes have been visiting our home lately.  So lucky!

Wilson Gnome

Hat pattern is available in our Etsy shop.  It's Tunisian-crocheted and very easy to make!  Wilson loves to wear this hat during the cold mornings.

Joey Gnome

A variation on our hat pattern.  Joey and Mommy share this hat which features the Tunisian simple stitch and knit stitch.  This also makes a cute baby hat!

Garden Gnome

A gift from Grandma and Grandpa.  Haven't see any slugs eating the veggies since he arrived!  Our garden protector.

Morrie Gnome

Wilson's 8th grade buddy Morrie, at Davis Waldorf School, knitted this beautiful gnome and blanket for him.  Wilson named the gnome "Morrie".  She likes to watch Wilson knit on the couch.

A wonderful article on Biodynamic Gardening, gnomes and composting can be found in this month's Lilipoh magazine.  Hopefully the gnomes are enjoying our compost pile!

Winter Tea - Rhythm of the Home

As many of us know, Rhythm of the Home magazine is a beautiful resource, full of inspiration, ideas and joy!

The new Winter edition is out today.  Hooray!  Our article on how to make Winter tea is in the "Warmth" section of the magazine.  Enjoy!