mamaroots

green

Now is when it starts to happen for me . . .December 1st is tomorrow and I start to get into the holly jolly spirit!  I actually have a bit of a hard time making wintery goodies before December because I am in a harvest place till December 1!  I treated myself to this great book all about enjoying a green, simple, handmade Christmas.  It is chopped full of ideas that I plan on sharing how we integrate into our house the next few weeks.  I really recommend it!  If you like the idea of simple and green- you might also want to check out the book "I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas by Anna Getty."

I drew the name of the winner for the Luna Rabbit ornament and it is Carmen!  Congrats Carmen- if you can e-mail me your snail mail addy I will get her out to you this week so you can add her to your tree!  Thanks so so very much for all of your sweet words- they really warmed me heart!

Happy Almost Dec 1st everyone- we got our tree last night and finished decorating it and now the boys are asking for hot chocolate as we go switch out the story and nature tables to "winter"

Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win the December issue of Herbal Roots Zine that comes out tomorrow- Pine- yayayay!

off to heat up the chocolate milk!!

I am traveling back home today after the joy of family and as we walked around the city life laughing, walking, and watching my boys chase the pigeons it was great to do something completely different this Thanksgiving and gain a different perspective.  It was neat to observe how the cities that we perceive as being so much on the edge really retain what we did in the past.  I love the small neighborhoods with all of these small little shops you pass on the way to the mass transit train or subway you are taking.  The bakery, the bodega for a few small groceries, the shop that just sells hats.  Something about that way of living that seems to have gone by the way of the giant Walmarts and Menards of the midwest seems sad to me, but I was also thankful to see if so alive and vibrant in the big cities. 

Birds are such a lovely symbol of perspective and connection for me as the travel above from place to place.  I wanted to share with you another lovely spot to enter for a giveaway for the Living Crafts Ornament project.  Rae made the beautiful bird from the project that was one of the ornaments chosen in the initial magazine, the remaining lovely ornaments and instructions are coming on the Living Crafts blog.  Rae's bird is just lovely and she is giving away one on her blog right now, fly on over and leave a comment.  I have one of her birds from the initial LC project exchange and it is beautiful.  I am fortunate to have done another swap with Rae and her work is just so lovely with incredible details in her stitching.

Thanks to all my long distant friends for helping build such an incredible nest of creativity!  It is that time again also where I have the fun opportunity to give-away a copy of the December Herbal Roots Zine that the very talented Kristine does- if you have not had a chance to do this monthly herbal zine, this is a chance to get entered for a copy.  It is so well done and we have learned so much over the past 10 months.  Leave a comment here between now and Monday at midnight and then I will draw a winners name and e-mail the December issue.  Good luck!!

simple

I am traveling with my family for a few days to celebrate both Thanksgiving and also my older sis' birthday.  It amazes me the beauty of just stopping everyday life for a while and stepping away to be with my whole big family in a wonderfully fun city.  The idea was simple- instead of doing an over the hill birthday we wanted pizza- a certain city style of pizza pie and the plan was formed including train rides, big city and getting to spend a few days with both of my sisters, their families and my folks.  

So when I was planning out what to get my sis for her birthday I could not think of anything better than to make her something that reflected a memory from our childhood.  You may remember me sharing a story about how we use to sneak out to the pond behind our house in dresses just made by my mama and got in and catch tadpoles.  We would gather pears from the tree and squish our toes in the mud.  

 

 
 

After discovering the book Bog Baby I knew that is what I wanted to get for her- what else could I get my sis turning 40 but a children's book and wood toys!  It was fun seeing my sisters figure out which one was who!

I hope that each and everyone one of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I am so thankful for all of your support, comments, and friendship.  I am thankful for my family and a lovely hot sauna in the house we are renting after a walk around a new city looking at "BIG" buildings as the boys observed!

Living for Craft!

I am sure if I was home when the mail came on Saturday I would have kissed the Postman!  My winter Living Crafts came!  You may remember me talking about the Living Crafts project over the summer that I was working on- well this was it!  Over the summer I participated in a really lovely project based on a German tradition of ornament giving.  I designed, created the pattern, and made about 15 ornaments.  I kept one for me, sent most on to exchange with the other ornament makers and I saved one back to celebrate being in the magazine and am giving it away here on the blog!  Just in time for heading out to the ol' tree farm- I hope you enjoy this ornament.

We got to pick our symbols and mediums.  I chose rabbit because it symbolizes creativity, fertility, and it is my power animal.  I designed it to echo the stories of the Rabbit in the Moon or it could also symbolize at fertile egg and could be used as an Easter ornament. 

If you have not subscribed to Living Crafts yet- now is the chance!  I have every issue and am so thrilled to be making my second appearance in this wonderful magazine.  In the winter issue there are the instructions to making my ornament and many others, with more instructions to come for more of the ornaments. 

So how to you enter?  Leave a comment here, and I just started a Facebook Fan Page for mamaroots- become a fan and you get your name in the pot 2 times, become a Fan of Living Crafts and you get your name in 3 times!  Deadline is Saturday Nov 28 at midnight- I will announce the winner Sunday!

Good luck and many thanks to Fiona, Living Crafts Magazine, and all the other gals who participated- I love the ornaments!

recipes

Seems like this time of year recipes are shared for all the fantastic food out there.  I was realizing today that next month will be the three year anniversary of opening The Womb Room- the mama activism center that I run.  Recipes are often shared as we have our different gatherings there, like the amazing hummus dip, mead, or chocolate chip cookies!  But beyond food, there is a very simple recipe that happens there that you can do also.  Tonight is the monthly Crafty Mama's gathering and the recipe is simple:  mix friends and some crafts and you have a recipe of DIY experience to last a lifetime.

I am fortunate to have a place to set up to do this, but you know really any group could do this.  Take turns at each others houses, check your public library for meeting rooms, check your local yarn shop for space, check your community birth center also for meeting space.  Have a fundraiser to get materials to build a mini- crafty cabin- wouldn't that be fun!

This is a great book to help get you started if you wanting to start a local crafty group.  Now is the perfect time of year, while you are finishing up all those handmade goodies for Christmas!  For my local mamas I will see you tonight with chocolate cookies in tow!  Also the DVD is now available to purchase of Handmade Nation.  I am hoping to order a copy to play at The Womb Room.  I needed that reminder as I am overwhelmed by the commercially made stuff out there, everywhere this time of year- ughhh!

toilet talk

ahhh- it took a bit last night, but I got the book submitted to Blurb and ordered the proof copy, if all goes well Elias and the Tree Stairs should be in the shop at the beginning of December!  I am also proofing the other wee little book for the shop that should be available on Sunday- now onto working on finishing some custom orders and working on some new items for the shop- so much fun!!!  I love being a toymaking elf this time of year!

 

I try to pay attention to things that present themselves many different times and ways and for some reason this has shown up alot lately.  I got my Missouri Midwives Association newsletter and it mentioned Family Cloths as a great option also for midwives to carry with them in case of emergencies.  I had heard of both family cloth and stones recently.  I talked to Jody and I think we are up for the challenge.  We are going to give it a shot.  I am doing some reading and plan on stopping by Joanns this weekend and finding 4 different patterns of flannel so each have our own.  We used cloth wipes with both the boys when they were in cloth diapers so I am thinking this will be similar.

Of course I will need to stop by the antique place to find some old fun pots to keep them in!  Does anyone else have any pointers for a beginner family clother?  Here is one link if you yourself are thinking about doing this and want to purchase some cloth.

 

I have been waiting for the right moment to share these pictures with you and since this post is about finishing up Elias and the Tree Stairs book and toilets, I wanted to share these marble pictures.  I actually took this this summer in St. Louis at the City Museum.  This is from a display of treasures from Privy Hunters!  Yep that's right- people go an excavate areas where there were privys (outhouses) and find all these amazing treasures. 

Now I can imagine that the coins fell from pockets when the pants were dropped to the floor boards, and also marbles as well falling from children's pockets, but all the jars and bottles crack me up- what were they doing with all those bottles in the ol privy!  I have to share that growing up out in the middle of rural midwest country sticks on an old farm, my first play house was the old abandoned outhouse so I have a special spot in my heart for outhouses and actually the very first marble I found in a tree ( the inspiration for Elias and the Tree Stairs) was next to my outhouse playhouse.  So . . .would I go on some excavations for some old marbles at a privy site- you bet especially if it meant getting an old German Onion Skin marble- hubby had to drag me away that day at City Museum, I could not trust myself to not develop a Ocean's 13 plan to obtain said Privy Antique marbles from the glass case!

It is good when one can actually recognize your own neurosis right?  I know mine very well and am not afraid to own them and observe them- I did mention a while ago the marble obsession right? 

On that note, hope you have a great Wednesday and tell me if you have any funny privy stories!

Fantastic Mr. Fox

At the request tonight of Jasper, he wanted to type on the computer and asked to do a blog post, he wanted to share an experience he had with a friend this weekend . . .sound like a good transition to bring the book Fantastic Mr. Fox home this week for him to read!  Without further ado- my first guest blogger is patiently waiting at my side!

"When i was at a friend's house, we went for a walk.  Then we went fishing all we caught was bugs.  we decided to go down stream, we found the perfect fishing spot.  Then my friend said "look a fox!!!"  I could not believe my eyes.  It frightened me a little.  But he told me that the fox would not hurt me.  But I trembled anyway.  Then we went back to where we were fishing.  His parents were waiting for us.  We told them that we saw a fox.  Then all of a sudden went "look right up there" and there was the fox bounding up the hill to the road.  I cannot believe that was the first time I saw a fox!     Jasper

Thanks to Jasper for being my first guest blogger!  He did pretty good typing the first couple of sentences, but then the bedtime sleepies got the best of him so he dictated to mama!  He hopes you enjoy his story!

Back to work on the book for me- sweet dreams!

nose down

So sorry for the delay in passing of days with out posting . . . I have been nose to the grind working on the second book to try and get it ready in December and in the midst I discovered this really charming little book from the early 1900's that begged to be re-printed- I will share more details definitely as they come-that one at least is in the proof stage!  I am remembering now the program the I used to make Naming Renick bogs my fossil computer down- but by the power of black tea and patience I will make it!

I wanted to first give out a fun shout to MamaRuck who shared a fabulously funny blog post about receiving Wike from last month's monster contest- it was too cute and brought a tickle to this funny bone!  I love the many pictures and stories of love that the monsters brought to everyone- it makes Jasper's day!

The weather has definitely given us a cold rainy snap so I thought I would share what I did at Root Children last Friday in case you are looking for some inside story/hand crafts to do today.  I really thought I could hold out on sharing this book till the spring but it begged to be done this month!  It is called "Bog Baby" and hold a special spot in my heart because it reminds me of going to our pond on the back field with my sis when I was little.  We were trying to catch tadpoles, but I know we would have loved catching a "Bog Baby"!  

 

If you want a simple craft idea, we made simple wood bog babies from small wood eggs you can get at most Hobby Lobby/Michaels stores, added designs with marker, cut out some wool felt wings and add to a small little paper cup or bag with wool for the habitat.  Easy Sneezie you have a little bog baby and habitat to make after reading the book together.  A tip for any of you that may do larger groups of kiddos story and craft sessions like I do, I discovered glue dots!  Like a miracle they take away the danger of the hot glue gun in combination of not having to wait for the Elmers to dry.  Look at all these cute Bog Babies the Root Children made!

Stay warm- and also be sure to stop on over at Kristine's blog Herbal Roots Zine and get a chance at winning a mamaroots critter- armadillo- BTW if you have not yet read Three Armadillos Tuff- you should it is a funny version of 3 Billy Goats Gruff!

fire spirit

I am an Aries sun and Aries moon gal so most things with fire strike a cord with me.  Our first year doing a lantern walk had its appeal indeed!  Friends came over today and Brother Sun cooperated as well by providing us with a warm autumn day! 

I loved The Lantern story that I found on-line and shared with our friends who did not seem to mind that I didn't get the cider really hot at all, more like luke warm!  Blasted non-understanding of the world of crock pots!

We did have one broken glass jar at the beginning, I heard that most lantern walks have at least one, but we took a walk around the block and then wound our way up the Friend's Path that happened to have a basket of fire spirits waiting for our friends- thank you mini battery powered candles- this one would have been harder to hide with a real candle!  The boys were excited to know the secret and led friends to the hiding spot- a little too excited at times running ahead of the young ones!

I hope you had a wonderful last hurrah to autumn today and that Brother Sun left you a ray of fire to keep near during the upcoming long dark months.  Yes Missouri does have all of its seasons for sure!

I wanted to share a couple books, last night as I was finishing the wee little fire spirits hubby and I watched a PBS special about evolution and I was reminded of the theory of the integral part fire played in our evolution from the stand point of the fire became a gathering spot- a social community builder, and also that we began to cook by the fire- I thought it was fitting to be watching as I made the fire spirits sitting next to my hubby the chef- and love the aspect of the social element fire has brought in our lives as humans! 

The one book was called Catching the Fire, and then I did some investigating with other fire elements today and found a book for the young reader called Fire- Elemental Spirit Stories- sounds right up our alley for some winter reading, especially the fire salamanders!

Speaking of fire and sparks and salamanders, I have such fun stuff to share with you in the next few days, but I will give you a hint . . .my illustrations for Elias and the Tree Stairs arrived this week, I got them scanned and the final steps for my second childrens book is happening- did I mention there is some fire in this one?  Ah for the love of stories!!!

Here are a few more pictures from our first lantern walk- keep that spark burning!

soup and bikes

Many thanks on all your well wishes, something about soup and a sunny weekend kicks a cold's booty!  I used the recipe from this blog and it was so yummy!  This coming from the non-cook of the household!  I really recommend it!

We also were able to get some fun fall pictures taken by my talented friend Amy and then also got to go check out the Bike Polo tourney in town- I had never heard of such a thing, but my hubby who is an avid biker wanted to check it out!  

There are some pictures here and we were also fortunate to find the biggest Burr Oak acorns I have ever seen in my life!  We gathered a few- don't know what we will do with them, but my goodness they are huge!  Here are a couple of our fall pictures that Amy took, it was a great day and a great way to say goodbye to Autumn.  We are getting ready for our Lantern Walk at our house with friends.  The boys and I will be making their lanterns tonight and then I am finishing some wee fire spirits to share with our friends so they may keep the spark of Brother Sun's fire with them throughout the winter.

 

If you are interested in learning more about Lantern Walks and doing one, these are some resources I found on-line:

http://theparentingpassageway.com/2009/10/29/martinmas-in-the-waldorf-home/

http://naturenest.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/martinmas-links-info-lanterns-poems-songs-stories/

http://ourhomeschooljourney.co.za/wordpress/142/how-to-make-a-lantern-for-waldorf-festivals-or-waldorf-inspired-gifts/

And I bought this PDF last year and it is full of great info:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30929318

Have fun!