A Brooks Tush

I tried them all. They all left me crying.  The only one left is the one I resisted. 

The Brooks Saddle is the best.  This is not a sponsored blog post.  

Brooks makes a happy tush! 

The B17 Aged!

New Years Knitsolutions

Here it is!  My 2015 Knew Years Knit-olutions!  A glorious (and ambitious) list of all that I plan to knit this year.  Go Go Go!

The Simple Baby Pullover - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/a-simple-baby-pullover

Hot Water Bottle Cover - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/all-you-need---a-classic

Aviatrix Hat - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/aviatrix-hat

Calm Cowl - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/calm-cowl 

Capuchon Cape - http://petitepurls.com/Fall11/fall2011_p_littlered.html

Diamond Baby Mittens - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/diamond-baby-mittens

Diamond Baby Socks - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/diamond-baby-socks

Leafy Anklet Socks - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/girlie-anklet-socks

Leafy Newborn Beanie - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/leafy-newborn-beanie

Linen Stitch Longies - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/linen-stitch-longies-recipe

Magic Troll Vest - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-newborn-magic-troll-vest

Magic Slippers - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/magic-slippers

Manly Pebble Vest - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pebble-henrys-manly-cobblestone-inspired-baby-vest

Newborn Vertebrae - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/newborn-vertebrae

On the Go-veralls - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/on-the-go-veralls

Rye Socks - http://tincanknits.com/pattern-SC-rye.html

Campside Shawl - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/campside

Tiny Trees Baby Vest - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tiny-trees-baby-vest

Windowpane French Press Cozy - http://www.knitculture.com/our-blog/free-pattern-windowpane-french-press-cozy/

Caidens Skirt - http://ymymmytm.blogspot.com/2008/03/caidens-skirt.html

Kanoko Pants - http://ymymmytm.blogspot.com/2008/03/kanoko-pants.html

Fall-time Home Freshener Craft

This is a great fall-time craft to do with your kids!  These 'cookies' are decorative ornaments.  They make great gifts.

They are naturally preserved with cinnamon and are additionally scented with essential oils, making them the perfect all-natural air fresheners.  The only other ingredient is applesauce!

We arranged a playdate and brought the camera along to document the fun.  Here is the recipe...hope you enjoy it!

• Grind up apples (without cores, but we left the skins on which leave a nice textured and varied appearance in the final cookie).  We used about 8-10 apples.  The applesauce we used is home-ground and raw.  If you use store-bought applesauce, prepare to bake the cookies longer and add more cinnamon as it has a higher water content.

•  Add cinnamon and stir very well until the texture is like a play-dough.  Not crumbly at all, but not too soft.  It should be somewhat firm when squeezed into a ball.  We used over 2 cups approximately of cinnamon.  You can also use other spices like nutmeg, allspice, clove, ginger, etc.

The formed balls:

• Roll between two pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper.  Roll about 1/4" thick.  Make sure it's not too thin!  The thinner the cookie, the more fragile the cookie.

•  Select shapes and press cookies.

We let each of the kids make 3 cookies.

•  Bake around 200 degrees for 2 hours or until the cookies are fully dehydrated.  They are cooked low and for so long because you don't want to burn them, only to evaporate the liquid in the applesauce.  This will give you a nicely preserved cookie which will not go bad.  These smell so good while baking!
• Use a straw and poke a hole in each cookie where you'd like to hang the string.  You have to suck a little to get the plug out, but make sure you don't inhale it!

• Attach a piece of string to each.

•  Drop a few drops of clove, cinnamon or any spicy scented oil that you would like to freshen your home with onto the cookie.  Here we are spraying the cookie with essential oils (this is thieves oil).  

Then hang your cookies around your home.  They look awesome in windows!  The cookies will last a very long time.  This is an old folk craft and is so practical.  We had a lot of fun getting together and the kids loved it too.

Naturally Crafting! pt. 1

Education is massively important to us...Even if our 'school time' turns out like this...

When thinking of kids education models that I have seen, I never enjoyed craft supplies, craft ideas, the thought of nasty messes and cheesy projects.

Since Naomi has become of learning age a few years ago, I have found some things I love about teaching little kids, working with them and most recently, naturally crafting!

A big part of my belief system is that all things should be done as local and as natural as possible.  Cutting corners and going the 'easy' route does not appeal to me and even demotivates my creative spirit.

Two years ago, we began playing school with Naomi.  Mostly we read books and made drawings, sang songs, played music, ran around, etc.  Last year we began to study Waldorf schooling methods and I fell in love with the book Seven Times the Sun  (Book Information Can Be Found HERE).  We fell in love with finger-plays and also began to study Montessori methods of teaching as well as reading A Child in the Family by Maria Montessori (An essential read for any parent).

In our schooling last year we collected natural plants and flowers and pressed them, making Thanksgiving cards for our friends and family (I still have a few to send out...woops!).  We worked with 100% wool yarn and knitted with huge antique knitting needles while singing.  etc....  We played piano and sang as loud as we possibly could, improvising songs and learning Elizabeth Mitchell songs and folk songs from around the world, in more languages than one....Naomi often played her pink ukulele and the violin.

This year I am thankful to be inspired to delve deeper into a natural way of crafting and education.  Over the summer, while being involved in a kids program, I got so tired of seeing throw-away and junk materials being used.  People do these things because it's 'easy' to order and kids know what to do with them.  I am SO guilty of doing this myself in many kids programs I've been in charge of over the years.  I left that event determined that there is not only a cheaper way, but a more beautiful, more natural, exciting way to get the kids involved in a closed-system of crafting.  Crafts you'll want in your home.  Ones you won't want to throw away.  Beautiful crafts with meaning.

They create the craft supplies, then they create WITH the craft supplies.  We use inexpensive sustainable materials.  We re-use, recycle, up-cycle and honor a very real system of creativity within us.  This is a nourishing and deeply gratifying approach to crafting, and for once, I am excited about arts and crafts!

Here are some great links I've found recently:

www.weefolkart.com -  Lots of great craft projects, mostly natural materials, wholesome season-based homeschool curriculums, etc...

www.icanteachmychild.com - Many homeschooling resources, beautiful website, printables, crafts, natural minded...

http://artfulparent.com/2012/06/35-homemade-art-materials-kids-can-make.html -  Great website!  EVEN YOUR GLUE CAN BE MADE AT HOME!

You bet I will be spreading these resources as much as I can to people who I know who help to plan children's activities.  Please do this as well.  Don't let your kids hate art like I always did because of the cheap, nasty art supplies that are normally used.  My deeper senses have always told me to stay away from them.  Now I can't stop thinking of crafting!  Give me some wool, beeswax, hemp, wood, even natural watercolors!

The Tiny House Prevails!

Tiny home.  Tiny house.  I slumbered in your womb.  Your ability to comfort, surround, impress has not been lost on me.  The tiny home is worth her fame.  The sleep was splendid.  Never a moment of claustrophobia.  I could winter warmly and comfortably in the tiny home!  Thank you for this experience!  May I say that all who are skeptical must be immersed into her real and practical existence.  Go and sleep in a tiny home.  Spend a moment of your life imagining a world where we consume less and are happy with little material burden.  Trust one who feels this freedom from the dizzying rat race which many run.

The bunk above is spacious.  There is more than three feet of clearance above your head while sitting.    The convertible couch below sleeps our whole family with room to spare and much head room.

The beams in this photo, with the addition of some netting, are perfect for hanging herbs, drying plants, storing garlic and onions for the winter, etc.

Monstrous thanks to our dear friends for offering us hospitality in this model home!  I see the reality as definite possibility.  My definitions of needed space are shrinking rapidly.

Don't Fear the Kombucha

Every attempt to brew Kombucha that I have made has been a huge failure.  Who knew that I could get one going and have it on this tour doing nearly everything wrong and it is thriving! It's about 3 weeks old now and doing so well.  

Sweet tea is easy to come by, especially in the South.  We just add in more tea when the bottle gets low.  

I was even able to share my culture with a  friend in Lynchburg!  

The kombucha that I brewed before was surrounded by fear.  Do this, don't do that, make sure you use only this type of water, only this type of bottle, everything must be sterile! cover it with this type of cloth....  All the rules make my head spin.  We just decided to go for it after that stomach bug got us.  No more fear.  Just a bottle, some kombucha culture starter and a paper towel, or coffee filter, and a lid.

This wonderful little brew rides in the trailer all day, sealed up, shaken up and brews fast! I uncover it sometimes at night or on rest days.  It is carbonated so well.  I don't know why it works.  It works.  That is all I care about!  No more spinning head.  Luscious Kombucha to drink everyday!

New Alternative Almanacs

Over the past year I have come across a new hobby.  I have been collecting grassroots-created alternative almanacs.

The first one I came across was produced by the Greenhorns and it blew me away.  The Greenhorns Almanac is pure beauty in my eyes.  Based on preparing the next generation of farmers with timeless information, articles and art, new and old, the Greenhorns Almanac is a source of inspiration, practical knowledge and beauty to feed the soil and to feed the soul.

http://www.thegreenhorns.net/category/media/almanac/

While at Wild Goose, I came across another Almanac.  This one is called "Wretch" and is more like a pocket calendar with alternative Christian information such as different forms of meditation, articles on peace and justice, notable people and dates of events in the historical Christian calendar, scripture verses, resources and lots of gorgeous art.  I have been carrying mine around and taking daily notes in it.  I love it!

http://wretchproject.wordpress.com/65-2/

These almanacs are always taking submissions from artists, writers, etc.  If you are either of the above, you should seriously think about submitting articles, drawings or resource information.