Beneath the Rowan Tree

Crochet is Cool

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:23:00 +0000

I have finally found the crochet love.

I'll admit, I have long been a sneerer at all things crochet... rough as a pot scrubber and in such questionable forms as toilet paper covering dolls, weird toy octopus heads, an unlikely teal blue poodle puppet in our puppet bin and the odd scratchy, holey afghan.
OK, the afghans always make me smile because I knew a lady who insisted that they were really called Afghanistans.

But then there is the long standing 'meh-ness' of my relationship with knitting.
Slow and repetitive are not my thing.
I love the fiber (switching to knitting with natural fibers revived my ten years dead knitting mojo) and the finished products, but generally by the time I finish them, my daughter has outgrown them!

Last winter I taught myself to crochet.
Well, learned on my own via the excellent video series at Crafty Minx.
And the spark was lit.

You make anything with this stuff!
And quickly!

In order to hone my skills, I set myself the task of creating an afghan (or Afghanistan if you prefer)~ using a variety of Granny Squares. I highly recommend this process... it taught me to read patterns like a boss and was great stitch practice!

And then I made my daughter a unicorn for Valentine's Day...

And I made bunches of blooms for a birthday party...

A rainbow taco for the dog (veering perilously close to the tacky crochet of my former sneering)....

A dress for a Barbie doll (and long time readers will know I have a very tumultuous relationship with Barbie), which was practically like approving of her presence in our house. And I LIKED doing it.

And then I made ponchos.
Three of them (to my mother's horror as she reeled in some 70s flashback at the sight of them).
The slope is feeling a little slippery...

But a lovely cowl for myself preserved my cool crocheter status, at least that is what I am telling myself.

I am also in the midst of a scrap tshirt rug.
And the yarn hoard and tshirt hoard are slowly being diminished under my hook.
Yes.
Crochet is cool.
I ♥ crochet.
It's official.

Hello.

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Hello lovely blog readers!
I have appreciated hearing from so many of you this last little while~
on Facebook and in the shop...
I have been on a bit of a blogging break for numerous reasons,
but I sincerely hope to be back at in in the New Year when life evens out a little more. ♥

(we have begun our family Book a Day in Advent reading again this year~ come join us on Faceboook for daily sharing with other families, too!)
To read about this (new) tradition, and our picks for last year, go here.

Playsilk Shopping Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 21:31:00 +0000

Reposted from 2011... 'tis the season!
At latest count, in 6 years we are at around 17 000 silks dyed in our sinks ♥

Welcome to part five (and final) of this series of informational posts to help parents and family shop for playsilks for the little ones in their lives. As the holiday season approaches and you look for long lasting, beautiful, natural playthings, these posts can help you choose quality silks.

You will find the past posts here:
Part One :: Why Playsilks?/ Is it Silk?
Part Two :: Quality
Part Three :: Size Matters
Part Four:: Of Colour & Dye

As you may have realized, I am a little passionate about playsilks.
Unabashedly so.
My latest calculation is somewhere nearing 12 000 pieces dyed in my sinks, in my kitchen, in nearly 5 years.
And every single time I get out the dye pots I am excited to see what happens!
Silk is a gorgeous, versatile, durable fabric.

As a tool for children's work of play it is definitely an investment.
But dollar for dollar, I guarantee that a single playsilk will outplay and outlast most other toys.
It will become a standard part of a child's play, used in myriad ways that we grownups cannot imagine.
It will last through years of play.

Our tagline for our silk is: "Endless possibilities, just like a child's imagination."
And we mean it.

{{You can check out an article about creating a more natural 'toolbox' of toys for kids (Declutter & Save Money) and the skeptical parents of boys might want to take a peek at our article about silks for little boys (be sure to read the comments, too!) and the amazing potential to release them from the narrow world of wheels and guns.}}

As a natural fiber which involves a fair amount of hands on human labour and care (not to mention hand stitched, hand rolled hems) silk is not a cheap fiber.
But like wool, it has merits that warrant the price tag.
It has qualities that are unsurpassed by any other fabric.

When you factor in the durability and long life of playsilks, across years of evolving play, the price tag begins to make more sense.
Add that many, many families are trying to simplify their lives, add more nature and reduce plastic clutter, again, the playsilk is a powerhouse alternative.
The price of silk has nearly tripled in the last five years, along with other natural fibers.
Silk is generally imported from China and India where the silk industries are ancient and integral to the culture and economy of these nations. Very little silk is produced outside of these regions.

At BTRT we ensure that our silk is ethically sourced from manufacturers who practice fair labour and sustainable husbandry. Our dream would be to work one to one with a manufacturer of tussah/ peace silk (a process in which the silkworms are not destroyed, in order to achieve a vegan acceptable product), but this remains out of reach right now!

Our silk is priced to reflect the cost of the materials, time invested in creating each one of a kind, dyed-to-order piece, experience, quality and the fact that we strive to earn a living wage as artisans.

When shopping for silk, and making price comparisons take all of the information into consideration~ not all silk is created equal~experience and consistency can add a measure of reassurance when purchasing something sight unseen, and to last throughout a childhood!

All of the information in this series can help you make an informed and confident investment in tools for your child’s work of play.

And no matter what size or seller you choose, you will be making a choice of something natural and beautiful for your kids. I guarantee you they will be delighted with their gift and bring delight to you as well when you see them hard at play!

♥♥

BTRT Rewards :: Earn Free Silk!

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:51:00 +0000

Introducing our BTRT customer rewards program!
Yay!

We love our customers ♥ and wanted to find a way to say thank you to you for your years of support and loyalty ~ we would also love to welcome new customers to the BTRT family.

We are launching a rewards program that earns you silk while you shop...
and while your FRIENDS shop, too!

It's simple.
Ask to become a BTRT Rewards member.
(send an email right now OR write a note at checkout through our Shop)
We will create a Rewards card just for you, with your name and address and your unique number.
Earn ONE punch for every $10 you spend at BTRT (excluding shipping).
Earn TEN punches and we automatically send you a 35" playsilk!

But wait... there's more (said in my best infomercial voice....)
REFER your friends and family!
Earn ONE punch on your card for every friend you refer to BTRT
who is a NEW customer and spends $10 or more in the shop.
They will need to add your membership card number
and your name in their notes at checkout.
(ie. Jane Smith, #21 sent me!)
....and.... you will earn ONE MORE punch for every person your friend refers!

So... ask for a reward card.
Shop. Earn ONE punch for every $10 you spend.
Refer a friend (new customer), and get another ONE punch on your card.
Also, get ONE punch for each new customer your friend refers....
Earn 10 punches and we send you a 35" playsilk!

The Fine Print
We want to keep this simple ♥
Punches will be awarded for every $10 you spend.
You MUST either ask to become a member at checkout, or cite your membership number for this to apply.
This excludes shipping costs.
There is no rounding up or carrying over, sorry!
All referrals must cite your name and membership number at checkout.
We will reward you with one punch per NEW customer you refer (first tier), and one punch for each one they refer (second tier), once they spend an initial $10 on an order. It is only one punch for referrals regardless of the dollar value of their orders after the first $10.
We will choose the playsilk to be sent, it will be 35" and multicoloured (and beautiful, we promise!).
It will be sent as soon as you have accumulated TEN punches on your card, shipping is on us, too!
Punches do not carry a dollar value and may not be redeemed for other purchases.

Little Wooden Toadstools :: Fall Craft

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:59:00 +0000

Make your own magical little mushrooms!
This post is an encore presentation of one of our most popular tutorials!

In the process of planning out and preparing for our Fairy Garden we created some wooden mushrooms from drawer pulls and I thought I would share the process so you can scatter some magical little mushrooms around your home and garden, too!

Sweet teacher's gifts and a simple way to bring a little wonder to any grey spot or grey day. Endless personalization options, too!

Age: Toddler - adult.
Materials:

Wooden drawer pulls, size and style of your choice (available at most hardware stores and as craft supplies where wooden craft parts/ cutouts are sold). We are using 1" hardwood knobs for this project.
Acrylic craft paint and suitable brushes (at least one large brush and one fine/ round brush)
Sealer of your choice (we used a non-toxic polyturethane based outdoor sealer with a satin/ shiny finish). If you plan to put your mushrooms outdoors, this is highly recommended.
Palette, water, soft cloth for cleaning brushes between colours.

Instructions:
1) Prepare your painting space as suits your painters (ie drop cloth for young children).
Choose your colours and prepare your palette and water.

2) Begin by painting the stems of each toadstool in your chosen colour(s).
Turn them on their 'caps' to dry (will dry quickly if using acrylics).
Apply a second coat if desired.

3) When the stem are dry, begin to paint the caps. Apply a second coat if desired. Let dry.

TIP: Use your finer brush. Load it with paint. Turn your mushroom on its cap. Place the brush along the outer edge of the underside of the cap and spin the wooden piece (rather than trying to make a smooth, clean edge by moving the brush) for a nice even edge. This may take a bit of practice! If you wobble along, just repeat, widening the band of colour to take in the flub.

4) Using white (or colour of choice) and your fine brush, make dots on the top of the mushroom.
Vary the size and placement for one of a kind toadstools.
If you want a little grass at the base, use a green of your choice and paint tufts of grass on the stem.
Let dry completely (the dots may take a bit to dry through).
While waiting for the spots to dry, clean up palette and paints (and kids!).

5) Repeating the steps above (coating stems and then caps), apply the sealer of your choice.
This is best done by an adult.
Apply one or two thin coats and set aside to dry.
Avoid sealing on humid days as they will be very slow to dry.
Rinse sealer brush with VERY hot water, very thoroughly (I have lost more brushes this way...)

Enjoy!♥♥

Variations & Ideas:

Paint to match a room (the brights pictured will match Rowan's bedroom)
Look up real toadstools and paint true-to-life as a learning project (older children, please~ we only use very 'unreal' mushrooms in play because we have a lot of real ones in our yard and woods that we do not want our child to touch for safety!)
Use crushed berries to colour the caps
Thin your paint to a wash, or use watercolours for the wood grain to show through.
Seal stained (as above) toadstools with flax oil or beeswax (will not work on the acrylic paint as the paint will already have sealed the pores and the oil will just slip off).
Spell out your child's name in personalized toadstools
Hot glue fairy jewels or dew drops, or a small piece of fabric for a hassock/ cushion.
Use your drawer pulls as.... drawer pulls!

Fall Knitting Patterns for Kids (Waldorf Inspired)

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 16:26:00 +0000

Ah. Autumn.

Crisp air, cerulean skies and the coziness of warm clothing, made by hand.

As our northern Ontario nights get chilly and our leaves begin to turn,
my hands begin to move towards my needles and hooks.
{{OK, my hooks... having been a knitter for some 25 years I have developed a crush on crochet, I'll admit!}}

So today I thought I would share some (quick!) inspiring patterns to meet the creative cravings of this new season. These are all from Etsy shops, most of which offer a wide variety of patterns, so be sure to poke around a little when you visit (and most of the patterns are delivered by email, instant gratification!)!

Copper the Red Fox, by Mamma 4 Earth
Doll Longies, by The Sitting Tree
Snuggle Dolly, by Quiet Home Designs
Maisie and her Dolly, by Toy Shelf
The Gnome Hat, by Pumpkin Haus
Gnome Hat, by Syrendell
Wee Dwellings Gnome Homes, by Beneath the Rowan Tree
Blossom Mama & Petal Baby, by This Cosy Life
Nanette Doll Jacket, by Fig and Me
Grey Squirrel with Acorn, by Sweet Bauer Knits

You can also find our own FREE knitting pattern for fun fingerless mittens HERE.
Along with a bunch of freebies for fall and winter crafts on our Tutorials Page.

Enjoy! ♥

The Beach :: Port Dover Style

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 00:13:00 +0000

We are blessed to live on a lake with numerous clean, sandy beaches in Northern Ontario.
In June, while visiting family during a particularly hot spell, Rowan asked how people in the city ever get cool if they don't have a lake?
The idea of not having a lake at hand was a new one for her.

On a recent trip to visit family in Southern Ontario, we had a taste of the lake that people do use to cool off.
We took a trip with my mother and sister to the very familiar shores of Lake Erie at Port Dover.

This was the beach of my childhood and teen years.
Known now for its Friday the 13th Biker blowouts, Dover has long been 'the beach' for folks from our neck of the woods.

Port Dover.
My grandparents danced there when it was the 'Spring Gardens'.
My parents had special dinners at the Erie Beach Hotel (I remember playing Barbies as a child, and using the EBH as the hot spot for the barbie doll elite... you could get *gasp* shrimp cocktail there... which I had some vague notion involved a drink with shrimp in it).
My high school class ditched and went there.
And this summer, I happily took my daughter there to see a Great Lake and to enjoy some Lake Erie perch (yum!).

She loved the perch.
She marveled at the big lake tankers off shore.

She thought it was pretty cool that there are palm trees growing there (huh?).

She found a sweet ride.

But she did not like the beach itself one little bit.
It stunk. Literally.

Even so, it was a nice jaunt down memory lane as we made new memories, too! ♥

Nativity Time is Here Again

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:24:00 +0000

About this time every year I begin to turn my needles to Nativity Sets and Holy Families.

Each year we offer a limited number of Nativity Sets (8 pieces with optional sheep) and Holy Families (Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus, 2 pieces) in Standard (4-5" tall) and Mini (3" tall).

Each set is needlefelted with clean carded wool.
This year I am hand painting/ dyeing my own wool for the figures.
These sets are meant to be played with by little hands (unlike all those tempting sets they must not touch!).
100% natural, heirloom quality.

You can read the full details HERE.
And view our gallery of past sets HERE.

Nativity Sets may be custom ordered.
We also offer a payment/ layaway plan that can be spread over 3-4 months, contact us through the Etsy Shop for details.
Holy Families are ready made and available by chance in the shop, so check back often!

Milestones :: The Bathroom Stepstool

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:44:00 +0000

I wonder if I'm growing
I wonder if I'm growing
My mom says yes I'm growing
But it's hard for me to see
My mom says eat your sandwich
It will make you grow up tall
But when I eat my sandwich
I'm hardly bigger at all.

And I wonder if I'm growing
I wonder if I'm growing
My mom says yes I'm growing
But it's hard for me to see
My mom says wash your hands now
Then you can go and play
Hey! I can reach the tap now
For the very first time today.

And I think I must be growing
Oh I know I'm really growing
My mom says yes I'm growing
And now I know it's true.

~Raffi, from 'Singable Songs for the Very Young' (1976)

Taking the stepstool out of the bathroom...

another one of those milestones we never knew were milestones.

That is, until they come to pass and you find yourself looking fondly at the banged up old stepstool that has been a fixture in your bathroom for the better part of 6 years.

That stool you had to shift just two inches to the left to access the hair 'pretties' in the drawer.

The one that holds the door open on a breezy day with the window open.

The place that Puppy (that beloved stuffed mutt) has perched in quiet companionship.

The stage for endless plays and adventures for the bathtub horses.

{{What? You don't have bathtub horses? Rowan's sole bath toy for the past few years have been her collection of Schleich and other model horses... }}

I realized this summer that she doesn't need the stepstool any longer.

She can reach the taps.

She can see in the mirror.

And if she stands on the stool, as she has since she began to toddle, she is too tall for me to do her hair.

So out it went.

I couldn't help feeling a little misty over all the times we have stood together in the bathroom.

Mama behind child, child on stool.

Before bed every night.

Getting ready for a special day.

Hair drying after a bath.

Nurturing when sick

Making silly faces, playing word games, teaching about not touching the electrical outlets, trying out hairdos, fighting over hairdos....

I never would have appreciated how much quality time was spent in those mundane daily routines if not for removing that old stool (that we have all stubbed toes on in the dark).

That stool which witnessed so much growing up and is now relegated to a corner because the child who needed it can do without it.

But the mama thinks she'll keep it around to remind her. ♥

Knitting Club for Kids :: Summer Creativity in the Park

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 11:00:00 +0000

The first rule of Knit Club is....
Ok. So that one has been done to death.
Besides, we can talk about our club!

When a friend mentioned that a yarn shop in the city was doing knitting lessons for kids, I jumped into the breach (as is my (bad) habit) and announced "we could do our own right here in town"!
Oh yes, I did!

You could do it, too!
It is so exciting and satisfying to encourage creativity in our kids!

A date was set (2 hours on a weekday summer morning) and invitations sent out (via Facebook Events) to families we thought might be interested. We decided to meet at the local park, under the picnic shelter. The one rule was that parents had to stay for the duration~ we needed their hands (and if they didn't know how to do it , the kids would be lost at home).

The morning was cool and rainy, so we were grateful for the shelter.
The park was a great location as kids could take a break and play as needed.
We had 12 kids ranging from 4 - 12 years of age.
Three were boys (yay!)~ one boy stayed home because 'men don't knit' but his little brother had a blast (and the goal of knitting his mother a dress) and was proud to learn that lots of truck drivers knit!
All but one were first time knitters.

I brought along a variety of fibers and yarns and did a small introduction of the process from sheep to yarn: making stops at shearing (examining natural locks with veggie matter!), carding (passed around combed top roving), dyeing, spinning (demo with a drop spindle) and yarn types (single and three ply), resultant fabrics (examining finished items, picking out textures and changes) and fibers (we covered the gamut from plant to animal to acrylic). Making that connection between nature and knitting is an important one, even for kids who will likely be knitting with synthetic yarn!

And then, we knit!
In preparation I had made small yarn balls with some extra acrylic, one for each child, and some of the families brought along some more to share.

We started with finger knitting.
I am a big fan of the video HERE with 'Mama and Sunii' as I find the sheep and fence story engaging for young children. I used this video several years ago with my daughter at the age of 3.5 and she was able to follow the basic steps~ don't be afraid to introduce finger knitting to toddlers with patience and guidance!

Admittedly, there was a lot of groaning and frustration when we first began.
I have worked with children for 25 years, and I have definitely seen a decrease in attention spans and in frustration tolerance. Many kids today want to get it or give up.
But we kept encouraging them and had many parental hands in the mix (even though this was new to them, too!) and almost all of the kids got the hang of it as we persisted.
I got a few notes and photos sent to me that evening that even those who did give up during the morning had it 'click' at home when they were able to focus and really get at it! {Super yay!}}

One of our older girls really took to another style of finger knitting I demonstrated and set out to create some lovely woven work!

Our two 4/5 year olds did wear out quickly, and an able adult helped them make braided jewelry instead (and one of the kids who later 'got it' was a five year old boy!) ~ it was important that each child feel successful and have something to show for their efforts in order to help them carry on.

After a playground break, we passed out the knitting needles.
I had debated on whether to use small or large needles, and opted for large~ the length was not too much of an issue and the stitches were easier to see and work with on the big guys.
In the future, I would cast on and knit several rows for each child in advance and have experienced knitters at a 1:1 ratio.

We quickly cast on for each of the older kids (7+) and set about teaching them the knit stitch.
Knitting into the cast on edge was not easily done and in the end only our previously started knitter kept on.
The rest of the kids eagerly returned to their finger knitting and filled up the second hour with creating reams of finger knit rope!

I started hearing kids and parents talking about "when we get together next week", so we made it a date with the plan to bring along enough spool knitters and bodkins (knitting noddy, french knitting, cork knitting and other names...) for each child and give that a whirl.

How inspiring to see our kids working happily with their hands, brewing up all sorts of creative creations and feeling so proud and confident!

At the suggestion of a friend to my wondering what to do with the miles of finger knitting that is now kicking around our small town I think we need to plan a third event before summer is out... a yarn bombing!
Creativity PLUS a little civil disobedience and graffiti sound like the perfect way to round out the summer and the kids!
Don't you agree?! ♥♥

Playmobil Organization and Storage :: Geek Out Time

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 19:39:00 +0000

Yes, I make natural toys.
It's true.
And my daughter has many/mostly for very good reasons
...but we are also a little hooked on Playmobil.
(Yes, we).

The thing I detest about Playmobil (and Lego) is all of the tiny pieces... everywhere!
Especially since our 4.5 lb. Papillon dog has a penchant for chewing the little bits to bits.
And we all know the pain of stepping on one of these little pieces!

And I am something of a geek for organizational things.

I adore drawers and bins.
My dream piece of furniture is an enormous apothecary cabinet with a million little drawers.
I lust after label guns.

Bless my friend, for being the same (on the Playmobil and the storage).
Last weekend she texted me a picture of the toolbox they snagged for her sons' Playmobil bits.
(We had had a long and passionate conversation earlier in the week~
two grown women enthusing about whether the horses would blend with the dragon castle and considering if the spies could work for the police...).
As luck would have it, we were on our way to the city and made a stop to grab one, too.

Ta-da!
Almost all of the pieces fit into the little (removable) storage cups inside this two-tiered, portable tool box.
The larger pieces (bases and so on) fit easily into one bin of our beloved Ikea 'Trofast'.
My daughter, bless her geeky heart, was as excited as me to sort her toys, and we worked eagerly side by side to re-do the whole play room for the reward of organizing the Playmobil.
Seriously. ♥♥

Make It! Tshirt Yarn (Spaghetti Style)

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 19:02:00 +0000

Ooh! Super easy and cheap...
(let that not be said about *me* however!)
Tshirt yarn is so much fun!

Earlier this week I posted my top 12 favourite tshirt recycling ideas ~ one of which was making yarn out of old tshirts. This has been on my 'to do' list for a long time (especially since I have a heaping box of old tees awaiting new life!).

So I gathered up the larger tees~ definitely look for large and plus size ones to get the most yarn out of them.
(And stole few of my big husband's worst looking tees from the laundry, score!).
Dyed them ('cause that's how I roll).
And made yarn.
Wheeee!

What you'll need:
Tshirts
Sharp scissors
Rotary Cutter & Cutting Board (optional)

Depending on your intended project(s) you may want to avoid tees with side seams.
Most ladies fashion tees have side seams, most promotional and basic tees do not.
If your tees do have seams, there will be little bobbles of seam throughout your yarn...
fine in my case as I plan to make a rag rug.

Here are a few tutorials with instructions for cutting and finishing your yarn:
DIY Tshirt Yarn from Polkadot Pineapple
Tshirt Yarn from Let Birds Fly
Yarn from Tees at Craft Passion

Now what?
You can knit, crochet, weave, braid... you name it!
Try some of the projects I have pinned on my Tshirt Recycling Board!
Including:

coasters
placemats
bath mat
dish cloths
'swiffer' duster attachment
bracelets
flowers
pom poms
scarves, oh so many scarves!

Good luck! and have fun ♥♥
I am off to find myself a great big crochet hook to make a washable rag rug for my daughter's play room!

Fall Photo Contest :: Wonder Full Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:02:00 +0000

We are excited to announce our first photo contest!

Enter pictures of your BTRT toys, patterns or clothing at play or in use for a chance to win a variety of prizes, including a $100 Gift Certificate to Beneath the Rowan Tree!

Click HERE for full details and get snapping!

12 Terrific Tshirt Tutorials :: Recycle, Upcycle, Create!

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 03:10:00 +0000

I am a tshirt hoarder.
Ok, not *really*.
But I do keep collecting cool tees with high hopes of engaging in some tshirt upcycling projects in my *ahem* 'free time'.

To light a fire for myself, or at least to enable YOU
{{insert evil chuckle}}which might be even more fun...
I thought I would share some of my favourite tshirt projects from my growing 'gotta try that' list
(also known as Pinterest!).
That way you can do them and tell me how they turn out!

These are my TOP ELEVEN projects to try...
(and one I have done!)

The credits for photos and text of each of these tutorials belong to their creators.
Please visit their sites~ click, create and have fun!
#1 Ring of Ruffles Skirt by lilygiggle at Craftsy
#2 Rag Tshirt Rug (I am a terrible tease, this one is just an image!)
but try this tutorial....for a similar idea!
#3 Tshirt Painter's Smock from Just Another Day in Paradise
#4 Hoop it Up from Betz White
#5 Pretty Tshirt Top from Sutton Grace
#6 DIY Tshirt Yarn from Polkadot Pineapple
#7 Bleach Pen Love Letter Tee from sewwoodsy
#8 Ruffled Leggings from a Tshirt from Inspiring You
#9 Josephine Knots from Hot Polka Dot
#10 Market Bags from More Design Please
#11 Tshirt into Nightgown from Beneath the Rowan Tree
#12 Lengthen a Tshirt from Discover. Create. Live.

I think I will start with #6 and turn it into #2.
Or maybe #8, with the scraps to #4...
Or maybe... you should share what you come up with! ♥♥

Girly Arms and Other Insults

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:28:00 +0000

My friend is the mother of two beautiful, bright, creative boys.
And she is a great mom (and friend).

But the other day she insulted my daughter.
Unintentionally, of course.
(this isn't about what she said, but the important issue that was raised,
so please don't read this as a criticism of another mom... just a learning moment for us both!).

My daughter and her son were in swimming lessons together.
The kids were working on swimming the front crawl
from one end of the pool to the other.
My daughter got there 1/2 a length ahead of the 2 boys in her class.
My friend called out to her son to improve his arm movements, ending with
"No more of those girly arms!".

And that struck a nerve.

"Excuse me? He wishes he had 'girly arms'! The girl just kicked his BUTT!"

It is so easy to throw out gender based insults for our children, and I know that it goes both ways.
This was just a perfect example of how readily we give our children
the impression that the other gender is inferior...
weaker, slower, messier, whatever....

The problem is that we communicate to them that it is undesirable to be like the other...
distracted or messy or loud like a boy....
weak or cautious or bossy like a girl....
as if those qualities were somehow connected to one's gender.

Or we use these insults to control the behaviour of our children,
to herd them into acceptable gender territory.

I doubt most of us would tell our daughter's
not to climb a tree, because it isn't ladylike.
And I hope we resist the urge
to prevent our sons from picking up and cuddling a dolly.
But when we tell a boy not to demonstrate 'girly arms'
we are telling him that being a girl,
or like a girl is something shameful and weak.

Iggy Pop, photo snagged from 7Wonderlicious

(And I know too well the tendency to flippantly say things like "girls rule" or "it's because he's a man that [insert negative]").

Words matter.
{{as do small things}}

I read this week that the "voice we use to speak to our children becomes their inner voice".
(And having just had my mother here for the weekend, I give that a big ol' AMEN).
I hope the voice that speaks to my daughter is one that respects all people~
one that acknowledges gender differences do exist (but do not define us)...
as gifts to one another,
rather than as weapons or walls to divide.

I know I will be watching my words more carefully.

And now we're off to swim with our boy friends, strong and healthy together! ♥

Make It: Button Bracelets for All Ages

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Super fun button craft for summer days!

Make a bunch of button bracelets to wear and share...

Materials:
* Buttons of various sizes
* Needle and thread (embroidery floss is ideal, use 3-4 strands)
(use a blunted cross stitch needle for the under 6 crowd)
* Elastic (in notions at the fabric store), as wide as, or narrower than your smallest button (1/4” is great)

Age: 3+

(levels of assistance will vary by age and child)

Try these with your tweens, or even a group of moms!

1) Measure and cut the elastic.

Wrap around the wrist, overlapping by about 1”.

Mark (pen) the overlap on the bottom piece, cut the elastic at this point (see picture).

2) Choose your Buttons.

Lay out the elastic, choose buttons for the length (leave the tail beyond the pen mark without buttons).

Be creative! Stack and mix and match.

Do not leave any spaces between buttons.

3) Stitch the bracelet together, overlapping as when you cut.

4) Begin stitching on buttons.

For the most secure finish, when stacking, sew down each button on its own and then run the thread through the stack if possible.

So easy and so cute!

I have gotten so many compliments on my rainbow button bracelet from other adults...

Make 'em, share 'em, and please give credit to Beneath the Rowan Tree.

Photos and Text ©Beneath the Rowan Tree, 2012.

Thanks!♥♥

The Queen's Jubilee :: Tea Party

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 18:25:00 +0000

What better way to celebrate 60 years of HRH's reign than a summer afternoon tea party?

We are so blessed to have creative and hospitable neighbours.
Last week, we were invited to attend a tea party to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's reign (come as you are, but you must wear a hat!).

While Canadians are generally ambivalent about the monarchy, there is a strong fondness for the Queen.
She has been part of our culture for (many of our) whole lives.
I remember as a girl crowding onto a downtown street to see the Queen pass by and wave her awesomely restrained and regal wave, dreaming about being one of the lucky little girls who got to pass her a bouquet of flowers.
Waking up early to watch Charles and Di's wedding was a childhood highlight.
My Grandmother spoke of Diana's boys as if they were her own grandsons.
We were up early, fascinators on, for last year's Royal Wedding.

We were tickled to see HRH play act with James Bond for the Olympic opening and felt a pang of concern as she looked so worn out and uncomfortable upon her arrival at the event.
The ups and downs of the Royal Family are part of the fabric of our lives.

As the women gathered for tea, we oohed and aahhhed over the hats and fascinators.
The little girls bounced about excitedly, big eyes on the scones, sponge cake and beautifully delicate tea cups and saucers (a weakness of my own, I'll admit!).
There was an air of properness... something about donning a hat and thinking about the Queen makes one feel terribly polite and polished.

Our hostess did a beautiful job of decorating with fresh flowers from her own amazing gardens.
She added Union Jack's and scattered Royal themed coffee table books about (a staple in many Canadian homes of UK descent!).
There were tarts and preserves, scones and shortbread.
And there was, of course, tea!
(or pink lemonade)

What a lovely interlude on a summer afternoon.
(Shared by one unhappy dog in a 'hat' and other nature friends)

We raised a tea cup (and our pinkies) to Elizabeth, that lovely, strong and resilient lady.
Proud to call her our Queen. ♥♥

Waldorf Tuesday :: Rain, Rain...Please Stay!

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 17:26:00 +0000

Enjoy these rainy day inspired Waldorf toy picks... all natural fun for a much needed rainy summer day!

Raindrop Dolly, by Fox in the Woods.

Weather Gnome, by Alkelda

Umbrella Teether, by Smiling Tree Toys

Wooden Sailboat, by Tweet Toys

A Drop in the Bucket, by this cosy life.

Shadow Puppet Tutorial, Beneath the Rowan Tree

Weather Play Set, by Things by V

Picture Perfect :: Thoughts for the WAHM/ Online Small Business

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 00:57:00 +0000

Oscar Wilde wrote:

I always pass on good advice. It's the only thing to do with it. It is never any use to oneself. ~ An Ideal Husband, 1895

So, with this in mind, and given the number of folks new to online small business (WAHM = Work at Home Mom or WOHM = Work Out of Home Mom) who wonder what it takes to do well, I thought I would pass along advice that has been given to me and the things I have learned in 3+ years. If it isn't too pretentious, I may even do a series~ as articulating some of these things helps me to be mindful of them as well!

So. Pictures. Like many people, I didn't start a small business with any intention of being a photographer. But good product photography is essential.

Think about it. If you walk into a brick & mortar (b&m) store to buy a diaper, say, you pick it up, open it, feel the fabrics, the weight, you inspect the stitching, maybe, the snaps or closure. You browse through the options in colours and sizes. You see how the large compares to the medium. You talk to the clerk. So, if I wander into your online shop and I see one photo of a diaper (and heaven forbid it is blurry, over exposed or egads, on your carpet!) I am not about to buy that diaper. Nu-unh.

This is where your photos come in... take that diaper out and give it the supermodel treatment! Front, back, sides, insides. Show me how the gussets fit the thigh (apply this to any product~ how does it work, how is it worn?). Give me close ups of that phenomenal stitching and the special touches you have aded to make it stand out.

Good photos will go hand in hand with good descriptions, but that is another post.

This *may* seem obvious, but given the sheer number of Etsy and Hyena Cart shops that provide only one (and sometimes only a thumbnail sized! one) shot of their product, it needs to be said. At Etsy you can add five photos/ 4 at HC + a thumbnail + others in the listing itself. USE THEM. Every one.

For Hyena Cart users: Make your thumbnails on the larger side ~200 px is very nice, and make the thumbnail a nice closely cropped picture, due to the smaller size. Here is a thumbnail and a product shot from Lori of alfabette zoope (who uses a lightbox). Product shots should be large enought o clearly show the details and aspects of your product.
Thumb:

Product Shot:

And make them good. You don't need a super duper camera, but you will need a decent one. It is a business expense. I am not a great photographer, and I can't even talk technique, but I have figured out what works for my items, you can, too!

Here are some other thoughts/ suggestions:

Backgrounds are a matter of personal taste. For my items I like a clean white background, but yours may be more suited to props etc. Just make sure the products shines through.
Build your own lightbox (google it) ~ I honestly just use two sheets of white bristol board!
NATURAL LIGHT. The best light is on a cloudy or even overcast day so no shadows are cast (if not using a lightbox, of course!)

Uniformity. Create a look and feel~ you are creating a shopping experience! I personally feel a shop looks much more professional if all of their items share a similar style of photography, a uniformity that helps create a sense of branding and personality. A shope with thumbnails featuring a mish mash of photo styles and backgrounds lack cohesion. Check out Tickety Bu to see how effective similar shots can be.
Every angle. Show me the product. Supermodel it!
If you have trouble filling all the photo spots then use some stock photos of your items in use, or in a stack or of alternate colours etc. I often do 3-4 shots of the silk colourway for sale and include one of a variety of pieces to show the range of the line.
Models~ the jury is out. Some people like things modelled, some don't. You'll have to decide! But generally, no one likes to see the EXACT item for sale on a model. So, if you have a pretty red beret for sale, I suggest picturing a model wearing the same style beret in blue, so there is no hint of possibly receiving the one now on your model's head.
The carpet. oi. The carpet. I have to say this. Do not photograph anything on your carpet. Or couch. Or bed. Or if you do make darn sure I can't tell it is your bed! A sheet of bristol board is less than $1. I don't shop in people's bedrooms in real life, so at least give me the illusion of NOT being in yours online!
Crop. Crop. Crop. If you do nothing else, crop tight so I can see your fabulous product!
Some simple adjustment of levels/ lightness on photos can make a big difference. Consider investing in a simple editing product, or use those available online if need be (Photobucket etc).
Make note of what works. Keep track of the listings that people admire~ when and how you shot them. Your own style will begin to emerge.
Take lots of photos. Shoot from different heights and angles. Pick the best.

I think that is all for now... go take some fabulous pictures and rock those listings!

Knights to Remember : Knights of Valor

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 02:05:00 +0000

Last week we had the opportunity to attend a fabulous (and educational!) event.
(Sorry for the pun!)
The Knights of Valor came to a community nearby and we were able to spend the day in the medieval age (one of my favourites!0..

The Knights of Valor are a jousting group, you may have seen their founder and some of the knights on History Channel's "Full Metal Jousting". These guys are the real thing... wearing authentic (mostly) armour and riding true war horses (large draft horses~ they were originally bred as battle horses, and only later, when mounted warfare with men in armour declined, became farm hands~ new fact to me!) and really hitting each other with lances.

The math was astounding.
A 200 pound man, wearing nearly 200 pounds of armour, on a 2000 pound horse, traveling at a 30 km/h canter and throwing all of that force behind an 11 foot lance of Douglas Fir to thrust at his opponent's chest.
Times two, since his opponent is doing the same thing.
The human heart can be stopped by 7 pounds of force.
These men are absorbing up to 600 lbs. of force.
Crazy, right?

The mind boggling rationale behind the sport aside, the knights were wonderful showmen, and also excellent educators. They were truly chivalrous and kind with the children, while being engaging and full of knowledge about their time period. They used demonstrations ~ for example, to demonstrate that swords were not terribly sharp, nor good for cutting they invited one brave lad to cover his arm in chain mail while the knight sawed at it with a real sword, to no effect. Had he chosen to chop at the arm, the same sword would have crushed it (inside its mail). The children were able to handle lances and battle axes and even to fire a trebuchet.

We were truly impressed with the quality of the day.
It began with a demonstration of birds of prey, followed by an exciting jousting tournament.
After lunch, the children cycled through 5 educational pods: war horse, the life of a knight, armour and weaponry, weapons of siege and birds of prey.

The highlight for Rowan was being chosen Queen of the Royal Court.
Children had been encouraged to come in costume.
Rowan wanted to be a knight, but not a boy.
Fair enough.
By combining a girl's over-tunic with a knightly cape, belt, cowl and sword we made it happen.

When the knight in charge of choosing the court announced that the queen was a girl with a warrior's heart, Rowan's face lit up with hope... and she proudly took her seat on the Queen's throne and accepted the crown for the duration of the jousting performance.
I was almost in tears, so happy for my girl to see herself as strong and capable and to have the crown to prove it.

We came home bursting with facts like:
+ The sword was actually a poor weapon for a mounted soldier, unwieldy and ineffective from horseback, but it was chosen as the emblematic weapon of the knighthood because of its shape.. that of the cross.. at a time of Crusades and other religious warfare.
+ A woman could be a knight if she was the eldest daughter of daughters, there being no male to inherit a title~ she would train and earn her spurs just like the men. Although she wouldn't fight in wars, she would lead her men and fight in defense of her home. She would be titled 'Dame'.

And the fact that no matter how true you want to be to a historical period, there still may come a time when nothing but duct tape will do the job.... ♥

Knights of Valour tour throughout North America, so be sure to check out their site for upcoming shows.

Hooded Beach Towel :: It's that Time Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 17:00:00 +0000

This post is a reprint from last summer, but since we have taken out our hooded towel from last year and found it in need of replacement, I thought it was time to share this one again (while you might snag beach towels on sale!).
••••
A hooded towel poncho has been on my to-do list for a while now... living by the lake we spend our summers by the water and always need a warm, dry towel for shivering kids. As much as I love to cuddle my chilled little girl in my lap, all wrapped in a towel, the fact is that she is getting big and I am getting wet!

When I found beach towels on sale this week, I snagged a couple.
After combing through various patterns and tutorials, not finding quite what I wanted, I struck out on my own.
Here is what I came up with....

Hooded Beach Poncho
Size 4/5T and up.
(you will have to adjust your material amounts for younger children)

Materials:

a 30 x 60 (approx.) beach towel
a second matching beach towel or a hand or bath towel
scissors, thread, ruler

Instructions:
1) Fold your main (body piece) towel in half to create a front and back for your poncho (each approx. 30" long).
Measure your child's head circumference and add 2".
Divide this number by 2 to arrive at the length of head opening for your child.
I used a 10" long opening for my almost 6 year old and this was ample.
You can adjust this size later.
Make a small notch at the center of the fold.

2) I chose to cut my towel in half along the width at the fold made in #1. This allowed me to adjust the length slightly for a smaller child (by trimming off some of the length) and it created a more comfortable shoulder seam to keep the poncho from twisting during play/ wear.
Cut the towel in half width wise at the shoulder fold made in #1.

Sew up this seam, leaving an opening for the child's head (as calculated at #1).
Be sure to reinforce the edges of the opening with a few extra stitches.
try this piece on your child~ if the neck opening is much too large, sew it closed by the needed amount.
Set this body piece aside.

3) I used a matching beach towel to make the hood of our poncho, and will describe the cut below. You could also use a hand towel as is (no cutting).
Fold your second towel (beach or bath) in half width wise.
Cut a piece 10" wide, on the FOLD and through both layers to create a piece 10" x 30" when opened out.
The fold will create the top of the hood, the finished edge will be the sides of the hood along the face..

(Use the finished edge of your towel for this piece. Otherwise once you have made you cut, finish one edge by pressing under 1/4" and then another 1/4" and topstitching it securely.)
Sew up the raw cut edges of your hood piece (right sides together) to create the back of the hood.

4) Pin the open short ends of the hood piece into the body of the poncho matching the center seam with the notch you made in step one, and easing around the curves (right sides together).

When you finish pinning, you will have an front opening of a few inches
which will be finished in the next step.
Sew the hood and body together, stopping and pivoting as needed around the shoulder curves in particular.
You may want to return and reinforce where the shoulder seams meet the hood.

5) Finish the front neck opening.
before doing this, if possible, try the poncho on its wearer.
Your previous check on neck opening size should have reduced the opening sufficiently for easy on and off, but it may be a little small once the hood is attached.
If it does not slip on and off easily, cut a small (1/2 - 1") notch in the center of the neck front and finish this notch as part of the neck edge as described next.
Turn the raw edge under 1/4" and then again 1/4",
easing it to blend smoothly with the hood seam.

Topstitch in place.
I used a zigzag to catch up some of the eventual fraying that may occur.

At this point you have a completed poncho!

And this is where it gets fun... embellishing!

Since my daughter chose a leopard print, I decided to add a tail.

I simply cut a length of the remaining beach towel (3" wide), folded the right sides together, sewed it up and turned it right side out.

I added a tail fringe by using a scrap of towel edging, slicing into it, rolling the piece and inserting into the tail tube. Hand stitch in place.

Attach the tail to the body of the poncho fairly high up to avoid tripping, snagging and tearing from being stepped upon!

My attachment wasn't pretty, but boy, is it strong!

And knowing that my kid loves to collect rocks and shells and other bits, I also added generous pockets to the front by cutting out rectangles (4 x 5") from the finished edge of the towel (so the top of the pockets would not fray) and topstitching these in place on the front.

Simply roll the raw edge under, pin and sew, reinforcing the top corners heavily.

The only thing I forgot.... ears!

This is a very generous poncho for a small almost 6 year old and will likely fit her into her teens.
But it is cozy, fun and one of a kind... and she loves it!

And it TWIRLS!♥♥

{{The legal bits}}
You are welcome to make as many ponchos as your heart desires and give them or sell them.
Poncho your whole town!
Credit to the original author is always a nice thing ♥
The written instructions (text and photos) are protected and are the intellectual property of the author.
You cannot reprint, sell, reproduce this pattern without express permission.
©Lori Campbell/ Beneath the Rowan Tree, 2011.

Homeschooling :: De-schooling and Beyond

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:09:00 +0000

One aspect of the move to homeschooling which I hadn't anticipated was the 'de-schooling' phase!

{{This is a long one, folks... but writing it all out is very helpful to *my* de-schooling!}}

When we realized that our need to homeschool Rowan was arriving sooner, rather than later, we began to plan for the transition. (You can find more about this in our past homeschooling posts). Most of our friends who currently homeschool have always done so for their children, but a few have had their child(ren) in school and then moved them out. These folks spoke of 'de-schooling'.

The blog 'Living Joyfully' has a wonderful overview of de-schooling.
And I am grateful to those who brought this aspect of the transition to my attention!

We joked that it felt a little like de-programming a cult escapee... and yes, we parents, as much as our child, needed the time to de-school!

It meant letting go of all the routines that had become such a battleground in our life, and which were weighing down our daughter's ability to learn~ her availability for learning.
It meant releasing the pressure valve and letting go of all of the anxiety and fear that had been built up over 2.5 years of school.

We made an exit plan for March Break.
We would take the break and then just not return to school.
For the week following March Break, Rowan and I visited my mother~ shopping and visiting, going to the zoo... basically living in holiday mode~ not the usual routines for home OR school, in order to break the cycle.
During this week, I actually noticed an increase in both tics (her first gross motor one~ jumping everywhere) and in OCD behaviours.
The unknown/ transitions have always been very daunting for Rowan.
And then we went home.

Allowing ourselves to de-school was such a fascinating process.
For a few weeks we just threw out all but the most basic of routines (morning and bedtime) and let Rowan follow her bliss as far as playing, eating and learning.
We slowly reduced screen time~ not that she had a lot to start, but the void left by the absence of school left her a bit at sixes and sevens as to what to do with herself and her free time, so she was pushing for that type of stimulation.

At first, there was the release of the pent up fear and other nasties, resulting in an angry child, confused but relieved.
We resisted the temptation to rush in with schedules and program, and bore a week of petulance and some outright tantrums as she struggled to know where or how she fit without the school routines.
Thankfully, this coincided, intentionally, with working with a counsellor at our local family resource center.
Through this time, Rowan had new tools for managing her big feelings, and they came in very handy!
The tics and OCD behaviours receded considerably during this time.
This soon gave way to a state of near euphoria~ a child who was blissful and over the top with
big emotions.
Happy, chatty and highly energized.
Overly precocious, and with it demanding and challenging.
She wasn't sure what it meant to be at home, where she fit... whether all of this meant she ran the world...

While she was attending school, we were always very gentle, understanding that often her lack of emotional regulation came out of fear. That her desire to control the minutiae of her home life came from feeling so out of control at school~ the details of which were unknown to us.
BUT now she was home.
We knew what happened all day long.
And we knew better when it was appropriate to be firm, and we were able to be FAR more consistent with greater confidence.
It only took a week or two of her testing the boundaries, and us helping her to understand where and why they were established for this phase to resolve.
It was quite shockingly easy (though it made me glad we did this NOW and not a year or more from now!)~ we had a responsive child rather than a reactive one.
SO many of the simple parenting skills that many rely on were now available to us again as Rowan came back into herself and felt safe and confident in her role and her environment.

And the appetite!
Having never eaten at school and having had a sore tummy the rest of the time from the anxiety, Rowan was a very picky eater and had remained a small child~ for two years she wore the same pants (size 5).
Since March she has gained 10 (!) pounds and grown several inches and shoe sizes.
(If we needed any concrete 'proof' of the rightness of our decision, this was one piece... our child GREW).

Next and quite naturally, we moved into a gradual routine for schooling and greater expectations of responsibilities as part of the family at home.Slowly we built up our ideal days.
Monday to Wednesday with daddy~ a school block morning and afternoon, surrounded by free play and simple chores and outdoor time.
Thursdays and Fridays with mom, our time more flexible around outside activities and more focused on the creative aspects of the curriculum.

We chose to start Grade One over again.
This allowed all of us to work with familiar material, more focused on the new processes of learning (and the love of learning) than on the content.
This has worked well, allowing us to move gently through the material with plenty of room for diversions and a more 'unschooling' sort of approach, appropriate for this time of transition and Rowan's age and interests.
We anticipate beginning the Grade Two program around October, although she is working well ahead in math and reading at this time (by her choice). By then we should all be ready for more concentrated skill building.

During this de-schooling time we also made some conscious choices about Rowan's social life.
We enrolled her in a homeschool gymnastics group ~ the wonderful, quirky, easy going kids there were real models for her of kids living this lifestyle and loving it. We also enrolled her in a local dance class so she could see her local friends in a structured setting. She continues to attend Sparks (Girl Guides) as well.
Interestingly, being away from school, we had NO requests for playdates after the first week or two.
Whereas she would have been upset not to have playdates planned for each weekend, feeling the need to keep up with the social whirl of Grade one and two girls, being out of that environment it was not an issue any longer (which is an interesting bit of learning about what (some) 6 year olds may really want vs. feel they need!).

We have since begun to have mom and kid playdates again with great success.
Our intention is to continue with positive experiences with kind kids to rebuild Rowan's badly damaged sense of self.

As our de-schooling progressed we have seen even more surprises emerge!
Two in particular have been a boon to both our schooling and life at home in general.
Where previously independent play was a challenge (despite a great imagination, Rowan was clingy and felt she needed a parent's attention in all play), now, she plans for her free time every day, eager to get to playing, sometimes for hours without interruption.
And where teaching or reviewing skills from school was a battle~ Rowan was frustrated and often angry to be asked to focus on this type of work outside of school (this was one of my big concerns for moving to homeschooling, and one many other parents have expressed to me as well), now we have started printing over from the beginning (ie picking up the pencil) and Rowan happily goes along. She often initiates lessons and learning outside of school time and happily receives direction and correction.

After two months, we are nearly completely deschooled.
I very rarely think "tomorrow is a school day" any more!
We have a happy, healthy, growing child who is learning with passion and confidence.
She is more comfortable socially and physically well.

Her counsellor 'graduated' her from her services without finishing the anxiety program... because it was no longer pertinent.
Her pediatrician declared last week that there was no medical reason for him to see her again at this time (my child diagnosed in December with Anxiety with a likely upcoming diagnosis of Tourette's Plus to encompass her tics, OCD and other issues).

We still have lots of work to do... Rowan would not be ready to return to school.
We expect at least a few years more at home before even considering~ the issues she has still exist, but the longer she can live WITHOUT them active, the better her skills will be for coping as she grows up.
We are looking forward to starting occupational therapy to address the root sensory integration and processing issues.
Transitions are still tough and our daughter is still incredibly emotional sensitive.
But we now have the space to breathe and allow these 'issues' to be the gifts that she has been given.

It has been a remarkable process.
For our child, and for us as parents.
Our lives in many ways have been re-arranged by having a child at home all the time.
Yet also, they are simpler, allowing us to find our own natural rhythms.
I wouldn't trade it for the world and I am so grateful that we are able to do this at this time in all of our lives, and for those who have recognized our daughter's gifts and supported our choices.

{{and for you, dear reader, if you have made it this far! ♥♥}}

Waldorf Wednesday : Mermaids

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Welcome to Wednesday and enjoy these beautiful handmade mermaids ♥

1. Viola 22" Waldorf Doll, by Roses & Cream.
2. Mermaid & her Treasure, by Nushkie.
3. Needlefelted Mermaid, by Nalii.
4. Mermaid & Playsilk, Armadillo Dreams w/ BTRT
5. Little Mermaid, by MinnieFolk.
6. Custom Made Crocheted Mermaid, by Snowfall Studio.
7. TABEA Mermaid doll, by LivelySheep
8. Mermaid Costume for 14-15" Waldorf Doll, by German Dolls.

Mother's Day :: In the Pink

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:11:00 +0000

This last Sunday was Mother's Day.

I have been waiting for my daughter to get old enough to insist on marking the day with appropriate adoration.
I mean, she has to do better than my husband's attempt, several years ago when he had forgotten it was Mother's Day at all. He mowed 'Happy Mother's Day' into the lawn. But he forgot the 'h' in 'mother.
Happy Moter's Day my lawn said for a week or so.

In the past I have blogged about Mother's Day~
how I learned to argue less.
what mother's were looking forward to in their lives.
This year, my reflection on our day is much less deep but it still has me tickled pink.
Like my tongue, pink.

You see, Rowan and Andy got up early on Sunday morning to make me a cake.
(that is almost forethought, right?!)

It was a gigantic monster of a double-decker chocolate heart.

The issue was the icing.
Well, the colour of the icing.
They used, they say, a 'dab' of hot pink icing colour.

This thing tasted like the inside of a perfume bottle, the red dye taste was so cloying and thick (ugh.)
And it looked like something the unicorns tossed out because it was simply TOO pink for them.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciated the gesture.
And Rowan was very, very proud.
But my teeth and tongue bore some explaining on Monday when I went to work and lead a funeral (!!).

On Sunday evening I did some sewing after Rowan went to bed.
Andy left the cake on our dining room table until late evening, when he put it in the fridge.
At that time, he wondered at the missing portion of cake, thinking (rightly) that I wouldn't have eaten any more, but must have changed my mind, red dye be darned.

On Monday morning, Rowan exclaimed that Archie was all pink around his mouth and down his front (he has a snowy white ruff). We figured she was exaggerating, maybe he had stolen some tidbit of cake off of the floor.

On Monday afternoon, I came home when Andy and Rowan were out.
I walked past the dining room and did a double take.
THIS is what I saw.

Archie.
Standing on the dining room table.
Archie.
The bag of cement with legs~ he is not known for his jumping abilities.
Now Murray? Murray is four pounds of flying Papillon and he regularly ends up on the top of furniture.
But never Archie.
And the criminal stood there while I got the camera and took his picture, not a clue that he was doing anything he oughtn't!

The penny still hadn't dropped.
Andy came home.
I showed him the photographic evidence.
He wondered aloud that Archie would do that, after all... "he has never gotten any food up there, or anything..."

And he looked at me, realization dawning... "did you eat cake last night?"
As I gasped "did you put the cake away after supper?".

Rowan was right... Archie was pink from eating cake.

At least I had a an excuse to put a merciful end to the pink atrocity.
But I will have to explain why my dog has a pink mustache for a few more days. ♥♥

Homeschooling :: Crossing the Ts and Dotting the Is

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Campbell) — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Thank you for all of your feedback on my first post about our journey to homeschooling. ♥
It is so helpful and interesting to hear from different voices and experiences.

As I said in the last post (well, the first post, technically)~ the previous post! I am writing out our journey to homeschooling for our 6.5 year old daughter. I have a lot of reflections I want to sift through, so I am breaking the story down into several posts.

This post is about how we made the actual transition out of school and into our chosen curriculuum~ how we crossed our 't's and dotted our 'i's so to speak.

Once we realized that we needed to withdraw our daughter from school for her mental health (and frankly, our own!) the scope of the responsibility involved really kicked in.

We knew that while Rowan is a very bright child, excelling in her reading and creative skills, her travels through school had been fraught with anxiety, and her learning overridden by her coping skills which manifested themselves in inattention, slow transitions (often missing portions of lessons and activities) and defensive actions like collecting rocks or bits of refuse and examining them to the exclusion of her outer environment. So we decided that to ensure she had her basic skills AND to let her begin homeschooling with a strong feeling of competence and success, we would 'restart' Grade One.

Our search for a curriculum and an educational approach began.
Knowing that Andy would be the primary teacher for the core subjects, a printed curriculum seemed to be the way to go~ something offering clear direction and teacher support.

Waldorf was an obvious choice for us, but given that Rowan had almost 3 years of traditional schooling, we felt that the philosophical divergences would require too much backtracking.
Both Classical and Charlotte Mason style education are appealing, but at this stage we wanted to work on drawing out our daughter's creative spirit and healing her self esteem and confidence~ so we put them in our back pocket for consideration later.
While we are Christians, most of the faith based programs are far more conservative than we are and we prefer to continue our Christian education as an integral part of our living, so weren't seeking a faith based option.
Given a preference for minimal screen time for a child who easily loses herself in the overwhelming world of the internet and the flashiness of children's programs, online options were not ideal.
And we didn't feel confident enough, yet, to call ourselves 'eclectic'!

And then we found Oak Meadow.
Whew!
Waldorf style, but curriculum based, with an enrollment option which would solve any tricky problems later on with transcripts and records.
Emphasis on the feeling and rhythm aspects of the primary aged child's development.
Rooted in nature and creativity.
Hello love!♥
(I will say more about OM in a later post).
We purchased the Grade One package (we didn't enroll).

Another aspect of our preparation was to meet with Rowan's teacher and the special ed/ literacy teacher at the school. They are both wonderful women who love teaching, and were kind and generous in sharing where the children had been so far and where Rowan in particular should be headed in relation to the curriculum for Grade One.
For Ontario families, you can view/ print the entire curriculum online.
(note: each grade is embedded in the larger document for all grades, and divided by subject areas, so you have to do some selective sifting)

I did this, read it over, and then met with the Grade One teacher to ensure I understood the basic premises and principles and that I got a few pointers about the 'new' math (or is it the new NEW math?).
We laid out the OM curriculum alongside the Ontario one to test for coherence.
So far so good!

In the meantime, we spoke with Rowan about the transition that was coming.
She was excited, if not really understanding!
We kept it very low key, not making any final decisions until we had a chance to try things out at home
.
At the school, we simply let them know that Rowan was taking a break following the March Break.
Which we did, including the March break, that gave us 3 weeks before we had to notify the Board about our intentions. We didn't actually *know* this (as in, the principal did not communicate this when I told her we intended to try out homeschooling)~ if I hadn't gone in to the school just prior to our 15 days of absence allowed, we would have been truant and in violation of the provincial education statutes.

As it was, we got the paperwork and sent it in.
The paperwork was rather fascinating.
And hostile.
It was a single page upon which you had to sign your child out of the Board's services and into your own, committing to providing an education in line with the multi-page appendices about the rights of children to receive an education.
I totally understand and applaud the vehemence around children's rights, and I am grateful to live in a place where they are so firmly upheld!
It was the overall tone of the documents~ that you are making a poor decision by homeschooling, and that your child will lack, even suffer for it~ that left a bad taste in my mouth.
And that it was all or nothing.
Either your child is in the 'care' of the Board or utterly cast out.
There is no sharing of resources, no support.

The challenge of 'no support' is that nearly all of the services for children are funneled through the schools and the system is not set up to provide services outside of those parameters (ie Occupational Therapy).
On the other hand, a clear break means that families have the freedom to choose how their children are educated without interference or direction from the School Board.
It is a trade off that families do not take lightly, I am sure, so the negativity surrounding the transition is a tad offensive, but not surprising.

I'll stop there for now ♥.
I'll be back soon with a post about de-schooling!