March 2011

Several years ago I began my blogging "career" as a love letter to my children. One Generation to Another was started to share family stories and bits of wisdom I'd collected over the years. I loved my weekly posts on One Gen. Sometimes they were humorous, sometimes very solemn, but they were always meant to be at least slightly didactic! Below is one of my favorite blogs.

To this day, if someone were to ask me what was the single greatest secret to being a good parent, I'd have to say... remember your youth. And not just WHAT you did, but WHY you did it, and HOW you felt. Then, when dealing with your children, give their trials and tribulations all the respect, consideration and validation you sought as a child. Do that, and you are well on your way to having a wonderful relationship with your children. Below is a blog first posted on January 15, 2008. I hope it speaks to you. 

Think back to your first kiss…your very first kiss from a potential suitor. (We’re not talking about Mommy or Daddy tuck-in kisses here!) Perhaps it was a stolen kiss on the playground, which you promptly wiped off with the back of your hand, or it was that long awaited first kiss, clumsily planted on your brace laden mouth at your first dance. Although the quality of the kiss varies, most of us remember it, and remember it well.

Mine came at the ripe age of 8. His name was Dennis. He was my brother’s best friend. Cute, brush cut, always got in trouble at school, even “flunked” a grade…my first bad boy! Anyway, I was madly in love with him. One day I was in his backyard playing with his sister. She was 4 years older than me, but would hang out with the younger kids if we let her play “Beauty Shop”. She had just gone into the house to get her supplies, and I was sitting on the picnic table awaiting her return. Enter Dennis…

Dennis: I just beat Keith at Buster Brown, and he said I could kiss you.

(Background…First, Keith was my older brother, and second, Buster Brown was a game played on a teeter-totter. The object was to get the other person up in the air so they couldn’t get down. When that happened, the suspended party chanted, “Buster Brown, let me down.” And the weightier participant responded, “What will you give me for me crown?” It was then the responsibility of the gravity impaired contestant to offer something suitable in exchange for his return to earth. Obviously, that day my brother the pimp, offered me!)

Me: He can’t give away my kisses. They’re mine, and I’m not giving you one!

Dennis: “Well, then I’ll just take one!”

At this point he wrestled me to the ground and while looking directly in the eyes…

Dennis: Now I’m going to kiss you.

He kissed me long and tenderly. Even at 8 years old I knew it was an incredible kiss. When he got up, I just laid there, staring up at the clouds, with my head whirling, and holding onto the grass so I wouldn’t fall off the earth! He started to run out of the yard.

Me: Wait! Where are you going?

Dennis: Back to the park to get another kiss!

After all these years I remember that kiss, but more importantly, I remember what it felt like to be “in love” at 8 years old. In the eyes of adults, childhood love is often reduced to trivial proportions, warranting nothing more than amused smirks and good natured teasing. When a child’s heart is broken, consolation often comes in the form of trite platitudes…

“It’s only puppy love.”

“You’ll get over it soon.”

“You didn’t really love him, it was just a crush.”

I will go on record of saying I think the most important secret to effective parenting is to truly remember how you felt while growing up. Love at 8, 12, or 16 is every bit as real, and inarguably purer, than love experienced at 23 or 46! Age is not a justifier of intense emotional conditions. And if, as a parent, you truly wish to communicate with your child then validate their feelings, and REMEMBER what would have helped you.

I remember one New Year’s Eve, when my youngest was around 11 years old. He was going to a “lock-in” at our community’s roller rink. A few weeks before that, he had met a girl while skating. She was from a different school, so they would meet at the roller rink, skate together and began talking on the phone. She became his girlfriend. He had bought her a Christmas gift, and New Year’s Eve was his first opportunity to give it to her. He had put a great deal of thought, and allowance, into the gift. The emerging romantic had purchased a necklace and teddy bear. He placed the necklace around the teddy bear’s neck, put a bow on it, and set off from home with a gift that would have melted the heart of any grown woman!

We dropped him off at 11:00 p.m. with plans to pick him up at 7:00 a.m. the next morning. At 11:45 we got a call from my son asking to be picked up. His father and I went to collect him, and when I saw him, I knew something was very wrong. “Let’s walk”, I suggested. It was snowing heavily, but the two of us trudged through the mostly abandoned parking lot. His father followed along behind us in the car, shining his headlights on the path we were forging. After a while of walking in silence he told me that his girlfriend broke up with him…after he had given her his gift. He looked to me for explanations. Why had she broken up with him? Why did she call just hours before to make sure he’d be at the party? Why did she accept the gift if she was going to break up with him? And why were her and her friends so mean to him after she did? I couldn’t give him the answers he was seeking. All I could do was feel his pain. We walked for half an hour, all the while I held on to the invisible locket that hung from my neck, holding the photos of Dennis and every other boy I had ever loved and memories of countless childhood joys and sorrows. I told him I was sorry he was hurting. I told him I’ve been hurt like that before. And I told him I didn’t know why she behaved like she did. I didn’t tell him that he’d get over this soon, or that he’d find a new girlfriend, or that this was the first of many heartbreaks. That's not what he needed from me that evening; he needed someone with whom to share his profound sorrow.

Of course, he did get over it soon, but the point being, at the time, his feelings deserved to be validated. His pain was real, as was his affection for the girl. Over the years I would have many of these types of discussions with my children. At other times, they choose to keep their emotions tucked away, and my job was to give them room to decide on their own course of action, and to honor their privacy. Raising children is an opportunity to relive our own lives; to revisit the wondrous, and sometimes painful, experiences that helped mold our adult form. By staying in touch with our own childhood, we will be better prepared to help our children through their own.  

What do you keep in your invisible locket? Remember to wear it and open it often!

 

When a child’s basic needs are met, i.e., food, clothing, shelter and love, they are free to explore the world around them with confidence. Artistic expression is a natural outpouring of this assurance. Today we are talking again with the ever charming and wise Sarah Baldwin; Waldorf educator, and owner of Bella Luna Toys. Tomorrow we will announce a fitting and exciting give away. So… read, learn, enjoy, and come back tomorrow to take part in a fabulous give away!

Kimara: There is often confusion as to the meaning of “artistic expression.” Will you explain the difference between “process” and “product”?

Sarah: One of the first things that drew me to Waldorf education was hearing that artistic activity is incorporated at every age and into every subject studied. Throughout the years, children in a Waldorf school regularly practice drawing, painting, handwork, modeling, woodworking and more.

In Waldorf education, the emphasis of artistic activity is on process and not the finished product. To give you an example, when we practice wet-on-wet watercolor painting in Waldorf kindergarten, the goal is to give children an experience of pure color -- experiencing the qualities of each of the primary colors, discovering what new color appears when two colors “play with each other” on the page, and watching the fluid colors flow and blend on the wet paper. Our goal is not to paint a picture “of” something, but rather to discover what the colors have to say.

In the early years children are allowed total freedom of expression in their drawings and paintings, though the teacher will model how to hold and use the paintbrush, or model drawing with beeswax block crayons.

In the later years, form and artistic technique are introduced, giving children the tools to express their ideas artistically. While the advanced drawings of older students can be quite sophisticated and may appear to be about “product,” yet throughout the years teachers recognize that it is the “process” that is important – what is happening inwardly for the child as she creates a drawing, painting or sculpture? What thoughts and feelings arise for her? How do her hands connect with her head and heart as she creates?

Kimara: Share your thoughts on the importance of parents modeling and embracing their own artistic pursuits with their children.

Sarah: Making art and sharing creative activities together with one’s children is an incredible gift for both parent and child! Parents have the opportunity to model for their children that art and creative endeavors are part of what it means to be human, and that creating art and working artistically with our hands is a lifelong activity that brings joy and satisfaction no matter our age. Children shouldn’t grow up with the idea that art is only practiced at school!

But perhaps more importantly, when we stop and take time from our busy lives to make art with our children, we not only give children the priceless gift of our presence and attention, but we also give a gift to ourselves by taking time to slow down and engage in artistic expression. Artistic practices such as drawing, painting and modeling can aid in our own process of self-discovery.

Again, it’s not about the product, and one needn’t consider oneself an artist in order to take time to make art. Rather, we become much more important examples to children when we model our own striving.

Kimara: Ideally, what supplies would an artistically supportive household have available for children?

Sarah: I imagine that most people’s homes are already full of supplies to make art! Glue, paper, scissors, buttons, yarn, thread, ribbon, fabric scraps and so on. Or parents and children can go out for a walk to collect items from nature with which to make a collage. Art supplies can be found all around us!

While one needn’t spend a lot of money on the “proper” supplies, I think it is nice to have a few well-chosen, good quality art supplies on hand.

In a Waldorf school, even in the earliest years, we provide the children with high quality materials – paints, paper, crayons, 100% wool felt and yarn, and so forth. Why is this? It’s because of the satisfaction that comes by creating something truly beautiful, made with beautiful materials.

I liken it to learning to play music. My two children and I are musicians and have spent years taking lessons. I’ve learned through experience that the better quality instrument one has, the more one will want to play and take pleasure in practicing. People too often think, “Oh, he’s just a child, we’ll just start with a cheap instrument. If he sticks with it and improves, then we’ll get him a better quality instrument.”

Well, what happens is that the child is likely to get frustrated when, no matter how hard he tries and no matter how good his technique, his instrument fails to sound the way he wants. It’s impossible to get a poorly made instrument to produce a beautiful tone. If, however, we provide the child with a good quality instrument at the outset, he will be more pleased with the results and will want to progress and keep playing!

It’s the same with art supplies. Anyone who was to compare a typical preschool painting made on cheap newsprint with tempera paints, alongside a wet-on-wet Waldorf watercolor painting painted with highly pigmented, quality watercolor paint on heavy-weight, artist-grade watercolor paper, would be struck by the difference.

A parent might feel obliged to keep the tempera paintings out of a sense of sentiment or obligation, but in truth, they have a disposable quality.

On the other hand, it’s hard to imagine a parent who would dream of throwing away a child’s wet-on-wet watercolor painting painted with quality paints and paper. The colors appear alive and luminous, and the brightness of the paper shines through. I still have many of my children’s wet-on-wet paintings from their early years. Over the years we used many of them to make beautiful cards and gift tags.

So with that introduction, here is a list of items that I suggest having at home for children of all ages. Some are free or inexpensive; others are more of investment, but with care will last for years.

Ages 3 and Up

• Beeswax Crayons – sticks and blocks (unlike paraffin crayons which are petroleum-based,  beeswax is all natural and non-toxic)
• Drawing Paper
• Watercolor Paper (I recommend 40 lb. weight)
• Watercolor Paints (in jars or tubes – not the dry sets sold for kids)
• Watercolor Paintbrushes (1-inch wide)
• Natural or Organic Play Dough (great ones for sale, but so easy to make your own!)
• Modeling Beeswax (warm it up in your hands before modeling)
• Assortment of Pretty Papers – For collages: tissue paper, origami, etc. (Great variety available here.)
• Jar of Wooden Beads for Stringing
• Child-Safe Glue
• Child-Sized Scissors (Fiskars children’s scissors are especially recommended for developing a child’s fine motor skills)

Additional Items for Children 5 and Older

• Wool Yarn for knitting or fingerknitting
• Wooden Knitting Needles
• Sewing Box equipped with needles (embroidery needles have large eyes which are easier to thread), thread and small embroidery scissors
• Wooden Embroidery Hoop
• Fabric Scraps

Equipped with these items in your home, you and your children will be able to create all manner of beautiful things, and never be at a loss for things to do on a rainy day!

We have all experienced this at one time or another. We buy our child the perfect gift, whether it is a new playhouse or their first tricycle. We follow the directions and assemble it with love and care, and perhaps a few colorful euphemisms for the uncooperative wrench. When we are done, and the gift is presented, the child "oos" and "ahs" for several minutes, then spends the rest of the day playing with the box the toy came in...  

The other night I was knitting a sweater for Fairy that I had started a while ago. I was down to my last few rows of my last sleeve, but bed was calling, and while I was putting away my knitting, Tim started snickering?

Me: "What?"

Him: "Do you know how many baskets, bowls, boxes and bags you have laying around this house with the express purpose of stashing your knitting projects?"

Me: "Several."

Him: "Several? (Raising his eyebrows in a most annoying manner.) And what exactly are you using for this knitting project?"

Me: "Um... an empty Kleenex box. Your point?"

Him: No point. No point at all. (His shoulders bob as he tries to suppress an out-and-out laugh.)

Okay... this here is the truth. I DO have, oh, probably 2 dozen different containers for holding projects I am currently working on. I'll be out and about and see a lovely container and think, "Oh... that would be great for holding my knitting." So I get it. And, I do indeed use many of them, but that evening, I was caught using a used Kleenex box. 

It happened quite by accident. I was trying to hide my knitting from the ravenous jaws of my pups while I made a quick pit stop. I tucked a ball of yarn, and my needles in an empty Kleenex box that was sitting on my desk waiting to hit the recycling bin. When I returned, I realized the empty box was perfect for setting on the floor and pulling my yarn out of it. I loved it! First, the protective plastic sleeve at the opening does a wonderful job of keeping your skein in while allowing your yarn to come out. Then, my yarn can be on the floor without doubling as a mop and picking up all the dog fur in the area. Finally, small projects, including my needles, can be tucked away when I'm done, and stowed on my desk while leaving a minimal footprint!

No, I won't get rid of all my other containers. My Kleenex box won't hold all my projects, and the rest of the sweater is tucked away in one of my many beautiful bags, BUT I refuse to feel silly for using my little used Kleenex box. So snicker all you want, Timothy, I will not be teased into giving it up!

Oh how we wish everyone that entered this wonderful giveaway from Bella Luna Toys could win the beautiful crayon roll, crayons and art book, but sadly there can only be one winner. However, Sarah sent me an email this morning with a lovely offer for all our readers!

Wee Folk Art readers are invited to save $5.00 off at Bella Luna Toys through the end of March with the code WFA5.

So, think about that all the lovely products you've been putting on your wish list, and take advantage of this $5.00 coupon!
 
And, now, to announce the winner, whose number was drawn at random...

Cynthia S on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 13:41.
Thank you! I would choose the stars and moon roll. So cute! :)

Congratulations! I am sure your family is going to enjoy this lovely addition to your crafting supplies. Please email us at weefolkart@yahoo.com, and include your snail mail address and your choice of style of crayon roll. Please note... you have 1 week to contact us or a new winner will be selected.

We would like to thank everyone that participated in this give away. We love working with Sarah and Bella Luna Toys and you can look forward to more give aways and interviews in the future. Remember, take advantage of the generous $5.00 off coupon, and make sure to visit Bella Luna Toys, and Sarah's Blog, Moon Child, often.

And, finally... thank you so much, Sarah. As always, it was a delight and a privilege to work with you. Michelle and I look forward to our next encounter!

All the Waldorf art talk on the blog recently has inspired me to pull out the art supplies a bit more this week. My older two kiddos have been enrolled in an art program at our co-op this year and I will admit that we haven't done as many family art projects at home lately as we have done in the past. The kids always have their own projects going, art is a part of their daily lives, and they have brought home some wonderful projects from class... but it is so much fun to sit down as a family and create something together. While Bug was napping yesterday with a fever (hopefully the last of the winter icks), the girls and I did just a bit of school. By their request we did Math and Art. They wanted to play games and paint rainbows.

It's sheer magic when a child begins making music for the first time. Fairy just got a new violin yesterday. She will be starting lessons in the fall, but she was anxious to "meet" her new friend :) She has been watching videos of orchestras playing and you can just see the reverence in her eyes each time she picks up her violin.

EDIT: Thanks to one and all for your suggestions. Now Mommy and Daddy are now armed with lots of ideas. The Little Lady will definitely be appreciative :)

Look what I just received... the Little Lady sitting up in her St. Patty's garb. The green certainly brings out the red tones in her checks and hair :) Her first baby teeth have just breaking through the gums on the bottom. Hang in there little one! So, do tell... what is your favorite remedy for teething? Her Mommy and Daddy would love some tried and true suggestions!

After due consideration, I decided to make a bunny doorstop for several reasons; it got the most votes, it is seasonal, it is both a barnyard and woodland creature, and finally, and probably most importantly, Pixie wanted a bunny :)

Due to widespread family illness, I actually had a Sunday with nothing planned. So I was able to get right to work designing the bunny, and actually had time to make him. What I didn't have time to do was crop photos and write up the tutorial. But since I am so enamored with the new little guy... btw... his name is Pippin... I thought I'd give you a sneak peek. He is rather shy, so I was very grateful that he allowed me to take so many photos of him!

Watch for the pattern and tutorial to be up sometime over the next couple of days :)

Edit: This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to everyone that participated!

WHERE Michelle and I chose to buy toys for the wee ones is every bit as important to us as WHAT we buy the children. We seek out shops and products that carry the finest materials and ones that are mindful of the environment. For that reason, we are THRILLED to share this awesome giveaway, from one of our favorite producers of wonderful products... Sarah's Silks.

Sarah and her family want to get the word out about how growing all the mulberry trees in China (trees necessary for the silk worm) is helping the pollution problem there. Also, no chemicals can be used on the trees as the silk caterpillars die very easily. Hundreds of small family farms are growing the silk caterpillars and feeding them leaves from the trees! They took a trip to China and found the whole process amazing! You can feel good about buying Sarah's Silks... wonderful toys for dramatic play and environmentally friendly! Sarah has an article in this issue of Living Crafts on Raising Silk Worms. While the supply lasts, she is also giving away free silk worms to anyone that has immediate access to mulberry leaves. The little buggers hatch fast and are very hungry! Wouldn’t this be a great project to do with the wee ones? Unfortunately, we don’t have any in the area, but if you do, you might want to consider this nature study.

Now… onto the giveaway :) Can you image anything lovelier than receiving an Easter Basket stuffed with yummies from Sarah's Silks this spring? I can't. Wait to you hear what goodies are included in this gift basket!

A beautiful silk lined basket filled with fun toys from Sarah’s Silks.

Hand-dyed rainbow wings

Mini-rainbow streamer

Lavender playsilk,

Reversible blue/rainbow crown.

Awesome, right? And Sarah will ship anywhere, so everyone is invited to participate. To enter, visit Sarah’s shop, Sarah Jane’s Treasure, then come back here and share your favorite products in a comment. And we all like that second chance to win, right? Well, in the next couple of weeks Sarah will be hosting a new blog… can’t wait! To make sure you hear about it, simply slip over to her Facebook Page and become a fan. Then come back here, and in a second comment, let us know you became a fan. (Already a fan of Sarah’s Silks Facebook page? Not going to penalize you for good taste, just leave a second comment telling us you’ve been a fan of Sarah’s for ages!)

The contest runs from today, Wednesday, March 23 through Sunday, March 27, at 9:00 p.m. EST. A winner will be drawn at random. Winners have 1 week to contact us with their snail mail address or another winner will be drawn. Good luck to one and all, and thank you, thank you, thank you, Sarah, for this wonderful giveaway, just in time for Easter!

Personal Message… when you are at Sarah Jane’s Treasures, check out their “Seconds Shop”. I don’t know about anyone else, but our toys get so loved that they look like seconds very soon, anyway! What great deals!

You can just imagine what the Little Lady's thinking...

What the heck's going on in there???

Well, this is what's going on in there!

Fortunately, she's having a pretty easy go with her teething. Just give her something to chew on and she's a pretty happy camper. One of her favorite things to chew on is the knots on her Nubbie Doll. Well... actually Dolls. I sent 4 home with her at Christmas :) Whenever one gets too soggy and gross and requires laundering, Mom just gives her another and she's good to go! Funny, all three of my wee ones loved chewing on knots, too!
 
BTW... is it just me, or do those chubby little wrists look like they'd be delicious to nibble on? We will be going out for a visit in a couple of weeks. I'll be sure to check it out :)

"A rolling stone gathers no moss." Quite true. Also true... stones in the Michigan forests don't do much rolling :)  They also get enough shade and dampness to cover most of the stones with moss. For a long time I've been wanting to make some Felted Stones for my house and the gnome's home. When I finally set to doing it this morning, I made a couple, and they just didn't look right. "Ah", I thought. "They need moss!" So the next couple I made I added moss and, "Yep, those look the rocks we find around here!"

To make your own pile of of Felted Stones, collect stones, pull out your roving, and get started. Below are directions for felting stones... with moss, thank you very much!

Materials:
rocks, assorted sizes
roving in natural colors... off white, greys, browns, and moss green
cheese cloth
dish soap

Thoroughly wash your rock to remove dirt and moss.

Wrap your rock in roving. It is better to wrap in multiple thinner layers than I heavy layer. Also, change directions so fibers criss cross. Add character to rock by placing thin pieces of contrasting roving over the rock. If you are adding moss, add thin pieces at the end.


Carefully wrap the rock in cheese cloth going around and over the ends. Wrap firmly, not tight.

Submerge the rock in hot, soapy water. Squeeze and rub the roving covered rock between your hands,  dipping it back in the water frequently.


As soon as you feel the roving beginning to firm up, remove the cheese cloth and finish felting. You can tell it is done when the roving feels firm and smooth.


Run under cool water until all the soap is gone . The change in temperature will help set the recently felted wool. Use a dry towel to soak up the extra water on the stone.

Allow to dry, then use in any way you wish! Perhaps a paperweight? A basket of stones? A tower? Surround your gnome home with a little atmosphere? Who knows? :)

If you can believe it, I'm still sick. I've been watching this flu/cold change directions so many times I'm dizzy. Seems this week I've settled in to a nice case of laryngitis! Can't complain, though, I am feeling lots better than I did last week at this time! Having said all that, it has put me behind on many of my normal routines, including preparing the Gnome Home for the Spring. So, over the next few days, I will be helping Britta do a bit of Spring Cleaning, and decking the house for the coming months.

I was thinking that it was time to introduce some new flowers into our decorating. Today, I was playing around and happened upon some poppies. Actually, they turned out so pretty I can't wait to incorporate them into the Gnome Home. Here is a peak at the poppies. I'll have directions up before the end of the week! Maybe if I start thinking Spring, it will start warming up around here and my cold will finally go away!  In the meantime, Brrr!