This Little Light

Thankful

We made a gratitude tree. 
We found a branch on our nature walk and decorated it with thankfulness.

Things our family is thankful for:

1)  Each other.

2)  Sawyer's scratchy voice and his sense of humor.  His funny when he isn't trying to be.  That's the best kind.

3)  That my husband is such a wonderful cook.

4)  That I'm going with my family to the north Georgia mountains this weekend.

5)  This quote--"If the world were going to end tomorrow, I'd plant an apple tree today."

6)  Finding rhythm.  Slowly....

7)  The amazing resources on the internet for learning. 

8)  The blogging community. 

9)  Candy (this is Sawyer's contribution).

10)  Our family (this is from Campbell).

11)  Fairies (also from Campbell).

12)  Homemade things.

13)  Dinosaurs (Sawyer).

14)  Love, Daddy, and Mome (that's how Campbell spelled Mommy).

15)  Christmas

16)  God (from Campbell).

And so much more...We filled our little tree up.  I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration.  See you next Monday!

Learning with Leaves

We went on a nature walk and collected leaves.  Each child had a bag to fill.
Red, orange, yellow, brown and even still some green. 

 

We made leaf rubbings and saw their beauty magically appear on paper.

 

I'm really enjoying this home school thing....
We found a millipede (we thought it was a centipede but our research proved us wrong)
a few hours later.  What a day for our science lesson!  And all in our own backyard!

I *heart* recycling

You gotta reduce, reuse, recycle...Don't you just love that Jack Johnson song?  My kids love that song (and Mama likes jamming out to it herself).

So, in the spirit of that song, here's a super easy project using old, broken crayons.  If you are like me, you have tons of these all over the place.  It kind of goes with the territory of having little kids.  A fun way to reuse these is to make your own tie dye crayons.  Put 1/8 tsp. of vegetable oil in each cavity of the tray.  You can also use cupcake tins, but you'll have pretty big crayons.  I used a mini heart shaped muffin tin.  Take the broken crayons and put various colors in each spot.  Kids love helping peel the old paper off and breaking the crayons so they will fit.  Heat your oven to 275 degrees and cook for about 8 minutes.  Pull them out and quickly swish with a toothpick (this gives the tie dye effect).  Don't do it too much or it will get too muddy.  Let them cool off and they should pop right out of the pan. 

At first, Sawyer cried because he didn't want to "cook" his crayons, but when he saw the finished product, he was as proud as a peacock.

Dream Pillows

Thanks GardenMama for this lovely project! 

We cut the pink felt (of course--it's her favorite color) to size.  Campbell picked out the embroidery floss she wanted to use for her pillow.  She drew a flower on her felt and began filling up her lines with stitches.  She got frustrated a few times (the apple doesn't fall far from the tree) and I told her all about WIPs (Works in Progress).  "You don't have to finish this today.  Put it away and we'll finish it later, just like Mama's knitting."  

I filled our recycled paper bowls (a fun kids project from Amanda Soule's book Handmade Home) with our herbs.  Luckily, I keep all kinds of herbs on hand for soapmaking, so we didn't have to go out and buy anything.  After a break, Campbell stitched up three sides and then filled the pillow with lavender, chamomile, an acorn to represent autumn, and a special sea shell. 

The only part I really had to help her with was the stitching of the flower petals.  She was most proud of her finished product.  A few days later, she said "Mama, I think I want to do some  more hand stitching."  This Mama's heart could have melted.

My Purse

Well, it took almost a year to finish this one....Mostly because I kept getting frustrated and putting this project to the side.  I started out with a knitting pattern for a felted bag.  Notice I say "bag" here...somehow I ended up with something that I think is much smaller....I guess that classifies it as a purse?  I tend to do this...I'm not a very good pattern follower.  About halfway through, I just said, well, I'm just going to keep knitting this gigantic circle (to heck with the pattern) and throw it in the washing machine (for those who don't knit, that is how you get the fibers to lock together so it goes from looking like a knitted piece to a felted piece).  I'll admit, I was a bit worried at what the results would be, but I'm very pleased with how it turned out.  I added the handles and a few funky  buttons to liven it up. 

 

Sea Turtles

I love field trips.

We went to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island.

They rescue sea turtles.

This guy is getting better day by day.  

Fishing lines and hooks, lights on the shore, litter, pollution....All of these things can really affect the lives of sea turtles.  We were able to see the veterinarian do some work on one of the turtles.  We learned how the gender of the turtle is determined by temperature during the gestation period, how barnacles can actually protect the turtles, how baby turtles go from their nest to the sea, and that turtles can live a very long time.

 

After our picnic by the shore, we went for a walk on the beach and collected shells.

This is the scene of our picnic.  I love this about Georgia. 
I love these trees and how they form a canopy over you.

I love how my child loves learning again.  I love that I see that wonder in her eyes again.
My eyes filled with tears as I saw her open back up.  This was a special day.
I am at peace with our decision to home school.

Faking It

It is 77 degrees outside.  It is hot--too hot for November.  How are you supposed to knit sweaters in this weather?  We went on a walk and I thought I was going to have to put sunscreen on the baby...Serious bummer.

We finally just decided to fake it....We built a fire and snuggled up next to it.  I'm sure the neighbors thought we were insane.  Why on earth would smoke be coming from a chimney when it is that hot outside?

We pulled out the chocolate bars, marshmallows and graham crackers and made s'mores. 

And we savored the moment.....Mmmmm.....good!

Nature Studies

Our first home school lesson was a success!  We didn't actually do the lesson "at home."  We traveled to a nearby state park.  We learned about cypress trees and why they hold water in their trunks, titanic acid from the leaves and why the water is the color of tea, mills and how they work, cotton gins, and then we went on a nature hike.  We collected pine cones to make Thanksgiving turkeys.   The beauty was, the kids didn't really know we were having school, but they knew they were learning.  And they had fun doing it!  I got a little overzealous a couple of times trying to "teach" too much.  I figure we will find our rhythm as we go.  I keep telling myself that there will be peaks and valleys.  It is a journey, and I'll constantly be learning what works and what doesn't. 

Georgia has such a wide range of natural resources.  I had never really thought about this until someone mentioned it the other day.  From the Blue Ridge Mountains that begin in North Georgia to a string of islands and beautiful beaches in Savannah and down the coast...And this is in between.  This is a lake filled with cypress trees.

The old mill

 

Scene from the mill window

 

Learning about maps before our hike

Holiday Soap Tutorial

I had prepared this soap tutorial for the holiday edition of Living Crafts magazine.  Due to space issues, the soap tutorial will be moved to the Spring issue.  That's okay; I completely understood.....The holiday edition will have articles on ornament exchanges, angel mobiles, and holiday crowns for children (I can't wait).  Soap isn't really "seasonal."  You use it all year round (let's hope so anyway!).  So, I'm going to change my tutorial a bit for the Spring issue.  I'll probably use fresh herbs, lavender, items indicative of the season.  I'm posting the holiday soap tutorial that was going to be in the current issue here.  I hope you enjoy!

Tutorial (or download holiday soap instructions):

There is something so special and pure about handmade soap.  The lather, the moisturizing qualities, the use of herbs and essential oils make for such a special treat.  What better holiday gift to give than a bar of handmade soap that smells of fresh pine or yummy holiday delights from the kitchen?  Those that use handmade soap know that once you start using it, you rarely go back to commercial soaps that often contain harsh chemicals. 

These directions are for a method of making soap called “cold process.”   Basically, the lye cures out of the soap instead of heat being applied to achieve the same result.  This allows for smooth, creamy soap that is, quite frankly, addictive!  Many people cringe when they hear that “lye” is in their soap, but all soap is actually made with lye.  Lye is a natural agent that triggers saponification.  When used with the correct calculations, you’ll make moisturizing soap that is wonderful for your skin! 

I like to use the following essential oil blends in the kitchen during the holiday season. 

Christmas Tree Blend:   ½ oz. Spruce essential oil, ¼ oz. Fir Needle essential oil, ¼ oz. Pine essential oil and 1/8 oz. Cedarwood essential oil.   Use powdered peppermint to achieve speckled green color. 

Holiday Baking Blend:  ½ oz. Cinnamon essential oil, ¼ oz. Clove Bud essential oil, ¼ oz. Pine essential oil, 1/8 oz. Nutmeg and 1/8 oz. Ginger essential oil.  Use paprika for a speckled red/orange color. 

Materials Needed:  Most of the ingredients can be found at the grocery store or health food stores, with lye being the exception.  The best place to buy lye is from soapmaking supply websites. 

 4 Pound Batch

Water 13.25 oz.
Lye (sodium hydroxide) 5.75 oz.
Coconut Oil 10 oz.
Olive Oil 20 oz.
Palm Oil 12 oz.
Plastic Pitchers
Stainless Steel Pot (must be stainless steel, aluminum will corrode)
Wooden Soap Mold (or buy one--Etsy has them too)
Kitchen Scale
Gloves
Stick Blender
Safety Goggles
Safety Mask
Kitchen Thermometer
Grater
Freezer paper
Plastic Wrap
Essential Oil Blend
2 TB Paprika (for Holiday Baking blend) and/or ½ TB poppy seeds (optional)
2 TB Peppermint (powdered) (for Christmas Tree Blend)  

STEPS:

1. While wearing safety goggles, mask and gloves, measure your lye in a pitcher on the kitchen scale.  Measure your water in a separate pitcher on the scale.  Combine lye/water mixture in the plastic pitcher, stir well with spoon. Always add your lye to the liquid. If the liquid were poured into the lye, splashing could occur and lye is very hot! Set aside and allow to cool to 100° F.
   
   
2. Measure your oils.

3. Melt the oils over low on the stove and  allow the temperature to drop to 90° F.

4. While everything is cooling, line your mold with freezer paper (instructions here).

5. Combine lye solution and all melted oils. Be careful not to splash while combining the mixtures.
   
   
6. Stir with stick blender until the mixture traces.  Tracing looks like thin pudding. It will support a drop, or your stir marks, for several seconds.
   
   
7. Once tracing occurs, add the essential oil blend and herbs.  Mix a few more seconds.
   
   
8. Pour raw soap into your wooden mold.
   
   
9. Cover with plastic wrap (this prevents a soda ash from forming on the top of your soap), and a blanket.  After 24 hours the soap can be cut and turned out of the mold.
   
   
10. Cut soap into bars and set the bars out to cure and dry for four weeks.
    
    
11. Once cured, you may want to use a kitchen grater to clean up rough edges.
    
    
12. Wrap your soap!  Here is your chance to get creative.  Use vintage fabric, raffia, muslin bags, kraft paper, stamps, etc.  One of my favorite ways to give a gift is to knit or crochet a wash cloth (thanks to my friend Katy for the ones in the picture) and tie the soap and cloth up with pretty ribbon.

Home school?

I have had something on my mind the past couple of weeks that I am obsessing about a bit.  School.  Education.  So.....big news....drum roll.....we're home schooling!  Gasp!  Yes, we are HOME SCHOOLING.  I never thought it would be an option with our work schedules.  How we crave hands on learning, art activities (and I mean more than a coloring sheet), and a child that is actually happy when she gets home....what I wouldn't give for a Waldorf or Montessori school close by.  I've always supplemented at home with activities, crafts, field trips, art, etc.  I love that kind of thing.  But making the leap from that to being a home school family is a bit scary to me...but also full of possibility. I've always yearned for this, but honestly, I didn't think I could pull it off.  I worried about being structured enough.  I worried about socialization.  I've come to realize that socialization does not mean 20 kids sitting at desks.  There are so many opportunities out there...if you just seek them out.  Our life has twisted and turned and it is so profound how you think you have no options, and then....you do.  How sometimes, you get what you need...when you need it.  That if you just wait, and be patient, sometimes those things that seemed unattainable aren't anymore.  I've learned that it takes a village...it truly takes a village. I've suddenly started looking at everyday, simple things as teachable moments.  I see my eldest opening up, hungry for learning (that works for her).  Children are not all the same.  The cookie cutter approach does not work.  I'll be going about my day and all of a sudden, I'll stop and think "my goodness, we're home schoolers...."

I'll keep you posted with some of our "lessons."