Busy Day, But a New Idea to Share

Today, my mother-in-law has Hazel for a good portion of the day so I could run errands (and Steve is working from home so now she won't bother him). While out I found the cutest thing. This little mailbox box cost only $2 at Ocean State Job Lot. I'm going to introduce it to Hazel as a magic mailbox where we can send and receive mail from Santa. I will help her write Santa letters and then I will respond. As she gets older I will also introduce that I can send Santa a letter about her behavior if I think she belongs on the naughty list. So we will not be getting An Elf on the Shelf. We have our magic mailbox which costs much less and allows her to have fun.

Some other things to check out today:

Fairy Dust Teaching has a first blogiversary giveaway. She is giving away three different $50 gift cards. Go over and check it out!

Ready. Set. Read! has a link about Arthur's Christmas and provides a link to check for the 12 Days of Arthur's Christmas Activities in your area.

Silly Eagle Books has cute turkey hats to make. Go check them out. They are adorable. Hmmm...maybe I'll leave her a note to get her to share in our Saturday Share.

I Can Teach My Child has some great homemade gift ideas.

One Artsy Mama has some great homemade ornament ideas.





My Computer is My Canvas has a free printable of Thanksgiving name cards or food labels. Very cute if you have assigned seats or a buffet where you want to label the food.

Poet in the Pantry has a delicious looking recipe for gingerbread muffins.  All I have to say is Carrie you are lucky I don't live closer because I would be over to sample those. They look delicious!!

Well that is what I've been reading. Hope you are having a great day. I'm off to get some more things done before Hazel comes home.

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!

Sharing Saturday #5

Wow! Last week was our biggest Sharing Saturday yet! I hope we can share even more this week!! Thank you to everyone who shared your wonderful projects and ideas.

Here are a few of last week's ideas. I have to say it was hard to choose since there were so many great ones!

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!!