mamaroots

story eggs

One idea you can try out is this Easter season is to create some story eggs.  Do you have a favorite story that your kiddos like that you can help them create pictures of on some eggs?  On those nice spring days while that anticipation builds up for Mr Easter Bunny to arrive you can hide and act out the story through the eggs.

I find that the wood eggs you pick up in Michaels or Hobby Lobby are pretty receptive to watercolors and designing on them.  I use a wood burner for the details also, but you could use a archival pen also that won't bleed on the wood for details.  One hint before you paint or design on the eggs, rough the surface up a bit with some fine sandpaper.  I think it is because the surface is smooth from being turned that the roughing up makes them a little more receptive to the watercolors.  Don't forget to seal them with beeswax polish or some other sort of polish to set the color.

This is one of our favorite stories this spring that works really well with making some story eggs- the author even gives you some tips on creating eggs in the back.  It is called Masha and the Firebird- you may remember me talking about this one when we were doing our Russian heritage learning.  It is a lovely book- the eggs all represent an element, earth, air, fire, and water!  Above are the story eggs and new firebird design I am working on.  If you like this book, this is a great spot for more activities also.  I will be making a set for the shop in April too.  The boys have decided who gets to be Masha (that's me) the Firebird- Jasper, and the wolf- Silas, I wonder if we can talk daddy into being Baba Yaga for us when we act this one out!

Have fun making some story eggs- I would love to hear about it if you do! 

eggs on the bench

This was Jasper's word of the day yesterday!  Both my boys were feeling a little under the weather all weekend- one of those annoying not horrible but just enough to make them feel yucky sort of weekends!  So it meant lots of tea, lots of holding, and lots of prepping and egg crafting in anticipation for  Easter!  Jasper made an "egg observation" spot of the cobbler's bench and we crafted some new eggs yesterday after our inspiring read during Earth Hour on Saturday night.  

I look forward to sharing with you this week lots of egg ideas, natural gift ideas for the baskets, and a big ol reading list for bunny books!  Till then here are some pictures to enjoy from our weekend!

 

Herbal Roots-April

Second giveaway this week- this one is for one copy of the April issue of Herbal Roots- Comfrey!  Kristine has been working hard putting together another fabulous month.  I don't know too much about comfrey so this should be a fun month!

Leave a comment here between now and 7:00 pm on Wednesday and I will draw a winner's name and e-mail you that night so you can get started right away on April 1st!

For bonus entries:

-become a fan of Herbal Roots Zine
-become a fan of MamaRoots

write stuff

 

Here is a little spring time color for you this weekend!  I was sent some journal samples to view.  They are very similar to Moleskines which I have adored for many years now, but a couple differences are that the Ecosystem journals are 100% post-consumer recycled paper   They are made in the good ol US and come in some lovely colors.  You can even register your journal to see the contents and help in recovery if ever lost.

I am hanging onto the black sample I got for when my Moleskine is full.  This is the journal that I carry with me all the time in my backpack.  It has ideas for toys, vending lists, book lists, gift lists, and even my first drafts of both Naming Renick and Elias and the Tree Stairs.  I love the blank pages.  Of course you have known the classic Cahier Kraft Moleskines that I stock in the shop also- these are just such a fun crafters journal with lovely blank covers to work with.  

 

 

The pink and green journals I am giving away to you my readers.  The Kiwi is the medium size lined journal and the Watermelon is the large size lined journal.  All you need to do is just leave a comment here on the blog between now and March 31 and then my fellas will help draw 2 names for the journals to be given to. Bonus points if you share the giveaway on facebook or twitter- just let me know and I will enter your name twice in the drawing.  You will have to let me know what you think!

Branch Bunny

 

Helping you hop right on into spring is my latest Once Upon a Table project for you, Branch Bunny!  If you have made branch gnomes in the past this little happy fella will be right up your alley!  

Download Branch Bunny

I am also so happy to finally bring you a couple new products to help you with all your story table fun.  In the shop are the Once Upon a Table all recycled binder to help keep your projects organized after you print them out, and also a Once Upon a Journal that I just finished up designing for you to right your children's stories that come from the projects- just in time for spring.  They are now available in the shop for sale. As always the projects are free from me to you, the pattern are not intended for re-sale but share as much as you like.  Hope you enjoy and have a great Friday!  I will be putting together a more extensive book list for Easter reading this weekend and have 2 fun giveaways to list tomorrow so be sure to check back!

 

 

patterns

 

 

It was an arty week for us this past few days.  Jasper's school held its annual Silent Film and Silent Art Auction.  It is one of the schools main events since it is an expressive arts based school- we love going every year and bidding on some art and catching a fantastic silent film to boot.  In the past few years I have helped Jasper's class with their art project for individual sale, but this year I was asked to do the 2nd grade projects for auction.  The idea was given of doing wood puzzles for each class.  I thought they turned out great and were very well received.  Heck it was some of the easier wood work I have done- their eager hands did the sanding, they designed the pieces as a class, and then I just sealed it all up when they were done!  I might have to do some of these the winter holidays for family presents- they were a blast!

 

 

  

Jasper also had the pleasure of working with Nigerian Artist Ibiyinka Alao and do some collaborative art with him and the whole school- this is what really makes me love his school- what an amazing experience. There was a special reception for the artist that we went to as well one day and we got to see all of the children's work from Jasper's school and a few other schools he went to do art at while in town.  Really priceless!  So the art was prolific, the patterns amazing and a good time all around!  By the way the boys sported these adorable shirts in great patterns handmade by a super gal- wonderful quality wonderfully made, and the boys haven't even seen the monster ones she made yet!

 

 

There were too many pictures to post, here are some more from the weekend to enjoy!  Makes me want to break out the brushes right now!

tonics

As spring has come and the sun reappeared yesterday melting away our snow from the weekend it brings me back to th place I have felt coming for a while- time for a little spring detox.  I am probably not going to do a full on 5-day juice/whole foods fast like the past quite yet, but I am planning on doing a 3 day juice fast in the next couple of weeks.  I have been feeling a change in my appetite generally for food- meat in particular is not thrilling to me at all right now but veges sounds just amazing, nothing sounds better for lunch than a huge bowl of steamed spinach.  I mostly ate eggplant last weekend- I think I had 4 servings of it.  So I am going to trust that is what I need to do right now which will have its challenges in a family of meat eaters!

I have my bottle of Spring Equinox Tonic also to add a little herbal support.  I plan on using Herbal Roots integration into our family learning and life.  I really enjoy how the herbs that Kristine chooses seems to have the instinctual right place for us.  It is also handy that both Krisitine and I are in the midwest and the seasonal factor is a plus- though definitely not required to enjoy this fantastic zine that she makes!  Be on the watch starting this weekend to sign up here for the monthly give-away for the April issue of Herbal Roots!  I have also created a Flickr set of the wooden critters that I have made in the past to coordinate with the covers of Herbal Roots.  I am slowly going to be adding these all to the shop- there is a new section called Herbal Roots Critters- that way you can get one there is you like if you miss the give-away on her site. 

Speaking of Tonics though, the boys were very interested in the bottle of Spring Equinox Tonic I had out this week in preparation when they saw it and this is what they wanted to share with Tangle- they thought she would love it for spring.  Seems as though they were right and she drank it straight down when she left presents.  I guess my fellas are not the only children who have been doing some scientific observations of fairies lately- you have to watch this sweet video of Lydia- I think she will be happy to know there are a couple of boys in the midwest that do believe and approaching it with science too!

spring?

 

In all of it's midwestern weather mystery we went from barefoot and t-shirts on Friday to a full on snow storm on the first day of spring yesterday!  It did not stop Tangle Goblinwand from paying the boys a visit the welcome in the first day of the season!  The boys had left out her magical door inside so she would be warm.  I am not sure when Jasper is going to realize that Tangle is me, but so far my 8.5 year old boy is still believing.  It is so fun to see his logical mind embrace the magic.  This year he had all these questions as if on a scientific exploration:

Do you like honey?  "Oh yeses" she said (she still has a hard time spelling our words)

How tall are you?  he left a chart and she marked a little over 8 inches tall

 

  

Then he left her his little glittery fairy shrine box that our friend Megan had made him a couple years ago as her bed, though he wanted to make sure it was just a lender!  Both boys had prepared a little feast for her of my Spring Equinox tonic, some dried fruit and nuts.

 

 

I had slacked this year in ordering some wood critters for her to give.  I like to order some so they don't recognize mama's work but I just could not settle on a theme.  I headed into the territory of making and finally deciding on fish as they were busy exploring the woods this week and doing creek exploration. We have also been loving Elsa Beskow's Curious Fish for a couple months so it finally hit me on Friday afternoon to make a couple fish from the story.  If you don't know this one- it will crack you up- it especially makes me fondly think of Zach and Cindy on their boat!  I think Zach would love  this one too!

 

  

I won't give it away but I think by the picture you can guess there is some silly magic happening!  It has elements of Nemo and Ponyo in that sweet Elsa Beskow way, though I would have to say more like Nemo and Ponyo have Curious Fish elements in it as this book was originally done in the early 1900's in Sweden.

 

The day continued on with a cold snow all day which stopped any spring walks, planting, or working in Tangle's garden, but Silas and I enjoyed switching out the nature table to spring, and Jasper and daddy entered into the world of chess playing with this amazing fun retro vintage ceramic chess hubby found on the curb with other treasures one day- we call that Mongo!

Hope you spring came in lovely and fertile for making, playing, and loving!

meet Chloe

 

I was finishing up some Three Sisters sets this week and remembering how fun these sets are to make.  I started these last fall for harvest and also made a set for snow.  They hold a fun spot for me because I have 2 sisters and love the trio that we make.  When I was going outside to take pictures of the Maiden/Mother/Crone sets yesterday I glanced over and there she was- my Chloe, and it dawned on me how much the sisters resemble my dear Chloe.  So I quickly grabbed her and let her get some lovely sunshine on the deck,  and even though she shyly hangs out in the dining room she didn't mind having her picture taken. 

 

 

I found Chloe in an antique mall about 10 years ago.  I was there on fun little shopping trip with my younger sister finding odds and ends for my new little adobe that I had moved into and there she was at the very back of the booths, I had to have her.  I hoisted her clay body up into my arms and trotted off to the register with her.  Somehow she just became named Chloe.  She has survived 1 move and living with 1 dog, 1 cat, 2 boys, hubby, and myself.

I this she is wise, I love having her in my home and I am pretty sure on a subconscious level she influenced the Three Sisters series!  I am thinking of doing another Three Sister series for spring flowers called Ode to Chloe- what are some of your favorite spring flowers?  Did I mention that beautiful sun is shining again today- barefoot city!

green is . . .

 

 

 

Hope your St. Patty's day is glowing, growing, and gleefull!  Smart boys wore green jammies last night so mama could not get in the pinches this morning, but will the remember to wear green to bed tonight, I have until midnight for a love pinch or two!