Let It Be

Some days, you just have to let be what will. Yesterday was one of those days. For all three girls it was a high energy/high conflict day.
I made a really warm and yummy apple pie oatmeal for breakfast and I told the Harvest Loaf story as we made our dragon bread... and that was about it. I decided that launching into a craft or much of anything on this day would only lead to more frustration. Know what I mean?













Regardless, we all have enjoyed our Michaelmas week. Truly a beautiful way to kick off fall.

P.S. Don't forget to enter to win this sweet bunny.

Lighting a Michaelmas Fire

Bear with me, I have zero drawing talent, but here is our St. Michael and a fearsome dragon, nonetheless.

The girls have been drawing dragons and knights and kings and princesses all week. I have been so surprised how they have taken to the theme of Michaelmas. But, it seems to have really pulled them in.



We went walking yesterday, looking for wild Michaelmas daisies alongside the road, they're always so plentiful this time of year. The girls have been bringing me arm fulls of the white ones for the past few weeks, but today we were seeking the purples.

And found a good bunch.

We also poured a candle to begin lighting today using this tutorial. Very easy, love the results. Lacking very dragon-y colors of modeling beeswax I decided to forgo the dragon on the candle (though, I really want to give it a go next year) and, instead, we chose some dragon-y colors of glitter and rolled the candle in it. After the candle was hard (and cool again) I warmed it til it was glossy over a hot stove top burner. Then Kaiya rolled it in our glitters.

Meanwhile Zoe is at those dragons some more!

We're very pleased with the results.

"As St. Michael is often depicted fighting a dragon, we use this motif for our candle. The flame becomes St. Michael's fiery sword subduing the dragon day by day until he is banished completely."
All Year Round

The theme of drawing inward and taming/slaying our inner dragons really speaks to me. What a blessing to have this yearly reminder and time set aside to do so.

Today we will be baking our dragon bread and telling the story of the harvest loaf. We have a craft (or two) up our sleeves, and I'll share all of that tomorrow. Till then, have a beautiful Michaelmas!

Brave and True
Will I be Each kind deed Sets me free
Each kind word
Makes me strong
Fight for the right
Conquer the wrong

Source

Falling Stars

For day 2 of our Michaelmas week we focused on the story of The Falling Stars. I have another, The Story of the Star Children, that I will read to them today. We painted pictures of stars... well, some of us did, others just painted. And we learned this song (found here);

At the end of summer on hot August nights,
Micha-el sends falling stars showing strength and light.
In the late night hours you fall,
showering your bright light on all.
Falling stars, falling stars, shoot across the sky,
Falling stars, falling stars, bring to earth your light.
Falling stars, falling stars, shoot across the sky,
Falling stars, falling stars, bring to earth your might.



This is the first year we are celebrating Michaelmas. I wrote a bit last holiday season about my own struggle to put meaning and spirit into celebrations. I have spent a good deal of inner time reflecting on the festivals celebrated by the Waldorf community, the meaning behind them and how I can relate to them and pass them on to my children, while I am not Christian.
At first I found it really difficult to relate to, what seemed to be, religious celebrations. But, in time, I have learned to view them from another perspective. I no longer see them as 'religious celebrations' but, instead, festivals that celebrate and encourage the human spirit, and just so happen to use archetypal figures to do so.
I have written about this more today over on the Natural Kids blog. I hope you'll join me there.

Today we will search for Michaelmas daisies and pour our candle to begin lighting tomorrow. How are you celebrating?


P.S. Don't forget to enter to win a sweet bunny.

The Dragon

He is finished! And the girls really love him. He sits periodically on our seasonal shelf, but mostly he's being toted around, engaging in battles with our knight puppet (Which I just happened to find a whole set of, knight, king, princess and dragon(!), right in the girls' puppet drawer. I didn't even realize we had them.).

Anyway, should you so desire to make a dashing dragon of your own ( and I recommend you do) I will remind you that the pattern can be found here, for free. The front of his face should be green, but I confused myself, using red as the secondary color when the designer used it as the primary color. So, when the piece said 'red'... well, I was confused and didn't realize til he was all together and, at that point there was just no way I was going to take him apart. It gives him character!

We kicked off a week of Michaelmas yesterday. During circle time I told them the tale of George and the Dragon, this version. Kaiya was a little disturbed by it at first, the dragon being killed part. I could tell as she suddenly was very tired and didn't want to hear a story anymore. So I quickly got to the part about the king being so happy his daughter was saved and George was a hero! This perked them both right up and today they asked to hear it again.

A page that randomly fell out of a book, that I didn't even realize contained the story of George and Dragon. I didn't care for that telling of the story but I liked to add the picture to our seasonal shelf.



The girls have been quite enthralled with the story. Zoe especially is loving drawing dragons and knights. In the picture above, from left to right; the king, the princess, George and the dragon.
Tomorrow I will fill you on what we did today and share some thoughts on Michaelmas and celebrating seasonal festivities from a non-religious perspective.

Meltdown Monday Giveaway

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Good morning and welcome to Meltdown Monday! Today our giveaway is sponsored yet again by Margaret, blogging over at We Bloom Here. If you will recall, Margaret gave away a wee flower sprite in this space not too long ago. She is back again with this so sweet and cuddly little bunny. One of these will be coming to live with one lucky winner. Margaret knit it with kid mohair, silk and wool yarn and a bit of angora for the tail.

OK, so to enter leave me a comment. You can let me know how your Monday is going or, better yet, tell me how you beat the dreadful Meltdown Monday or just say hi. Whatever.

For additional entries;
(leave a separate comment for each entry, if you don't, they count as one)
Tweet this (include @thiscosylife in your tweet)
Share on Facebook
Blog this giveaway
And for this giveaway you can gain one additional entry by following Margaret's blog.

I will randomly pick a winner on Sunday October 2nd and announce here, on my blog. (Please, make sure I have a way to contact you!)


PS: If anyone is interested in participating in a Monday Meltdown giveaway, here on my blog, contact me here. Whether an item from your Etsy shop or just a little something you would like to give away to brighten someone's Monday, it's all good!

Sunday and a Winner

We are all mostly better today! There is a bit of lingering sneezing, coughing and achyness (for me), but that's it. Whew! I was beginning to think we just weren't going to come out of that one. And thank you all for your sweet well wishes.
I had hoped, though, that the lingering coughs would be no more, so that we could take a drive up the mountain and celebrate Michaelmas with Asheville's Waldorf community... but, it is not to be. I prefer to take it very easy when Kaiya is coughing at all, so that her asthma doesn't act up.
I am taking some time today to prepare for own own festivities next week. I'm working on this pattern right now. I also wrote a post over on the Natural Kids blog, sharing some links I plan to use for Michaelmas.

I had better get back to my dragon, but first, I have a winner for you. The little apple sprites are going home with...

Shannon

Congratulations, Shannon! I will contact you right away and you will have 48 hours to get back with me.

P.S. Laura, over at Nestled Under Rainbows is very generously giving away a beautiful Waldorf doll that she made. You should definitely head over and enter.

This Moment

Inspired by SouleMama
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Have you entered this week's giveway, yet?

On This Equinox Eve

Here it is, just before the Autumn equinox (or Spring, for the Southern hemisphere). Fall feels like such a breath of fresh air after this hot, hot summer. I'm beginning to feel much better (knock on wood). I think we may finally be kicking this bug. I took Kaiya to her third ballet class this evening. She was so very nervous at first, but her teacher is such a sweet old man and he seems to have quickly put her at ease. Now she says she wishes she could go every day! I chose the twice a week school, by the way. I weighed the two and, really, it came down to quality or convenience. I chose the quality. And, there is a great little restaurant just next door that has delicious vegetarian sandwiches... so it's not a bad way to spend a couple of evenings a week.

I'm afraid that my Zoe is beginning to feel left out, though, which is troubling me. Kaiya began homeschool this month and her first year of ballet. I really don't feel that Zoe is ready for ballet, yet, and she seems content when I tell her she will have to wait til next year. But, still, I can tell she is definitely feeling like a little sister. I had to pick up a spare leotard for Kaiya today and I purchased a little pair of ballet type slippers for Zoe to dance around in. Kaiya sweetly put them under her sister's pillow (the little ones were asleep when we came in) so she would find them as soon as she wakes in the morning. I also try to give her some activities to do while we are working on school projects and attempt to get her to join in during circle time. But Zoe is a bit of a loner, and often prefers to play on her own... still, I know it bothers her to see Kaiya jumping ahead of her.

The girls are looking forward to pulling out our fall things tomorrow, replacing the summer things on our seasonal shelf and our book basket. I think we may make a pretty apple banner, too. How are you welcoming the new season?

P.S. Don't forget to enter to win these Apple Sprites.

Apple Crafts

Schooling for the past couple of weeks has been sporadic, to say the least. We've been taking turns being sick, and that's just kind of hard to work through, sometimes. But, we have gotten some seasonal crafting in. Let me just say, I really dig Pinterest! I'm finding so many awesome things to do with the girls. Like these sweet yarn apples. Kaiya and I made these. Zoe wrapped the yarn twice and declared them to be 'too hard!'. They're so not.

We made half a dozen and then found a dead branch outside to make our own 'apple tree'. I hung it right over our dining table.

And today I worked with Kaiya on her hand sewing to make this little apple and worm.

In the tutorial, she cut the hole through both layers and added a flap to the back to keep the worm in. I just cut the hole in the front piece so the worm slips in and out with out going anywhere.
It makes a really cute project for beginning hand sewers and the girls had a lot of fun playing with it. Kaiya made up a silly story about a little girl coming along and finding the wormy apple.



I just realized I am two for two on apple posts this week. Unintentional... I swear it!

But... just in case you haven't yet entered, check out this week's applicious giveaway.

Meltdown Monday Giveaway

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Happy Monday, all! Ours is off with cough and a sneeze and a swipe of a nose. That's right, we're ringing in the new season with style! It's now hit every last one of, though, Kaiya is on the mend (I write that while she coughs in the background).
So, today I think we'll make something warm, an ultra comfort food.... apple pockets. This recipe is courtesy of my friend Ulla, who's blogging over on the Natural Kids blog today, sharing one of her favorite baked goods from growing up in Germany, Apfeltaschen.

And while I'm in an apple-y mood (it is September, you know) I'm going to give away one of my apple sprite play sets. One winner will receive two little sprites and a basket!

OK, so to enter leave me a comment. You can let me know how your Monday is going or, better yet, tell me how you beat the dreadful Meltdown Monday or just say hi. Whatever.

For additional entries;
(leave a separate comment for each entry, if you don't, they count as one)
Tweet this (include @thiscosylife in your tweet)
Share on Facebook
Blog this giveaway
And for this giveaway you can gain one additional entry by becoming a follower of this blog.
I will randomly pick a winner on Sunday September 25th and announce here, on my blog. (Please, make sure I have a way to contact you!)

*Meltdown Monday Giveaways are open worldwide.


PS: If anyone is interested in participating in a Monday Meltdown giveaway, here on my blog, contact me here. Whether an item from your Etsy shop or just a little something you would like to give away to brighten someone's Monday, it's all good!

A Winner and What I'm Lovin'

I found these two gems while digging through some photos of last year. I don't know how I missed them but I'm so glad to have stumbled upon them now.

I have a winner for you. This charming little ninja is coming to live with...

OhAngelina

Congratulations! I will email you in just two shakes of a lamb's tail.

And here's some more of what I'm digging right now...

♥Story aprons... received one in a swap (which I will share with you next week) and now I'm dying to make more.

♥And these

♥I had forgotten about this song... still love it!

♥Perhaps these will entice my girls to eat more carrots

♥Some sweet autumn verses for circle time

Hope you all have a beautiful Sunday!

Comfort Food

Chamomile tea with lots of honey, to soothe our sore throats.

Warm grilled cheese and tomato soup.

Hearty, comforting vegetables, wrapped up in a puff pastry.

Kaiya got sick over the weekend. I thought it had passed a couple of days ago. But it's back with a vengeance and she was generous enough to pass it on to River and I. Zoe, as usual, is untouched. It's been a couple of do nothing and sleep late days. And eating of lots of warm and comforting foods.
Now, if you don't mind, the tea kettle is calling.

Growing Your Handmade Business

I'm guest blogging over at my friend Alison's blog, Apearantly Sew. She shared a booth with me at The Big Crafty in Asheville this July. We talked quite a bit about our businesses on the way up the mountain and, apparently, I got her to thinking.
Well, she's asked me to write up a guest post with some of my thoughts on growing a handmade business, and I thought I would share it with you, dear readers. Hopefully you will find something helpful there.

Yarn Along

I'm yarning along with Ginny from Small Things today. I haven't in some time, mainly because I'm always knitting toys, toys and more toys. And, really, they're the same ones over and over so I figured I would spare you that. But I'm squeezing in a few rows of this one here and there because River has to have a new soaker!!, no ifs, ands or buts about it.
This is so embarrassing, but it's the same soaker I was working on here, Rav notes here. Shows you just how much personal knitting I get done. It's still a great pattern, still dig the yarn, yada, yada, yada.
The book, however, is not the same. This one is 'Reflecting Children's Lives; A Handbook for Planning Child Centered Curriculum', written by Deb Curtis and Margie Carter. I'm just a few chapters in but really loving it. It's actually written for preschool teachers but I think it definitely extends to home educators.
I've been a few chapters in for the past few weeks now. I really better get to reading, I've got a whole stack of books here on my desk, begging to be cracked. I keep thinking I'll read when the ex has the girls, but I make the mistake of taking the book into my bedroom to read on the bed... big mistake. I cannot resist the call of my pillows.

What's on your needles?

P.S. Don't forget to enter this week's giveaway!

Waldorf Inspired Co-op Week 1

Friday was the first week of the Waldorf Inspired co-op I talked briefly about before. So far it is just my friend, her daughter, the girls and I. There are a couple of others interested in joining us, but my friend will be on vacation for a month with extended family and so we won't be starting up again til mid-October. Still, it was nice to try it out and the girls had so much fun.

We began with the girls meeting our sheep, feeding them a snack and then we all sat down to read 'Pele's New Suit'. After the story I brought out some of the fleece I sheared a couple of months ago. We all passed it around and squished it, so, so soft.

Then we got down to cleaning a bit of it.

We let it soak in the hot, soapy water while we head outside to gather some things for dyeing.

The girls picked yellow and purple flowers and some grass.

We let it simmer for some time.... but then when we went to drain it, all the color drained out, too, but a bit of the yellow. This was my first attempt at plant dyeing so I'm not entirely sure where we went wrong. Perhaps I didn't add enough vinegar....

But, never fear! You didn't think I don't have plenty of pre-dyed wool in my stash, did you? Of course I do. So we pulled that out and began making wool beads.



A very soapy and wet mess but we all enjoyed this part the most.


After we were finished we strung them on silk ribbons for the girls. They finished out our time together playing while we mamas talked a bit.

I have many ideas for when we start up again. I really can't wait to delve into it and get these others families involved. Do you do something like this? I would love to hear about your co-op.