What's growing in our Garden? Guessing Game Giveaway!

This is our second year of owning a community garden patch. Last year we grew a Three Sister's Garden and grew so many squashes they lasted us all winter.
This year we wanted to try some different plants - plants we cannot grow in the little garden by our house because we don't have enough space. We planted watermelon,  potatoes, red and white cabbage, cauliflower, parsnips, radishes, carrots, beets and many many more..It's amazing how much we could fit in our 15x15 feet lots.

One difference I have noticed this year, is that the children are having a much easier time getting into the routine of weeding and working in the garden. Last year there was a lot of complaining and whining about the chore. This year they are really excited to go visit and work. I wonder if they like it better because we planted a greater variety of things, and they are curious about watching the plants as they grow and change. The kids are learning to identify what each plant is, as they get bigger and the produce looks more like food they see at the store. Some items they were not too happy with...

Weeding has been much easier this year since we put down some straw to keep the weeds down. It has helped immensely and I highly recommend doing it. Putting a layer of straw around the mature plants also preserves moisture so there is less watering to do!

One strange thing happened in our garden this year. We found a plant in bloom that I had never seen in bloom before. So I wanted to share a picture with you and encourage you to guess what plant it is.

I will give you one week - until midnight next Friday - to make a guess at what this plant might be. If you guessed right you will be entered in a drawing for one of my little Miniature Dolls in the color of your choice! 

Don't forget to leave your email address in the comment so I can contact you if you win! I will reveal the answer and the winner next Saturday July 15th, 2011. Don't forget to have the kids guess too! I remember when I went to camp as a child I really enjoyed the treasure hunts where we had to bring back leaves from a certain plant. What better way to teach kids about nature!

Have a wonderful week! Ulla
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry for the lateness of this announcement! THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED! Looks like 15 is Jennifer's lucky number! She won this Giveaway for a custom miniature doll!
Congratulations!

Hooded Towel Poncho

IT's SUMMER!! This Hooded Towel Poncho is from a recent tutorial on the blog of NaturalKids Team member Lori from Beneath the Rowan Tree. As soon as I saw it I wanted to share it here!! The original post has great detailed tutorial instructions to make your own (see link below). Here are some photos of the project to get you inspired to make them for your children & friends:

Towel ponchos are so simple and so handy at the beach~ and look how much FUN it is.

For the size 4/5 toddler & up all you need is:

• a 30 x 60 (approx.) beach towel
• a second matching beach towel or a hand or bath towel
• scissors, thread, ruler

To get the detailed instructions to make this poncho here is the blog link:

http://beneaththerowantree.blogspot.com/2011/06/make-it-hooded-beach-towel-poncho.html

I hope you are inspired to go make a towel poncho for your beach/outdoor excursions :o

Here is the link to Lori's Etsy shop: Beneath the Rowan Tree

This post is brought to you by Natalie, of Woolhalla.

Bees in the Yard

BEES! They hum from flower to flower once spring arrives... and honeybees also make the honey we eat. There is a resurgence in beekeeping and many families are now keeping bees again, or thinking about it. Here is a little overview with photos by Ulla of German Dolls (except the pic above by me):

One look at honeycomb and the desire to start beekeeping goes up exponentially! Honey, honeycomb, wax, and propolis are the wonderful benefits of keeping honeybees. There are other ways to tend bees, but I will just stick to the classic honeybee for now.

To keep honeybees shortlist: 1. A place to keep bees, like your yard (unless someone close by has an allergy to bee stings!). 2. A hive and frames. 3. Safety equipment (gloves & mask good idea, especially for beginners). 4. Bees (you can order in the mail, find online) 5. Other equipment for checking bees (smoker), cleaning frames, maintenance; like removing honey! 6. Time; you will need to have time to learn about your bees as well as spending 1-on-1 with them.
This is just a shortlist!


After learning about bees and if they are a good fit for you, you will need to have a hive clean and ready for your bees arrival. Above is a homemade hive; you can make or buy hives in shapes and sizes. The most common is a box frame with frames that can be easily removed on the inside, as they can also be stacked like you often see if farmer's fields. Beekeeping season is essentially spring to autumn.


The worker bees fly off from the platform to go find nectar. They return and show other bees where to find it.

The bees are moving into their new home. The box you see in the picture, is the cage that the bee folk arrive in. You simply pour the bees into the hive. The queen comes in a separate little cage.

The queen and her workers will spend a few days chewing through a piece of marshmallow trying to unite! The presence of the queen will make the new bee hive stick around and start building.


The queen is usually marked with a dot so you know if she is still around. Get to know your bees, especially the Queen. Hives need a Queen to survive.

And, check them again... but not too often, they don't like being disturbed constantly.

The fruits of keeping honeybees!

FAQ: Is it safe to keep bees around kids, like in your back yard? Absolutely! If someone has an allergy in your family or in the neighbourhood then possibly not (do check in with the neighbours!). When I learned beekeeping living in Holland my mentor had a teensy backyard with a bunch of hives, and 6 kids running around, and felt totally safe with that.

Speaking of running around... if you're worried about being stung then MOVE SLOW! Bees are are agitated by fast, flapping arms, and the like.

Thank you Ulla for sharing your photos!!

This article was brought to you by Natalie of Woolhalla

Find "BEE" treasures on Etsy from the NaturalKids Team (top left to bottom right): Boston Beanies, Driaa, Fairyfolk, GermanDolls, Harvest Moon By Hand, Prettydreamer, The Enchanted Cupboard.

Nature Table, Let's Begin

Landscape Playsilks & Sky Playsilks by The Enchanted Cupboard

Nature Tables are used to celebrate the seasons and the rhythms of the year. As nature goes through its cycle of birth, growth, harvest, and sleep, so do we on our Nature Tables. Using a nature table is a wonderful way to decorate your home and include your children in the seasons. Spring is on our doorsteps and just around the bend but it is still winter on our Nature Table.

Before we leap into Spring, let's look at some fun ways to celebrate these last few moments of winter. Any table will do as your Nature Table, either beside a wall or in a corner of a room. The size of your table will be determined by the amount of room you have to spare. The table you see here I got for $10 at a Junk Shop. I picked it for its size and that it had a nice shelf underneath to hold extra toys. This table is low for the kids and fits nicely on the second floor landing. Nature tables are a great way to keep a little play place for the kids without having toys cluttering up the grown-up places.

Winter Playset by Muddyfeet

Playsilks are great from ground cover or backdrops. Some soft wool also make a nice snow covering. Adding some winter landscape toys will add to the scene. A lovely collection of winter theme toy like woodland animal, felted toys,and bendy dolls add just the right touch. Having a lovely decorated table will make you get excited for the season.

Bendy Dolls by Princess Nimble Thimble, Snowman by Chimera

If you don't have a Natural Table but would like to start this wonderful tradition in your home, then follow along with me every other week. We will be exploring some traditional and modern ways of sharing the seasons with your family.

Here are a few great items for a Winter Nature Table from The NaturalKids Team:

Snowflake - Winter Fairy

Felted Kitty

Wooden Winter Trees

Winter King

Blue Heart Queen Doll

Article by Beccijo, The Enchanted Cupboard

Join The Handmade Pledge

As the sound of mass produced toys and children item recalls ring in our ears like carols. It is sad to know that it has become part of our holiday "tradition". Handmade natural toys and items like those sold buy the NaturalKids Team members give a greater value in it's safety and generational quality.

This year make a difference in the world and buy handmade. Buying handmade and buying locally directly supports the crafter as well as strengthening the economy. We the NaturalKids Team would like to your support   American Craft Week.

So we are asking  you to join with us and make the pledge to buy handmade and local, and join the business members of the Handmade Toy Alliance.
Pledge Here: http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/Community/HandmadePledge.aspx

Friday Feature with Willowbaus

Tell us little about yourself! 
I am a beekeeper's daughter, born in a tent, and grew up in the desert and high desert of Arizona and Eastern Oregon. Now I am a mom staying at home with my two toddler boys while my husband goes out to defend the safe passage of wild salmon through the dams and rivers.

We live a stone's throw from the Willamette River just outside of Portland, OR. Our life is pretty much centered around the river and the woods around our house. Yes, we live in the burbs, but we fantasize about getting back to the country someday soon- a barn filled with rusty objects and a tire swing hanging from a weeping willow are a must for any rowdy boy or girl!

What do you make and how long have you been creating?

I make classic toys with a modern twist. I began with selling bird mobiles like the ones I made for my boys when they were born, and have moved onto sailboats, balls, wagons, and other ideas as time goes on. I like to keep with the idea of wood and colorful natural fabric, and being as eco-conscious as possible. I am a nut about toxins around my children and our beautiful river, and I am perfectly comfortable with my boys licking and chewing on the products I make.

What inspires you? 
Beautiful fabric, my children, other children, elements in nature like wind, water, fire, and as corny as it sounds- innocence! I love that my son doesn't know the words gun or knife- they are pokers and shooters;) I just want my toys to help children hold onto that sweetness.


What got you started working with fabric and wood?
I have been sewing for years, working as an apparel and accessory designer and dressmaker for a decade prior to having my boys, so the fabric part comes very naturally. The woodcutting is done by my husband, uncle, father in law and a Buddhist monk that is a friend of a friend. I'm pretty much always recruiting woodcutters. I am terrified of power tools, but hope to take a class soon and get over that! That said, I think like a sculptor and love the process of taking a rectangle of fabric and a hunk of wood and transforming it into something beautiful and fun.


How long have you been on Etsy and how has it been for you so far? 
I just had my 1 year anniversary on Etsy. I think it is an absolute God-send for people like me who have the need to be a worker bee and have a creative outlet, but want to be home with their children. I have a hard time thinking about going back to the 9-5 life now that I know I can earn a living on my own. The customers are usually very creative as well, and wonderful to work with. It is a lot less stressful to make toys than to make clothing, toys are pretty much a happy pill.


What advice would you have for other Etsians?
I think it is really important to take your customer feedback seriously. I have greatly improved my product and presentation since the beginning thanks to some great comments and feedback I have received along the way. Also, remember that the customer is always right. Knowing that makes it easier to figure out how to handle situations (lost packages,etc.) when they arise.

• Another thing is to make something unique. When I have a new idea, I do a search for it first to see if anyone else is doing it already. If so, think of a way to do it differently.
• Also, make sure to put a fair price on your items- pay yourself and you will be happier doing it. 
• Last, network by joining teams and doing showcases. Being a part of Natural Kids has been the best advertising for me.

What do you hope to learn/gain/contribute from being part of the Natural Kids group?
I have gained a lot of exposure- to the point that I will be focusing my advertising budget here going forward.
I love having the network of people that are pretty much in the same shoes as me that I can ask questions to, and hopefully answer questions for.With a busy shop and 2 boys 3 and 1.5 I am pretty overwhelmed at the moment, but I hope to give back to the team more in the future.


What thoughts do you have for parents on the importance of natural toys for creative play?

I just took a big stand against the TV when I noticed first hand how my older son would pretty much start drooling on himself while sitting there watching cartoons. Very upsetting to see!

Now that we are TV free, it is amazing to see how he has become much more engaged in the world around him. I consider battery plastic toys to be like the TV- it all spelled out for them, they don't have to think when using them. With a wooden car or boat- the world is a river or street, they make their own sounds and their brain is doing the work. I just gave my sons the simple wooden horses that I sell with the wagons (from TNT toys, another Etsy shop)and they just love the solid smoothness of the horses and carry them everywhere.

Your items can be found where:
http://www.willowbaus.etsy.com

Interview by Beccijo of The Enchanted Cupboard

Friday Feature with Nushkie

Tell us little about yourself!
I like to joke that I'm a recovering New Yorker. I live in Los Angeles, (the hot, hot, San Fernando Valley, to be specific), with my husband, my 5 1/2 year-old daughter Eva, Cutie our cat and my ever expanding organic kitchen garden. I grew up in a family of very creative people. My Mom started acting at 55 and was a working actress on TV and in film 'til the day she passed away a few years back. She used to sew all my costumes and many of my clothes growing up...without patterns. When she decided to do something, she did it, and when she decided to fulfill her life-long dream to act, she never let her age or lack of formal training stand in her way. My dad has the entrepreneurial spirit, he always taught my two brothers and me to never take no for an answer. When he decided to stop touring as a jazz pianist and settle down to raise his family, he painted his name on a store and made a deal with the Lowery Organ company (think keyboards, not livers, lol) to loan him one instrument at time until he sold it. Years later he was the number one dealer in the entire US. He always told his sales folks, "Don't look at your customer with dollar signs in your eyes. Instead think, 'How am I going to bring music into this person's life.'" That's how I run my business; I think, how am I going to bring the most beautifully crafted woolly creations into my customers lives for them to enjoy for generations.

Ok, what I didn't learn from my folks was how to be short-winded, lol!

What do you make and how long have you been creating?
Through the technique of needle felting, I create soft sculptures (gnomes, sheep, etc), hanging fairies, and three dimensional wall hangings or tapestries, which I have coined, "Sculptural Wool Paintings." I used the finest wools and other natural fibers I can get my hands on and them poke them with a single barbed needle into magical entities. I have been working in this way since about 2005, but I have been creating all my life. It is really a rediscovery of the visual and tactile arts I studied when I was much younger and utilized as a graphic artist more recently. Over the years, I have pursued many areas of creativity: I am a published writer, have performed theatrically on stage from NY to Edinburgh to Baku and produced my one-woman shows in LA and Amsterdam. I produced three films, starred in Opera, sold movies at Cannes, performed stand-up and hosted a cable tv show...the bizarre list goes on. When I had Eva, and started making her toys and gifts for the teachers at her Waldorf school, I got kind of addicted to this art form. I find it very rewarding to see my creations come to life in my hands and touch the lives of others. The beautiful and heartfelt praise I receive from my beloved customers is very fulfilling; it tells me that my art moves them, and that's what's really important to me. The world needs a great deal of healing right now. If my work can inspire the imagination, or simply allow us to see the world through a child's eyes, perhaps we will find new ways to approach our very adult world problems.

What inspires you?
Elsa Beskow, Sybil Von Olfers, Renoir, August Rodin, the commitment to beauty and natural materials that I share with my fellow Natural Kids Teammates, people who can still be moved by beauty, the innocence and inquisitiveness of children, the buds on my apricot tree, Howard Zinn, Emma Goldman, Isadora Duncan, may daughter, my husband, you for taking the time to ask me these questions!



What got you started working with Needle Felting?

I was at a Waldorf faire, a May Faire, I think. I saw these beautiful little fairies and thought..."I can do that." So, I went home with some wool and rubbed it a lot and actually made a fairy. My next move was to poke wool with a regular needle, to no avail. I am not one for following directions. I tend to jump right in, so, no, I didn't have a felting needle and had no idea why I had to buy one til my very brash, hilarious friend Amy told me..."It's barbed, you idiot." That was a real "ahah" moment. So, I broke down and spent .60 on a needle and that was that. I was making things for everyone, tapestries, fairies, scarves, purses, hair thingies...I am convinced there is nothing that can not be made from wool! My favorite early project was Eva's butterfly wings for Halloween four yeas ago. I stabbed, beat, threw in the tub with scolding hot water...I was going to make those wings without asking anyone how if it took me all night...and I did it. Many lessons learned. I guess you can surmise that I have not taken any classes in felting; it is against my nature.

How long have you been on Etsy and how has it been for you so far?
I joined Etsy Feb 8, 2008 after some dabbling on Ebay. This interview comes at my two-year anniversary. It was slow at first, but as I have improved upon my craft and added items to my shop, my business has continually increased. I think folks trust that when they get something from me, they get a box with my integrity wrapped up inside. I will not send anything to anyone that is not my absolute best effort. In this awful recessional time, I probably tripled my autumn/Christmas season this year as compared to last year. I am so grateful for that business!

What advice would you have for other Etsians?

Remember when you create that any kind of creative block is the difference between wanting to be brilliant and the proverbial blank page. Let go of judgment, trying to do it "right," when you're creating and your true ideas will manifest. Please stay original, so when that sale comes through, you know you own it. There are literally hundreds of thousands of shops just on Etsy they could have shopped at, but they chose yours. It is an honor. Always remember that. Respect your customers and always deliver them your very best. Never take them for granted and communicate with them with gratitude. Several of my customers have become my friends, and isn't that what having your own one-person shop is all about, relationships you build through your creations? Don't give up. Start with on item if that's all you have and just re-list it til you have something else.


What do you hope to learn/gain/contribute from being part of the Natural Kids group?

I really enjoy being part of a group of artists who believe that they, too are part of the healing process in the world. How do they do this? By choosing to work with natural materials that come from the earth and will return to the earth when their time is done...and that time will last for generations! I love that the finished products of their labors are toys, for example, that ignite the imagination. What I gain from this marvelous group is the positive effect of a critical mass of folks creating in this way and promoting together. I have benefited greatly from this association and hope that my participation helps other in the team as well, through promotion, purchases of their work, etc. I love tweeting about my teammates creations, and catching treasuries to feature them when I can. Once I get past all the deadlines that seem to keep popping up, I hope to contribute more by working on the website committee. I also hope the reputation my shop has earned over the past two years will reflect positively by association to all the other teammates. Finally, I have benefited so, by the deep friendships I have made with a few of the members. Thank you!

What thoughts do you have for parents on the importance of natural toys for creative play?

Where do I begin? Children's minds are rooms with no walls. Every idea, story, instance, taste, smell, etc...that enters the room of the child's senses is fodder for play, for them to move around the room, turn upside down, dismantle and rebuild. That is how children process and learn. Natural toys ask questions of children, "What am I? How will you play with me?" In this way their rooms, so-to-speak, stay open and continue to expand. The channels between the left and right brain, so needed for both academic and social/emotional "success," get strengthened, they learn to problem-solve, to create, to apply whatever they have learned elsewhere in their own individual way, and to, well, think! Ingenuity comes from finding a new way to use something; open ended toys give children this opportunity. Conversely, when you offer a toy to a child with rules as to how it is used, or which plays for the child through battery-operated gadgetry, the walls begin to close in around the child
. He/she no longer has to think, to create, to imagine; it is already done. Natural toys also bring the elements of nature, such as wool, silk, wood, etc... to children, gently caressing and encouraging their senses of smell, touch and sight in a way which promotes a calming sense of being part of the world. This adds to greater sensitivity, empathy and social well being; conversely, digitized toys, etc, remove the child from nature, desensitize him or her to touch, sound and smell, and have a more anti social effect, where the child feels more strongly bonded to the lights and sounds than to friends. Open ended, natural toys promote leadership and ingenuity, as the child "owns" how he or she plays; the others promote passivity or aggressiveness, and rule following. It's hard to be creative when you have to be correct. Though, sometimes at dinner, that's helpful, lol.

Your items can be found where: http://nushkie.etsy.com

Interview by Beccijo of The Enchanted Cupboard

Friday Feature with knittingmomma

Tell us a little about yourself!
Well, I am a homemaker first. With six children that learn at home, a wonderful husband of nearly 18 years, and a homestead to keep, I am very busy with our daily life. I have always enjoyed working with my hands - sketching, painting, building, knitting and crocheting. All throughout our home can be found my works in progress. A basket with a sewing project, another basket filled with yarn and knitting needles or a half completed project on a counter. I do my best to weave my handwork throughout our day.


Our family’s primary income is our handwork business. My husband, myself and our children all help to create natural fiber toys and rustic décor.


What do you make and how long have you been creating?
I make mostly hand knit toys and I crochet the bags for our branch toys.
With the birth of each of our children, our family gradually began a process of moving towards a more natural lifestyle. I began to read Mothering magazine and the articles I read spoke to me and I realized that there were alternatives to mainstream living which I didn’t feel comfortable with. As I researched natural living, I was drawn to waldorf education and also the amazingly beautiful, yet simple play things associated with a waldorf inspired home or school. During this time, I created a simple knitting gnome pattern and starting knitting lots for my children and for sale.

What inspires you?
I enjoy the magazine, Living Crafts, looking through the natural toy catalogs and simply searching through etsy to get glimpses of the amazing things others are creating. I also love to watch our children play with the simple open-ended toys that we create. It is wonderfully gratifying to see them create all kinds of scenes with simple branch blocks and some hand knit dolls, for example.


What got you started working with wool and wood?
I knew when I began knitting gnomes that I would only use natural fibers. Wool is my fiber of choice and all of our toys are stuffed with wool roving. As our family began the process of working towards a more simple, homesteading lifestyle we incorporated my husband working with branches to create natural toys for children. What is so wonderful about both of these fibers is that they can be composted - they can be returned to the earth if for some reason they are no longer loved.

How long have you been on Etsy and how has it been for you?
I actually began with Etsy shortly after it started in 2005. However, it wasn’t until last year that we began to actually sell in earnest on Etsy and really build our business. It has been amazing for us.


What advice would you have for other Etsians?

Don’t expect to sell out your first week, although you certainly could. But realistically, it takes time and effort to begin selling regularly. List or relist products daily and read as many articles that you can in the community section of Etsy.

What do you hope to learn/gain/contribute from being a part of the Natural Kids group?
I hope that natural fiber toys, clothing and other goods will become mainstream. My wish is that parents will realize the importance of organic cotton touching their baby’s skin and the importance of only buying items that are made of natural fibers in keeping with being mindful of our earth. As a group, we have the ability to reach a wider audience.

Your items can be found where:
http://knittingmomma.etsy.com

We blog at http://plainandjoyfulliving.blogspot.com







Interview by Beccijo of The Enchanted Cupboard

A Natural Family Wednesday

By Way of Introduction

Is this really me?

Can this really be me?

I think this almost every night as I put my babies to bed.

How did it happen that suddenly I have a little family?

A husband. An almost 4 year old. A sweet sweet 1 year old. Can I be dreaming?

Before I had them I wasn’t even aware I wanted a family of my own (well, I knew I would be a mother, wasn't sure I would be a wife) And now I am achingly, almost painfully aware of how much they mean to me. Funny how that works....

Normal 0 0 1 38 172 4 1 267 11.0

Volunteering for this Natural Family Wednesday has brought this into an even sharper relief than before. I lay at night contemplating the meaning of natural, the meaning of family and even what it means to be ‘living’.

I suppose that's what these posts are for. A place to 'figure it out'. I'm not sure I can talk about how we are a 'natural family' yet. There are lots of parts of this that are obvious. The organic, homegrown food, the limited plastic, the lack of a working television etc. But I think I'm searching for something more...

I'd like to post about teaching our kids how to be gracious, loving, and funny. How to be graceful and

walk with confidence. How to be 'natural.' Comfortable in their own skin and aware of their own convictions but not so aware as to forget the importance of other people's.

Maybe in the course of these 'Natural Family Wednesdays' we can figure it out.

I am brand new to the natural kids group, still getting to know it's members and unravel it's intricacies. Hopefully before too long I will consider these people a part of my 'family', too.

Thanks so much for reading,

Kari
Mama K's Aromatic Play Clay
www.mama-ks.com
mamaks.etsy.com