Golden Sun Family

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T07:28:00.000-08:00

I have had a much needed holiday from blogging, reducing my online time to a minimum. I have missed it but with work and homeschool and everything else, I cannot find the time. This photo is from our trip to Santa Barbara over Thanksgiving holiday. It was a lovely time and I hope to share more photos at some point! Sending warmest holiday wishes to all our family and friends out there! May it be a joyful season for you!

Autumn Musings

2011-10-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

How I love my handwork classes! The children are so eager and joyful in their work. Here is the first and second grade basket. Sometimes I hear the children whispering their verse as they knit. Many children make up their own verses as well!

And here is my third and fourth graders' basket. They are making the beautiful sewing books from Linda's pattern at Rhythms of the Home. I wanted to begin with knitting this year, since some students have not learned it before. Being a first year, combined grade school I have adjusted the handwork curriculum to meet the needs of the class.

Life has been so very busy and I have set down my camera for a time. It feels good to rest this interest as I know that it enlivens my ability to experience what is in front of me and see more clearly. The SE Womens' Herbal Conference was delightful, especially with my dear friend, Lindsley who came from CA to attend. Mia joined the young women's circle with her beloved teacher and mentor, Lena. One highlight was standing one evening at Lake Eden, stars and moon shining overhead, bonfire bright and women drumming and singing prayer to Mother Earth and seeing a glorious shooting star as it soars overhead. It was breathtaking. Another highlight was learning from the plants with herbalist and wise woman Suki Roth, the teacher who is the main reason that I attend SEWHC year after year. I hope some day to spend more time learning from her, she is extraordinary.

With gratitude and Autumnal blessings to all!

Arrival of Autumn

2011-09-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

Oh, how quickly autumn has arrived! It has been a while since I have found the time to post photos. Here are a few from the first days of school. The children love the tradition of the Schultüte.This was inspired by my mom's memories of entering first grade in Germany, before her family emigrated. We don't reserve the tradition for the first day of first grade, but rather a special treat for the start of each year. It is nice to have a tradition that brings the kids so much joy at the start of a new year.

Azalea Mountain is such a beautiful school community. The children share in verses and song every day, and the nature immersion day at Sacred Mountain Sanctuary is really special. I am loving my dear handwork students! It has been a joy! Tomorrow we celebrate Michaelmas and the felted dragon from last year makes his appearance in yet another puppet play. This year is the tale of the apple pie dragon told by Ms. Kate. Jasper made a gorgeous golden sword at school with Mr. Scott and Ms. Becca, as well as a golden cape, dyed with goldenrod at his sweet Kindergarten, Little Round Schoolhouse. All the children have been singing beautiful Michaelmas songs taught by Ms. Allen, the lovely music teacher at Azalea Mountain. Mia and I are currently studying history of ancient Greece and will soon move into a Geometry block.

I have been meaning to share the beautiful photos that Lenka Hattaway took for our family. Can I tell you how long it has been since I got a photo of the whole family, or even David and me? I don't even remember when that has happened! Lenka is wonderfully talented, please visit her lovely website and blog here! Thank you so much, Lenka!

Autumn Equinox and Michaelmas Blessings to all!

Summertime Goodness

2011-08-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

This summer is zipping by. We have one last trip to Oregon, leaving tomorrow on a 5am flight! Now is my chance to share some bits and pieces of what we have been doing around here. Peaches have been a major theme in the past week. It all began with an almond peach cobbler that Mia made from one of my favorite cookbooks, San Francisco Flavors. She baked it for the Azalea Mountain potluck and got tons of complements on it. Yum, it was delicious. Next came Vivienne's peach tart from my other favorite cookbook, Clotilde's Chocolate and Zucchini. And this was divine! So very yummy and we got to share it with Grammy and Granddaddy when they visited. Then there was the peach ice cream, that I got inspired to make for the annual Rennicks' ice cream social. I made a peach ginger (winning the award of most sensuous flavor) and a peach thyme, both recipes are from The Ultimate Ice Cream book. Very interesting flavors. I really liked the thyme.

Vivienne making french toast, a favorite weekend breakfast.

Jasper was having a blast learning how to wind a skein on my new Amish swift. He was quite a help, as I started to wind skeins from four pounds of wool. Thankfully, the other seven pounds were already in skeins. Which leads to the next images, the start of my plant dye adventures. I was so impressed by the process at my handwork training that I committed myself to making plant dyed wool for the children of Azalea Mountain. (Did I mention that I will be teaching handwork this year?)

The red powder is cochineal. Apparently, it is very rare these days and is valued at the price of gold. I felt lucky to find a natural dye kit that still carries it. Below is the Madder root (right) and alkanet (left). I also used henna, coreopsis from my garden, logwood, cutch, and indigo.

Ah, the beauty! Takes my breath away!

Vivienne with her joyful harvest. We sometimes bake with plantain seeds. Which brings us to the next theme. When Grandpa came to visit last year, the kids got into picking the grapes and Grandpa showed them how to mash and boil them to make grape juice. This year, they took up the project on their own and made delicious grape juice to sell at a stand in the front yard.

And today, Mia decided that she wanted to make neck pillows for the air plane, so we chose cozy fabrics and made up a design. Then we stuffed them with sheeps wool. The kids got silly when Jasper realized that the pillow made a very silly little-bo-peep hat.

Another busy day and now that I am packed and ready to travel, off to bed I must go!

More Learning...

2011-08-13T21:30:00.000-07:00

It has been my quest this summer to renew my own education and continue to support my growth and development as a mother, teacher, artist and striving human. I am so excited about the online course that Dr. Rick Tan is offering, called Five Spheres of Waldorf Education. For me, it will be a wonderful extension to the coursework at Rudolf Steiner College. Setting aside time to deepen my understanding and engage myself in this work feels right. I have been a long time reader of the waldorf way and the Tan family's blog, Syrendell. I am continually inspired by the wealth of creativity and information that they share. If you are interested in finding out more, here are some details below!

Five Spheres of Waldorf Education ECourse

through Little Acorn Learning
Instructor: Dr. Rick Tan
Five Week ECourse Begins August 15th and Runs for 5 Weeks

~NOW ENROLLING~
5 Full Weeks of lessons, videos and assignments!

The Five Spheres of Waldorf education encapsulates the sweeping themes of this educational movement: Self, Relationships, Balance, Rhythm, and Course. In the five-week seminar offered at Little Acorn Learning, Dr. Rick Tan will discuss one sphere per week and the relevant topics in anthroposophy and Waldorf that are connected with the sphere.

Dr. Rick Tan is an artist, musician, and graphic designer. He was a homeschooling parent and currently is the seventh grade teacher at Davis Waldorf School.

Week 1
The Self Sphere:
The topic of Anthroposophy as the human being’s inner striving to understand oneself will be reviewed. Here, the many natures of the Self: ego, astral, etheric, and physical bodies will be discussed

Week 2
The Relationships Sphere:
We will touch on the synergy of our connections with each other.

Week 3:
The Balance Sphere:
This week will present us with a foundation for the three fold social order, and the three fold human being as thinker, feeler, doer.

Week 4:
The Rhythm Sphere:
We will cover the four-part main lesson, and the four temperaments: choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic, and melancholic.

Week 5:
The Course Sphere:
This lesson will touch on the curriculum of Waldorf education.

To Enroll in this Exciting ECourse, Visit Little Acorn Learning HERE for More Details

I look forward to sharing what all I have been up to and what I will be doing with my training soon!

Handwork training

2011-07-18T23:54:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a two week handwork training at Rudolf Steiner College in Caliornia. It was challenging to be away from my family for such a long time, but so wonderful in many ways. We got to plant dye wool and silks, knitted and crocheted through the grades 1-3 and attended a wonderful variety of classes. It was a very rich experience for me. My sweet sister even came down with her beau to spend the weekend in San Franciso. We headed for Muir Woods and the Sausalito farmer's market, then back to classes. I spent my birthday on a red-eye flight home, and was greeted at the airport the following morning with five bouquets of flowers and a welcome home banner! I love my sweet family. More photos to come.

Beautiful flow form in the Rudolf Steiner College Biodynamic Garden

Loveliness

2011-06-28T21:11:00.000-07:00

It is often the simple things that capture my eye, and bring joy to my day. I just have a few images to share that I have enjoyed witnessing lately. These are glimses into the glorious season of summer. "Simple" is a theme that I feel called to work on right now. I feel that the clutter of things can also really effect my thinking and take too much time away from my days. I am working on letting go of more things so that I can enjoy life! I would love to hear your experiences and suggestions in this effort as well. One place that I am beginning, is reading Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne.

Bee Love

2011-06-27T21:50:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure of attending the premiere showing of the film Queen of the Sun last week . It came as a part of the Asheville International Pollinator Week. I can't express how inspired I am after seeing this film. I know that bees are are incredible creatures, but this film really brought my awe and appreciation for them to a new level. I also feel the calling to protect and nurture them, as they do so much for us. Thankfully, my dear friend and neighbor, Heather, has started keeping bees this summer and I can enjoy watching them swoop over the fence and into my garden. Someday, I would really like to take a workshop with Gunter Hauk at Spikenard Farm and Honeybee Sanctuary. To hear Gunter speak of the bees in the film, as did many other wonderful beekeepers, it was truly beautiful to hear their reverence and deep gratitude.

In honor of the honeybees, I brought the bee mobile project to our local handwork group that meets at Azalea Mountain. I found the idea in one of my very favorite books, All Year Round.

Wool magic and other creations

2011-06-18T12:37:00.000-07:00

I am enjoying this wonderful online tutorial with Nicole from Lebenskuenstler All the wool creations are made without felting the fibers. It is really a subtle art form! I just love the beauty of the plant dyed wool. So far, I have made the bunnies and a sheep.

Vivienne fashioned a cool "new" instrument, which she named the guitar-um, also known a prisoner's bliss. One has to be inside the box in order to play its strings. Pretty fun.

Vivi also fashioned her top out of a bandana and jute rope. She wore it proudly.

And let me not forget Jasper's super deluxe veggie sandwich. Yum. He ate every bite.

Creative days of May

2011-05-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

Life has been much busier than I am able to keep up with here on the blog. There are so many bits and pieces that I wish to share! Here are a few creative things that have been happening around here lately. The mushrooms and butterflies are Vivienne's creations. She got inspired to make them and have a roadside stand when our neighbors were having a yard sale. Next is my wool felt version of Wuzzy, the sweet older dog in residence at the girl's dance theater. He is a charming greeter, despite his poor eyesight. I gave this to his owners, Susan and Giles, with gratitude for their wonderful studio.

I am excited to have joined an online Magic Fairy Wool course with Nicole at Lebenskuenstler. It looks delightful and I can't wait for my beautiful plant dyed wool to arrive in the mail. What a treat!

This woodworking project is Mia's, from her amazing and inspiring woodworking class with the wonderful Mr. Crowe. We will miss having his homeschooling classes next year, but he will be teaching grades 1&2 at the newly formed Waldorf initiative, Azalea Mountain School. And below are the pretty recycled paper flowers that Mia designed and festively decorated our home with.

Yummy little blueberry muffin...Vivienne dressed it up just for me. So sweet. More to come!

Dear Kale, We Love you...

2011-05-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

Ever since the kale started to mature in the garden, our family has been crazy for it. We ate three whole colanders the first evening. After we sauteed some, the kids would run out and pick more, and then they asked if they could have kale for dessert? What? Could my mama ears be hearing this correctly? The baby kale is so yummy. We just sauteed it with a little olive oil and splash of Bragg's. On a related note, Vivi was awarded "adventurous eater" recognition at her Wednesday class. They shared a meal for lunch each week, and she was the only one to eat everything that friends brought. And she enjoyed it all, too!

May Faire

2011-05-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

The photo above was taken by my friend, Stewart during the puppet play of The Frog Prince.

The May-pole is up,

Now give me the cup;

I'll drink to the garlands around it;

But first unto those

Whose hands did compose

The glory of flowers that crown'd it.

- Robert Herrick, The Maypole, 1660

Easter Blessings!

2011-04-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

Sending warmest Easter Tiding! Our family had a busy and wonderful weekend, filled with family and friends. I enjoyed making Marsha's delicious hot cross buns recipe, which you see on Carey's lovely blog. The children enjoyed hunting eggs of all sorts. I loved the plant dyed ones, they really liked the candy filled ones at the annual Rennicks' egg hunt. I finally got my wheatgrass grown in time for Easter and enjoy it's delicious greenness.

My beautiful purple clematis bloomed!

Vivienne entered in a fiddling contest at Warren Wilson College's Fiddles and Folklife Festival, and her Granddaddy backed her up on guitar! How cool is that? She played and sang to Crawdad Song and Angelina Baker. It was a really fun afternoon of music, gorgeous weather, and traditional artisan demonstrations such as metalsmithing, woodworking and spinning. I bought the beautiful basket in the first photo from a Warren Wilson student booth.

Mia's beautiful egg hanging that she created with Ines. On the other side there are eggs wrapped in moss and golden thread.

Spring is here!

2011-03-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

It is such a delight to have the milder days and see the beautiful spring flowers emerging. Vivienne knitted a hat yesterday with her beautiful birthday yarn. Mia has been working on her Kumihimo Japanese braiding technique that she learned at Super Saturday class. I have been needle felting, one of which is the little green frog in my title photo. It will debut in the a puppet play of The Frog King with the Azalea Mountain Puppets this spring! Jasper and Mia also painted their gourd birdhouses that we grew, then hollowed and dried out last autumn. Our nature table got refreshed, with special thanks to all the lovely people who had the crafty swap with me! And the last photo is a cute little gnome boot-clip from Jasper's pen pal in New Zealand.

Felted Matryoshkas

2011-03-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

Oh, what fun! I participated in my first natural material craft swap. I made 15 sweet little matryoshkas, inspired by Vivi's 8th birthday theme. I think that I made about a dozen for party favors, and it was such fun that I kept on making them! First, I needle-felted the features, then I wet-felted so that they would be very sturdy for child's play.

Eleven Candles...

2011-03-06T14:46:00.000-08:00

And she wanted a Parisian theme for her party - what fun!

Fun chocolate molds from Bake it Pretty. I love that shop!

Mia's poster is on the right, inspired by her French class at Super Saturday. And Vivi's poster is on the left.

The girls decided to make eiffel tower with string, like cat's cradle, you know?

Happy 11th Birthday, my Mia Bella! Someday, we shall see Paris together! Je t'aime ma fille!

More Love

2011-02-17T21:51:00.000-08:00

The kids really get into celebrating at our house. They work so hard on making gifts for the whole family, it really astounds me! Mia set the table for a special Valentines lunch and made it so darling. I found the prettiest little silk dress at the thrift store for Vivienne, so she had to get dressed up.

I had to share Jasper's dog bone stamp thank you notes, to follow his puppy birthday party! We had fun printing them with a potato . And the last photo, a glorious mango lassi. Could anything be more amazing than cardamom and mango together? Seriously.

Which bring me to a favorite Rumi quote... "Let the Beauty We Love be What We Do" - Katie Daisy's printed version is so pretty.

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T11:24:00.000-08:00

This is Mia's own Valentines Day photo which I helped with on Photoshop. I hope you are enjoying the sweet lovies in your life as much as I am! XOXO

Photographer in the Making

2011-02-12T04:37:00.000-08:00

I loved watching Jasper as he set up my tripod and look for the image that he wanted. He made a little curtain for his secret studio. It was very sweet! I only took a quick photo because I didn't want to interfere with his work. The girls are also very interested in photography now. I remember when I began to love photography around 9 years old. I entered my photos in the 4-H county fair! I can't wait to share Mia's valentine photo creation this year. (to come...)

Puppy Party

2011-02-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

New friends... Gnomie made by Ines, felted sock monkey made by Mia

The chocolate cupcakes were delicious. I used Martha Stewart's one bowl chocolate cupcake recipe, and her chocolate-sour cream frosting. Jasper told me that he wanted "grown-up" chocolate for his birthday cake!

Creative Friday

2011-02-04T13:44:00.000-08:00

Since it was fun to participate in Linda's Creative Friday last week, I thought I would share what I am up to. Someone very sweet is having a birthday soon. And he wants a doggy theme. So here is what I have been working on for him. Shhh, don't tell!

And here is a puppy pillow that I am working on. I upcycled a wool sweater for the pillow cover, and the puppies are cut from gorgeous wool felt planted dyed by mamajudes on etsy. I love her goods!

This final project is one that (I am embarrassed to say) I began when Mia was a toddler! It is a cute alphabet wall hanging kit from Magic Cabin, something they no longer offer. I have pulled it out of the closet and commissioned my girls to help finish it. I love the wool felt, but the moths have eaten a few nibbles... I will have to make a few mends.

The dreary winter weather is perfect for staying busy indoors here. Happy Crafting!

More handmade gifts

2011-01-29T19:44:00.000-08:00

David had his birthday this week and the kids really enjoyed making presents for him. Vivi got a new embroidery kit and decided to make one for him. It is neat that she chose a rooster, since that is his chinese zodiac sign. Mia made the sweet paper holder, and the girls worked together on the framed drawing.

And here is Vivienne's birthday poster. I love the Russian fairy tale influence.

Party Time

2011-01-28T17:57:00.000-08:00

It is birthday season in our house. One after the next, we get to take joy in celebrating each member of the family. Well, except for me, the summer baby. It has been fun to share in making thoughtful presents. I loved Vivienne's Matryoshka theme for her party. It was so sweet and represented her love for other cultures, fairy tales and dolls. It also sparked my creativity and I realize that I love making dolls.

This beautiful knitting kit was made by my friend, Tracy and her daughter , Emily. Can you see the adorable matryoshka knitting needles?

Other birthday handmade items: Sweet little bags made by sweet girls, Francesca's (left) and Savannah's(right).

and here is my soft matryoshka inspired doll for Vivi.

Happy birthday, my sweet eight-year-old!

Wool Pets

2011-01-17T12:57:00.000-08:00

I pulled out my wool roving and got inspired to make some critters. They are so gratifying and fun. Some of my favorite books are Wool Pets and Wool Toys and Friends written by Laurie Sharp, as well as Little Felted Animals by Marie-Noelle Horvath.

I am also busy at work on some little matryoshka dolls for birthdays party favors and a fun handmade swap that I am participating in. I am combining needle felting and wet felting to make them really well felted and durable. Here's a little sneak preview...

Here is the first stage, then all the little details...

Happy Crafting!

Snow Days

2011-01-12T06:29:00.000-08:00

It has been a peaceful week of snow play and relaxed home school. So much more gets accomplished around here when we don't have the option of bustling around town for classes. Vivienne is enjoying her Russian Fairy Tale block, with thanks to Mrs. Marsha's free files. In fact, she is planning a Matryoshka theme for her birthday party this year. Mia is busy with learning North American Geography. Yesterday she cooked Boston Bean Soup and Colonial Brown bread, delicious! It is quite a task to cover the whole continent and it will take us several blocks to do so. But one thing that I find about home schooling using the lesson blocks, is that the themes of previous lessons tend to carry through the year and enliven daily activities. We will continue our geography game Scrambled States of America, cooking regional foods, listening to American folk music, learning about Native American tribes, reading American poets, and so on, long after we have moved to the next block. I am awed by how often the Norse Myths jump out at me since our grade four block, and Ancient India continues to deepen my understanding of the world. No doubt about it, home school is an education for myself and my kids. If you want a fun pop culture version of the Ramayana to enjoy, check out Sita Sings the Blues, it streams from the artist, Nina Paley's website for free. I would not recommend it for kids, but the music is terrific and there is a fun dialogue that happens in the narration.

Winter Wonderland

2011-01-08T22:09:00.000-08:00

Hello, snow. Good-bye, Christmas tree.

Knit Fix

2010-12-26T16:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, so after my last post I tried to felt the hat down to a human size. But some of the bulky yarn did not want to felt, it must have been pre-felted. So the hat still looked like it might fit an elephant. I decided to cut mittens out and then add a little more knitting to the hat so that it came over the ears a bit. I think it worked out pretty well. The mittens are super warm and cozy. Next time, I will not try to substitute needles that are four sizes too big!

And we got to enjoy a white Christmas! Thankfully, Grandma finally arrived from the airport after a long night of cancelled flights and delays. We are getting in a lot of sledding while the snow is good.

What happens when you don't check your gauge...

2010-12-24T18:11:00.000-08:00

Oopsie, I should have stopped sooner! I really don't like to check my knitting gauge and this is what happens! May this be a lesson to us all. This is my last minute attempt at making Christmas presents. Well, I do have plans to remedy the situation... we will see how it goes. We all shared a very good laugh.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!

Knits and Outtakes

2010-12-17T22:17:00.000-08:00

Here we are, a week from Christmas and I am just getting our family photo card made. I found it helpful to make it a New Year's card and not stress over sending them out before Christmas. It is supposed to be a joyful process, isn't it? I am just not going for the holiday stress this year. Which means that life is very low key, and the kids are coming up with their own wonderful gift making and holiday creations. It works well for me.

We have done a little bit of baking, though my icebox cookies that I baked without cooling first turned out quite terrible. (Don't try this!) Of course, my dear children ate them up with joy. But the texture came out all wrong. Vivienne made a delicious batch of lemon shortbread cookies. Here are some funny outtakes from our attempts at a Holiday card. Vivienne is sporting the newly knit hat that she churned out this morning. It is a fun, chunky knit which combined several colors of wool and has a two-tone design. I need to get knitting, too.

Leather crafting

2010-12-13T13:35:00.000-08:00

The kids and I have enjoyed learning about leather crafting here and there in the last couple of years. We started to make mocassins last year, but never quite completed them. It is one of those projects that needs to be revisited. I gave up when my waxed thread got tangled into a ball by one very adorable little person. Mia worked with a local craftsman one day and made some nice work, and learned quite a lot. We have all of these leftover scraps and yesterday I shared my admiration for these beautiful leather cuffs that I saw at the Big Crafty, made by Audrey Laine. Vivienne's face lit up with ideas and off she went, working out her idea. Beacuse I found her ability to jump into action so inspiring, I completed my own project. Then our family took a trip to Earth Guild for more leather scraps so that we could continue our explorations. Vivienne is making a simple purse now, and has completed various other gifts which are really great.

I think we will be making more of these. They are so simple and comfortable to wear.

My Little Songbird

2010-12-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

After two years of weekly practice, Mia got to enjoy the wonderful opportunity to sing with the Children's Choir for the Asheville Symphony. It was a delightful concert. Last year, the weather was poor and the event was cancelled. This year, we got snow but managed to keep the date. I am really proud of Mia for sticking with her commitment and so pleased to hear her sing. She is on the far right side of the photo.

Snow Angels

2010-12-08T18:53:00.000-08:00

Crafting with Love

2010-12-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

My kids really inspire me so often. Their hearts are so pure and generous. Mia and Vivienne looked at the mailing from Heifer International and decided that they wanted to raise money to give animals to families in need. They decided on a goal of getting one flock on chicks and one goat, which amounts to $140. Vivienne spent several days making five-finger knitted scarves. This girl can knit up a storm. She listened to the Narnia Chronicles on CD, and knitted six wool scarves. Mia had a wonderful idea of taking blank note cards, and the handmade seed paper that her Grammy made with her over the weekend and created beautiful greetings to sell. Then, I consulted my friends and decided to share a vending table with Ines in front of the local health food store. The weather was miserably wet and chilly, and after a few hours of little traffic, the kids spirits were getting down. We stopped inside for hot cocoa and returned to the table. All of a sudden, we had a stirring of interest. Some ladies came and delighted in Mia's beautiful cards, enjoying her artistic drawings and sweet words. They bought some. Then a woman with her little boy bought the first scarf. The kids were excited again, and more shoppers stopped. Some friends came by and purchased items, and before we knew it, the girls had raised over $100!

Here is the seeded paper drying. The green paper has an herb mix, and the pink has a flower mix. Mia cut them into shapes and drew around them. Later the seed paper can be peeled off the cards and planted in the spring. I didn't remember to photograph Mia's beautiful cards before they sold.

Here are two books that my friend, Tracy suggested we look at. One Hen and Beatrice's Goat. Both are about the wonderful changes in their lives that came from the addition of a farm animal.

Jasper is getting crafty these days, too. his favorite thing is to make paper airplanes and other paper/tape "origami" creations. He just recently started representational drawings, here he is working on his latest masterpiece.

Another of Vivienne's crafting. She woke up early one morning and sewed an entire baby blanket by hand. One side is cotton velour, the other is soft flannel fat quarters from my favorite fabric designer, Anna Maria Horner. Vivi plans to donate it - we have a box in our neighborhood for collecting warm blankets for charity. (I am thinking of quilting over it a bit to make it super secure, but alas, my sewing machine is missing a part... curious little boy hands, ugh.)

I got inspired to get makin' after attending The Big Crafty show. My favorite finds (among so many talented artists!) were Katie Daisy and Dana Fesenfeld at Chomp. I took a poufy beanbag chair (which has been waiting for months to get revamped) and covered it with fab Irish wool sweaters, hand stitched and then needled felted over it. It makes a cheery seat by the fireside. I think it is time to bring out the knitting needles. Today was our first snow flurry!

Happy Crafting to all!

Winter Seasonal Table

2010-12-02T08:12:00.000-08:00

We are already into the month of December and I wonder how this is possible! I feel like I just got used to the transition from summer to autumn and now the winter winds are blowing. Time for hot milk with honey and cinnamon, toasty fires, and advent surprises. Our seasonal table changed today. My dear friend, Ines, made this beautiful seasonal stand for me. I love it!

Giving Thanks

2010-12-01T22:12:00.000-08:00

It is a special time, when we give ourselves permission to savour family and friends, and to hold space in our lives for gratitude. I would like each meal that our family shares to be a bit like Thanksgiving. Sharing gratitude for the food we eat, the love that went into it's growth and preparation, and the relationships that we hold dear to our hearts. I could live without the more-than-ample proportions and butter-laden density of the "feast." But most importantly, I remind myself to give thanks. To the beautiful people who sit before me, to those who live far away, to those who have passed into the spirit world, to all living beings, everywhere. May you be free, may you have peace, may you find your bliss.

In case you are wondering, the first photo was the last slice of my vanilla-spiced caramel and pear tart. It

was really tasty. Another favorite of mine was the whipped sweet potatoes with cardamom.

love & gratitude,emily

Autumn Bits

2010-11-17T09:51:00.000-08:00

"November comes

And November goes,

With the last red berries

And the first white snows.

With night coming early,

And dawn coming late,

And ice in the bucket

And frost by the gate.

The fires burn

And the kettles sing,

And earth sinks to rest

Until next spring."

- Elizabeth Coatsworth

One Small Moment

2010-11-11T21:54:00.000-08:00

A photo from our day. One little quiet moment in our hurried days to remind me of why it is all so worthwhile. A girl and her ukelele, so happy together.

All Hallows Eve

2010-11-10T22:05:00.000-08:00

Despite my backlog of photo editing, I can't miss posting about halloween altogether! It was such a fun night! Better late than never is what I say.

Sleeping under the stars

2010-10-27T21:53:00.000-07:00

Since we are a family of fair-weather campers, this beautiful outing represents the last trip of the year. And what a splendid time it was! We were so grateful to be invited along to this private remote campground. This place was gorgeous and had some pretty luxurious amenities, as far as camping goes. It was a real treat to enjoy the company of good friends in the natural world. The community of Balsam Mountain has it's own nature center, where we got to learn about their resident creatures and experience the training process for their hawk, Zeus.

I was raised by the song

Of the murmuring grove

And loving I learned

Among Flowers.

- Friedrich Holderlin

Garden in Autumn

2010-10-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

I have been taking extra care and time to really "see" and experience my dear green garden, before it takes it's winter's rest.

Women Together!

2010-10-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

Such an inspiration it has been for me to attend the Southeast Women's Herbal Conference! This is the third year that I have attended the conference, and the first year that I have officially taken photos for the event. I am filled with gratitude to meet so many wonderful healers, showing up to participate in making change in the world. The exchange of ideas, energy, support and feeling of community was so uplifting. Some really inspiring women that I enjoyed seeing there were herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, wise woman Alisa Starkweather, energy healer Laurel Mamet, herbalist Suki Roth, yoga instructor Sierra Hollister and extraordinary musicians Leah and Chloe of Rising Appalachia. There were countless others who made the weekend so memorable and fun. While it was a different experience behind the camera, running to and fro to capture images, I still got the opportunity to connect with others, enjoy the beautiful location and delicious food (all inspired by Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions. For me, one of the most nurturing parts of the weekend was to participate in heartfelt community ritual. Singing, drumming, lighting candles, holding hands in circle, celebrating the light in all of us around a bonfire on a starry evening... these moments will stay with me through the long days of winter and beyond.

"If ever the world sees a time when women shall come together, purely and simply for the benefit of humanity, it will be a power such as the world has never known." quote from Alisa Starkweather

Autumn Equinox and Michaelmas

2010-09-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

This is a most special time of year for me. It is the midway point from Summer Solstice/ St John's Tide to Winter Solstice/ Christmas. We have enjoyed marking this time with an Equinox bonfire and potluck with our friends. The flowers are still so glorious and cheerful.

Jasper made Dragon bread and dyed a silk cape with goldenrod at his little morning class, and I helped to prepare for the community Michaelmas festival by making a felted dragon and some scenery for the puppet show. It was a good learning experience to be a part of the production.

Jasper in his cape of golden light

The lovely princess was made by Becca.

I got to be the King in the story. This beautiful puppet was made by Lenka. They are so glorious in action, with their flowing silk bodies.

Ines practicing the scene with the knight

The tamed dragon

Weaving with nature at the festival. The kids also made beautiful wool felted comets with trailing ribbons.

Mother Earth leading the children to the puppet show. During the show, we had a torrential thunderstorm. It was quite dramatic the have roars of thunder in the dragon scene. But after getting thoroughly soaked (with glee...) as we crossed the property, the sun shone again for the potluck and cider pressing time. The children delighted in playing in the mud puddles.

The Michaelmas dragon was gifted to Vivienne(something that Mia and Jasper insisted upon), honoring her bravery and strength after a very unfortunate playground accident. She slipped on a ladder, landing in a very tender place and had to miss the festival to rest at home with Daddy. She is feeling much better today.

Jasper's favorite tee from the local and fabulous Ollie Kate

Brave and True

Will I Be

Each Kind Deed

Sets Me Free

Each Kind Word

Makes Me Strong

Fight for the Right

Conquer the Wrong

~author not known

Check out more wonderful photos at the Moment to Moment Blog!

Harvest Day

2010-09-21T21:19:00.000-07:00

Today, we got our main lesson work done and then headed out to the country to pick berries and apples. We drove out to Long Branch Environmental Education Center. It was a perfect afteroon for enjoying the warm autumn sun. We found lots of delicious blueberries!

I believe that this aster is called the Michaelmas daisy. To find out more about Michaelmas and ways to celebrate it, check out Carrie's blog, The Parenting Passageway.

Summer, Goodbye...

2010-09-20T20:44:00.000-07:00

The days are getting shorter, and the evenings are cooling off more. Jasper and Vivienne asked to take a lantern walk this evening. I love to watch the colors of the nature becoming mellow and golden. We are approaching our third week of school, each day adding a little more depth and consistency. It takes time for us to settle into our rhythm, but we are getting there. This week I hope to gain more fluidity in the flow of each day. I would like to incorporate more nature walks, bread baking, cooking, family reading time, singing and art making! Mia is preparing her own circle garden, and I am starting to introduce biodynamic preparations to our patch of land.

During my Foundation Study program this past weekend, I got to learn more about biodynamic agriculture. It was inspiring to learn more about Rudolf Steiner's methods for healing the land. As we all know, it is a much needed impulse for these times. It gave me much food for thought.

Here are a few highlights from our last couple of weeks: Starting a fun tee-pee mushroom growing kit for Mia's 5th grade Botany block. Yes, you grow edible mushrooms on a roll of toilet paper! You have to check out Forest Organic's glow-in-the-dark mushroom kit, as well. Expect an update in another 6-8 weeks!

Some other enjoyable sources for Botany.

Making elderberry syrup for the cold and flu season. Many thanks to my friend, Ines, who shared her harvest of fresh berries. (Remember to be sure that you can properly identify a plant before you make medicine with it. ) Speaking of medicine making, the Southeast Women's Herbal Conference is around the corner and I can't wait! You will see me behind my camera, taking photos. What a wonderful weekend it will be!

Heritage Weekend at the Folk Art Center. We are blessed to have so many inspiring elders to teach the younger generations to appreciate and carry on the craftsmanship and fine skills of the mountains of North Carolina. Some of our favorite demonstrations included flax being transformed to linen for spinning and weaving, natural dying, wood carving, and pottery making. Mia enjoyed sharing a conversation with Bill Alexander about the bark basket that she made at roots camp, crafted just like the large berry baskets that he was demonstrating. Jasper watch as Hugh Baily made a whimsical horse and circus man from clay, and could have stayed the whole day. He was transfixed on the process. We also really enjoyed talking to Bill Henry about his beautiful miniature vintage tool replicas that he carves from tulip poplar with a pocket knife. I really enjoyed listening to the Blue Eyed Girl band, they really know how to play beautiful music!

Our nature table taking on an autumn theme...

And having our friend, "Uncle Cy " visit from Sunny California. We got to enjoy a breakfast of cat-head sized biscuits and "Uncle Funky's" grits at the Tomato Jam Cafe. Yum, delish. (We missed you, Lindsley!)

More celebrations of autumn to come!

LAAFF

2010-09-16T22:07:00.000-07:00

A few weekends back, we got to enjoy the local Lexington Ave. Arts and Fun Festival. It is the place to be your own eccentric self! Many participants come in costume and it is a wonderful place for people watching. There are so many creative minds all in one place, it is great fun. We also got to dance to a favorite local world music percussion band, Nataraj. Their drummer, Renjith, happens to be a very talented musician who plays kirtan with Sangita Devi. Vivienne's favorite part was getting a giant lemonade.

We headed home as the sun began to set.

In the Garden

2010-09-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

Today I enjoyed taking some flower portraits! You may laugh, but I do think that each flower shows me something special about it when I take a photograph. It was a beautiful day and although though my garden peaked last month, it really does look gorgeous right now. The colors are brilliant and fill me with happiness. Vivienne and I also spent some time collecting seeds for next spring. So far, we have many packets of zinnia, calendula, marigold, tulsi, okra, and cosmos.

Day One at the Golden Sun Learning Cooperative

2010-09-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

A new school year has begun! We are back to learning in blocks, and having a more structured rhythm to our days. I am really excited about sharing this year with my kids.

Grade five in the Waldorf curriculum is incredible! We will spend time on the ancient cultures of India, Mesopotamia, Babylon, Egypt, China and Greece. We'll work on decimals and continue work with fractions and geometry. In geography, we will explore North American continent, physical and cultural, as well as North American Indians (particularly the Cherokee which live in this region). Currently, Mia and I are working on a main lesson block of Botany. I got so many good ideas from Quimby, Barbara Dewey's husband who is a passionate forester, entomologist and naturalist.

Vivienne begins the year with a nature study, as well. Hers comes from a place of story... tales that bring the true light of nature into awareness. We won't focus our attention on complex vocabulary, but rather the beauty and wonder of the natural world. For the second grade work, we will also visit animal stories and fables, saint and hero tales from around the world, as well as continued work with form drawing, the four processes in math, grammar, foreign language, recorder, all presented with an artistic emphasis.

I am so happy to be learning alongside my children. It is both enlightening, and eye-opening! There is so much that I feel that I missed in my younger days. To get to educate myself and present information in a living, artful way is really a healing gift of the greatest sort. And best of all, we share this journey. I find it interesting how much concern people feel for home schoolers getting enough socialization. Our experience has been that there are more group activities to join than there are hours in the day! We are fortunate to live somewhere that the home school community is large and thriving. I feel more than blessed to be on this path with my children.

Our first day was wonderful. We started off with a celebratory pancake breakfast. The kids a each got a schultüte to open. This is a tradition that my mother remembers from her early days in Germany (generally given for grade 1) The school cone held some special little items for each child: a small notebook, a storybook, new beeswax crayons, modeling beeswax, some wool roving, and gummy bears for a treat.

Mia and I began with our first Botany lesson, and later Vivienne started her form drawing. She loved the form drawing so much that what meant to be a review of first grade forms became a nearly completed main lesson book! She loved the challenge and wanted to keep practicing more and more complex forms. In the meanwhile, Mia decided to use a wild edibles cookbook and collected a ton of plantain ( or otherwise known as Psyllium seed) with Jasper to make plantain seed, carob and raisin cookies. They were very healthy and delicious. We also picked some bird house gourds from the garden, cut holes and set them to dry. There are so many things to be grateful for.

Kind hearts are gardens,

Kind thoughts are roots,

Kind words are blossoms,

Kind deeds are fruits.

~adapted from poem by Henry Wadswoth Longfellow

Top O' the World

2010-09-08T21:03:00.000-07:00

On Labor Day, we took a beautiful hike in the Pisgah National Forest. We gathered with friends for a trek to the scenic view from this North Mills River trail. It was a delightful climb up with a huge pack of dogs (don't tell Sydney, we didn't bring her...) Unfortunately, on the way down our friend Lily met with an angry swarm of yellow jackets, and was stung quite badly. We were all thankful that she did not have a severe reaction to the stings, and bravely trekked back down the mountain. The kids played in the creek before heading home. In the evening, Mia joined her Symphony Children's Choir to lead a singalong in front of thousands of people in the new Pack Square Park, in celebration of the Asheville Symphony's 50th anniversary.! It was quite an exciting day to ring in the new school year.

Cradle of Forestry

2010-09-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

Here is where America's school of Forestry began. We followed the Forest Festival trail, which has wonderful little places for children to have adventures along the way. And on the way home, we took a peek at Looking Glass Waterfall.

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” John Muir

Weekend at Taproot Farm

2010-09-02T16:16:00.000-07:00

I got to enjoy a weekend of commmunity learning and sharing at Barbara Dewey's Waldorf Home Schooler's teacher training on her lovely Ohio farm. It really was wonderful to make new friends and get inspired with new ideas and resources. The instructors were fantastic. Did I mention how beautiful it was?

Special thanks to Barbara and Quimby!

A Room with a View

2010-08-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

One Small Glimpse

2010-08-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

Making Grape Juice

2010-08-16T18:57:00.000-07:00

The kids decided that it was time to get picking on the old, overgrown grape vine in the back yard. I was amazed at how many grapes they harvested! Grandpa helped to research instructions on how to make grape juice. The best part was mashing the grapes down. It came out sweet and tart, simply delicious! This will make a new tradition to be sure!

Budo girl

2010-08-16T08:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a busy one. Vivienne got to show what she learned from her Budo kids class while her Grandparents are visiting. She earned her yellow belt in her Budo Taijutsu practice. They learned the movements in relationship to the elements (earth, air, fire, water, and void.) I love the inner work that goes along with this graceful Japanese martial art. The kids shared the meaning of the elements in relation to the nature, to the practice and to everyday life. They demonstrated their movements and even showed the parents their ability to sit in stillness for a three-minute silent meditation.

Walk and touch peace every moment
Walk and touch happiness every moment.

Each step brings a fresh breeze.
Each step makes a flower bloom.

Kiss the Earth with your feet.

Bring the Earth your love and happiness.

The Earth will be safe
when we feel safe in ourselves.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

A Few Moments

2010-08-11T05:22:00.000-07:00

In the bustle of days (that is my life), I have lost track of time. I have deconstructed my daily rhythm, missing opportune moments for taking photos, completing projects and crossing off items from my "to-do" lists (and there are so many lists). For me, that is the nature of summer. We go outside when it is early, before the heat of the day, we eat when hunger seizes our bellies, we play and socialize and wander about until dusk, then fall into bed with a contented ease. I am happy to report that I feel the air of autumn approaching. Even though the air is muggy and thick with sweltering heat, I sense a difference. The flowers and leaves have peaked in their lavish grandeur, they seem to have a certain resignation, as the earth is pulling them back towards itself. In myself, I feel a certain striving that I have lacked for months. My thoughts want to get organized, I wish to check tasks off my list and plan meals ahead for more than a day in advance. Here is a perfect example. Yesterday, I thought to myself how I really wish to have a new set of cafe curtains in the kitchen. And instead of moping over the task of doing something about it, I peered into my linens and found the perfect vintage tablecloth to transform into a new kitchen look. And after persistently battling my sewing machine for a good hour, I finally set about the task of making the curtains. Mind you, I do not have any particular seamstress skills, I am practical and not too perfectionist about my results. But to end the day with the accomplishment of fresh curtains and a set of matching napkins was quite a joy!

And here's to summer evenings, sharing a fresh strawberry tart (from Clotilde's Chocolate And Zucchini ) and al fresco dining at Nikki's. We enjoyed french cooking in honor of our read of the month, Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery. I loved the book.

Wild blueberries and summer storms

2010-07-24T20:16:00.000-07:00

Down the stairs into the wild beauty of the mountains. Through a rhododendron forest, and over a creek. The kids climbed and splashed in the cold water, sliding down rocks and exploring. Then over to the high meadows of blueberry bushes and wildflowers. I felt as if we were walking in the storybook setting of Blueberries for Sal. Gorgeous berry bushes as far as the eye can see. The kids leaped along the narrow paths with delight. The berries are tiny and delicious. Then, the rain cloud begins to grow and all of a sudden, it is raining cats and dogs! The downpour lasts a good fifteen minutes, or longer. We are all soaked to the bone, laughing and hungry for snacks back at the car. We scrounge up a change of clothes for the kids, little toddler sized apparel that I was passing on to a friend... amazing what will still fit a ten year old!

Random Bits of Fun

2010-07-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

Summer is full of little moments to be grateful for! Here we have the pirate/policeman variety show. Move over, Saturday Night Live.

And a most adorable cake from my sweet family. "Momily" - reminds me of my third grade teacher who spelled my name "MLE" Vivienne learned to play Happy Birthday on her violin, just for me.

The lovely bag Mia made for me .

Mia's Indian dance and culture camp ~ such a nice experience. We celebrated with an Indian meal.

Vivi finds kindred spirits to monkey around with.

Oh, I love my silly darlings.

For the Love of France

2010-07-12T23:58:00.000-07:00

Reading Julia Child's autobiographical book, My Life in France, has been so inspiring. She discovered her true passion in her late thirties, becoming a world class chef of her own making. I love and admire her story, her adoring relationship with her husband, her sense of humor, and the willingness to adapt to another culture and to learn so much from it. If there is any place that I would most want to live other than where I am, it would be in France. Ever since participating in a sister city exchange program in high school , I have longed to return. Reading her book was like taking a trip to a familiar landscape. Another super effect this book left, was inspiring a superb meal for my food (er, I mean book) club. No matter the book, we always have a beautiful meal together. But sharing a French dining experience, this was exceptional! Ah, c'est magnifique!

I made Julia's Salade Nicoise, which was just as delicious as I had remembered it to taste when I'd order it in my favorite Santa Barbara cafe. The table was decked out with the most incredible food! And much had come directly from the gardens of my lovely friends.

The kids asked to bake a cake so I got inspired to make one of my all-time favorites, the chocolate zucchini cake from Clotilde Dusoulier's awesome food blog. Yum! Here is another excellent food blog, it is in French but even if you don't read the recipe, the photos are incredible!

bon appétit!

Happy Surprise

2010-07-12T22:59:00.000-07:00

Vivienne was delighted to open her most recent issue of Ask magazine and see looking back at her, her very own illustration. She had entered a drawing contest and there it was, published in a glossy magazine. I have to share my love of this publication group. My kids have adored these magazines for years. They are fun and informative, filled with beautiful illustrations, stories and articles, and best of all, there are no advertisements! The kids love to get mail, and these subscriptions are among their favorite gifts each year. I love the Babybug for toddlers, which comes in a board book style. Jasper has moved up to Ladybug, while Mia is enjoying Spider now. The contests are such fun, too. Mia has a short story published on the website as well. Now that they have met success, as soon as they get a new issue, they hurry off to write and draw their contest entries. Such fun. My version of exciting mail is the awesome Living Crafts magazine, and someday I will challenge myself to send in a contribution offering, too. My kids have inspired me.~

Jasper reading with my Aunt Maureen on our recent visit to the beach. Hooray for the love of books!

Capturing the spirit of summer

2010-07-12T22:02:00.000-07:00

Here we are in the golden days of sunshine, living in expansive energy, filled with imagination and creative freedom, connected to nature, enjoying friends and family time, and the luscious bounty of our garden...this is summer. Today I sensed the first glimpse of the subtle shift to autumnal days, which brought me to seek a picture of summer at it's height of gorgeousness. Mia embodied the green world today, as she wrapped wild vines around her self and enjoyed the mystery of nature. I felt blessed to be able to witness her experience.

Behold, the wonder of the natural world!

Healing the Ocean

2010-06-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

One little prayer, one little deed at a time. This is the only way I can find to bring healing to the ocean right now. My heart sinks each time I see photos and read reports of the devistation. We have a huge responsibility on our hands, as caretakers of mother earth, to care for her and love all of her inhabitants. I found a way to incorporate the wishes of my children to help, through Craft Hope's Project #8 Cleaning up the Gulf Oil Spill. The kids and I measured and cut used towels to send off, packed them in groups of ten, and boxed them to send. This has been the biggest project ever for Craft Hope. It is a tiny little step, but worthwhile for showing that every effort towards a hopeful future unifies us all.

Roots Camp

2010-06-29T13:49:00.000-07:00

Mia had a wonderful week of learning and creating at Roots camp. The camp is led by two phenomenal local educator/herbalists, Lena and Fox at a local community garden. She came home with Cherokee songs, stories, special handmade items, knowledge of plants, and experience with local elders that they took field trips to see. Every afternoon, she came home grimy, sweaty, tired and contented. Just like summer days should be.

Plantain seed pods, taste like asparagus when fried up (Be sure you can identify correctly!)

Jasper got inspired to design his own pouch, too

Shades of Blue

2010-06-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

Today, the kids and I had a wonderful time with Indigo. I found that my local craft shop carries Indigo dye that is pre-reduced which means that it can be used right away. Earth Guild also has good information on natural dyes and mordants on their website. Generally it can take some time to make an indigo dye bath. Instead of using lye, as in the traditional method, washing soda is used to maintain the pre-reduced dye. (In addition to sodium hydrosulfate, which needs to be handled with care-we wore gloves, and masks are recommended when handling the powder) It was interesting to see the rich green color of the bath slowly oxidize in the fabric when it met the air, to a deep blue shade. It seems to be the perfect solution for stained socks and t-shirts.

We also gathered with the local Waldorf handwork group to dye playsilks, as we did last summer. Some of the natural dyes included clematis (pale yellow), red onion skins ( earthy orange) and black eyed susan (pale purple/ green). We also had some food coloring dye baths to make the brighter shades. A photographer took some images for an article on the Waldorf education movement in the area coming out in the WNC Parent next month. It is really exciting to be a part of the community, and watch as it grows strong. Azalea Mountain School will be opening the first Kindergarten class in the Fall.

indigo, red onion skins and black eyed susan (the onion skin dye faded a bit in the hot wash)

Mia's indigo and pink food coloring scarf

Blue~ the color of summer skies!

Midsummer Celebration

2010-06-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

We gathered with friends on Summer Solstice to celebrate the longest day of the year. It was a beautiful evening of fireflies, potluck picnic, story and dancing round the bonfire. Ines read a beautiful tale, called The Midsummer's Bride by Barbara Leoni Picard.

Additionally, we have been spending time on our CSA (community supported agriculture) farm, Full Sun Farm. The kids love to help planting, weeding and harvesting. Of course, they especially love wandering into the strawberry or blueberry patches, and swimming in the pond at the end of the day. I have a great appreciation for my food after experiencing what effort goes into growing each veggie. We come home exhausted, in a good and fruitful way.

Another big midsummer event was a dramatic storm that brought high winds, torrential rain, thunder and lightning and hail. I watched the huge hundred plus year old neighborhood trees bend and wave in the wind. All of a sudden a huge crack sounded and a giant oak crashed down onto the street, a few houses down from ours. It did some damage to a car but thankfully, did not harm anyone. After the storm, the sunset gave a rich pink hue to everything.

Happy Midsummer to you!

Tutorial: Making Lavender Wands

2010-06-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

My friend, Tracy, was so kind to share this wonderful project with the Foundation Studies group today. We are on a summer break from the workshops, but a small group gathered today to discuss the temperaments, work on an art project, and learn beautiful songs together. Thanks, Julie, for leading the group today!

Tracy brought lavender from her home, and walked us through these simples steps to making the wands. They smell so wonderful, I plan to make a bunch more to give as presents.

Materials:

*Fresh lavender stems (9-11 per wand) *3-4ft ribbon or yarn per wand (I would recommend a 1/4" satin, organza or other lightweight ribbon) *scissors

Step one: gather 9 or 11 lavender stems,(you need an odd number) and line up the blossoms at the top of the stem. Leave a tail about 10 inches on one side, longer on the other side. Tie a double knot just below the blossoms.

Step two: Turn the stems blossom down. Gently fold the stems over the blossoms, enclosing them in the center. Allow the shorter end of the ribbon to flow down in the center of the blossoms, and take the long end and reach it out at the top.

Step three: Begin to weave the long end of ribbon in and out of the stem, enclosing the blossoms. Try to arrange the stems so that they are evenly spaced around the flowers and take care to get the pattern established. Over, under, over, under... Stop to gently get ribbons lined up properly.

Step four: Once you have reached the bottom of the flowers, tie off the shorter ribbon and long end, wrap a few times and make a bow, if desired. Trim the stems to desired length, and voila! It smells so wonderful!

My younger kids did not have the patience to weave, so they just wrapped the ribbon around the blossom after step one. They still smell wonderful and look sweet, too. Enjoy!

Is there anything more beautiful?

2010-06-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

I felt so honored to be a part of this most amazing blessing way for my friend, Tiffany. The evening was full with bellydancing and singing, delicious food, bonfire, converation, henna painting, and joyful time together with friends. Beautiful setting, beautiful women...full of love and blessings for this new little one getting ready to be born. And all the little friends also getting ready to join the world!

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting.

Not in entire forgetfulness, and not in utter nakedness, ...

but trailing clouds of glory do we come.

~by William Wordsworth

Little Folk Fun

2010-06-17T13:03:00.000-07:00

The kids have been into making little people and little furniture lately. Here are some cute family portraits. I think the wedding couple are darling.

Mia's sweet little family

The baby sleeps in a little shimmering seashell

Jasper's scarecrow doll

Vivienne's paper cup fairy furniture

Our summer seasonal table

The darling pop-up seashell elf made by my friend, Tiffany.

The Draw

2010-06-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Jaimie at Two Chicks and a Hen! We hope you enjoy your book and leaf doll. Thank you all for participating in our first giveaway!