Art

An Inukshuk, a family tree and a pendent. He combined lemon juice and olive oil to make his own polish, bringing out the colour in each of the pieces.  

Filing

For his birthday his friends gave him files, ranging in all sizes and shapes.  Such a fitting gift for a guy passionate about woodworking.  The files were put to use immediately but not with what I expected.  From the back of the craft cabinet Elias pulled out his collection of soap stone.  I don't think he has done anything with it or even thought about it in over a year.  The files stirred something in him about this forgotten art and dust has been flying since.  The creations are beautiful (and all meant to be gifts- and therefore can't be shown).  There is even plans to make his own polish.  

Handmade Christmas

Every year I continue to be amazed at the beautiful gifts we create.  We want to share them, but even more we want to remember them and therefore I record them here. 

* Aria sewed a tool belt out of brown corduroy and batik patterned material for Elias, our woodworker.                *Elias and Aria teamed up to put together a cook book for Ben, filled with some favorite recipes and some new to try in a material covered binder. 

* Likewise Ben and Elias teamed up to  sew a mattress, comforter and pillow for Aria's special doll.  

*We all freezer stenciled Chris a t-shirt with a bull fighter, to mark our summer trip to spain

*I sewed a quilt for Elias using a good amount of jean from all the pants he wore through in the past year. I was thrilled with the results

*For shai I made a pair of wings for him to sing and dance around in- they turned out a little big needing a bit of modifying

*a embroidered camp blanket for Aria

*a water bottle holder for Elias from Ben

There were others, but these were our highlights.

Craft Friday

I often don't decide until last minute what crafts we are going to tackle on our friday gathering.  I organize the morning with a few things in mind.  While it isn't a coop in the sense of sharing the organizing, that isn't to say we don't pool our supplies and share. It is important to me that the morning is inclusive, that there isn't a cost to the morning which may be exclusionary this time of year especially.  When I choose the crafts I try to pick ones that have supplies to be found in peoples craft cupboards at home.

Everyone has either scissors, glue, paper, tissue paper, glass jars, etc.  Sometimes there are a few individuals who have special tools, ie snowflake punch for gift tags that can be shared with everyone.  I also hope to make crafts together that can be used, either as decorations or gifts.

This week we worked on 3d snowflakes. The kids (and mamas) made really incredible snowflakes, they totally took them up a notch.  Families brought scrapbooking paper, wrapping paper, wall paper.  They were stunning, with coordinating colours and patterns.  Beautiful.

Thanks to lots of scrapbooking mamas, the kids worked with some very cool tools.  There were different shape gift tags to punch out, cards to adorn with stars and snowflakes, letter punches etc.  With a stack of cards and tags we are one step closer to being ready.

Craft Friday

I must confess that felted soap is a craft that has left me baffled.  Why would I want to cover soap in felt? isn't that a waste of perfectly good felt?  The friends attending the crafting day don't have any experience working with roving.  After reading through this great tutorial I decided we would give it a try.  I am SO glad we did! They are beautiful, the colours so vibrant, the texture so soft and the lather....oh the lather! These are definitely on the list for gifts.
We also worked on beaded napkin rings.  There were lots of beads to chose from, as everyone brings supplies to share.  We made a set for Christmas day and a few for gifts.  It feels great to have some of our presents done before December!

Craft Friday

We continue to enjoy sharing our space with friends for craft Friday.  This week we made solstice lanterns, using glass jars, tissue paper and beaded handles (a family tradition).  Our second craft was 3-d stars.  Both crafts were a hit.  The kids loved hanging out in the yard afterwards.

Craft Group

The Craft group kicked off this past Friday, with 36 people in attendance it was a great success.  Lots of friends who joined us last year came and we were joined by new faces.  We have the usual age spread 1-15 years old, the crafts therefore need to span abilities.  This week we worked on weaving. There were three stations for the kids to rotate through; weaving bookmarks with paper and ribbon, weaving mats on a loom, weaving scenery's on branch looms.  It was a great start. 

Eight Years Old!

Happy Birthday Aria!

It is such a gift to celebrate Aria.  She brings such flare and life to our family.  Her stories have been a welcomed constant since birth. We are amazed at how appropriately we named her, for when she is not talking, she is singing.   I love how silly she can be, her love of snuggles, the intense need to create,  her unique outlook on life.  Aria is such a blessing!
For her birthday, her brothers went all out.  Knowing how much she loves crafting, they explored a few of the books she spends time dreaming in and picked a few for fabulous gifts.  Ben sewed a ribbon bag, covering the front in an array of beautiful colours.  Elias choose to  paint a shirt with stencils of starfish and a sea horse to commemorate our trip to the sea.  We surprised her with a ceiling covered in glow in the dark stars which were a big hit!

Ahoy!

This past weekend the Cubs in the surrounding areas held a rain gutter boat race. The kids were given a small piece of wood (I believe 4x7x1) and they shaped it, decorated, painted and added sails to it in the weeks (or days/hours depending on what family you are from LOL) leading up to the race. Everyone brought their creations with them to sail them down a very long rain gutter. The boats are meant to operate by wind power- so the kids blew them down! What fun!

The boats were decorated with pirate sails, recycled coffee cups for sails with the hopes of gathering more wind, shiny paint, glitter, rainbow, multiple sails, the designs were unique and diverse. Elias opted for a more traditional look with two sales, a stain instead of paint, a railing with rope, anchors and life saving rings and a Lego guy captain. Ben has been sick and opted to rest his head instead of sail, pictures of his shark shaped boat to come.
While Kub Kars is partly about trophies, the Regatta is not. It's for pure fun. Everyone has a few turns sailing, giving everyone else a chance to see how your boat does. They also hiked, played games and met new people. He had a great day.

Spring Crafting

The last few years I have wanted to make these for our Easter celebrations. After forgetting so many times, I finally got around to it! The wind cooperated perfectly for lots of fun.

Crafting Meets Birthing

I continue to be amazed at what grows from unideal situations. Had someone asked me a few months ago if I had the desire to complement being a busy home school mama with some work outside of the house I think I would have answered fairly quickly no. Mainly because I enjoy the path I have chosen, it fuels and fills me, what would changing that add? But over those few months out of necessity I began working teaching a variety of classes. The ones that have become most successful; both financially and personally have been a series of different childbirth and breastfeeding classes.

Creating creative ways to pass along information to adults about an incredible process has been truly rewarding. My partner and I have enjoyed pulling together our resources and skills to have props and teaching aids to enhance different aspects of the class. This is our 'baby o baby' we use when reviewing the process of birth, its a great visual summary. Amber and I combined our talents, she knit the uterus and corked the umbilical cord and I sewed the gauze amniotic sac and embroidered the felt placenta.

Since most of my wonderful friends are birth junkies and crafting divas I knew could appreciate this combination!

Badges

Part of the kid's brownies and cubs programs is working on badges. This has been a huge self directed hit for each of them. The badges range from reading to woodworking, Canadian heroes to collections, winter sports to birding. The variety of topics and the projects have captivated their attention as much as the desire to accumulate more. This past week all three of the kids worked towards 6 new badges, which was not only a lot of work but also required them to present their completed material in front of their troop. This isn't something they all feel comfortable doing, but they pushed through because the end result means enough to them. I think the silent reminder and recognition of what they have worked towards is right up their alley.

The kids like having something tangible to show for their accomplishments. For Chris's birthday Aria thought her Dadda might appreciate some recognition for all the renovations and wood working he has been doing. As part of his gift she sewed him his own badge to wear with pride for all that he has been working on.

Boom!

out of the way Indiana!!!

Boom!

Is everyone ok? that was a large explosion

dizzy....but I am going to make it!

high fives all around

Comic strips are all the rage right now around our house. I am not sure where the original inspiration for comic books came from, but the content has been greatly influenced by the recent viewing of Indiana Jones. They watched theses movies over Christmas and lets just say it's been an adventure. Lots of play involving bags of snakes, costumes, Egyptian get aways and intense close calls. But by far, its been the comics that have been created after hours of thoughtful attention to details, that have been the greatest to watch grow. Drawing and writing doesn't appeal to all of my kids, but this form has produced pages after pages without any requests.

comic book paper

Play Sets

This year I decided to make each of the kids a play set as one of their Christmas gifts from us. This was an easy decision for the two younger kids, numerous ideas came quickly to mind for what the play sets could be. The decision for my youngest and oldest became all the more easier when a friend happened to post two different tutorials , at two different times, with play sets I knew they would love.
For Shai, a dinosaur play mat. This included a set of small dinosaurs, a quilted mat with patches for rocks, water and meadow. I also included a cave, volcano and tree that is similar to the ones in the tutorial. It was perfect. Except, apparently dinosaurs don't like having their pictures taken. Who wants to argue with a dinosaur?

The idea of a play mat for an almost eleven year old might be pushing it for some, but Elias' imagination has always be alive and vivid. With it being a War of 1812 theme, my history buff would love it. I made six British and six American soldiers, with six pegs should he want to make his own Native representatives. There was also a book and a mat with a river, rocks and meadow. Also a hit.

Aria is still very much enjoying fairies, something that steals my own heart. I want to indulge and encourage it as long as it will last. I enjoyed not following a tutorial for this fairy house, embroidering here and there. To reside in the house was a fairy family, felt logs, embroidered sleeping bags and pillows. Very quickly are woodland felted friends came out of hiding to investigate the new additions.

Chris and I collaborated on Ben's set. We carried on the viking theme from his birthday. I made three viking bendy dolls and Chris made a viking ship, complete with oars and shields. The vikings and soldiers were soon trying to battle each other to take over dinosaur island Christmas morning!

Season's Winter Exchange

It was such fun participating in the Harvest exchange that I was so excited to join in with the Winter one which focused on the theme light. I had lots of ideas of what I could include in a package for my partner at Leaning Apple Garden. The exchange date being so close to the holidays gave it that extra challenge, but I did it and was excited about what I made.

I sent a garland which was a combination of the things we decorate our house with; some dried orange slices and twig stars, strung with twine. I needle felted a little king winter, holding a lantern, topped with a beaded crown. There was some beeswax snowflake ornaments, an embroidered dove and a window star.

We were thrilled to have received a very beautiful package just before Christmas. They have been busy with beeswax as well, including an adorable beehive and night sky ornaments, a hand dipped candle that was made by shared hands- just for us. A treasured card, beautiful fabric, a delicate and tiny felted advent wreath was beautiful on our nature table. The gift we all treasured the most was a carved and hand painted elf. Such bounty!

Thank you Pennie and family!