Spring Fair Craft Projects part III
September 9, 2011
Yet again more photos of craft items we have made for the school fair. This format of WordPress does not seem to like posts with more than 4 photos, it seems to overlay, hide or lose them. Sorry about the three installments. I think a change of topic will be in order for next time. If you are looking for more crafty inspiration don’t forget to check out the previous two posts. 
knitted puppies
Mermaids
Matchbox people
Knights
Spring Fair Craft Projects Part II
September 7, 2011
felt bunnies and mini pom pom flowers
- felt caterpillar and finger puppet butterfly in a drawstring pouch
knitted kitten
pipe cleaner digit dolls
wooden bead bracelets
Spring Fair Craft Projects
September 6, 2011
Time to share some past crafts that I have made for our Spring School Fair. A reminder for myself really, as I like to look back and remember the treasures that have been lovingly made and sent forth to bring joy to others.
felted cherries
Fleece gnomes and their knitted homes
mini shape candles and felt pouches
Ladybird pegs and pine cone people
Cuddly Dolls
Winter a world away
June 9, 2011
Winter in the northern hemisphere has king winter, heavy frost, or even snow, pine needles and of course all those festivals…advent, christmas, New year..
Winter back home in Australia is cold but colourful, The deciduous autumn trees are bare, but the gums are still green, and some are in blossom, the odd bottlebrush stands out in its red bristlly glory, and slowly the brilliant bursts of yellow wattle are starting to spread through the bush…
Southern hemisphere seasonal exchange
November 11, 2010
I have returned from the other half of the world, and back to my blog, just in time to take part in a lovely swap for the south. Katie Cadamn seems to be hosting a southern hemisphere seasonal exchange… it would be lovely to get on board for some summertime crafting … Here is what she has posted…
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE SEASONAL EXCHANGE – Ready for a ‘Summertime’ crafting challenge!
Southern Hemisphere Seasonal Exchange is inspired by the small nature table I have tried to start for my young children to mark the changing of the seasons. However, I have found most material and craft project sourced for inspiration is often based on seasons in the northern hemisphere which is not always relevant to us, as seasonal changes where I live in the Southern Hemisphere can be subtle and quite different from what is happening in the northern hemisphere.
Like my children, I am also learning about the unique seasonal differences in Australia, I am new to crafting and new to keeping a nature table. I would love some inspiration and I am sure other people would as well.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have Seasonal Craft exchange reflective of the seasons of the Southern Hemisphere. I am sure there are many of you like me, who are ready for a crafting challenge, a chance to create your own symbolic item reflective of the current season and a chance to inspire a stranger through your chosen craft.
So here goes, to get the ball rolling and to keep it simple I thought we would start with a ‘Summertime‘ themed craft swap. As it is a busy time of year, to participate you need to include a minimum of one handmade item that you can swap with your allocated partner.
GUIDELINES
The crafted item should be related to the current seasonal theme, in this case ‘‘Summertime.
The swap is open to all those in Australia and overseas. [You don’t have to live in the Southern Hemisphere to participate!]
As a participant, you must be willing to mail overseas and honour your swap commitment.
The details: Participants will be allocated one (only) swap partner. You will send directly to your partner and they will send directly to you. Swap partners will be randomly allocated.
No prior crafting/ art skills required.
Participation should be done in the spirit of openness, appreciation and sharing. The only requirement is the item you send should be handmade by you with love and care. Make something special that you would love to receive yourself.
No returns!
The exchange is open to all ages!
All packages must be mailed by the 1st December, the first day of summer and should be suitable to send in the mail.
So…. if you would like a small handmade summer inspired keepsake to add to display over summer sign up now!
REQUIREMENTS
At least one, no more than five items.
One of these items must be handmade. It can be an object, an artwork, an ornament, small handmade book, something to display. The key requirement is it is something made by you.
If you would like to include additional items things that could be included might be items from nature (unless you are shipping internationally), a card, additional artworks, a candle, purchased items made from natural materials (no plastic/polyester/foam/etc) etc.
All of the items must be theme and seasonally appropriate.
Optional: You may want to include in your package a little blurb about your items and/or yourself.
In addition, it would be wonderful if you were able to document the process of making and the final product. These images can be posted on the Flickr group Southern Hemisphere Seasonal Exchange http://www.flickr.com/groups/1548872@N21/
HOW DO I SIGN UP
Sign ups will take place here until 18th of November.
The first 100 people to sign up are in!
Please email at southernseasonalexchange@gmail.com
In your email please send your
Real Name, Mailing address (in English), Email address, [Optional: Facebook and/or Blog URL and Blog name.]
**Please make sure you email me this info to be entered into the swap.**
PRIVACY: Your privacy will be respected and your details will not be passed on unless you give permission.
Partners will be allocated after sign-ups have closed.
I will confirm when you have been added to the list. Please be patient, this may take a couple of days.
Sign ups are open now!
DISCLAIMER
As I mentioned previously I am a mother of two very young children, new to crafting and have never undertaken co-coordinating something like this before, so your patience and understanding is really appreciated in this first attempt. I am excited to see if anyone else is interested in participating and will give it my best shot to get it up and running.
If it is a success we might try it again when autumn comes around.
INSPIRATION
Thanks for Seasons Round Exchange http://seasonsround.wordpress.com/ and New Zealand Handmade Christmas Ornament Swap http://www.newzealandhandmade.co.nz/2010/10/new-zealand-handmade-christmas-ornament.html for inspiring the idea of the craft swap.
Want some inspiration check out some of the swaps on flickr. Here are some to start with
Seasons Round Exchange http://www.flickr.com/groups/seasonsround/
The SavVy { Seasons } – a modern Swap http://www.flickr.com/groups/1437999@N23/pool/
Soft trees swap http://www.flickr.com/groups/15961496@N00/
Rhythm of the Home http://rhythmofthehome.com/
Also another wonderful webpage is Seasons South and North http://www.seasons-south-and-north.co.uk/
A long break between posts
February 8, 2010
This blog will be quiet for a while, as we are in the northern hemisphere enjoying a break, visiting family and working. The seasons are all out of kilter in my body clock, as I have been in Australian ones for so long. It was nice to enjoy a dark candlemas however, and we are in the middle of a very snowy February in Norway.
I will catch up again, but it may be some time…..
Advent traditions
December 1, 2009
Our candles are out, stars and angels are spread around the house, the nature table is cleared away ready to receive the nativity (a piece a day), the paper windows are up ready to open, and the christmas story books are back on the shelves.
Our little star moon baby is back at the bedside to share in the night time stories, and the waiting has begun for Christmas day.
Blessings on your advent celebrations.
Spring cleaning
November 13, 2009
I think our spring cleaning and mending day that we traditionally follow
with needs to be a whole week this year. Clutter has crept up on us in a big way, but it is feeling good to pare it back and polish and mend.
My eldest has kept us entertained with a story of little man red cap, little man blue cap and little man gold cap who love eating crumbly currant buns, but have trouble keeping their house clean. One sweeps too fast and strong everywhere but just ends up spreading the crumbs, one sweeps half heartedly pushing around the broom so upset that there is a mess but not making any better inroads into cleaning it up, and one that flits a little here and there trying to sweep up little bits they see, but tracking it back and spilling crumbs as they get distracted by the next patch to clean. Finally their friend little man green cap comes to tea, but their house is still a mess, so they can’t offer him anywhere to sit that isn’t all crummy. He helps them clean by showing them to sweep with care each part of their house until they are all finished. Red cap lifts the furniture out of the way, blue cap points out all the crumbs that might get otherwise missed, golden cap runs back and forth emptying the dust pan for the birds outside, and green cap gets the job done with their help so he can happily sit down to tea.
Crumbs, crumbs everywhere
Under the table and under the chair
Sweep them all up, sweep them all up
Crumbs in a pile make us smile.
We have so far fixed a hole in the kitchen ceiling, sewn back into good repair hand-me-down summer clothes, swept up alot 
and polished wooden surfaces and toys with lavender scented beeswax, but we still have a long way to go…
May our light within continue to shine forth and work for good!
Story Dolls
October 27, 2009
In many of our stories a few simple props or even just hand gestures can captivate and capture the imagination as the tale is spun, and often helps to hold the youngest members interest in storytime in our mixed ages playgroup. I have seen some beautiful table plays or stories told in other steiner settings with marionette puppets, but for our simple stories (and a single storyteller) I have found props which can stand themselves are easier to use with less fuss and free up a spare hand or two as you go along.
One of my favourite alternatives for people characters are wood and wire type dolls which I sew clothes onto (from wool felt mostly). They are slightly posable and stand well on most surfaces. These are two I have made recently, Joanne and Peter. Of course they can easily be called other names and be other characters, and they often are in the traditional tales I tell. But I have found the stories I write myself tend to take on the characters of some of the storydolls I have sewn. I can easily see how commercialised toys could limit the play or storylines a child spins for themselves, being so heavily invested in a set character, and find it interesting I have the same tendancies with my own handmade supposedly open ended dolls! I need to make a conscious effort to shake myself up a little and let Peter be the little boy or the wise old farmer, or the proud father, and Joanne to be the big sister, the crafty aunty, or the strong harvester … Not always an easy thing to do!
Alphabet pictures
October 4, 2009
My eldest son has finished all his big and little letters as we have only one more term until the end of the first grade school year. We made some mini pictures of his letter work from his main lesson book to cut up into a wall frieze. It makes a neat summary for us of his letter stories through the illustrations, and is an easy acess visual reminder of those words and sounds, not just hidden away in a lovely and cherished, but cumbersome MLB.
I have taken close up photos of the letters/pictures if anyone is interested, but I didn’t want to overload the post with photos, and I’m sure you all have your own stories and letters that captured your imaginations.
