Cookie Making

 

Taking a break from knitting and made cookies last night.  I shied away from rolled cookie cutter cookies for years, but really they are not as laborious as I thought.  I made the dough one day and divided it into four balls to chill in the freezer.  Then on the next day I rolled out one ball, cut out the cookies and baked them and repeated the process once using up the scraps for a second tray of cookies.  (Hint: just bake those cooky scrap shapes as is after the second rolling instead of tossing them out.  They taste just as good and then you can save the pretty shaped ones for company.)  Two trays of cookies is enough for a few days and then I just grab another dough ball from the frig when we need more.  This way I spend only about a half hour a time making cookies and don't get burned out on the process.  As an extra bonus the cookies are always fresh.  Happy holiday baking everyone!

Valentines

Valentines, Valentines, Valentines. We had fun making them, receiving them and giving them away to teachers, family and friends. Sam and I painted paper with watercolor to make our Valentines for school as seen below. The weaving was quite hard with the heavy watercolor paper so Sam just watched this part. We found the idea in the wonderful book All Year Round.

Here are the Valentines Sam received at school. His teachers had each child make 1 card and then exchanged. One girl made some for everyone - hers is the small valentine on a stick.

This lovely creation is from his teacher Miss Melissa and Miss Annette. They also used paper painted in watercolors which I found sweet that we had the same idea. Inside they placed the valentine from the children and a finger knitted bracelet from Miss Annette.

At the end of Sam's school day we parents had the pleasure of participating in a special Valentine Circle of songs and dances. It was all about a Kingdom on Valentines Day and at the close we learned the "key" to the kingdom is love. So, each child was given their own key to the kingdom necklace to remember the day.

Here's my Valentine for Sam using the same watercolor paper and some ribbon.

Here's one of the many Valentines from Daddy. He choose to have no words pointing out to me Sam cannot read so why have words - it's all about the love anyway.

Well, there it is Valentines, Valentines, Valentines. We all had a wonderful day filled with hugs kisses, a little chocolate and lots of love. How was your Valentines Day?

WIP Wednesday - A Sweater for Sam

My plan was to knit this sweater vest for Sam as a Christmas present. Well, the best laid plans and then life happens. Since I choose the color red I thought it could become a Valentine's sweater vest instead. Not that I need an occasion to knit for my son, but it does give me a deadline which is a good thing. And I do like giving gifts that are something other than toys which seem to grow in number all on their own.

Here's the picture from the pattern. Simple and oh so cute!

I choose this basic bright red, Sam's favorite color at the moment, 100% merino wool by Queensland Collection called Super Aussie. The best part is it will be washable! Many people tell me to just knit in Acrylic for kids because it's so easy care, but I just can't stand the stuff. I love wool! So, finding a nice soft washable wool in a great kid bright color was a gift - Thank you Coldwater Collaborative in Excelsior, MN!

This is a little dark but the color is still pretty accurate - just a simple bright red for my red head.

I just started today (nothing like leaving it to the last minute again) and thankfully it looks to be a fast knit as I am already on the 2nd of 3 skeins of yarn. The pattern is by Knitting Pure and Simple - Basic Vest for Children #256 and I'm very pleased with how easy it is to follow. Even though I've knit many things I still feel like a novice knitter as I only have a few sweaters to my credit. Sweaters just seem to be a pinnacle for me. No matter how many socks, mittens, scarves and hats I've knit the sweater seems to mean more somehow. Do any of you feel this way?

Here's progress so far. I just love knitting in the round as it goes so quickly!

I'll be sure to post a picture of the finished product and hopefully it will be on the boy too! What's on your knitting needles as of late?

Fun Etsy Treasury

It's a little silly to blog about a treasury on Etsy as they only last a few days, but this one I found especially cute (I'm in it too!) So, here it is Valentine's Day the treasury. If you search on Etsy for Waldorf related toys you'll notice quite a few regulars in this one.

This cute teething ring with knitted heart is from thiscosylife.

Here's a Valentine holding Gnome from mamaroots.

A sweet and simply puzzle from justhatched.

Lastly, a crown from me adolina.

So, if you're looking for something a little different for Valentine's Day please visit these sellers etsy shops. They all focus on all natural simple toys. Aren't those the best kind?

Yarn Along and Handmade Holidays

I found out about this Yarn Along from Tonya over at Plain and Joyful Living, but it originates from Ginny of the blog, Small Things. It's a simple picture to share the books we are currently reading and what is on your needles. These are both pursuits that I enjoy especially knitting during this dark colder time of year here in the Upper Midwest.

I'm currently, or I should say still, knitting a striped scarf for my husband for Christmas (hence this also being my Handmade Holiday post). It was supposed to be his gift last year, but seed stitch seems to take me an inordinately long time to knit. My husband does not like wool as he says "It's itchy!" so this scarf is a test of the supposedly non-itchy merino wool. The owner of Linden Hills Yarn and Textile Design LTD remarked when I told her of my dilemma that what my husband is reacting to are the "barr" hairs (the hairs that make the wool fuzzy) that exist in most wools. So, she recommended the Karabella brand's merino wool, and I have to say it is certainly soft! Dan and I choose colors we both like so if the scarf does not work out for him it will then pass on to me. I'm hoping it doesn't itch and he loves it as I plan to secretly make him some fingerless mitts to match as well.

Reading time is something that is hard for me to find time for, hence I have been "reading" this book for quite awhile and I'm still only 30 pages into it. The book is Homemaking as a Social Art - Creating a Home for Body Soul and Spirit by Veronika Van Duin. It talks a lot about rhythm, relationships, artistic environment, caring, self development and more. The Spiritual side of this book is taken in most part from Rudolph Steiner's work, which is how I stumbled across it at our Waldorf School.

I'm hoping to have both finished this book and scarf by Christmas. I just need to eek out some time here and there. How and when do you find time to read?

My Dragon and Halloween

Here's my little red dragon getting ready for the Halloween Walk his Waldorf School hosts every year.

The Halloween Walk or "Friends in the Forest" is a Spring Hill Waldorf School holiday tradition. It's a lovely magical walk through the Baker Park Reserve woods here in Minnesota. The path is lit only by jack - o - lanterns and candles which the kids and families of the school carve. Along the way he met many characters starting with Mother Nature who talked about safety in the woods as her pixies and sprites can leave rocks, roots and sticks in the paths. Next, was Mother Goose sitting by a fire needing help with her rhymes. The kids really loved shouting out the answers to the familiar stories. Then we saw a play about two sister rivers needing each other to have the strength to flow into the sea done by the 4th and 5th graders. Next, was another short play about the North Wind and the Sun. We learned that gentle persuasion is better than force as they both tried to get a traveler to take off his cloak and sit a spell. A shadow puppet theater was next along the path in one of the little cabins sprinkled throughout the woods. Two wonderful mothers put on the story of the Sun Egg by Elsa Beskow and gave the kids a cookie as they left to discover who else they might meet in the woods. This next play confused Sam a bit as it was Jacqueline and the Bean Stalk and not Jack and the Bean Stalk. Why this switch in genders? Well, the eighth grade class is made up of all girls and only 1 boy who wanted to play the chicken who laid the golden eggs. What happened to the goose - I don't know.

As we continued on our walk we ran into a very confused Scarecrow who didn't know which way we should go and told us a story about fire safety as he was scared of fire his being stuffed with dried leaves and all. We then saw a play about 2 stars rescuing the sun prince who had been turned into a dragon and another play with King Arthur and Merlin the Magician both set off by fire light. Next, it was inside again to another cabin for a puppet show of a Native American story about how strawberries came to be told with beautiful Waldorf needled felted table puppets. Lastly, we came to Mother Earth as she was weaving her blanket to keep all her children warm over the winter months. Two stars came out to sing to us and they passed out wooden necklaces to the children, with a moon and a star burned into them, to remember their magical night walking in the woods.


We then went back to the main lodge where our walk began to enjoy some friendship, hot cider and popcorn. Sam wanted to go on the walk all over again, but as it was already way past his bedtime we had to say no to his sweet request. What amazes me most about this Halloween walk is how the children are completely drawn into the plays and puppet shows even though some of the material is in language they are not familiar with. They just soak in the atmosphere and enjoy running to the next production. Sam also enjoyed finding the pumpkins we had carved along the way pointing them out with pride to his friends.

I really feel The Friends in the Forest walk was the best way to experience the holiday in an imaginative, non scary way, which is just perfect for little ones. What events do you go with your children to celebrate Halloween? Although, it wouldn't be Halloween without a bit of neighborhood trick - o - treating. Sam and Dan went out for about an hour teaming up with some other kids, or "new friends" as Sam says, along they way. He was very excited about how much candy he received, but was even more excited about the Halloween Fairy who exchanges a gift for all that candy. Of course Sam kept a few pieces to enjoy, but tonight we will leave out the rest of his candy stash by the back door for the Halloween Fairy. I wonder what she will bring?

It Was A Happy Easter

We hosted Easter this year at our small house in Hopkins. I was wondering how to fit my Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, Cousin's Wife, Cousin's Kids, Brother, Sister-in-Law, Niece, Mother, Husband and Son into our little living and dining room. The weather gave me the solution. As it was 65 degrees and sunny we hosted outside! It was truly a gift as MN often will still have snow this time of year.

Sam, Anya, Chase and Mia (hidden behind Chase) playing in the playhouse.

Mia playing so sweetly in the sandbox

My mother's planting table became the buffet, lawn chairs plus 2 folding chairs gave the adults places to sit and the combination of Sam's picnic table and his inside table and chairs gave spots for all the kids to eat. What was the best was that the kids were happy the whole time. They started out with an Easter egg hunt, then played in the sandbox, on bikes and cars, in the playhouse, on the tire swing and lastly the BIGGEST hit of the day (have you guessed it yet?) ...drum roll please...BUBBLES. What is it with kids and bubbles? The wind practically made the bubbles for them which delighted young Chase who is only 2. They must have blown bubbles for over an hour having my mom refill their bubble trays with "bubble juice."

The bubble hour of fun!

Anya blowing bubbles on my purple scillia.

The food was fresh and oh so delicious! The ham was a nitrate/nitrite free Beeler's Ham, lovely bright veggies consisting of green beans, sugar snap peas, carrots and red peppers, sweet potatoes with pecans, a salad with avocado, onions and strawberries, fresh fruit and rolls. With cheesecake from Trader Joe's and cupcakes from my kitchen for dessert. Everyone left sated and happy with doggie bags (don't you just love getting leftovers from a holiday feast?)

I have to say it was one of my all time favorite Easters even including the get Easter where my Dad wrote poems as clues for us to find our Easter goodies that were hidden all over the neighborhood at an early 6:00 a.m. I think it was the kids who made it so great for me. Watching their joy at finding eggs and their laughter when playing with one another. Kids really make a holiday a holiday don't you think? How was your Easter?

New Plant Dyed Yarn is HERE!

On Saturday I received my first package of plant dyed yarn from Mamajudes etsy shop.
Oh, it is so lovely!

It's Even prettier all balled up using the yarn winder Dan gave me for Christmas. There is something so alive and glowing about the yarn; I just couldn't wait to get started knitting.

Alas, I had to wait as it was Sam's big bus adventure day. So, Saturday night after Sam went to bed I started knitting this crown. The pastel rainbow colorway is so fun to work with and I loved having matching plant dyed felt on hand to applique the heart.

I'm now a complete convert to plant dyed if you cannot tell. Then on Sunday had me knitting this bunny from the book Knitted Animals by Anne-Dorthe Grigaff. He was so simple to make I'm sure I'll make lots more for my etsy shop in time for Easter. He too has a little felt applique on his ears to give him an extra special touch.

Thanks for all your well wishes on my changing over to plant dyed yarn. It's wonderful to read such supportive words.

Valentine's Day Sale on Etsy

I'm having a Valentine's Day Sale in my Etsy Shop. I knit up a bunch of gnomes and crowns special for Valentine's Day with knitted heart appliques. And now that Valentine's Day is fast approaching they need to find new homes. I've marked the gnomes and crowns down by $2.00 so, instead of $12.00 they are now on sale for a mere $10.00! They are made in lovely shades of cream, pink, purple and red and some with mohair yarn to add a bit of fuzzy love to them. Here are just a few examles:

Please take advantage of this great sale while spreading a bit of love this Valentine's day!

New - Valentine Heart Magic Wands

I just made a new item for my etsy shop - Valentine Heart Magic Wands! They are made from some wonderful plant dyed felt I purchased from a fellow etsian MamaJudes. It's a lovely wool rayon felt which is thick and soft. I wanted a new item for Valentine's Day and my son gave me the idea as he was running around with his dragon wand from Sarah's Silks. The heart is simply blanket stitched and stuffed with wool roving to give it some depth. The only thing not natural is the ribbons which are sadly polyester. All that's needed is an imaginative child and the magic begins.

Halloween

Here's my Sam as a cow for Halloween. It was the only non violent costume that fit him from our local used clothing store, but luckily he didn't mind. In fact, Sam embraced it wholeheartedly and actually wore his costume this year (last Halloween he just carried his lion suit around with him.) This was his first year of actually going door to door with Daddy. He basically just went around our block visiting with the neighbors, and not once saying "Trick or Treat" so I'm told. The best part was watching him play with his candy - not eat it mind you - just playing. I wonder how long that will last.