Autumn Lights for Darker Days

Autumn has definitely begun even if the temperatures in New England have been in the 70s this week. How do I know autumn is here even with unusually warm weather--the shorter number of daylight hours. It is getting dark much earlier. This time of year always makes me think winter is coming too fast. It is also reminds me of our days at the Waldorf school and the holiday Martinmas. Martinmas is not until November, but I feel like I could use it now. In past years we were part of the lantern march at the Waldorf school. It is where the children carry lanterns they make at school with a lite candle and march around together singing.

Today...Tonight

So yesterday, we took Hazel to the doctor's again. We found out on top of the on-going sinus infection (we start round 3 of antibiotics tomorrow), she has caught a virus that is going around. Poor thing is just not herself lately. So needless to say, we had a relaxing weekend. I ran errands yesterday and today, and made chicken soup yesterday.

Today, I began working on a new needle felted project and finished it tonight. I'm thinking of sewing a ribbon on it for the Christmas tree. What do you think? I got the instructions from Wool Toys & Friends by Laurie Sharp. I volunteered to make an ornament for a giveaway and thought I would try some out first before deciding which to make. Plus I wanted to decorate our small tree that we put in our front window (in the dining room) with only handmade ornaments. I'm hoping with most of them Hazel will help me. I did let her do a bit of the felting until I needed to really sculpt it. I have a five needle tool that has a safety on it so I give her that one to try. She doesn't usually last for too long.

Something to check out: Prescription for Play Film. It is just over 12 minutes long but is definitely worth watching. It made me feel good about our decision for a Waldorf education for Hazel since the focus is really on play until she is 7.

Since Hazel has been sick, we were unable to go on our lantern march, so we decided to light all of the lanterns in her "house" (made of Waldorf playstands and fabric) with battery operated tealights. We decided to keep them there since we all like them. Here is what it looked like when we turned out the lights last night. (Hazel didn't want to keep the lights off so we had to turn them back on right away but I took these after she went to bed.)

Hope you are finding ways to keep the light in your life and warmth in your heart as the our days grow shorter and colder!

Some Finished Projects Finally

After Hazel's nap we finally finished some of our projects. First we made some easy paper lanterns for our Martinmas celebration. We did not do the lantern walk tonight, but are planning on it tomorrow night, so for tonight we hung them in her "house" made of Waldorf playstands and cloths. I also strung the four felt lanterns I got to sewing and hung them up. We had four of the battery operated tea lights, so I put those inside and promised Hazel we would get more tomorrow (I got a 3-pack at Dollar Tree).

What I discovered from making the lanterns, the thicker paper is better for the bigger ones. The smaller ones are easier to make. Hazel was able to help a bit with them. Oh and she pretended her Match game cards were candles in the ones we didn't have candles for. I also hung the paper mache one we did at school.

After dinner we finished some cards and some turkeys. We did handprints for the turkey tails the other day. Then I cut out some of her handprints for the body. We added googly eyes and drew a beak a wattle and feet. Then we stuck on some stickers from Trader Joe's. I love the ones that say "I'm thankful for_______" I always write in the name of who the card is for. We also did one out of all cut-out handprints.

My turkey

Then our final craft is from a library book called Holiday Handiworks by Gillian Souter. We didn't add the feet, but I like them.

Hazel's turkey

Veteran's Day and Martinmas and more

Happy Veteran's Day!! I would like to start by saying a heartfelt thank you to all of our veterans, soldiers and their families who sacrifice so much for our country. You may remember last week, Hazel and I made cards thanking the veterans and mailed them and many Christmas cards to our veterans and soldiers. The post is here.

Today is also Martinmas. I think we may not do our lantern walk tonight. (I'll explain why later.) We will postpone it until tomorrow. But this is our first time celebrating it. I did not really know about it until this year. Some places to get good information about it are:
Joyful Toddlers Fall Celebrations: Martinmas this includes a story to share with our children.

The Parent Passageway: Martinmas In The Waldorf Home  a little about what it is and some links to songs for lantern walks

Waldorf Mama: Martinmas pictures of some beautiful lanterns


Welcome to a Little Garden Flower & Waldorf Essentials: Martinmas and autumn verses and ideas has a story about St. Martin and a poor man and other ideas for celebrating and understanding.

Rhythm of the Home Martinmas Lantern Bunting has a tutorial on making a felt lantern bunting (Hazel and I are making one)

Waldorf Library has the Waldorf view on Martinmas and the history. And another story to share with the children.

A Storytelling of Crows: Lantern walk songs has the words to many lantern songs


Uncommon Grace has a tutorial for making a lantern from heavy weight watercolor paintings and from the previous year the paper mache ones similar to what we made at our school's open house a few weeks ago. and Pictures of them on their lantern march with the paper mache ones.

A Polar Bear's Tale has some beautiful pictures of paintings of lantern walks, and links to lantern tutorials:
Pacon.com has a tutorial for paper ones from construction paper.
This one is in German (I think), so I won't be trying it but it looks beautiful. I wish I could translate it.

Hazel and Honeysuckle: Whip It Up Wednesday has an easy paper lantern to make that we are definitely going to try.
Now I want to go make some more lanterns, but I have to wait for Hazel I guess.

Oh, last night was a big night for us. Hazel had her first night without Mommy and Daddy! She slept at my mother-in-law's. Steve and I went to see Legally Blonde at the North Shore Music Theatre. It was wonderful. We got to sleep in this morning after our late night. However, Hazel did not sleep much at my mother-in-law's. I think she was too excited to be there--she is a bit spoiled there and has so many toys and is allowed to watch television, etc. I'm not sure my mother-in-law will want to do it again for quite awhile.

Well Happy Veteran's Day and Happy Martinmas!! Have a wonderful weekend!! See you tomorrow for Sharing Saturday!!

Today...

So today here it is one of those grey rainy days. The rain keeps coming and going and sometimes it is just a sprinkle if that and others, more hard. It is our "quiet time" for Hazel. Sometimes she naps and sometimes she looks at her books by herself if she wants to fight the sleep. Right now I'm listening to her sing/scream our welcome song from school..."Welcome, welcome lovely day. Sunshine bright and flowers gay. Painted birds that sing their song. To make me kind and good and strong." Somehow it seems to me that it is the wrong song for the day especially after the two gorgeous fall days we just had, but at least she is happy.

This morning we spent the morning painting. We painted some wooden objects, noodles, toilet paper rolls, and did handprints. None of our projects are finished yet, but we have lots in the works right now. Plus we have all of them spread all over the kitchen. It was hard to make space to eat lunch, but we managed.

We had to run to church to meet with the Christian Ed Director. We are planning a Breakfast with Santa and are trying to work out the details since it is our first one. Hazel wanted to go home for most of the meeting, but when I was ready, she didn't want to leave. Isn't that always the way? The Christian Ed Director gave Hazel her extra copy of The Big Pumpkin, Hazel's favorite Halloween book which we found out about from the Christian Ed Director. We had to come home and read it before quiet time.

One craft that I just finished was inspired by Rhythm of the Home. It is a wooden playset of pilgrims and Native Americans. Theirs is to go with the book, Stone Soup. We haven't read this book, so I didn't stick completely to what they did. I also did not make a teepee since New England Native Americans have never lived in teepees. However, I thought it would be fun for Hazel to have some figures to reenact the first Thanksgiving and get a better sense of it. I was lazy and used markers instead of paint (except for the white since I don't have a white marker). I figured I could use the markers neater than I could paint. Rhythm of the Home also shares a simplified version of the Thanksgiving story and a recipe for stone soup here:   Thanksgiving Story . Enjoy!!

Some projects I'm working on: Knitted Owl for School's Holiday Fair
Martinmas Lantern Bunting for our Martinmas celebration tomorrow! Hazel and I cut them yesterday, but now I have to sew them.
We are also making some turkeys, pilgrims, and Native Americans out of toilet paper rolls and are working on our angels for the angel swap. Hazel and I are both participating in the angel swap so we have to make ones from her as well as three from me.

What are you working on?