Autumn Crafting

Our First Corn Dolly

I've had these sweet little things in my head for a couple of weeks. A friend of mine made one about 10 years ago that we all thought was amazing but I never gave it a try. Last year Rae from Morning Sun Rae showcased lots of different lovelies. I never found the time last year to try them out but I put it in my schedule for this year. I'm glad I did!

 

 Dyed Husks

I soaked some of the husks in plain warm water. The pink husks I placed in about 2 quarts of water in the sink with a bottle of red food coloring squirted into it. I let them sit for about thirty minutes. For the green I used about half a bottle of green food coloring and just filled the jar with warm water. they also sat for around thirty minutes.

Pink Husks in the Sink

 

Tying off the Head

 

To make the head I took a small ball of wool and placed it in the middle of a natural colored corn husk. Then Auri helped out by holding the wobbly thing still while I tied it off.

 

Waiting for the next step

Tying off the hands

The hands were trickier than I expected. I took a small husk and trimmed the ends down a bit. Then I folded them in and tied them off. I think there may be a better way to do this, but I wasn't able to find it.

Initial Dress layering

 I laid the head down and placed the arms in between the husks under my "neck tie" and made sure the arms were even. 

But they wound up uneven anyways. Go figure. It was easy to fix. I just slid them a bit before they were secure.

Now comes the part I don't have a picture for. My hands were busy and the kids ran off to play with the goat.:o)

I placed a husk front and back and then took an extra long string for my next step. I laid the dolly on top of the string. Then I wrapped it around the waist a few times. Next I crossed the strings in front and took them over the shoulders to the back. Here I crossed them again and took them back to the front. 

I know it's confusing. I'm sorry I didn't get pictures. 

Next I took several of the husks and layered them in this order......

One on the front, one on the left side, one on the back, one on the right side.  (not that it was scientific or anything...lol. I kinda just stuck them where they seemed even.)

I saved the four best looking ones for the outside skirt. 

An inside view of the layers

You can tell from this view that there wasn't a whole lot of rhyme or reason to the layering....lol.

With the top trimmed up a bit.

 Then I "dressed" her, trimmed her skirt,

 And ran off to blog instead of pack up for the camping trip.:o)

The Best Helper.

Autumn Blessings!!

 

Thanksgiving

Harvest coming to a close.

Thanksgiving Delights

On Thanksgiving Day we’re thankful for

Our blessings all year through,

For family we dearly love,

For good friends, old and new.

For sun to light and warm our days,

For stars that glow at night,

For trees of green and skies of blue,

And puffy clouds of white.

We’re grateful for our eyes that see

The beauty all around,

For arms to hug, and legs to walk,

And ears to hear each sound.

The list of all we’re grateful for

Would fill a great big book;

Our thankful hearts find new delights

Everywhere we look!

By Joanna Fuchs

Thanks to  ommama of the waldorfhomeeducators list for the blessing.

Holiday Home Thoughts

Our Front Porch

We are scrambling around trying to get things in order for the holidays. The children know how I like to reorganize everything for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Part of the fun of winter has always been that we have a different home for a while. It was always the cozy candles in the living room that glowed gently as we read or sang as I brushed hair and we prepared for bed that made some of the magic. The warmth of baths were still lingering in their minds as they wound down from our always busy days to settle in peaceful slumber.

I love the word slumber. It implies so many things.

Warmth. Security. Rightness. Belonging.

Home.

Outside decorations were always important. We loved how each little item would greet us as we walked up to our door. Each step a noticable transition between the outside world and our sanctuary that was Home. 

It is interesting how different people are. How the things that are important change with each new person and family. I think it can be hard keep Family the focus in the blasting commercialism that this coming season brings with it.  It's often hard to combat my own peculiar brand of commercialism. I know that it isn't the trappings that make a home. I know that it isn't things that make a family. But I find myself wanting to buy things that I think will help us attain the perfect life I envision for my children.

I'm always having to relearn that it isn't the getting that I love, it's the giving.

Our latest read

There was a wee house in the heather-

'Twas a bit o' a but and a ben-

And in it there lived all together

Lachie MacLachlan

And his good wife,

And his bairns to the nuber of ten.

"There's a fire on the hearthstone to warm me,

And a porridge to spare in the pot,"

Said Lachie. "The weather is stormy,

So me and my wife

And our ten bairns,

Will be sharing whatever we've got."

I am loving this story! It so much fun, and the cadence is wonderful! It was easy to memorize, it has the music in the back to put it to music and I found it easy to adapt the rhythm to the flute.

It is also perfect for these days when I think everyone could share a little more of what they have. I like how it flows very naturally from  the Martinmas stories and into the Thanksgiving ones. What a wonderful time of year!

Our Bird Feeder

Ronan came down from Gran's one day with this feeder all filled up to the top with seed. He hoisted it up high in his arms and said, "Look what I did! I made this for you! Now you can smile when you watch the birds at my house!"

He was so proud. I love that he likes to see me smile since watching him smile is one of my favorite things.

Maybe I am managing to pass on more to my children than the inability to put their dirty clothes in a hamper.;o)