Our snowflakes became a little more detailed and fanciful this year. Inspired by our very favorite place to visit in Brooklyn, Acorn Toy Shop, I made these thematic snowflakes for their Winter window display. Created in the same method as we have done in the past { Snowflake Tutorial } but this year with reindeer, […]
When you find yourself by magical waters it may lead you to daydreams of mermaids. It seems all of us are enchanted by the idea of being able to breath under water and explore that underwater world with such freedom. Mermaids make for beautiful make-believe play and a lovely way to include that collection of found shells […]
Maya has been working with Stockmar Modeling Beeswax for a few years and I have seen how beneficial this is for her nature. Patiently she warms the wax with her fingers and with attention to detail she sculpts away. Made from all natural 100% beeswax it requires an understanding of how temperature alters the consistency. […]
This post was sponsored by Fabrik Store – Clothing with a conscience! There is a humble simplicity to clover, the abundance is a lively welcoming burst, but one single flower on its own is ever so gentle and subtle. The scent is nostalgic, and for many it connects our souls to golden days of peaceful play. […]
Needle felting is a wonderful craft that can lead to a life long love of making things with wool. I started needle felting when I was introduced to it by a co-operative Waldorf playgroup we were part of in Brooklyn. I am so glad I started this craft when my children were little. Since buying […]
Add beauty to the garden, and help the pollinators by being a seed saver! Make and illustrate seed packets that hold collected dried seeds from the previous season and gift them to friends. A thoughtful craft, that encourages family and friends to be seed conscious and will lead to hours gardening together. Plant Milkweed for […]
Block printing is a great seasonal celebration craft, as once you have made the blocks, you can use them year after year to make decorations, gift cards, or gift wrap. This year the girls were printing independently with their own ideas taking hold! They carved and printed with a self directed interest along side of […]
When I made a quinzhee this week after blizzard Juno, it was my idea to make a finial shaped topper for it, but the first lot of snow to settle was not the right consistency for sculpture. When more snow arrived a few days later that was malleable I was able to add the topper as […]
Each winter I make a little wish that we will have at least one snow fall with enough snow to make a quinzhee. You are excused if you call this an igloo, as I did too until I learnt the technical different between the two. An igloo is built with snow blocks, one by one, […]
When the weather is freezing cold, then you celebrate by making things that are frozen! Ice lanterns are both novel and beautiful, and take so little to make. You can get the gist from the drawing below… Or read thorough instruction at the bottom of the photos. Materials Yogurt containers, or another medium recycled container. […]
This is one of my favorite winter crafts, cutting the snowflakes is art, and opening each one is like opening a surprise gift, and just like real snowflakes, no two are alike. The key to these snowflakes is that I cut out patterns with an x-acto knife. I also use the scissors, but to achieve […]
Oh sleeping dreams, a place where the mind can be free, where the subconscious can put any little thing into place and give us visions to inspire us on our path, affirm our deepest desires, release fears, or simply teach us a lesson. I had a sleeping dream recently that did all of that. From […]
Polish Pajaki have caught my attention over the years, and I have periodically thought of making one. What is traditionally a paper flower and straw chandelier, that translates to mean “spiders of straw” I have appropriated with my love of fresh seasonal flora. For those of you curious to know more, Pajaki are a Polish […]
After many years of wishing for heirloom rag dolls and alternating between ideas of purchasing them and making some myself, we are now the owners of two of the sweetest dolls imaginable. Beautiful both in craftsmanship and design, and especially because they are the handmade work of Michelle Housel, whom operates creatively under the name […]
Just the word leaves, gets me, they leave, they leave the tree as summer says goodbye. We turn over a new leaf and the next season begins…a symbol for us of change. Our mornings become a little slower as we pause to stay beneath the covers, snuggling into the warmth that has become cozy for […]
When lightening strikes, there is illumination and just like that, suddenly I am filled with light and energy from an idea… “Oh, we have to decorate hats with fresh flowers!” I exclaimed to the girls. The notion filled me with life, and the imagination of the beauty was so great, I just had to do […]
When the sun sets late and the children are outside drinking up the last rays of light, I find myself looking for ways to occupy my hands outside with them while they play. One of my favorite crafts and something that I seem to annually reach for in August and September, are stick loom weavings. […]
Sunprints are 70’s goodness at it’s best! A wonderful easy and effective activity that floats somewhere between art and craft. Any age can enjoy this project, and the creative possibilities seem endless. Established as a company in 1975, Sunprints are one of those things that almost everyone says, “Oh yes I have done that” or […]
I worked on a flower crown today, and felt a strong urge to extend it further, with flowers hanging into the hair. This is an evolution from my usual flower crown style into an asymmetrical crown with flower tendrils. Partly this had to do with the lovely purple Campanula growing all through our garden as […]
This has to be one of the most effective ways to make flowers crowns because this technique can be done with such a variety of flowers. From dandelions to daisies, it works with soft stems or hard stems, in long, medium or shorter length stems (like white clover). I also like this method for the […]