a little playtime

Yesterday while browsing through Amazon, I found this great book called Creative Play for your baby. It looked really interesting, but my policy is to either get a way to look through books myself (via the library or bookstore) or get reviews before I buy. So I was really excited that our library had a copy (OURS!- the interlibrary system from the surrounding area only has 5 Waldorf books and this was one). I immediately went down to check it out and I am not disappointed.

The book focuses on how important play is for babies and how they learn everything through imitation, obviously connecting with Steiner's theories. It is broken into different sections: Care, Awareness, Action and Wonder. Following a brief introduction to each section, there are step-by-step instructions guiding you through the making of each project. But my favorite part is at the end of each project there are specific suggestions for play. My biggest problem when playing with the boys is figuring our a way to get them started and involved, so having suggestions is terrific. Plus the toys are very approachable from a crafting standpoint. They are not overwhelmingly difficult, nor are they absolutely perfect the way some craft books show.

Though revisiting some of the great ideas in Freya Jaffke's Toymaking with Children and The Children's Year, this book is pleasing to look at and read. The book is set up like all of the wonderful new craft books out there - with lovely, soft photographs and on that great glossy paper that looks so classy, but is probably not so good for the environment.

I was also happy to see that there is a second book coming/has come out for toddlers (Amazon says the publication date is August 5, but it was in stock, so I'm not sure) with the same basic principles and Waldorf toys. I'm always happy to find a new Waldorf book and I am definitely pleased with this one.

miscellanea

Well, I did it. I’ve made my very first top for myself. I used the Built by Wendy pattern 3835 and was surprised at how easy it was. I did make a muslin copy first, mainly for sizing, but also to get an idea of how the pattern went together. I found this really nice soft chambray at the local fabric store and used that for the actual top. Originally the plan had been to make a dress, but I thought that using the chambray might make the dress too much like a uniform, but not in a cute way, so I downsized to the shirt. I like the way it turned out and it has inspired me to branch out more in my sewing.

Before the shirt, I did a really quick and easy project of recovering our piano stool. The previous owners had recovered it once before in this really ugly upholstery fabric with pianos and music notes on it. Not really my style. Awhile back I had gotten this great Amy Butler fabric, so I used that and now it looks much better.

And now a couple questions; what can I use to copy this drawing of A’s onto fabric for embroidery? I’ve used the iron-on pencil and tracing paper before, but felt like it was smudgy. Is there another strategy that works well?

In the fall I am planning on doing a homeschool-type preschool with A and cousin N. I have some ideas and strategies both through the Waldorf books I have and through the education background I have from college, but am wondering if there are any good resources for homeschooling ideas for young children, especially Waldorf and Montessori. Obviously I am not looking for some intense learning, just a way to get the kids involved in a little something more.

a little something for me

I have kind of a love/hate relationship with JoAnn's. While I prefer to go to my locally owned fabric store, I do find that JoAnn's has some awesome deals at times. Today's deal was this:

Simplicity patterns for $2! I couldn't believe it. I have been wanting some of the Built by Wendy patterns, but at $15 each I had a hard time justifying a purchase that might go by the wayside for a while. I've never sewn clothes for myself, but with the luck I've had with the boys clothes and these patterns I may just have a go. (And for those interested, the pattern sale is going on here until Saturday, so it may be going on by you too!)

whew!

I can't believe it has been a week since I last posted. I'm not really sure where the days went! After a long, but good, weekend I am looking forward to a quiet week with no plans. Last night Papa and I celebrated our anniversary. (Thank you E, I had a perfect evening - I love you.) Then we came home and I put the finishing touches on this baby gift for my cousin. Today we celebrated the birth of her baby with a little shower.

Although we were late in arriving, we still had a fun afternoon eating good food and watching her open lovely and thoughtful gifts from everyone. I really enjoyed making this gift, everything came together smoothly and the finished blanket was just as I had envisioned.

A soft flannel top and a woven cotton backing sewn with a folded binding. I love how the embroidery turned out, with the lettering in the bottom left corner, mimicking the placement of the patch on the blanket itself. Just perfect.

so apparently i like food

I love cooking. I've noticed that while I don't write about that here (something that needs to change), good food makes me happy. I've been enjoying some tasty things lately.

cafe au lait and bonne maman on toast for breakfast

and grilled pork with new potatoes and asparagus for dinner

More deliciousness here

flickr love

Lately I have been loving flickr a lot. It has been a nice place to post a picture here and there, perhaps one I don't have enough to write about, but still would like to share. It's also wonderful to look at all the beautiful photos that people take of everyday items. And the sets - oh how I love to look at the sets people create. There are some gorgeous photos out there, that people with a good eye and no formal photography lessons take. Just wonderful.

It's great that they don't send out junk mail like kodak and snapfish do. Plus, you can mark pictures for only family and/or friends.

I do use kodak albums to share my pictures with family, but I don't like to send out tiny slideshows of just a few pictures, so having the option of posting a single photo at a time is great (though it does cause me to neglect the album sharing a bit). And they don't have to sift through a ton of pictures at once either. Oh, flickr, you are so much fun for me.