this moment

Inspired by Soulemama, a moment to pause and remember ...

Jo x 

winter solstice

For our winter solstice celebration we took part in the montol festival, a local tradition, which is a procession of lantern bearing people wearing cloaks and masks, (ours are conspicuously absent ...),  led by a band that culminates in a field with lots of music and a big fire. We had a brilliant time, the weather was mild and still and the atmosphere was all fun and community.



winter exchange

Recently took part in a winter solstice craft exchange.

These are the things I made:

Wool felt and glass bead embroidered brooches,



and crocheted wool baskets.

I received the most beautiful items in return, amazingly gorgeous needle felted toys and a playscape which were quickly smuggled away to be played with by faith, felt balls which roghan has been swiping at (yet to make contact but the thought is there!),  beautiful glass decorations, handmade salve and soap, a soft potholder, felt pouches with hand warmers inside, a needle felt decorated notepad and a piece of dyed silk (the pink and white that the other things are resting on in the pictures.

I feel so lucky to be swapping with these talented and creative people, thankyou so much to everyone who took part and to Jenna for organising it all x

Jo x 

winter table

Deep Mid-Winter drawing near,
 Darkness in our Garden here
  One small flame yet bravely burns
 To show a path which ever turns.
 Earth, please bear us as we go,
 Seeking Light to send a-glow:
 Branches green and moss and fern,
 Mark our path to trace each turn.
 Brother animals, teach us too
 To serve with patience as you do.
 We walk with candle toward the Light
 While Earth awaits with hope so bright:
 In the Light which finds new birth  Love may spread o'er all the Earth.
 Deep Mid-Winter drawing near - -
 May Light arise in our Garden here.

- Nancy Foster

Jo x

yarn along

Joining in the yarn along for the very first time.

I have been knitting baby trousers for Roghan which are a very simple pattern adapted from this pattern, also continuing to knit a pair of mittens for chris which were supposed to be for christmas but I think I was being a bit optomistic with that one!

I am having a look through (rather than an actual read) the Waldorf Alphabet Book as I'm starting to think ahead to the start of grade 1 in the autumn.

Jo x 

at our place

Had a long blogging hiatus full of swinging, crafting, dying, quilting, learning, dance shows, meeting swans, and most excitingly - birthing!!

With the addition of Roghan Gil to our family in the early hours in late october it has been an exciting couple of months.

I wil be back soon with our handmade christmas post x

woodland adventures

This week we went to a brilliant day of woodcraft and tree climbing in the woods with other local homeschooling families.

We had a brilliant time, thankyou so much to the people who put this on x

x jo

make: scrubbies

I am always loving a super practical project, especially one that uses up things I already have lying around and that means I don't have to buy something. This project is the perfect combination. Also, having a six year old vying for my attention and being 36 weeks pregnant, the fact that it only took half an hour is a bonus!

materials:
tulle
scissors
crochet hook (5mm)

First you need to cut the tulle into strips, the longer you make your strips the less tying you have to do and the width is up to you. I did mine roughly 2-3" wide but basically if you do them thinner than you need to use a smaller crochet hook and your scrubbie will be smaller, the opposite if you do them wider.

Next, tie the strips together to make a ball of tulle yarn. Don't worry about knots and ends, they will all be hidden in the final piece.

Next you need to crochet 2 small circles, keeping all knots and yarn ends at the back of your work. The only important thing here is that the two are the same so if you are comfortable crocheting circles then do it your favourite way. This is how I did it. (UK terms).

dc 6 into magic loop. Pull tight.
dc 2 into each dc around (12 sts)
*dc 1 into next dc, dc 2 into next dc, rep from * around (18 sts)
sl st into next st ( to make the outline of the circle smoother), fasten off.

Cut the yarn on the first circle but leave the working yarn attached on the 2nd.

Hold the two pieces back to back and dc around the edge attaching the 2 together. Stuff yarn ends and knots inside to tidy it up and to give it a bit of bulk.

Weave the last end inside and trim.
Make some more!

As a final quick thrifty tip: Cut bands from the legs of tights as the most perfect hairbands.

x jo

make: pom pom cowl

Saw this long pom pom cowl on the purl bee blog the other day and happened to have just been given some old linen trousers that were no longer wanted so I had a go at making my own.

Working with what I had, I couldn't do it to the exact dimensions stated. I cut the back of the legs off the trousers, cut them to rectangles then sewed them together down one short edge to create one long piece approx 50" x 12". I then double folded the long edges so that not only the pom pom trim but also the fabric edge was caught inside before sewing.

I have worn it long and also doubled up and I love it!

I added a bit of decoration to the fabric by dipping the end of and old toilet roll tube in some bleach and stamping it on. Leave it for an hour or so to let the bleach work before washing.

I used 2m of pom pom trim which cost me £3 from a local haberdashery shop but everything else was free/recycled. £3 is pretty good for my new autumn scarf I think and its going to get a lot of wear.

x jo

Autumn table

Set up our autumn seasons table today, we used nature items we found as well as some homemade autumn fairies and some items we recently recieved in an autumn craft exchange.

Come little leaves said the wind one day

Come over the meadow with me and play

Put on your dresses of red and gold

For summer is gone and the wind blows cold

Happy autumn everyone x

Jo

true, kind, necessary

I stand poised, ready, what will come of the journey. I don't know. The most exciting thing I think is not to know.

My aim is a more simple life, filled with beauty and nourishment. I believe we already have these things but we need to notice them more. My child, my love, the new life inside, they are what matter. Crafting, making and baking keep me moving. I hope you can join me on my journey.

Above all I wish my blog to be this - true, kind and necessary x

jo